Peter and Paul Fortress

Where it is & how to get there

• Metro: Gorkovskaya station, then a 10-minute walk across the Ioannovsky Bridge.
• Tickets: Grounds are free; the cathedral, prison museum and walls walk are paid.
• By boat: Many Neva boat trips pass the fortress walls.

The story of the fortress

On 27 May 1703, Peter the Great founded a fortress on Hare Island to guard the Neva against Sweden, and that date is celebrated as the birthday of the city. The fortress never saw battle and later served as a political prison.

At its centre stands the Peter and Paul Cathedral, whose 122-metre golden spire was for a long time the tallest structure in the city. Inside lie almost all Russian emperors from Peter the Great onwards, including the last tsar, Nicholas II, and his family.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Walk the walls along the river.
• Walk along the Neva walls for views of the Winter Palace.
• Visit the Trubetskoy Bastion prison museum.
• Cover your shoulders and knees inside the cathedral.

What's around the fortress

• Hare Island beachSandy strip under the walls.
• KronverkArtillery museum opposite the fortress.
• Trinity BridgeGraceful bridge across the Neva.
• HermitageAcross the river.

Questions travellers ask