From the very beginning of its existence, the fortress maintained for more than 200 years, besides the above-mentioned functions, yet another one, that of a prison. A study of the fortress prison records shows that major criminals were kept here on several occasions.
Early on the fortress became one of the main centres of the celebration of Russian military victories. As already mentioned, the first salute from the fortress walls rang out in 1704 in honour of the victory on Lake Peipus, and this tradition continues even today. In 1710, during the celebration of the taking of Vyborg, captured Swedish banners were carried into the wooden fortress cathedral, and this ceremony marked the beginning of the collection in the Sts Peter and Paul Cathedral of relics of Russian military valour. Continue reading
During the War of 1812 the main force of the invading French army under the Emperor Napoleon I was directed at Moscow. However, preparations were made in the northern capital as well, and the St Petersburg Fortress was once again made battle-ready. Continue reading
As reported on July 22, 1705, in the Moscow newspaper Vedomosti, on May 16 in Vyborg a captured Russian captain “alleged that the St Petersburg Fortress was well fortified and could therefore be regarded as the main fortress.” In June the Swedish Lieutenant-General Georg Johan Maydell made an attempt to seize the fortress from the north. Continue reading
The Peter and Paul (St Petersburg) Fortress is the historical nucleus of the City on the Neva as well as one of its most interesting and beautiful architectural complexes. From as far away as the Gulf of Finland one can see the distant gilded spire of the fortress cathedral, one of the main features of the Leningrad skyline. Continue reading