Peter the Great called for this fortress in 1703 and it was completed in 1740. It was meant to defend St. Petersburg against Sweden, but was never needed for that.
Originally it served as a garrison for St. Petersburg's soldiers and a place to hold political prisoners. Until the Revolution in 1917, when all the prisoners were freed, then revolutionaries used it to hold the Tsarist officials. Then it went back and forth for a while, and was heavily damaged during WWII. It's been restored and now it's a museum.
The tall steeple there is the Peter and Paul Cathedral. It's the oldest landmark in St. Petersburg. Sts. Peter and Paul are the patron saint of the city. The steeple is 404 ft tall and is topped with an angel holding a cross.
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