27th May, 1703 St. Petersburg was founded

On the 27th of May 1703 Peter I founded the Peter and Paul Fortress. This date is considered to be the foundation date of the northern capital of Russia, St. Petersburg.

In those years, there was a war between Russia and Sweden for access to the Baltic Sea. By 1703, Russian army managed to win back the land at the mouth of the Neva River. In order to strengthen its position it was decided to tab fortress on the island Enisaari (Rabbit Island). So on the world map appeared the first Russian port on the Baltic Sea, called in honor of the Apostle Peter.

It is worth noting that the construction was supervised by A.Menshikov. As for the drawing of the fortress, it is assumed that it was made by Peter I.

Soldiers, serfs and Swedish prisoners erected wooden-earthen fort, Construction was completed in October 1703. But one of the flood destroyed part of the shaft. As a result in the middle of the XVIII century, the fortress became stone.

In 1924, in fortress was opened a museum, and in 1933 it was announced a historical and cultural reserve.

Exactly Peter and Paul Fortress on May 27 each year becomes the center of the celebration of the St. Petersburg Day.