Valery Pikulev
St. Petersburg Fortress. Photostory about The Peter and Paul Fortress of St. Petersburg

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ISBN 978-5-4485-6387-4

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From the author

Dear reader! Last time we left you as it is remembered, on Troitsk to the bridge (see Valery Pikulev and Valery Gulyakin’s book “Acquaintance to St. Petersburg. Photostory about the Great City”). What brought us on this bridge? – Yes, it is simple, from it, from Trinity Bridge, it is possible to survey all historical part of St. Petersburg at once, “right on the spot”. Moreover, for most of guests of St. Petersburg, and they arrive in our city, as a rule, from the South (from Moscow), it is simple not to bypass this bridge. Now “it is necessary to descend from the place”, nevertheless, – we pass from “nodding” acquaintance to the Great City to deeper which for the majority, it is sure, will turn into great friendship, – so, it is necessary to descend from Trinity Bridge and to go there from where the city began.

And so far we will look once more at our handsome, – at Trinity Bridge.

Trinity Bridge. View from the right coast of Neva

…Like the good old days!

It is a little history

Rainy October, 1702. Troops of the associate and the friend Peter I, the general field marshal Boris Sheremetev take storm the Swedish fortress Noteburg. Pyotr participates in this nice business! No, not in the Commander-in-chief rank – save, God! – and only goal-scorer captain: he has no need “to be stuck out”, he and so – Pyotr The Great! This fortress, having a reputation for unapproachable hitherto, costs on the island in the mouth of the Neva River and, together with other fortress, – Nienschanz, – that is lower on a current, controls, and, speaking simply, – tightly bars for Russians all waterway from Lake Ladoga to the Baltic Sea. In half a year, at the beginning of May, 1703, the Nienschanz is given. Without fight.

Symbolical reconstruction of fortress Nienschanz

Well, on the lands which are just won from the Swede, on this major water communication, it is necessary to be fixed. Prompt in the rushes Pyotr makes the fast decision! And here, on May 16, 1703 – remember this blessed date (in old style)! – marshy coast of the Nevsky delta are disclosed by amicable knock of axes and squeal of saws: the forced construction of fortress began. – And, of course, on the island, that around water! The island is this, known to Swedes as Lust-Eland (“cheerful”), and to Finns – Enisaari, by Russians it was nicknamed Hare. But, about it a bit later…

Generally, St. Petersburg is located more than on 30 islands (and to these nobody found time to bring full clarity in this question: some bring their number to the 42nd if to consider also artificial). In the city 342 bridges (and together with suburban, there are a lot of more than five hundred: call even number 580). Five hundred bridges which hung over nearly fifty rivers, channels, small rivers and channels – than not Venice!

Let’s return, however, that May day. “In the 16th day of May (in a week of Pentecost) fortress is put and called Sanktpiterburkh” – so about this event the tsar Pyotr will write! This date – on May 16 (on May 27 on new style) 1703 – is also the Birthday of St. Petersburg!

Dear reader, at you can arise a reasonable question: and why, actually, on May 27, but not the 29th … – upon transition from the Julian calendar, – by the way, one of Pyotr’s reforms to which time in Russia was considered not since Christmas, and… from creation of the world! – and so, upon transition from the Julian calendar to Gregorian on which there lives the whole Europe it would be necessary to add 13 days, but not 11. And it is absolutely fair … – for start date of the twentieth century. To dates of the nineteenth century agreed to add only 12 days; for the 18th – already 11. And for all other centuries leaving deep into stories add 13 days, again “not to take a steam bath”. There is such piece!

The small island on which put fortress is separated from the neighboring huge island rather narrow, but quite fast by a channel. From this blessed island, all also began with it. There, on this small island, we will also go.