One highlight of the city tour was the Saints Peter and Paul Fortress. This was built on land captured from Sweden and SP's oldest defensive citadel. It was built in 1703 on Hare Island and is a formidable monument to PtG's reign.
As we neared the fortress, we saw the back of the Winter Palace and Hermitage Museum across the Neva River. Just as beautiful on this side as on the Palace Square side.
Part of the Fortress wall.
We saw signs advertising events or exhibits coming to the area. Wish I could read Russian.
Inside the complex we saw the Mint building, one of the oldest industrial enterprises in SP. It dates back to the 1720s and continues to produce commemorative coins and state awards.
From the outside we viewed the Grand Ducal Mausoleum (back right-most building). It holds minor members of the Romanov family.
This statue of "woman with oar" was atop the pavilion.
Middle above and left below is the Boathouse Pavilion. It was originally built to house PtG's Dinghy, a small sailboat used by the young tzar to learn naval principles on the lakes nearby Moscow. That boat was kept here between 1767-1931. Keep in mind that PtG founded the Russian Navy, so that boat was significant to him and to Russia's history. Currently, a smaller replica resides there.
Above to the right is the Saints Peter and Paul (patron saints of the fortress) Cathedral built 1712-1733. Its tower is the tallest Orthodox church bell tower in the world. The interior of the cathedral is absolutely gorgeous.
The church holds the remains of most of the emperors and empresses from Peter the Great to the last Tzar Nicholas II and his family.
Some of the imperial vaults are made of colorful stone such as jasper and rhodonite.
Or decorated with paintings.
And some are very simply adorned with gold crosses.
The last room we saw was the Chapel of Saint Catherine the Martyr, located in lower right of diagram above. It is a memorial to the last tzar of Russia Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, their four daughters (Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia ), their hemophilic son Alexei, and a few loyal servants. Not sure why I got all emotional here these many years later.
All were murdered in Yekaterinburg soon after the Revolution of 1917. Their remains were discovered after 60 years and positively identified through DNA investigation. Their combined remains were laid to rest on July 17, 1998 in this modest chapel. That was the 80th anniversary of their murder.
Exiting the cathedral we spied the cathedral guard cat, a gorgeous calico. A guard was guarding the guard cat as it cat-napped. We were not allowed to pet. Brought our Bella cat to mind. Glad we were nearing the end of our journey, so we could see her again.
Exiting the cathedral we spied the cathedral guard cat, a gorgeous calico. A guard was guarding the guard cat as it cat-napped. We were not allowed to pet. Brought our Bella cat to mind. Glad we were nearing the end of our journey, so we could see her again.
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