Church of the Savior on Blood, Saint Petersburg, Russia VR 360

Compared to Moscow and other Russian cities, St. Petersburg is a relatively young city. At a time when Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Moscow and Suzdal occupied central positions in Russian history, the territory of modern St. Petersburg was home to settlements of hunters, fishermen and peasants. However, the area itself, including the mouth of the Neva River and the shore of the Neva Bay, was quite convenient from various points of view. In the VIII-XIII centuries, the trade route from Varangians to Greeks, which connected Scandinavia and the Byzantine Empire, passed through the Neva. The presence of fortifications in this strategic place was of great importance. Therefore, the Swedes, our closest neighbors, fought protracted wars for control of these lands. May 1, 1703 (May 12, New Style) is considered a landmark date for St. Petersburg: the fortress of Nyenshants, which was then under Swedish control, was captured by Russian soldiers and remained in their hands. The construction of the Russian fortified frontier played a significant role in this process. Having studied a map of the Neva delta, Tsar Peter I chose Zayachy Island and on May 16 (May 27, New Style) laid the Peter and Paul Fortress.