PETER THE GREAT'S TIMES ARCHITECTURE

In the summer of 1703 the peter and Paul's Fortress was laid by Peter the Great on the Hare Island. Just after the laying the construction works on the coast of the former City Island (Petrogradsky Island today) began: the port was built, the living houses for the workers were constructed. Initially here the administrative and trade center with the Senate buildings and Collegiums, Customs, trade stalls and Troitsky Cathedral was founded. On the quiet Peter's Embankment stands Peter the Great's Cottage. It was built in three days at the end of May 1703. It is a small single-storey wooden structure which did not originally have a stone foundation, nor were there stoves or flues in it. Peter the Great lived here only in the summer. The cottage was built of rough-finished pine logs painted to look like bricks. It consists of two rooms, divided by the entrance hall. In the times of Catherine II the vaults of the stone tent roof were built over the cottage and it was repaired several times.

Initially all the city constructions - living houses, churches and other constructions were wooden. . To make the city more "European" and non-Moscow-resembling the wooden buildings were painted to look like bricks and stones and were completed with the towers and spires.Naive painting probably defined the future development for Peter the Great's constructional activity. This activity was aimed to change the wood for stone. The persistent tendency to built and re-built in stone defined the destiny of the number of the city buildings.

Initially Peter and Paul's Fortress (1703) By the autumn of 1703 the fortress was built of earth and wood. By the autumn of 1703 the fortress was built of earth and wood and was the rampart with the ditch. In 1704 at the territory of the Fortress the Church of the apostles Peter and Paul was built. The Church was made of wood but was painted to look like "yellow marble" and was decorated with the spires. In 1706-1787 the walls of the courtines and bastions were rebuilt in bricks and covered with stone (Architects D.Trezzini and others).

Probably at the same time the Peter and Paul's Fortress was laid the construction of the Admiralty was started on the opposite bank of the Neva river in autumn 1704.Initially the Admiralty was the shipyard with the canal, workshops and warehouses, surrounded by the earthen rampart and was the fortress at the same time. In 1711 (when the construction of the clay-covered buildings began to develop), the clay-covered building instead of the wooden tower with the spire was built. After the Admiralty construction the development of the surrounding region began. The surrounding region was named Admiralteisky Island and the city center was transferred to this region by the 30-s of the 18 century.

The victory in Poltava (1709) and Vyborg liberation (1710) the safety of the city was consolidated and led to the fast growth of the city. After the victory near cape Gangut over the Sweden squadron (July 27, 1714) the works on the city construction were developed fully. To accelerate the construction of the new capital the Decree from October 9,1714 was adopted. This Decree prohibited to build new stone structures all over Russia except Petersburg. The important role was played by the Decree from October 24, 1714. This Decree announced, that every person, entering the city had to deliver the definite number of stones. The construction was executed mainly on the banks of the Neva river and its tributaries. By the year 1716 from the tower of the Admiralty the radial system of the new streets in the center of the city was accepted. After 1709 the construction on the banks of Vassilievsky Island began. Menshikov's Palace (1710-1716 , architect G.-M.Fontana, completed by the architect G.-I.Schoedel), Chamber of Curiosities (1718-1734 , architects G.I.Mattarnovi, then - G.Kyaveri; completed by M.G.Zemtsov) , Twelve Collegiums building (1722-1742 , architect D.Trezzini) and the number of mansions were built there. The Summer Garden (architect I.Matveyev and garden-making master Yan Rosen) was developed on the Admiralty Island in 1704. In 1710-1714 the stone Summer Palace of Peter the Great was built in the garden (architects D.Trezzini, A.Schluter and others). The wooden church in the Peter and Paul's Fortress was changed with the Peter and Paul's Cathedral (1714-1733, architect D.Trezzini, participated - I.Ustinov, M.G.Zemtsov and others) with the high spire on the bell-tower, designed by the carpenters Korovin, Trofimov and others. This is Western basilica, plain, rectangular, without any round corners, characteristic of baroque style. In 1710-s according the project of D.Trezzini the construction of Ensemble of Alexander Nevsky Laura (Monastery) began. It was completed by 1790-s by I.Ye.Starov. The architecture of Petersburg in Peter the Great's times was distinguished by the modest, business and at the same time expressive appearance, logical composition, simplicity and restraint in using decorative elements.