The Peter and Paul Fortress

The foundation stone of the fortress was laid on the 16th of May (27th of May by new style) in 1703.

Peter I marked the place for fortress gates with two birch-trees.

Peter l decided to build a new fortress on a small island . This island is called Zayachy island.
Zayachy island is situated at the point where the river branches out into two arms. The island made good defence position.

The fortress took its name from the small wooden church in the center of the unfinished fortress. This church was dedicated to the Apostles Peter and Paul.

One of the first images of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Soon after that another fortress on Cronshlodt Island was built and the Peter and Paul fortress lost its military role .

The fortress turned into a political prison.

Alexei the son of Peter I, was one of the first prisoners.

He opposed Peter’s reforms and joined in a conspiracy against him.
Alexei was imprisoned and executed in one of the casemates of the fortress.

The writer Alexander Radishev wrote the book “Voyage from St. Petersburg to Moscow”. The book was directed against the tsar’s system. He was imprisoned in 1790.

Five of the Decembrists were hung in the Peter and Paul’s Fortress. They took part in the revolt against autocratic rule of the tsar in December 1825.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
Maxim Gorky
These writers were imprisoned in the fortress.

In the center of the fortress stands the Mint. It was founded in 1724. Coins, badges, orders, medals have been minted there.