Leningrad [antikvár]

In 'the center of Leningrad, on Zayachy Island situated near the right bank of the Neva, rise the stone walls of the Peter-and-Paul Fortress (Petropavlovsfcaya Krepost). It was the first structure erected in the city founded by Peter I in the early 18th century.The fortress was planned by Peter I himself. lts construction was in the charge of the architect Domenico Trezzini and took place bet-ween August 1703 and 1728. Originally an earthern fortress, it was rebuilt in stone in late May 1706. There are six bastions made of stone and brick and conneotea by straight walls or curtains. The bastions and curtains are 9 to 12 meters high and 16 to 20 meters wide. In 1707 on the northern bank of the straits separating Zayachy Island from Gorodskoy Island an additional earthern fortincationthe kron-werkwas erected; and in the 1730s and 1740s two new ravelins were built: St. John's Ravelin (Ioannovsky Ravelin) and St. Alexis' Rave-lin (Alexeevsky Ravelin) which served to cover ithe entrances to the fortress.Under the tsars the fortress was a political prison.In the October Socialist Revolution the garrison of the fortress went over to the side of the people. When the revolutionary workers, soldiers, and sailors stormed the Winter Palace they were supported by cannon fire from the fortress.Today the Peter-and-Paul Fortress is a branch of the Museum of the History of Leningrad.1.St. John's Gate (Ioannovskie Vorota), 1740, the main entrance to the fortress.2.St. Peters Gate (Petrovskie Vorota), 1718, the eastern entrance to the fortress. It was designed by Trezzini and decorated with wooden bas-reliefs by N. Pino. Below is the bas-relief, "The Defeat of Simon the Fortune-Teller," by Conrad Osner.3.Arsenal, early 19th cent.4.Engineers' House (Inzhenerny Dom), 1748.5.Guardhouse, 1749 (rebuilt in 1907-08).6.Commandant's Building (Komendantsky Dom), 1740s.7.Commandant's Pier.8.Naryshkin Bastion and the "signal gun." In 1723 the bastion acquired a stone tower with a flagstaff designed by Trezzini. On October 25 (November 7, new style), 1917 a red lantern was raised on this flagstaffa signal to begin the storming of the Winter Palace. Now, every day at noon a gun is fired from the bastion.