ST.-PETERBURG
Department of public
health RF.
ST.-PETERBURG.
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Abstract on English by
Kuranov Alina Olegovna –
a student of Essentuki medical
college group №261
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2003y.
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St-Peterburg.
St-Peterburg is
stillless then 300 years old: the age of the city on the Neva delta is
calculated from 27 May (16 May old-style) 1703 - the day when the foundation of
a new Russian fortress were laid on little Hare Island, intended to protect the
territory around the Neva that had been won from the Swedesin the Northern War.
The citadel was named (in Dutch style) Sankt Pieterburgh (Saint Peter's City);
thus began the history of the capital of the Russian Empire, founded by Peter I.
However, St.
Petersburg has its prehistory, just as other European capitals do. Paris was
originally a settlemt of the Gallic tribe the Parisii called Lutetia, which the
Romans made into a military base called Parisiorum or Parisia. London and
Vienna grew up on the sites of Caltic setelements and Roman camps. A Moorish
fortress formed the basis for Madrid.
St. Petersburg has played
an exceptional role in the life of Russia. It is the second largest city in our
country. St. Petersburg is the most northern capital in the world. It is on the
latitude as Greenland, Alaska an Chukotka. This explains the white nights which
are most clearly visible between 11 June and 2 July. The city is rather young.
It was founded less than 300 years ago. The founder of St. Petersburg is Peter
the Great, who laid the first stone of the Peter and Paul Fortress in 1703 on
Hare island thus starting a new city. In 1712 it became the capital of Russia
the centre of its political and cultural life.
St. Petersburg is one the greatest and most beautiful
cities in the world. Its historical and cultural importance is as big as that
of Paris, London or Rome. «Northern Palmira", "Northern Venice"
attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world.
The first fortress appeared on the
banks of the Neva, where St. Petersburg was subsequently established, 700 years
ago;
Since the city is situated
on the banks of a 41 island, it has hundreds of kilometers of quays and more
than 300 bridges. Many quays were built not only as banks
fortifications, but also as the architectural element of the space and expanse.
The beautiful descents to the water line, ornamental elements made of stone and
metal, sculptures, fine railings and lampposts -all this makes quays and
bridges of Saint Petersburg one of the most popular sites, draw-ing the great
attention of the city's amateurs.
It was a
Swedish fortress called Landskrona ("Land's Crown"), built where the
River Okhta flows into the Neva. A Russian village soon grew up around the
fortress. This fortified setelement at the mouth of the Okhta has changed its
name and even the state to which it has belonged, but has continued to
exist virtually without a break.
Unfortunately,
this impressive date - seven centuries of this fortress twon on the Neva within
St. Petersburd's city boundaries - has passed almost unnoticed. The story of
this suburb, rich and facinating in its own right, has always ramained in the
shadow of the dazzlind history of the northern capital, but the medieval
fortress in the Okhta mouth is an important landmark in the historical heritage
of the peoples of Northen Europe.
The Neva has
provided Russia with an access to the Baltic Sea since ancient time; it was
from here that the celebrated water route "from the Vikings to the
Greeks" started. The lands around the river were the focus for close
cooperation, and at the same time military confrontation, between Novgorod the Great
and Sweden.
A Russian
settlemant soon arose on the ruins of Landskrona. Time has obliterated all
traces of it, but archaeological finds tell us about life at that time -
fragments of 14th century ceramic vassels, for example. Old documents refer to
regular inter national trade in the Neva estuary; forein merchantes (mostly
Hanseatic) had the right to moor and repair their vessels here. Goods brought
in on ships were transferred to Novgorodian river boats. Foreign vessels could
not ignore this strategically important and convenient spot on the Okhta
promontory which was home both to preasants who cultivated the land and to tradespeople.
A chronicle of
1500, containing information about an outlying region of the Novgorod territory
called the Vodskaya District names its outpost as the Village at the Mouth of
the Okhta. We are indebted to the chronicles of Ivan 3, Grand Prince of Moskow,
for the first reliable reference to the group of settlements on the site of
modern St. Petersburg - in particular Lakhta, Pargolovo and Dudorovo (later
Duderhof). Note the date of this chronicle: it was compiled exactly 500 years
ago! Another anniversary connected with our city's prehistory.
The
"village" was later called the Neva Estuary, or the Neva Town. It was
destroyed on more than one occasion in the 16th century: in 1583, during the
Russo-Swedish War, King John 3 of Sweden ordered new fortifications to be
constructed on the site of the half-ruined ones. It seems that the interminable
military actions of the time meant that Landskrona was rebuilte sometimes by
the Russians, sometimes by the Swedes. In spite of all its reveres of fortune,
the Russian settlement on the Okhta estuary developed into a city center. It
was a bustlind place at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, containing the
Sovereigns Arcade, the Church of the Archangl Michael (protector of warriors),
a wharf and a Customs House, a sure sign of flourishing foreign trade.
During the
"time of troubles" the fortress of Nienschants was built on the site
of the Neva town in 1611, by order of King Charles 9 of Sweden; it was
originally a small rectangular castle with a garrison of 600 men. The work was
supervised by Commander Nienschats; this gradually increased in size to be a
town called Nien. By the middle of the 17th century it had become an important
transit point for international trade. After the storming of fortress by
Russian detachments in 1656, Swedish engineer G. von Seilenberg built a new
earthen castle with five basrions in the shape of a star; the approach to it
was barred by rampart with three bastions. He constructed a bridge across the Okhta
to link the fortress with the town proper on the right-hand side of the river.
The history of
Nien came to an abrupt end in the fourth year of the Northern War: on 25 April
1703 a corps of 25,000 men under the command of Peter 1 and Field-Marshal Boris
Sheremetyev launcher an assault on Nienschants. The fortress fell, and
tradition has it that the Tsar planted an oak tree to mark the burial-ground of
Russian troops killed in the attack. Peter renamed the Swedish citadel
Schlotburg (Castle-town). The fortress of Noteburg, captured six months
earlier, had already deen called Schlisselburg (Key-town). These symbolic names
were evidence of Russia's lasting claim upon the land around the Neva.
The end of
Nienschants marked the beginning of St. Petersburg, and the new city grew at a
fantastic speed on the islands in the Neva delta. In 1709, after the victory at
Poltava that determined the outcome of the Northern War, the fortifications at
Nienschants were ceremonially blown up. In the mid-18th century Andrey Bogdanov,
the first historian of St. Petersburg, called for the ruins to be preserved as
a rare monument.
The first structure to be
built in the new city was the Peter and Paul fortress. Designed to protect the
area from the attacks of the Swedish army and navy, the fort did not take part
in actual fighting. However, the area was well protected militarily as the
Admiralty complex was also fortified. The Admiralty was a center of different
activities of St. Petersburg. The most powerful ships of Russia's Baltic Fleet
were built there, which led to a series of naval victories in the course of the
Northern War. Many of the street and district names in St. Petersburg still
remind us of Peter the Great's war preparations (Liteiny - "the Foundry
yard", Smolny - "the Tar yard", which produced tar for
shipbuilding, etc.).
Tzar Peter the Great
originally lived in a tiny cabin, which became known as the Cabin of Peter the
Great. Soon a Summer Palace was built for him (1714) and a Winter Palace just a
bit down the river. There were no bridges across the mighty Neva River and people
had to be ferried across by boat (this is why they call St. Petersburg
"the Venice of the North"). The original downtown was formed in the
area between the fortress and the Cabin of Peter the Great, the place which
later became the Trinity Square (Troitskaia Ploschad'). The focal point of the
downtown was the first church of the city - the Trinity Church. Houses for the
local elite, a first Gostiny Dvor (a market for the local and visiting
merchants) and several inns and bars were built. Most of the high class social
events (receptions, balls, etc.) took place either in the Summer Gardens or in
the palace of the Governor General of St. Petersburg - the luxurious Menshikov
Palace.
You will visit the Summer
Garden with it's beautiful sculptures - the beloved child of Peter the First.
Michael garden with Russian Museum, Alexander garden with Admiralty Tower and
the Copper Horseman, the Park of the Stone Island and Kirova Park. Walking
along the paths of the parks and public gardens, admiring the well-known
railing of the Summer Garden as well as the railings and lampposts of the other
parks and gardens, you'll feel all of them being an integral part of the city.
Even those, who have never
been here yet, have definitely seen the photographs of the magnificent
fountains, park pavilions and palaces of this Tsar's Residence. Planned by
Peter the First himself, the ensemble has been further developed and
accomplished by many an excellent architects, sculptors and engineers.
You'll enjoy the Big
Peterhoffs Palace, planned by F. Rastrelly, the Palace Mon-plaisir (the first
Painting Gallery in Russia), the Big Stone Green-house, pavilion Hermitage,
Marly Palace and the most remarkable here - a great number of fountains,
different in form and decor, striking by their beauty, elegance and, sometimes
even by their unpredictable conduct-Coming to Saint Petersburg, you ought to
visit this place!
Very few buildings from the
early 18th century have survived: many were torn down or remodeled. The
building of the "Twelve Colleges" and the Kikin House might give you
an impression of what the original city looked like. Many of the original
buildings in the city were built according to a number of typical designs,
approved by the tzar. Some buildings of the downtown still bear the stamp of
this early architecture. When Peter the Great died in 1725, his wife Catherine
assumed power and then the rulers started changing every few years,
overthrowing one another. Meanwhile the city experienced a short decline. For a
short period (in the late 1720s) the royal court was moved back to Moscow. Many
of the nobility and merchants, forced by Peter the Great to move to St.
Petersburg, now chose to leave the city. The city was fully revived only when
Peter's daughter Elizabeth became Empress in 1741. Elizabethan St. Petersburg
became a lively European capital and its population reached 150 thousand.
During
the reign of Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great, St. Petersburg finally
became a fine European capital. At the beginning of this period fine buildings
stood right next to ugly huts. After 20 years of Elizabeth's reign St.
Petersburg and its suburbs could rival the most beautiful European cities.
The Imperial splendor of
St. Petersburg was best reflected in the suburban royal residences. Peter the
Great's estate Peterhof was remodeled by Bartolomeo
Rastrelli, the architect of the Winter Palace and the Smolny Cathedral. The Grand Palace and the
Grand Cascade of Peterhof were decorated with extreme luxury. That was typical
for Elizabeth's time, since her court was big and very expensive for the country's
purse.
The Yekaterininsky (Catherine's) Palace in Tsarskoye Selo
(Pushkin), which once used to belong to Peter
the Great's wife Catherine, was now turned into a magnificent royal residence
with a vast and elaborate Baroque garden.
Elizabeth commissioned the lovely Smolny Convent and the
Winter Palace, though she died before both buildings were completed.
Ironically, during Elizabeth's reign the area near the palace, which later
became the Palace Square, was used as a grazing land for the
royal cows.
Elizabeth tried to follow
many of her father's policies. Unlike some of her predecessors, she preferred
to appoint Russians and not foreigners to the highest positions in the country.
Being a patron of national arts and sciences, she established the Russian
Academy of Arts. It has to be mentioned that Elizabeth was a very lively woman:
she preferred to skip work when possible and enjoy balls, receptions,
masquerades, firework displays, and other things which were a lot of fun.
Elizabeth's nephew Peter
III did not rule for too long. Shortly after assuming power he was
overthrown by his wife, a German princess, who soon became the famous Catherine the Great. Under her rule St.
Petersburg turned into a "Grand City".
Catherine the
Great
assumed power in 1762 after a coup d' etat, which she engineered together with
officers of the Royal Guard. Unlike her husband, she was well loved by the
country's elite and received a very good press in Europe thanks to her contacts
with many figures of the French Enlightenment.
Catherine's court was
extremely luxurious. She was the first to move into the newly built Winter
Palace. Catherine started a royal art collection which later became the
world-famous Hermitage.
The most prominent
embankments on the left bank of the Neva river were upgraded to their present
red granite look and the marvelous wrought iron fence of the Summer Gardens was built by Yuri Felten
in 1773-86.
Under Catherine's patronage science, the arts and trade
flourished. New buildings for the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Academy of
Fine Arts and the first Public Library (now the Russian National Library) were
constructed and the large Gostiny Dvor trading complex was opened
on Nevsky Prospect. Many educational
institutions were established.
In Tsarskoye Selo ( now Pushkin) several additions to the royal
palace were built. One of these new wings (the Cameron Gallery) served
as the living quarters for Catherine the Great herself. The lovely park which
surrounds the palaces still bears the stamp of Catherine's lively and luxurious
court.
Among Catherine's many
reforms was the reform of St. Petersburg local administration. In 1766
the position of gorodskoi golova (a mayor) was established. In 1774 a Magistrat
(municipal council) was formed, and in 1786 it was transformed into the city Duma.
A monument to Catherine the
Great was
built in 1873 in a garden just off Nevsky Prospect (by the Public Library and
the Alexandrinsky Theater. Thousands of people come to visit her tomb in the
Peter and Paul Cathedral.
When Catherine the Great
died in 1796 a whole new period in Russian history started. Catherine's son Paul
I introduced some ultra-conservative policies, curtailed the
St Petersburg local administration and made several major steps towards
turning Russia into a bureaucratic state. The worst fear in Paul's life was the
fear of being assassinated.
The palace and Park ensemble was constructed in the end
of the XVIII c on the land, bestowed by Catherine the Great upon her son Pavel I
a future emperor of Russia. The Palece, construction of which was directed by
such famous architects as Ch. Kameron, A. Voronikhin, K. Rossi - is not as
magnificent and rich as the Catherine's Palace, but it is nevertheless very
distinctive and interesting with it's interior, a picture gallery and one of
the best landscape parks in Europe. Thanks to the plan of the creators of this
park, you will sec here absolutely unique landscapes that will enable you to
feel the beau-ty of the northern Russian nature.
Trying to hide from possible plots, he built a
well-protected palace for himself - the Mikhailovsky Castle. However that did
not help, and on March 12, 1801 Paul I was assassinated in the newly-built
castle, in his own bedroom. Ironically, the coup was engineered by his son
Alexander, who had sworn to continue the policies of his grandmother - Catherine the Great.
Upon
assuming power Alexander I had introduced a series of reforms. A
political reform brought to life a new structure of government: in 1802
Alexander approved a system of ministries with ministers reporting
directly to the monarch; in 1810 - the State Council was formed. For
better or for worse, bureaucracy flourished. Soon St. Petersburg became a very
bureaucratic, ordered city and its traditional regular street layout and heavy
policing just contributed to such an image.
During the reign of
Alexander I the Russian army successfully stopped Napoleon's invasion of Russia
and drove the French army back to Paris (1812-14). The captured French banners
were put in the newly built Kazan Cathedral, where the Russian army
commander, Field-Marshal Kutuzov, was buried in 1813.
In the Russian Imperial
capital everything had to look very orderly. It was the heyday of architectural
ensembles and perfectionist "classical" designs. The Admiralty, the naval headquarters of
Russia, was remodeled in 1806-23. The complex of the Stock Exchange and the Rostral columns was built at the
Southern edge (Strelka) of Vasilievsky Island. Arts Square with the Mikhailovsky
Palace (1819-25) was designed by Carlo Rossi. In 1818 the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral began but was
completed only 40 years later.
When Alexander I suddenly
died in the town of Taganrog (some say, he ran away to Siberia to escape the
heavy burden of power) in December 1825, a political crisis erupted. A group of
liberal young army officers (later called the "Decembrists")
started a revolt, hoping that Nicholas I, Alexander's younger brother, would
have to sign a Constitution for the country. They brought their soldiers to the
Senate square by the Bronze Horseman, but remained inactive.
The uprising was cruelly crushed, the five organizers executed and the rest
exiled to Siberia.
Due to the Decembrist Uprising the new Emperor, Nicholas
I, adopted the most conservative policies. Russia was left to be an
economically backward bureaucratic state. That was well reflected in the
Imperial capital - St. Petersburg. The desire for orderliness reached
ridiculous heights. The orderly appearance of a marching army was Nicholas's
ideal. Military order was everywhere. Even the civil educational institutions
(colleges) were treated as military schools.
Paradoxically, culture
flourished under such an oppressive regime. Alexander Pushkin wrote some
of his best poetry, before being killed in a duel in 1837. Mikhail Glinka,
one of the first great Russian composers, wrote his best operas and chamber
music. Fiodor Dostoyevsky lived in St. Petersburg from 1837 and in 1844
started his career as a writer.
Despite
its obvious economic backwardness, which resulted in a humiliating defeat in
the Crimean War (1853-56), Russia was gradually moving down the road of
technical progress. In 1837 the first Russian railroad was opened. It
connected St. Petersburg with the royal residence at Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin). In 1851 another railroad
connected St. Petersburg with Moscow. In 1850 the first permanent bridge
across the Neva River was opened. Before that there were only temporary
(pontoon) bridges which could not operate in winter.
St. Petersburg became more and more majestic. The
ensemble of Palace Square was finished with the construction of the General
Staff building (1819-29), the Alexander Column (1830-34) and the
Royal Guards Staff building (1837-43). In 1839-44 the Mariinsky Palace (nowadays the City
Hall) was built for Nicholas' beloved daughter Maria. St. Isaac's Cathedral, the main church
of the Russian Empire, was finally completed only in 1858, when Nicholas I had
already died and his son Alexander II was on the throne.
When Alexander II
was crowned as Russian Emperor, the country was trying to cope with a
humiliating defeat in the Crimean War. Something had to be done to boost the
national economy and ensure political stability. A series of reforms was
undertaken under the supervision of Alexander II. The Russian serfs were
freed in 1861, although peasants had to pay for their land. Then followed a
military reform, a legal reform (a trial by jury was introduced) and the city
administration reform, which allowed St Petersburg a higher degree of
self-government.
Despite the scale of the
reforms some revolutionaries considered Alexander to be too conservative. After
a series of assassination attempts, on March 1, 1881 Alexander II was
fatally wounded and died the same day. The marvelous Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood (1883-1907) was
built on the spot where Alexander II was assassinated. Some of the reforms (and
the constitution which was ready to be signed) were repealed or curtailed by
his enraged son Alexander III and a period of repressions and
conservatism followed.
Meanwhile, St. Petersburg
was becoming a capitalist city. The number of factories and plants (both
Russian and foreign) grew quickly, while Nevsky Prospect and downtown streets
were filled with banks and company offices. By the 1890s construction was
booming and new multi-storey apartment buildings were mushrooming all over the
city. During this period the famous Mariinsky theater (for a time called
the Kirov theater ) was built along with a number of palaces for Grand Dukes,
the Liteiny bridge (where the first street lights in the city were
installed ) and monuments to Catherine the Great, Nicholas I and the poet
Alexander Pushkin.
1. Newspaper «The St.
Petersburg Times», №6 (873), 2003y.
2. V. Yakovlev, governor of
St.Pt., www.spb300.com/