Peter and Paul Fortress

The Peter and Paul Fortress is the original citadel of Saint Petersburg, founded by Peter the Great in 1703. It sits on Hare Island by the north bank of the Neva River. Visitors see a star fortress with a cathedral, a mint, and prison cells. It is one of the city's top three attractions.

Don't miss

• Peter and Paul Cathedral (1712–1733) with a 122.5 m bell-tower and gilded angel-topped cupola
• Trubetskoy Bastion with its grim prison cells
• Still functioning Saint Petersburg Mint building
• Midday cannon shot fired every day at noon since 1873
• City museum inside the fortress

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Peter and Paul Fortress

Cheapest way inImagine Museum of Contemporary Glass Art General Admission4.2★ · 24 travelers1-2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$5 per personSee dates →Most bookedGuided St. Pete Sightseeing Tour in Deluxe Street Legal Golf Cart4.9★ · 509 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$49 per personSee dates →Private & flexibleBoat tour with Watersports and snorkeling near st pete beach5★ · 77 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$350 per personSee dates →

Getting there

Know before you go

• The fortress is the final resting place of the Romanov Tsars.
• A cannon fires at 12 noon daily; residents used to check their watches by it.
• The fortress is on Hare Island by the north bank of the Neva River.

A bit of history

Peter the Great founded the fortress in 1703. It was built from 1706 to 1740 to Domenico Trezzini's designs. From around 1720 it served as a prison for high-ranking or political prisoners. During the February Revolution of 1917, mutinous soldiers freed the prisoners. In the October Revolution, the fortress's guns fired shells at the Winter Palace. In 1919, four Romanov grand dukes were shot within its walls. It suffered heavy damage in World War II and was restored post-war. It has been a museum since 1924.