Department of public health RF.
ST.-PETERBURG.
Abstract on English by
Kuranov Alina Olegovna –
a student of Essentuki medical
college group №261
2003y.
St-Peterburg.
St-Peterburg is stillless then 300 years old: the age of the city on theNeva delta is calculated from 27 May (16 May old-style) 1703 — the day when thefoundation of a new Russian fortress were laid on little Hare Island, intendedto protect the territory around the Neva that had been won from the Swedesinthe Northern War. The citadel was named (in Dutch style) Sankt Pieterburgh(Saint Peter's City); thus began the history of the capital of the RussianEmpire, founded by Peter I.
However, St. Petersburg has its prehistory, just as other Europeancapitals do. Paris was originally a settlemt of the Gallic tribe the Parisiicalled Lutetia, which the Romans made into a military base called Parisiorum orParisia. London and Vienna grew up on the sites of Caltic setelements and Romancamps. A Moorish fortress formed the basis for Madrid.
St.Petersburg has played an exceptional role in the life of Russia. It is thesecond largest city in our country. St. Petersburg is the most northern capitalin the world. It is on the latitude as Greenland, Alaska an Chukotka. Thisexplains the white nights which are most clearly visible between 11 June and 2July. The city is rather young. It was founded less than 300 years ago. Thefounder of St. Petersburg is Peter the Great, who laid the first stone of thePeter and Paul Fortress in 1703 on Hare island thus starting a new city. In1712 it became the capital of Russia the centre of its political and culturallife.
St. Petersburg is one the greatestand most beautiful cities in the world. Its historical and cultural importanceis as big as that of Paris, London or Rome. «Northern Palmira",«Northern Venice» attracts thousands of tourists from all over theworld.
Thefirst fortress appeared on the banks of the Neva, where St. Petersburg wassubsequently established, 700 years ago;
Sincethe city is situated on the banks of a 41 island, it has hundreds of kilometersof quays and more than 300 bridges. Many quays were built not only as banks fortifications, butalso as the architectural element of the space and expanse. The beautifuldescents to the water line, ornamental elements made of stone and metal,sculptures, fine railings and lampposts -all this makes quays and bridges ofSaint Petersburg one of the most popular sites, draw-ing the great attention ofthe city's amateurs.
It was a Swedish fortress called Landskrona («Land's Crown»),built where the River Okhta flows into the Neva. A Russian village soon grew uparound the fortress. This fortified setelement at the mouth of the Okhta haschanged its name and even the state to which it has belonged, but hascontinued to exist virtually without a break.
Unfortunately, this impressive date — seven centuries of this fortresstwon on the Neva within St. Petersburd's city boundaries — has passed almostunnoticed. The story of this suburb, rich and facinating in its own right, hasalways ramained in the shadow of the dazzlind history of the northern capital,but the medieval fortress in the Okhta mouth is an important landmark in thehistorical heritage of the peoples of Northen Europe.
The Neva has provided Russia with an access to the Baltic Sea sinceancient time; it was from here that the celebrated water route «from theVikings to the Greeks» started. The lands around the river were the focusfor close cooperation, and at the same time military confrontation, betweenNovgorod the Great and Sweden.
Early in the summer of 1300 Swedish knights led by Tergils Knutssoncarried out a sea-borne invation into Novgorod territory. They stooped at themouth of the Okhta, where they built the Landskrona fortress on a pointedpromontory. They dug a channal between the two rivers and filled it with water;then constructed an earthwork behind it, with wooden walls and towers. Thearrivel of the Swedish «Land's Crown» threatened Russia with the lossof her access to the Baltic, so within a year the Novgorod army of Grand PrinceAndrey Alexandrovich attacked the stronghold and captured it after a decisiveassault. The fortress construction was destroyed.
A Russian settlemant soon arose on the ruins of Landskrona. Time hasobliterated all traces of it, but archaeological finds tell us about life atthat time — fragments of 14th century ceramic vassels, for example. Olddocuments refer to regular inter national trade in the Neva estuary; foreinmerchantes (mostly Hanseatic) had the right to moor and repair their vesselshere. Goods brought in on ships were transferred to Novgorodian river boats.Foreign vessels could not ignore this strategically important and convenientspot on the Okhta promontory which was home both to preasants who cultivatedthe land and to tradespeople.
A chronicle of 1500, containing information about an outlying region ofthe Novgorod territory called the Vodskaya District names its outpost as theVillage at the Mouth of the Okhta. We are indebted to the chronicles of Ivan 3,Grand Prince of Moskow, for the first reliable reference to the group ofsettlements on the site of modern St. Petersburg — in particular Lakhta,Pargolovo and Dudorovo (later Duderhof). Note the date of this chronicle: itwas compiled exactly 500 years ago! Another anniversary connected with ourcity's prehistory.
The «village» was later called the Neva Estuary, or the NevaTown. It was destroyed on more than one occasion in the 16th century: in 1583,during the Russo-Swedish War, King John 3 of Sweden ordered new fortificationsto be constructed on the site of the half-ruined ones. It seems that theinterminable military actions of the time meant that Landskrona was rebuiltesometimes by the Russians, sometimes by the Swedes. In spite of all its reveresof fortune, the Russian settlement on the Okhta estuary developed into a citycenter. It was a bustlind place at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries,containing the Sovereigns Arcade, the Church of the Archangl Michael (protectorof warriors), a wharf and a Customs House, a sure sign of flourishing foreigntrade.
During the «time of troubles» the fortress of Nienschants wasbuilt on the site of the Neva town in 1611, by order of King Charles 9 ofSweden; it was originally a small rectangular castle with a garrison of 600men. The work was supervised by Commander Nienschats; this gradually increasedin size to be a town called Nien. By the middle of the 17th century it hadbecome an important transit point for international trade. After the stormingof fortress by Russian detachments in 1656, Swedish engineer G. von Seilenbergbuilt a new earthen castle with five basrions in the shape of a star; theapproach to it was barred by rampart with three bastions. He constructed abridge across the Okhta to link the fortress with the town proper on theright-hand side of the river.
The history of Nien came to an abrupt end in the fourth year of theNorthern War: on 25 April 1703 a corps of 25,000 men under the command of Peter1 and Field-Marshal Boris Sheremetyev launcher an assault on Nienschants. Thefortress fell, and tradition has it that the Tsar planted an oak tree to markthe burial-ground of Russian troops killed in the attack. Peter renamed theSwedish citadel Schlotburg (Castle-town). The fortress of Noteburg, capturedsix months earlier, had already deen called Schlisselburg (Key-town). Thesesymbolic names were evidence of Russia's lasting claim upon the land around theNeva.
The end of Nienschants marked the beginning of St. Petersburg, and thenew city grew at a fantastic speed on the islands in the Neva delta. In 1709,after the victory at Poltava that determined the outcome of the Northern War,the fortifications at Nienschants were ceremonially blown up. In the mid-18thcentury Andrey Bogdanov, the first historian of St. Petersburg, called for theruins to be preserved as a rare monument.
Thefirst structure to be built in the new city was the Peter and Paul fortress.Designed to protect the area from the attacks of the Swedish army and navy, thefort did not take part in actual fighting. However, the area was well protectedmilitarily as the Admiralty complex was also fortified. The Admiralty was acenter of different activities of St. Petersburg. The most powerful ships ofRussia's Baltic Fleet were built there, which led to a series of navalvictories in the course of the Northern War. Many of the street and districtnames in St. Petersburg still remind us of Peter the Great's war preparations(Liteiny — «the Foundry yard», Smolny — «the Tar yard»,which produced tar for shipbuilding, etc.).
TzarPeter the Great originally lived in a tiny cabin, which became known as theCabin of Peter the Great. Soon a Summer Palace was built for him (1714) and aWinter Palace just a bit down the river. There were no bridges across themighty Neva River and people had to be ferried across by boat (this is why theycall St. Petersburg «the Venice of the North»). The original downtownwas formed in the area between the fortress and the Cabin of Peter the Great,the place which later became the Trinity Square (Troitskaia Ploschad'). Thefocal point of the downtown was the first church of the city — the TrinityChurch. Houses for the local elite, a first Gostiny Dvor (a market for thelocal and visiting merchants) and several inns and bars were built. Most of thehigh class social events (receptions, balls, etc.) took place either in theSummer Gardens or in the palace of the Governor General of St. Petersburg — theluxurious Menshikov Palace.
Youwill visit the Summer Garden with it's beautiful sculptures — the beloved childof Peter the First. Michael garden with Russian Museum, Alexander garden withAdmiralty Tower and the Copper Horseman, the Park of the Stone Island andKirova Park. Walking along the paths of the parks and public gardens, admiringthe well-known railing of the Summer Garden as well as the railings andlampposts of the other parks and gardens, you'll feel all of them being anintegral part of the city.
Eventhose, who have never been here yet, have definitely seen the photographs ofthe magnificent fountains, park pavilions and palaces of this Tsar's Residence.Planned by Peter the First himself, the ensemble has been further developed andaccomplished by many an excellent architects, sculptors and engineers.
You'llenjoy the Big Peterhoffs Palace, planned by F. Rastrelly, the PalaceMon-plaisir (the first Painting Gallery in Russia), the Big Stone Green-house,pavilion Hermitage, Marly Palace and the most remarkable here — a great numberof fountains, different in form and decor, striking by their beauty, eleganceand, sometimes even by their unpredictable conduct-Coming to Saint Petersburg,you ought to visit this place!
Veryfew buildings from the early 18th century have survived: many were torn down orremodeled. The building of the «Twelve Colleges» and the Kikin Housemight give you an impression of what the original city looked like. Many of theoriginal buildings in the city were built according to a number of typicaldesigns, approved by the tzar. Some buildings of the downtown still bear thestamp of this early architecture. When Peter the Great died in 1725, his wifeCatherine assumed power and then the rulers started changing every few years,overthrowing one another. Meanwhile the city experienced a short decline. For ashort period (in the late 1720s) the royal court was moved back to Moscow. Manyof the nobility and merchants, forced by Peter the Great to move to St.Petersburg, now chose to leave the city. The city was fully revived only whenPeter's daughter Elizabeth became Empress in 1741. Elizabethan St. Petersburgbecame a lively European capital and its population reached 150 thousand.
During the reign of Elizabeth, daughter of Peter theGreat, St. Petersburg finally became a fine European capital. At the beginningof this period fine buildings stood right next to ugly huts. After 20 years ofElizabeth's reign St. Petersburg and its suburbs could rival the most beautifulEuropean cities.
TheImperial splendor of St. Petersburg was best reflected in the suburban royalresidences. Peter the Great's estate Peterhofwas remodeled by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the architect of the Winter Palaceand the Smolny Cathedral.The Grand Palace and the Grand Cascade of Peterhof were decorated with extremeluxury. That was typical for Elizabeth's time, since her court was big and veryexpensive for the country's purse.
The Yekaterininsky (Catherine's)Palace in Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin),which once used to belong to Peter the Great's wife Catherine, was now turnedinto a magnificent royal residence with a vast and elaborate Baroque garden.
Elizabeth commissioned the lovelySmolny Convent and the Winter Palace, though she died before both buildingswere completed. Ironically, during Elizabeth's reign the area near the palace,which later became the Palace Square,was used as a grazing land for the royal cows.
Elizabeth tried to follow many of her father'spolicies. Unlike some of her predecessors, she preferred to appoint Russiansand not foreigners to the highest positions in the country. Being a patron ofnational arts and sciences, she established the Russian Academy of Arts. It hasto be mentioned that Elizabeth was a very lively woman: she preferred to skipwork when possible and enjoy balls, receptions, masquerades, firework displays,and other things which were a lot of fun.
Elizabeth'snephew Peter III did not rule for too long. Shortly after assuming powerhe was overthrown by his wife, a German princess, who soon became the famous Catherine the Great.Under her rule St. Petersburg turned into a «Grand City».
Catherine theGreat assumed power in 1762 after a coup d' etat, which sheengineered together with officers of the Royal Guard. Unlike her husband, shewas well loved by the country's elite and received a very good press in Europethanks to her contacts with many figures of the French Enlightenment.
Catherine's court was extremely luxurious. She was thefirst to move into the newly built Winter Palace. Catherine started a royal artcollection which later became the world-famous Hermitage.
Several additional buildings (theSmall Hermitage and the Old Hermitage) were commissioned for the growing royalcollection of art. The Hermitage Theater was built and the area around thepalace was put in order and built up with the finest houses and palaces.
Themost prominent embankments on the left bank of the Neva river were upgraded totheir present red granite look and the marvelous wrought iron fence of the Summer Gardens wasbuilt by Yuri Felten in 1773-86.
Under Catherine's patronagescience, the arts and trade flourished. New buildings for the Russian Academyof Sciences, the Academy of Fine Arts and the first Public Library (now theRussian National Library) were constructed and the large Gostiny Dvortrading complex was opened on Nevsky Prospect.Many educational institutions were established.
In TsarskoyeSelo ( now Pushkin) severaladditions to the royal palace were built. One of these new wings (the CameronGallery) served as the living quarters for Catherine the Great herself. Thelovely park which surrounds the palaces still bears the stamp of Catherine'slively and luxurious court.
Among Catherine's many reforms was the reform ofSt. Petersburg local administration. In 1766 the position of gorodskoigolova (a mayor) was established. In 1774 a Magistrat (municipalcouncil) was formed, and in 1786 it was transformed into the city Duma.
Amonument to Catherine the Great was built in 1873 in a gardenjust off Nevsky Prospect (by the Public Library and the Alexandrinsky Theater.Thousands of people come to visit her tomb in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.
When Catherine the Great died in 1796 a whole newperiod in Russian history started. Catherine's son Paul I introducedsome ultra-conservative policies, curtailed the St Petersburg localadministration and made several major steps towards turning Russia into abureaucratic state. The worst fear in Paul's life was the fear of beingassassinated.
The palace and Park ensemble wasconstructed in the end of the XVIII c on the land, bestowed by Catherine theGreat upon her son Pavel I a future emperor of Russia. The Palece, constructionof which was directed by such famous architects as Ch. Kameron, A. Voronikhin,K. Rossi — is not as magnificent and rich as the Catherine's Palace, but it isnevertheless very distinctive and interesting with it's interior, a picturegallery and one of the best landscape parks in Europe. Thanks to the plan ofthe creators of this park, you will sec here absolutely unique landscapes thatwill enable you to feel the beau-ty of the northern Russian nature.
Trying to hide from possibleplots, he built a well-protected palace for himself — the Mikhailovsky Castle.However that did not help, and on March 12, 1801 Paul I was assassinated in thenewly-built castle, in his own bedroom. Ironically, the coup was engineered byhis son Alexander, who had sworn to continue the policies of his grandmother — Catherine the Great.
Upon assuming power Alexander I had introduceda series of reforms. A political reform brought to life a new structure ofgovernment: in 1802 Alexander approved a system of ministries withministers reporting directly to the monarch; in 1810 — the State Councilwas formed. For better or for worse, bureaucracy flourished. Soon St.Petersburg became a very bureaucratic, ordered city and its traditional regularstreet layout and heavy policing just contributed to such an image.
During the reign of Alexander I the Russian armysuccessfully stopped Napoleon's invasion of Russia and drove the French armyback to Paris (1812-14). The captured French banners were put in the newlybuilt Kazan Cathedral,where the Russian army commander, Field-Marshal Kutuzov, was buried in 1813.
Inthe Russian Imperial capital everything had to look very orderly. It was theheyday of architectural ensembles and perfectionist «classical»designs. The Admiralty, thenaval headquarters of Russia, was remodeled in 1806-23. The complex of the Stock Exchange andthe Rostral columns wasbuilt at the Southern edge (Strelka) of Vasilievsky Island. Arts Square withthe Mikhailovsky Palace (1819-25) was designed by Carlo Rossi. In 1818 theconstruction of St. Isaac's Cathedralbegan but was completed only 40 years later.
When Alexander I suddenly died in the town of Taganrog(some say, he ran away to Siberia to escape the heavy burden of power) inDecember 1825, a political crisis erupted. A group of liberal young armyofficers (later called the «Decembrists») started a revolt,hoping that Nicholas I, Alexander's younger brother, would have to sign aConstitution for the country. They brought their soldiers to the Senate squareby the Bronze Horseman,but remained inactive. The uprising was cruelly crushed, the five organizersexecuted and the rest exiled to Siberia.
Due to the Decembrist Uprisingthe new Emperor, Nicholas I, adopted the most conservative policies. Russia wasleft to be an economically backward bureaucratic state. That was well reflectedin the Imperial capital — St. Petersburg. The desire for orderliness reachedridiculous heights. The orderly appearance of a marching army was Nicholas'sideal. Military order was everywhere. Even the civil educational institutions(colleges) were treated as military schools.
Paradoxically,culture flourished under such an oppressive regime. Alexander Pushkinwrote some of his best poetry, before being killed in a duel in 1837. MikhailGlinka, one of the first great Russian composers, wrote his best operas andchamber music. Fiodor Dostoyevsky lived in St. Petersburg from 1837 andin 1844 started his career as a writer.
Despite its obvious economic backwardness, whichresulted in a humiliating defeat in the Crimean War (1853-56), Russia wasgradually moving down the road of technical progress. In 1837 the firstRussian railroad was opened. It connected St. Petersburg with the royalresidence at Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin). In 1851another railroad connected St. Petersburg with Moscow. In 1850 the firstpermanent bridge across the Neva River was opened. Before that there wereonly temporary (pontoon) bridges which could not operate in winter.
St. Petersburg became more andmore majestic. The ensemble of Palace Square was finished with the constructionof the General Staff building (1819-29), the Alexander Column (1830-34)and the Royal Guards Staff building (1837-43). In 1839-44 the Mariinsky Palace (nowadaysthe City Hall) was built for Nicholas' beloved daughter Maria. St. Isaac's Cathedral,the main church of the Russian Empire, was finally completed only in 1858, whenNicholas I had already died and his son Alexander II was on the throne.
When Alexander II was crowned as RussianEmperor, the country was trying to cope with a humiliating defeat in theCrimean War. Something had to be done to boost the national economy and ensurepolitical stability. A series of reforms was undertaken under the supervisionof Alexander II. The Russian serfs were freed in 1861, although peasantshad to pay for their land. Then followed a military reform, a legal reform (atrial by jury was introduced) and the city administration reform, which allowedSt Petersburg a higher degree of self-government.
Despitethe scale of the reforms some revolutionaries considered Alexander to be tooconservative. After a series of assassination attempts, on March 1, 1881Alexander II was fatally wounded and died the same day. The marvelous Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood(1883-1907) was built on the spot where Alexander II was assassinated. Some ofthe reforms (and the constitution which was ready to be signed) were repealedor curtailed by his enraged son Alexander III and a period ofrepressions and conservatism followed.
Meanwhile, St. Petersburg was becoming a capitalistcity. The number of factories and plants (both Russian and foreign) grewquickly, while Nevsky Prospect anddowntown streets were filled with banks and company offices. By the 1890sconstruction was booming and new multi-storey apartment buildings weremushrooming all over the city. During this period the famous Mariinsky theater (fora time called the Kirov theater ) was built along with a number of palaces forGrand Dukes, the Liteiny bridge (where the first street lights in thecity were installed ) and monuments to Catherine the Great, Nicholas I and thepoet Alexander Pushkin.
Literature:
1. Newspaper«The St. Petersburg Times», №6 (873), 2003y.
2. V.Yakovlev, governor of St.Pt., www.spb300.com/