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Helen Dunmore
1617-1998
The Siege
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1617

Sweden occupies the banks of the River Neva, setting up the Nyenschantz Fortress and cutting Russia off from the Baltic.


1700

Beginning of the Great Northern War between Russia and Sweden. Russia aims to regain its access to the Baltic.


1702

The Swedish Noteborg Fortress on the River Neva is captured. This will be the basis for the future St Petersburg.


1703

Nyenschantz Fortress falls to the Russians. Foundation stone lain by Peter I (the Great) for the Peter and Paul Fortress on Zayachi Ostrov (Hare Island) downstream from Nyenschantz. City of St Petersburg founded at same time. Conceived as an architecturally splendid centre of culture and learning. Built by Swedish prisoners of war, Finns and Russian serfs.


1704

Foundation stone for Admiralty building lain.


1712

Decree issued ordering people to move to St Petersburg from across Russia. Other decrees include the banning of any building in stone elsewhere in Russia to overcome a shortage of masons, and every citizen owning more than 500 serfs being ordered to build a two-storey stone building in the new city.


1715

Military academy opens.


1719

First St Petersburg museum opens.


1721

Russia wins Great Northern War.


1724

Peter I moves state institutions to St Petersburg and it becomes official capital of Russia.


1725

Science academy opens. Peter I dies. Heirs spend lavishly on the city, summoning the best Russian and foreign architects.


1741

Beginning of the reign of Elisabeth Petrovna. During her reign construction starts on Winter Palace (architect Bartolomo Rastrelli), Smolny Cathedral and Catherine Palace.


1762

Catherine II (the Great)’s reign begins having desposed of her husband, Peter III. Move from baroque to Classical style architecture in new building projects. Construction of Marble Palace (Rinaldi), Pavlovsk Palace (Cameron) and Academy of Fine Arts (Vallin de la Mothe) during her reign. Neva Islands remodelled with wide avenues, parks and series of palaces. Winter Palace completed. Small Hermitage built and Old Hermitage begun. Catherine dies 1796. Subsequent tsars commission further grand buildings but lack unity and accomplishment of early designs.


1812

Large memorials erected to mark victory over Napoleon.


1824

City seriously damaged in floods (city built upon 44 islands and a marshy plain so flooding was a regular hazard).


1825

Decembrist Uprising. Failed attempt to force
Nicholas I to abdicate.


1835

First Russian railway links St Petersburg to
Tsarskoe Selo.


1851

Regular train services to and from Moscow.


1879

Founding of the revolutionary Narodnaya Volya (People’s Will) group in St Petersburg.


1881

Narodnaya Volya organises assassination of Alexander II.


1890

Lenin visits St Petersburg for first time to
complete legal studies.


1893

Lenin and his party begin political education of the St Petersburg factory workers.


1895

Lenin sets up Union for the Struggle for the
Liberation of the Working Class in St Petersburg.


1905

140,000 workers march on the Winter Palace calling for reforms. 100 killed. Some concessions made after sections of army and navy join revolt. Duma (Russian Parliament) established.


1914

Beginning of World War One. St Petersburg’s name changed to the more Russian sounding Petrograd.


1917

Nicholas II abdicates following the February Revolution. Kerensky heads provisional government. Lenin returns from exile in Switzerland to St Petersburg but fails to set off a proletarian revolution. Goes into hiding in July. 10 October – Bolshevik Central Committee decides on an armed revolt. 26 October – Committee gains control of the city.


1918

Bolshevik government moves to Moscow.


1924

Death of Lenin. Petrograd renamed Leningrad in his honour.


1941-44

Siege of Leningrad.


1950

Kirov Stadium built.


1955

First metro opened.


1965

Leningrad named City of Valour.


1991

Attempted coup against Mikhail Gorbachev hastens end of USSR. Leningrad renamed St Petersburg after referendum.


1998

Remains of Nicholas II and his family buried in the Cathedral of St Petersburg’s Peter and Paul Fortress.

Statue of Peter the Great.
Education
Events and Competitions
Bibliography and Resources
Statue of Peter the Great
Catherine the Great.
Catherine the Great
Detail from map of Peter and Paul Fortress.
Detail from map of Peter and Paul Fortress
Statue of Lenin in front of Finnish Station.
Statue of Lenin in front of Finnish Station
Monument to Heroic Defenders of Leningrad.
Monument to Heroic Defenders of Leningrad
Intourist guidebook from David Levine collection.
Intourist guidebook from David Levine collection