peter and paul fortress
The original citadel of the IMPERIAL city
Peter and Paul Fortress is where you can get a feel for St Petersburg’s more than 300 year old
history.
The crown jewel of St. Petersburg lies at the center of the Peter and Paul Fortress on Zayachy Island (Hare Island), across the Neva River from the heart of the city. The Peter and Paul Cathedral, with its tall, needle-like spire, towers majestically above its surroundings in tribute to the spirit of Russia.
Designed by Domenico Trezzini, this preeminent
attraction stands bathed in lights which cast an aura of mystique that
St. Petersburg is famous for. Built to protect Russia’s new capital from a possible Swedish attack, today it has become a popular tourist complex, home to the famous Cathedral of the Saint Apostles Peter and Paul and The Grand Ducal Mausoleum along with numerous museums, galleries, and amazing river-side views.
History says that the first sketched plan of the fortress, following the natural shape of the island was made by Peter himself. While the construction of the cathedral, a Baroque masterpiece, began in 1712 to replace the
wooden church built when Peter the Great founded St. Petersburg.
Inside, the stunning gold altar, dramatic pillars, exquisite paintings and ceiling frescoes are accented by light pouring through massive arched windows. Visitors are allowed to take photos of the interior, but flash is not permitted, so those wishing to capture memories of the Peter and Paul Cathedral should plan their visit keeping the brightest daylight hours in mind.
The Peter and Paul Fortress is the cradle of the city, and as such is one of the historic symbols of St Petersburg admired both by locals and tourists for its remarkable beauty against the night sky and its rich history. A guided tour inside the Island will take you from royal tombs and prison blocks to historical museum exhibitions, and much more.☺
a look inside the peter and paul fortress
Interested to visit Peter and Paul Fortress Island? If so, click on the links below or scroll down the page to learn more.
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peter and paul cathedral
Peter and Paul Cathedral is the oldest Russian orthodox church in St. Petersburg, and it serves as the burial site for the 18th century Romanov dynasty. The final resting place of emperors and empresses, the tombs of Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, Alexander II and their families are interred here.
In 2006, the remains of Empress Maria Fyodorovna, wife of Alexander III and mother of Nicholas II, were retrieved from Denmark and laid to rest beside her husband, as per her wishes.
A tour inside the Cathedral will allow to admire not only the tombs of the tsars but also the iconostasis, a wide range of traditional art compositions created in Moscow in 1720, and then brought to St Petersburg, installed and gilded.
For your information, on July 17, 1998, the remains of Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra Fyodorovna, Princess Anastasia, Prince Alexei and their other three children executed by the Bolsheviks on July 17, 1918, have been entombed in The Chapel of St. Catherine the Martyr.
Although the chapel is separate from the cathedral and entry is roped off, visitors come to share solemn reverence for this poignant chapter in the history of Imperial Russia.
grand ducal sepulchre
The Grand Ducal Mausoleum, built during 1896-1908, is a shrine to the Grand Dukes and Duchesses and those who married into the Imperial House. An available diagram outlining the location of each burial vault shows the extensive lineage of the Romanov family and defines The Peter and Paul Cathedral as having distinction that goes beyond the history of Russia to being passionately called the soul of Russia.
the bastions
The Peter and Paul Fortress has six bastions with walks up to six metres thick. In no particular orders these are the name of the erected bastions: Menshikov Bastion; Sovereign's Bastion; Naryshkin Bastion; Trubetskoi Bastion; Zotov Bastion; Golovkin Bastion.
Inside the bastions you can find gun-slots and an extensive military artillery, which was used in the past to pour down heavy fire on attackers, rending such fortress impregnable. Also, when walking through the site you can admire extensive casemates, which were used as a prison in Peter's day.
The Trubetskoy Bastion Prison is a museum with a large complex of cells where many important people have been imprisoned, such as Maxim Gorky, Leon Trotsky, and even Fyodor Dostoevsky to name just a few.
the noonday guns
This is the first cannon to have fired to mark midday on 1873, which you can still find today on the fortress wall.
the boat house
The boathouse is another interesting place you can find inside the fortress. This building hosts the boat in which Peter learned to sail and that he brought to the fortress in 1723. The original boat is now in the Central Naval Museum, while an exact copy stands in the Boathouse.
the mint
The Mint displays coin collections and commemorative medals that were usually designed by Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli. While, the Printing workshop contains printing and ceramica relics. The mint was moved from Moscow in 1724 and originally housed in the Trubetskoi and Naryshkin bastions.
the crownwork
The Crownwork was an additional fortification in the shape of a crown located on the opposite site bank, which separates the Peter and Paul Fortress from Birch Island to the north. Today it has become the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineering and Communications. A quirky but good place to visit which connected with the history of the Fortress.
interesting facts
The construction of Peter and Paul Fortress marked the beginning of Saint Petersburg, a city that was destined to be capital of the Russian Empire for over two centuries. The cathedral was one of the first in Russia to be decorated with paintings and icons.
The wall of icons and religious paintings was carved by Moscow craftsmen in the 1720s and contains 43 original icons from the 18th century. The bell tower of the cathedral is the world’s largest Orthodox bell tower and at the base of the tower lay the tombs of the Romanov monarchs.
how to get there
St. Petersburg locals who are familiar with different ways to reach The Peter and Paul Fortress unanimously suggest walking. The quickest route with the most spectacular view is a walk across the Troitsky Bridge. The best advice we can give you is to get a map of the city, mark your hotel and The Peter and Paul Fortress and from there, it will be easy to figure out your walking route.
For those who are too far to walk, you will need to get to Nevsky Prospekt Metro Station and take the one stop route to Gorkovskaya Station. Disembark and turn right, walk 5 minutes to the Neva River and you will see the entrance to the fortress.
Lastly, you can also take the tram N. 6 and bus N. 40, which would drop you out straight in front of the gates.
where to buy tickets
Visiting the island is free, so anyone can enter the fortress and walk around, but if you wish to visit the Cathedral and the graves of the former rulers and their families together with
its numerous prisons and other exhibitions you must buy a ticket for each place you plan to see.
You can purchase tickets for all expositions, temporary exhibitions, museum programs only at the museum’s ticket offices, which are located near the entrance. The museum does not carry out the electronic sale of tickets either on the official website of the museum or on any other sites.
practical information
- Address: Zayachy (Hare) Island
- Metro: Gorkovskaya, Sportivnaya
- Open: The grounds of the fortress is open from 6 am to 10 pm. All exhibitions are open daily, except Wednesdays, 10 am to 6 pm. Last admission is at 5 pm. Tuesdays, 10 am to 5 pm. Last admission is at 4 pm. The Cathedral is open daily, from 10 am to 6 pm. Saturday, from 11 am to 6 pm. Sunday, from 10 am to 5:45 pm.
- Telephone: +7 (812) 230-6431
- Website: http://www.spbmuseum.ru/themuseum/museum_complex/peterpaul_fortress/
- Admission: Peter & Paul Cathedral and Grand-Ducal Burial Vault: Rubles 350.00. Entrance to fortress is free. For an additional 250 Rubles, you can purchase an audio guide.
- Photo and video: free/included
- Accessibility note: The Cathedral and the grounds are wheelchair accessible. Other exhibits are not wheelchair accessible (stairs, curbs, cobblestone pavements).
tips & recommendations
- Visit the Neva Curtain Wall archway for the best view, and brave a dip in the bracing waters, though at your own risks.
- Make sure you visit the Trubetskoy Bastion Prison for a full immersion into the Russian history as Maxim Gorky, Leon Trotsky, and even famous writer Fyodor Dostoevsky and the Tsar Nicholas I have been imprisoned here.
- The tickets for Peter and Paul Cathedral and all the other sites can be purchased separately at the entrance, but in order to climb to the Tower (Yes you can go up) you must wait for a tour group and join one.
- If you plan to visit Peter and Paul Fortress in summer please be aware that there are big group tours that take place and it can be difficult to take pictures with all of them doing the same.
- Take note that most museum tickets offices close one hour before the official closing time. Also remember most museums ask you to buy an extra photography ticket if you would like to take photos or videos.
- Please pay attention that if you buy tickets online from third parties agency such as Tripadvisor, Getyourguide, Viator, or similar platforms your tickets might not work as they have to be exchanged at the cash desk for the usual ticket.
- Peter and Paul Fortress can be easily explored independently, if you have time of course. In the event you have a limited time, we highly recommend that you hire a tour guide, and eventually combines your visit with the Hermitage museum, which is just 2 kilometers away.☺
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