Interesting facts about St. Petersburg. History of St. Petersburg

Not every city with a 300-year history can boast of such a variety of architecture and culture as Peter. And his wealth he owes to one person whose common sense is often questioned because of the absurdity of the idea. Museums, theaters and libraries, palaces and gardens, romance, art and uniqueness - all this is the center of the Leningrad region, which annually attracts visitors from different countries. Today we will talk about a glorious city with a rich history. You will learn many interesting facts about Peter.

The territory of myths

The city of St. Petersburg is shrouded in many interesting and unusual legends. One of them tells about its foundation. According to the official version, the great emperor Peter the First understood that the country needs a seaport. This would help to establish rapport with Europe. That is why there was a need to create a point that would become the center of the flotilla and at the same time provide protection to the north-western territories of the country. A place corresponding to the above criteria was chosen on the coast of the Gulf of Finland.

May 16, 1703, on the feast of the Trinity, the emperor arrived at the Hare Island. This name he received because during the tide one of the hares was hiding from the water and jumped the king on his boots, thereby saving himself.

Looking around the territories that the monarch had won from the Swedes, he suddenly stopped and said that there would be a big and glorious city here in St. Petersburg. Then he took a shovel and began digging a ditch. Later he laid the first stone for the future fortress. At that time the terrain represented impenetrable swamps and remote wastelands. While the ruler was walking, he was accompanied everywhere by an eagle - a symbol of success, strength and prosperity.

The refutation of folk tales

In fact, virtually all legends are fictions. This also applies to the myth described above. The researchers completely criticized this tale. Nevertheless, the history of St. Petersburg is still inseparable from these stories, and for a long time people perceived them as true.

The first fiction - the presence of Peter on the Hare Island in May 1703. At this time, the emperor watched the construction of ships in the Lodeinoe field, which was 200 kilometers from the future capital. Moreover, the Emperor-Father rarely visited these regions. And it is not the tsar's business to dig holes, lay the first stones and run around the provinces.

There was not a beautiful eagle, because in this area they are not found. However, the forests here and there were really wild. For example, on Yelagin Island, where today the park is located. S. M. Kirov, lived brown bears.

Incidentally, these animals did not take very well the fact of neighborhood with people and constantly attacked builders, which led to quite large human losses. In the end, it was decided to exterminate the bears.

Jungle with settlements

On this interesting facts about St. Petersburg do not end there. Stories of impassable, deserted swamps are also fiction. In fact, these lands were settled by primitive people who were relatives of the Finno-Ugric peoples. In the VIII-IX centuries the Slavs settled here. In the 1600s, these territories were won by the Swedes during the war and belonged to them until 1721. At the time of the beginning of the construction, there were about forty lively settlements with churches, fortresses, houses. By the standards of the Middle Ages, these were quite large settlements. But the power of the old buildings was demolished and in their place built new objects.

Rejected by historians and the version that the king was guided in his policy by the interests of the people. Its main goal was the creation of a new, European country, which Russia was to become in the near future. St. Petersburg was built from scratch due to the fact that the monarch did not like the then life of society. The new capital was to become not only a political, but also a cultural center of the state.

The mystery of the name

In addition to the well-known legends that tell about the founding of the city, the people have an incorrect stereotype about the name of the city. Many people believe that it is a direct reference to the name of its founder - Peter the Great. In fact, the emperor has nothing to do with this fact. The city is named in honor of St. Peter. Before the foundation of the city, the tsar dreamed of paying tribute to the martyr whose name he wore, and to name a province in his honor.

The history of St. Petersburg also tells us that the Peter and Paul Fortress, which was laid by the emperor, served as the so-called gateway to the country. And it is this heavenly patron who is responsible for entering the paradise.

Here it is worth noting that the citadel itself under the tsar was not only a military object, but also a kind of town with apartments, pharmacies, shops.

The first steps to the ruler's dream

Above the implementation of the emperor's plan, world-renowned engineers and architects, invited from abroad, worked. But the construction work was performed by slaves, who were "invited" from all over the country.

While the tsar was building the city of dreams, Russia suffered. St. Petersburg was planned according to the European pattern, and its construction required a large number of stones. Therefore, at the time of work on the Neva, the ruler forbade building houses from this material elsewhere. In addition, each worker was obliged to bring with him not only tools, but also raw materials. From all those who arrived with empty hands, collected tax. The project attracted not only slaves, but also soldiers (in their spare time from war), prisoners and even prisoners.

Truth and lie

Interesting facts about St. Petersburg can tell the story. Thus, many sources state that the working conditions were terrible, they paid little and the cruel regime prevailed. Indeed, the sovereign kept his subjects in his fist. For the construction of peasants came forcedly. The families of those who fled, were taken to prison and did not release until the workers returned.

But the salary was paid to them and amounted to 1 ruble (the average salary of that time), they worked only three (subsequently two) months, after which they could return home. There is information on accidents: according to different data, the figure is from 1 to 5%, that is, given the century, is quite low.

Embedded Fashion

The scheme of St. Petersburg in relation to the location of buildings at that time was closely connected with the maritime traditions. All objects are built almost on the coast. Constant floods and a strict climate did not attract people. But since 1712 the city is declared the capital. The day before, officials, the Senate and the embassy moved here. Here also the royal court settled.

Wishing to live in a wild city was not enough. To a greater extent, the population came at the whim of the monarch. In 1725 in the northern capital lived about 25-30 thousand people, while in Moscow, eight times more. Then the houses of St. Petersburg were inhabited by peasants and workers who were engaged in the construction of new facilities.

But after the death of Peter, in 1725, development stopped. The capital again moved to Moscow. The city on the Neva was empty. Local was not, as the population was made up by peasants who returned home. The residence and the intelligentsia have retired. This is confirmed by the fact that the first stationary cemetery was founded only in 1738.

City of Emperors

The houses of St. Petersburg were destroyed. Added problems with two fires and annual floods. It should be noted that there were no architectural pearls that the city is proud of today. Peter emphasized the military side. The buildings were well fortified and ready to attack the enemy.

The case of the great reformer was continued by Queen Anna Ioannovna. By decree of 1737, a committee was created whose purpose is to restore the city development plan. A dozen educational institutions are opening. They will later lead to the fact that the city will become a center of culture.

Interesting facts about St. Petersburg are connected with the above-mentioned Peter and Paul Fortress. The kind that tourists admire today is not the work of the first emperor, but of his daughter Elizaveta Petrovna. It was she who made this architectural miracle from this military facility.

Much effort was made by Catherine II. In fact, it was she who built the Northern Capital. Thanks to her, one of the most famous sculptures appeared - the Bronze Horseman. This name was given to the figure by the poet AS Pushkin. In fact, the sculpture is cast from bronze.

History Corrector

The city that Peter left behind was poor and simple. The only thing that Catherine II took from the first project is the scheme of St. Petersburg. The man was building wooden and clay huts clearly along a line that was strange and incomprehensible to the people of that time.

Statistics show that during the life of the monarch only one stone house was built per year. But the empress made a provincial town a work of art. It was she who created dozens of artifacts that supposedly belonged to Peter the Great. During her reign, the best palaces were built and the most magnificent gardens of St. Petersburg were planted. Fountains and embankments grew.

Many legends were launched by Pushkin. Through his works the crowd learned about the city.

Development did not stop even during the changes in the ruling regimes. Before the outbreak of World War I, there were more than two million people in the village. Residents of the Northern capital had to survive three revolutions.

Courage and strength did not change them during the Great Patriotic War. The blockade of Leningrad proved that Petrograders are real patriots of their land.

Country record holder

Today the city can offer a lot of entertainment even for the most spoiled tourist. Capture not only palaces, houses and gardens of St. Petersburg. Guests come to the atmosphere, which is rich in these places. The second Venice (the name of this metropolis) is one of the most romantic cities in the world.

There is a fact that the former Leningrad is the record holder by the number of bridges per meter. In fact, even though 10% of the territory is occupied by water, this information is a fraud. The championship belongs to the German Hamburg, there are 2300 of them. In St. Petersburg, according to different counting systems, there are more than 1000 of them.

According to statistics, this center is visited by 2 million tourists a year. Each of them considers it an honor to take a walk and see St. Petersburg at night. Especially popular is the time of day between late May and mid-July. It is then that the evening merges with the morning and the city plunges into a white glow.

Fantastic atmosphere

The center of the intelligentsia and culture is beautiful not only in the warm season. Particularly beautiful is the winter St. Petersburg. The Russians have always been particularly friendly to this season. Creepy frosts and snow drifts people perceived as a gift of nature. Earlier, when the weather raged especially strongly, the people on duty lit a fire in the streets so that passers-by could warm up. Today the city pleases the guests with warm cafes and restaurants, where you can order a traditional dessert of the city - the dumplings.

Interesting facts about St. Petersburg can be given endlessly. This is the territory of theaters, museums, art and an exceptionally kind atmosphere.