PETER THE GREAT FOUNDS ST. PETERSBURG, May 27, 1703

PETER THE GREAT 

FOUNDS 

ST. PETERSBURG, 

May 27, 1703 

THE PETER AND PAUL FORTRESS, 

ON THE SITE OF 

THE FOUNDING OF ST. PETERSBURG, 

PHOTOGRAPHED FROM 

A HYDROFOIL IN 1984 

St. Petersburg (once-upon-a-time-Petrograd and once-upon-a-longer-time-Leningrad) has been known as Russia's Window on the West; it was founded by Tsar Peter the Great in the course of a war with Sweden. 

Two of St. Petersburg's native sons, Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin, now rule Russia. The capital remains in Moscow, although there had been talk for a time on moving it back to St. Petersburg. 

More on Peter the Great 

here 

& 

here 

More scenes from St. Petersburg 

here 

& 

here 

& 

here 

& 

here 

& 

here 

& 

here 

For more about Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, click on their names in the column to the right ("Selected Subjects")