May 16, 1703 on the Hare Island in the mouth of the Neva Peter the Great lays the fortress - the heart of the future city, designed to become for Russia "a window to Europe." In 1712 the capital from Moscow is transferred to St. Petersburg and remains there for two centuries.

In the city, the construction of stone buildings was going on at a rapid pace. In 1714, Peter even introduces a ban on stone construction in the rest of Russia, and every entry that enters the city is taxed with a "stone tax" - it was required to bring a certain amount or pay a fee.

After Russia's accession to the First World War on the initiative of Tsar Nicholas I, St. Petersburg was renamed the more "Russian" Petrograd. The December insurrection of 1825, which followed several years later, caused a significant resonance in society and strongly influenced the socio-political life of that time.

The abolition of serfdom in 1861 caused an influx of peasants who aspired to the city for work, which led to a rapid increase in its size. Partly due to this, by the end of the 19th century, St. Petersburg became one of the largest industrial cities in Europe. In 1837, the first railway in Russia was opened here, and in 1907 - along Omsk-Nevsky motor bus - the first prototype of the bus.

In 1917 Petrograd became the cradle of the February and October revolutions. And the next year, in connection with the departure of the Soviet government, the capital is finally transferred to Moscow. In 1924, three days after Lenin's death, Petrograd was renamed Leningrad.

The years of the Great Patriotic War have become the heaviest in the history of the city - Leningrad experienced a 900-day blockade and for the courage, perseverance and unprecedented heroism shown by the residents in the fight against the enemy, he was awarded the title Hero City. During the shelling and bombing, many buildings were destroyed or severely damaged, but later the city was completely restored.

From the very foundation, St. Petersburg was built by the most talented architects and engineers not only from Russia, but also from other countries. And today the city is rightly considered the cultural capital of Russia and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. In 1990, the historic center of the city was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List.