Kronstadt. Sights, photos with descriptions on the map, routes

Kronstadt is a port city located on Kotlin Island, 52 km from St. Petersburg. The historical center of Kronstadt is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Last year, the city was visited by more than 1.5 million tourists.

If you have already visited Tsarskoe Selo and Peterhof, it’s time to look at the forts, the fortress and the incredibly beautiful Naval Cathedral. We'll tell you how to get there and what to see in Kronstadt in one day.

Historical significance of Kronstadt

Kronstadt is a single fortress city in the territorial expanses of Russia. Its task was to eliminate any possibility of encroachment on statehood. To prevent invasions by enemy troops, Peter I decided to build defensive structures in the form of fortresses on Kotlin Island. The built fort served its role for many years, right up to modern times.

Start of construction

Initially, it must be said that the island of Kotlin belonged to Sweden until 1704. But during the reign of Peter I, in order to strengthen the borders of the Russian Empire, forts began to be erected near the island. Over time, the population of the built fortress began to gradually grow, and already in 1724 a new foundation was made for another fortress with more powerful fortifications.

But it should be noted that all the defensive structures were made of wood and in the middle of the 18th century were practically destroyed due to a strong fire. Based on this event, a decree was signed to restore all buildings and fortresses using stone and concrete.

Pre-revolutionary period

Before the uprising that occurred in February 1921, sailors rebelled on the territory of Petrograd, supported by the leaders of the revolution that took place in March 1917. Complete chaos was happening in the city. This continued until March 4, 1921, when the organizers of the riots were given an ultimatum.

But despite this, the protesters continued the uprising. Based on this, it was decided to use force to suppress the rebels. The first attempt using weapons was a failure, but during the second attempt the uprising was successfully suppressed.

Soviet period

The Soviet period was quite difficult, especially during the Second World War, since the residents of the city, together with the Leningraders, had to endure all the hardships of the blockade. It was through Kronstadt that the “Little Road of Life” passed, which in November 1941 was the connecting thread between Oraniebaum and Fox Nose.

In addition, the city was heavily damaged by a German air force raid. There was a lot of destruction among residential and industrial buildings.

Kronstadt today

Until 1996, the fort city was a closed area and inaccessible to tourists.

Now everyone can come and see the existing sights and learn the whole history of the formation of the main defensive naval structure in Russia.

What to see with children?

Kronstadt is ideal for a family trip. Together with your children, you can safely go to explore ancient forts, visit the “Secrets of Sunken Ships” exhibition, see the thematic exhibition of the Marine Factory and take a walk through the picturesque city parks.

Together with the kids, you should go to the “Wish Tree”: this is a funny and kind monument in the form of a large cast-iron tree with a wide smile, a protruding ear and a cute deer looking at the composition from the side.

They say that the landmark, installed on the 300th anniversary of the city, can fulfill any wish. The monument awakens the best and brightest feelings.

Address: st. Karla Marksa, no. 13.

Little tourists will be interested in seeing the Singing Fountain, which is located in the park near Gostiny Dvor. The light and music show begins in the evening: jets of water “draw” patterns to the immortal melodies of Russian and foreign classics.

Address: Lenin Avenue, 25.

Kronstadt is an amazing city, rich in past and no less vibrant in modernity.

This is a very unusual suburb of the Northern capital, the special atmosphere of which is formed by gloomy, but very interesting local attractions. You can safely go here with your whole family: little travelers will find it no less interesting here than adult tourists.

Gardens, parks, city squares

Since the construction of the fort began, there were practically no green spaces on its territory that are now presented to visitors. But after F.F. was appointed to the post of governor in 1839. Bellingshausen began to engage in landscaping in the town. This is how gardens, parks and public gardens appeared, where you can stroll and enjoy the beautiful nature.

Summer garden

The creation of the Summer Garden was marked during the reign of Peter I. It is considered the oldest public garden and historical monument of the 18th-19th centuries. It should also be noted that at the beginning of the 18th century, the territory of the square contained the housing of the emperor and the houses of those close to him.

Greenhouses with palm trees, apricot trees, pineapples and other plant crops that are not typical for the northern climate were planted in the park. But starting in 1806, the square was renamed into a city garden.

Petrovsky Park

In the 19th century, on the territory of the then Arsenalnaya Square, the leader of the town of Bellingshausen laid out a unique Petrovsky Park, in the center of which a monument to Peter I himself was erected. The park was created with the personal savings of the governor and, according to his idea, it was to be located near the Winter Marina, where the landscape of the Baltic Sea opens sea.

Hospital Garden

Initially, on the site of the Hospital Garden there was a dense forest, but over time this area simply turned into a swamp. But with the advent of F.F. to the post of Chief Commander of the town. Bellingshausen, measures were taken to improve the city, which was on the brink of an environmental disaster.

Over time, vegetation grew on the territory of the Hospital Garden and it was even called a park, which had a fairly large area

Catherine Square

This square was laid out back in 1839; it is a narrow strip stretching along the Obvodny Canal and is parallel to Sovetskaya Street. At the very beginning, the park's fencing was made of cast iron grating, which was replaced with a new one 26 years later.

In the park there are a lot of monuments dedicated to famous figures of the town. The main one among them is considered to be a monument to the founder - Governor F.F. Bellingshausen.

Gostiny Dvor

This monument of history and architecture of the 19th century is located in the very heart of the island city. Gostiny Dvor occupies an entire block between Lenin Avenue, Grazhdanskaya Street, Karl Marx Street and Sovetskaya Street. The building was built in the image and likeness of the St. Petersburg Gostiny Dvor according to the decree of Nicholas I, who noted the ugliness of the shopping arcades that were previously located here. However, in 1874, the Kronstadt Gostiny Dvor burned down, and now we can see its more modern copy.

Cathedrals, chapels and temples of the city

In pre-revolutionary times, there were a lot of functioning temples, churches, and even mosques and a synagogue on the territory of the city. To this day, most of them have not been preserved or are not operational.

Naval St. Nicholas Cathedral

According to the decree of Peter II, the Naval St. Nicholas Cathedral was erected in 1913. It was designed by V.A. Shoals and it was made in the neo-Byzantine style. The construction of the cathedral right on Anchor Square was facilitated by the idea of ​​​​the possibility of honoring the memory of sailors who died in battle.

Inside the cathedral there was a small gallery with 150 frames with photographs of famous sailors collected over the past several centuries. But near the main entrance there was a small memorial where an eternal flame burns. But in the 30s of the 20th century, they greatly mocked the cathedral, removing the domes, crosses and taking out all the existing relics from it.

In addition, the frescoes and mosaic icons that decorated the walls were covered with plaster. It stood in this form until 2002, and it was from this year that its restoration began. Today the cathedral has been completely restored and has no signs of the “brutal atrocities” of those years.

Cathedral of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

It should be said that initially the Cathedral of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was a church made of wood. But repeated repairs and reconstruction significantly reduced the area of ​​the church, and therefore not all parishioners had the opportunity to visit the temple on great holidays. Therefore, by order of Governor Kazakevich, permission was granted to build a new church made of stone.

Its construction was completely completed in 1882, and already in 1902 the erected church received the status of a cathedral.

Further, the historical path of the cathedral was not entirely rosy. After the revolutionary events of 1917 it was closed and began to be used directly for economic needs. But during the Second World War, the temple building was quite badly damaged and after the end of the war they tried many times to completely destroy it.

But miraculously this could not be achieved, since the explosions occurred close to the cathedral. Until 1990, the cathedral itself was in a deplorable state, and then it was transferred to the Orthodox Church, and from 2000 to 2001 the restoration of the building itself was carried out. In 2006, the interior of the temple was completely restored.

Chapel of the Epiphany "Savior on Water"

The construction of the chapel dates back to 1904, but initially it was the Church of the Epiphany, which was consecrated to support sailors going on voyages for a long time with prayers. But during the Soviet period, the chapel was destroyed and remained in this state until 2003. Today, after restoration, the chapel is open to the public and prayer services are held in it.

Inactive

Relatively inactive church temples, we can highlight several of them that need to be seen while traveling around Kronstadt, exploring the sights.

This:

• St. Andrew's Cathedral;
• Church of the Cross Movement;
• Lutheran Church.

Museums

The city has quite a lot of museums, which display the entire history of the formation of Kronstadt, its navy and the famous figures who once lived here.

"Stories of Kronstadt"

The museum contains documents relating to famous figures of Kronstadt, as well as many household items, various photographs depicting historical events and episodes of the town, which were given directly by local residents.

The museum is shown in the photo above.

"Kronstadt Fortress"

This is an architectural monument of the 17th-19th centuries, which has been little preserved. Only a few remaining fragments now remind us of the majestic Kronstadt fortress.

Despite the fact that the fortress was rebuilt from wood to stone, it was quite badly damaged by the flood that occurred in 1824. That year, the entire city was swallowed up by the water element and many soldiers of the garrison died, and all the weapons were carried away by the water.

Memorial Museum-Office of A.S. Popova

One of the famous figures who lived in Kronstadt is A.S. Popov. He became famous for his invention, and it is thanks to him that people know what a telegraph is. Memorial Museum-Cabinet named after physicist A.S. Popova is located in the former officer training class.

Museum-apartment about. John of Kronstadt

In Kronstadt there lived a church minister who was noted for his services directly to people and the church, and was subsequently elevated to the ranks of saints. In his honor, a small museum was founded in the city, which is located in the apartment where he lived until the end of his days.

Museum of the Kronstadt Marine Factory

The opening date of the Kronstadt Marine Plant Museum is considered to be the centenary of the opening of the Marine Plant, the main seaport of the Russian state at that time. The plant was first put into operation in March 1858.

The museum is located on the 4th floor in the building of the Metalworkers' Club. The exhibition presented is quite extensive, since the plant had to go through a lot of historical facts during its operation.

Kronstadt Maritime Museum

By visiting the Maritime Museum, you can learn many interesting facts about the history of diving, as well as look and get a closer look at exhibits related to the Second World War and directly to the siege of Leningrad.

Lighthouse Museum - Fort Constantine

The museum displays exhibits that can tell about the historical events of the formation of lighthouse business in Russia. There are more than a hundred exhibits, including those related to the Leningrad siege.

Monuments and memorials

Kronstadt, whose sights are known outside of Russia, is also marked by the presence of monuments and memorial plaques in parks, squares, and all of them are directly related to the exhibitions of the Museum of the History of the City. Eg:

Monuments to Peter I

The monument to Russian Emperor Peter I was erected in Petrovsky Park according to the signed order of Tsar Nicholas I. The pedestal is made in full height.

The emperor's face is turned towards the Gulf of Finland, as if blessing the ships leaving for the campaign. The Russian Tsar tramples the flag of the defeated enemy with his saber.

Monument to P.K. Pakhtusov

To the outstanding navigator P.K. A monument to Pakhtusov was erected on the territory of the Navigation School in 1875 at the request of the navigators of this educational institution. Funds for creation and installation were collected over 10 years. The designer of the monument was professor of the Academy of Arts N.I. Laveretsky.

Monument to F.F. Bellingshausen

Thaddeus Faddeevich Bellingshausen is a famous navigator and at one time Commander-in-Chief in Kronstadt. Thanks to him, the city was completely landscaped. The opening of the monument on September 24, 1870 was attended by high-ranking officials of the empire and a large public.

The celebration of the opening of the monument took place under the volleys of guns, a parade of troops was organized, and then continued with a folk festival.

Monument to S.O. Makarov

On Anchor Square there is a monument to the famous Vice Admiral S.O. Makarov in 1913. A memorial obelisk made of bronze is marked on a powerful granite pedestal, with images of episodes of his life and death presented. The creation of the memorial sign was carried out by the outstanding sculptor L.V. Sherwood.

Monument to F.F. Ushakov

A monument was erected and consecrated in memory of the outstanding naval commander F. Ushakov. But before its immediate opening, a prayer liturgy was performed in the Naval Cathedral, and after the service, the Medvedev spouses (the President of the Russian Federation and his wife) handed over the ark with a particle of the relics of Saint F. Ushakov.

The monument to the naval commander stands in the park near the Naval Cathedral.

Monument to the crew of the clipper "Oprichnik"

In 1861, the sail-screw clipper Oprichnik, returning home from another mission, went missing in the waters of the Indian Ocean. The clipper crew consisted of 95 people. In connection with such a tragic incident, a monument to the dead sailors was created by an unknown author and erected in 1873.

Monument to Morzavodov workers

This monument belongs to the symbol of memory of those who died during the bomb explosion on September 21, 1941. The enemy bomb hit the Metalworkers' Garden, where about 50 people were hiding, among whom were women, children and the elderly. The memorial monument was erected on the 50th anniversary of Soviet power on the site of the former fountain on October 28, 1967.

Monument to Submariners

The initiative to organize a monument to submariners who heroically fought during the Second World War belonged to the commander of the submarine detachment E.G. Yunakov. The opening of the memorial sign was marked on May 9, 1965 during the celebration of the first day of the great victory in the Second World War, which took place on Martynov Square.

Monument to the revolutionary sailors of the Baltic

The monument stands near the Bastion cinema in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution. It is made of pink granite in the direct height of a sailor, symbolizing masculinity, determination, defiance and strength. The sailor's face is focused towards Anchor Square, where in the revolutionary year of 1917 the fate of Russian statehood was decided.

Monument to I.K. Aivazovsky

At the age of 19, Aivazovsky was sent by the command to a ship of the Baltic Fleet directly as an artistic figure. He arrived at a time when Rear Admiral F.P.

Litke taught maritime affairs and introduced the son of Emperor Nicholas I to the flotilla of Konstantin Nikolaevich.

During his voyage, Aivazovsky created 7 seascapes, which were marked by success in his subsequent career. The monument was unveiled on September 15, 2007 on Makarovskaya Embankment.

Monument to the Siege Stickleback

In the city in 2005, a monument was erected to a small stickleback fish that saved many people who were in besieged Leningrad and were saved from starvation. The monument is located near the Kronstadt footstock, and its designer was N.V. Chepurnaya.

Monument to the bowler

According to legend, returning to the island, Peter I noticed Swedes on the shore who were preparing food for themselves in a large pot, but from the surprise of the early return of the Russian soldiers, the Swedes simply rushed to their boats and fled. Having gone ashore, the Russian soldiers were waiting for a pot in which food was still being prepared. Therefore, the bowler hat monument is a symbol of the bloodlessly won war over the Swedish troops.

Monument to John of Kronstadt

A memorial sign to Father John of Kronstadt was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of his performance in the park near the house where he lived with his wife, Mother Elizabeth, for 53 years.

Orthodox Christians who come from St. Petersburg to the town of Kronstadt always come to the monument to worship. The inscription is engraved on the pedestal of the monument: “Holy Righteous Father John of Kronstadt. With gratitude from Russia."

Monument "Cat and Dog"

On the Winter Pier of Kronstadt there is a sculpture that symbolizes ship friendship. Its symbols are a cat and a dog sitting on ship ropes and smiling sweetly. Figures of a cat and a dog, made of wood coated with bronze. There is an inscription on the monument that certifies that all cats and dogs are ship friends of sailors.

Memorial "Fighters for the Cause of the Revolution"

This is a memorial with an eternal flame, dedicated to the fighters for the cause of the revolution who died in 1919-1921. The opening was marked on November 3, 1974 on the famous Anchor Square. The architect of the memorial was L.K. Larionov, and the author of the text that is presented on the memorial is V. Chetkin and V. Godun.

The eternal flame that burns at the memorial was lit from the existing eternal flame located on the Field of Mars in the city of St. Petersburg.

Memorial to those killed in the Great Patriotic War

Kronstadt, like Leningrad, survived the siege during the Second World War. Of the 13 thousand local population of the town, more than 5 thousand died of hunger. All of them are buried in mass graves at the German and Russian Cemetery, located on the outskirts of the town. In 964, on the site of one of the mass graves, a memorial was erected to those who died during the siege.

Memorial "Small Road of Life"

To perpetuate the memory of those who died during the Leningrad blockade, the “Small Road of Life” memorial was erected in the city. It is located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland near Malaya Izhora.

Memorial to the Baltic Submariners

On the 55th anniversary of the celebration of victory in the Second World War, a memorial sign was erected to the submarine sailors who served on the Komsomolets of Kazakhstan submarine. She was assigned to the Kronstadt military base.

As noted in documentary records, this submarine carried out its immediate tasks for 37 years. Because of this, it was decided to dispose of the ship, and the crew decided to perpetuate the memory by making a monument.

Memorial "150th anniversary of the establishment of Russian-Japanese diplomatic relations"

The memorial was erected in honor of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and Japan, as well as the end of the Russian-Japanese War, which took place in 1904-1905. The prerequisites for the creation of the memorial are the agreement on the territorial issue between the presidents of these countries in 2005.

Story

Base

Kotlin Island occupies a strategically important position. With its help it is convenient to control the movement of ships in the Gulf of Finland. The location made it a coveted target and a point of contention between Sweden and Russia . In the 14th century it was a border zone between states, but in 1617 it came into the possession of the Swedes.

To strengthen his position, Peter the Great needed an island. The winter of 1703-1704 became a turning point. After the Swedish ships sailed, Peter ordered to secretly occupy Kotlin and begin building fortifications. In the spring, the arriving Swedes were met by Russian troops. In 1704, the Kronstadt fortress was founded . On May 7 of the same year, the fortress was christened “Kronshlot” and consecrated, the date became the city’s birthday. The island became Russian .

The architect of the first fortress was Domenico Trezzini

In 1706, an extension appeared at the fortress - Alexander-shants. The population of the island began to grow rapidly. Nobles, working people and merchant families came for permanent residence. 13 years after the founding of the city, the first naval hospital . In 1723, the foundation stone of the Kronstadt fortress . In the same year, the name of the same name was officially assigned to the city on Kotlin Island. The construction of the fortress walls, which protected the island from sea and land, was completed in 1747.

a severe flood hit Kronstadt . The restoration work was led by architect S. I. Chevakinsky. The Committee on the Structure of Kronstadt was created specifically to eliminate the consequences of the natural disaster. The result of the work was the construction of a number of buildings:

• Gostiny Dvor – 1833-1835
• Arsenal - 1836
• Naval hospital buildings - from 1830 to 1840

Subsequently, the fortress was expanded according to the design of E.I. Totleben, a military engineer, 1861-1888.

Important historical events of Kronstadt

In 1905 there was a riot in the city . About 1.5 thousand military and 3 thousand sailors tripled the uprising and captured the city. The lack of proper organization contributed to the rapid suppression of people's discontent. The cause of the events was revolutionary sentiments in the garrison. The replenishment of the rebels at the expense of revolutionary-minded workers served as an additional impetus for the protests. People demanded an improvement in the financial situation of military personnel and put forward political demands. The troops restored order in the shortest possible time. During the spontaneous events, 22 people died and more than 100 were injured of varying severity.

In 1921, on March 1, the city was again overwhelmed by a wave of discontent, and the “Kronstadt rebellion” occurred.

In March, local residents, together with the fortress garrison and naval crews, opposed the dictatorship of the Bolshevik government - the policy of “war communism”. The main slogan of the rebels is “Power to the Soviets, not to the parties!” The rebels demanded freedom of speech and trade, re-election of the Soviets, and the elimination of the food dictatorship.

The uprising was suppressed on March 18. As a result of the ensuing repressions, 2,103 people were shot and more than 6 thousand were sentenced to prison . Despite the brutal suppression of discontent, the government of the country, led by Lenin, revised its views and switched to a new regime of economic policy and encouraged an end to the practice of war communism. During Soviet times, the city was closed to outsiders. Since 1996, the situation was abolished, and Kronstadt opened its doors to Russian and foreign guests.

Period of the Great Patriotic War

Together with Leningrad, Kronstadt steadfastly held the defense during the Great Patriotic War. According to the Barbarossa plan, only after the capture of two cities were the Germans supposed to launch military operations to capture the Russian capital. The defenders of Kronstadt were ready for the attack and courageously repelled the attacks. The first bombing took place on June 22, 1941. Attempts to capture were stopped by fire response from the forts and from the battleship Marat. During the siege, the city continued to staunchly defend Leningrad from the west and southwest and, together with its residents, endured difficult wartime. Throughout the war, a repair base for ships and submarines of the Baltic Sea continued to operate in the city.

Kronstadt became the shield of Leningrad, helped with firepower, and transferred more than 2 thousand tons of food

Forts

Kronstadt, the sights of which are represented by defensive buildings, was built to protect the lands of the Neva Bay from encroachments on the territory of Russian lands by the Swedes.

The first fort was built back in 1704, and the last defensive fortification was built at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, anyone can visit the forts by taking a boat trip on a special excursion boat.

Southern Forts

It should be said that the construction of forts, according to the decree, should begin on the southern side of Kronstadt. This was due to the fact that the water area is much deeper on this side of the Strait of Finland. Therefore, Peter I decided to strengthen this part of the territory with forts in order to eliminate the threat of Finnish ships passing through the strait.

There are 7 of them on the south side:

• Kronshlot – construction was carried out from 1704 to 1724;

• Fort Yuzhny and Fort Dzichkanets began to be built in mid-1850;
• Southern battery - erected from 1865 to 1871, but in 1882 the fort was given the name Count Milyutin in honor of the Minister of War;
• Emperor Paul I - its construction was completed in 1801;
• Battery Prince Menshikov - the construction of the fort was carried out from 1843 to 1859;
• Emperor Alexander I - the festive event was celebrated in 1845.

Northern ports

Northern forts 9 and 7 defensive fortifications have a simple numbering from 1 to 7. All seven forts are located between two fortresses - Obruchev, and, accordingly, Totleben. The string of forts can be seen directly from the northern part of the dam, as well as from the resort area of ​​St. Petersburg.

It should be said that initially all the forts were made of wood, but over time they were completely rebuilt using stone and concrete.

Cultural heritage sites and other attractions

Kronstadt, whose sights are of artistic value, was closed to outsiders for a long time, but in 1996 the secrecy regime was lifted.

Italian Palace

On Makarovskaya Street there is the palace complex of Prince Menshikov. This historical building is rightfully considered one of the oldest buildings in the town. It was built back in 1724 according to the design of I.F. Brownstein in eclectic style.

The façade of the house was decorated with pilasters, balustrades and various bas-reliefs. But in 192 there was a fire, so the building lost a considerable historical part of its former appearance.

Water tower

The famous water tower, created in 1804, is a monument dedicated to a significant event not only in the city of Kronstadt, but throughout Russia. It was in this year that the first water supply system was built. The facade of the water tower building is decorated with amazing ornate stucco.

Gostiny Dvor

Gostiny Dvor is located in close proximity to the city center. These are shopping pavilions located over a large area. This building belongs to the architectural monuments of the 19th century. The design was carried out by V.I. Maslov and this Gostiny Dvor was a prototype of the same building located in St. Petersburg.

But in 1874 a terrible misfortune occurred, a fire broke out, so after the restoration of the building it has a slightly changed appearance. At this time, Gostiny Dvor is one of the significant architectural structures not only for the town, but also for the Russian Federation, and therefore is protected by the state.

Petrovsky dock

Petrovsky Dock, built under Peter I, is practically one of the oldest buildings of this type in the Russian state. The harbor was designed for the simultaneous arrival of 10 large ships and served until 2008. Nowadays, Petrovsky Dock is a significant historical monument and cannot accept ships, since most of the structures are in poor condition.

Fortress wall

The city-fort of Kronstadt is a powerful fortress made up of defensive objects both on land and on water. The expanses of water are fortified with powerful forts, but the coastline consists of fortress walls and defensive barracks.

The main task of the fortress walls was to protect against possible enemy landings directly on the island itself. The combat readiness of the island fortifications remained until 1860. The construction of the city fortress was carried out from 1835 to 1839.

Lighthouse Tolbukhin

In Finnish, in close proximity to the western part of Kotlin Island, a lighthouse was built in 1719 by order of Peter I.

Kronstadt. Attractions are scattered throughout the city and beyond. You should definitely visit the Tolbukhin Lighthouse.

It was glorified as the Kotlin lighthouse, but it was renamed in honor of the first commandant F.S. Tolbukhin in 1736

Footstock

The famous footpole flaunts the Blue Bridge of the Obvodny Canal. In place of this foot rod there is a zero mark of the earth's surface. According to it, depths and heights are measured, as well as the orbits of ships plowing through outer space.

Dam

Since bad weather occurs in the Strait of Finland and the water can rise more than 4 meters, therefore, to avoid flooding, a hydraulic structure was built that can hold water by regulating water flows. The length of the dam is 23.4 km, running across the entire Gulf of Finland.

The dam also connects the fort city with St. Petersburg, since there is a highway built on its crest.

Bridges

Kronstadt, the sights of which are represented by bridges, which are associated with many historical events that have been marked since the beginning of their construction, can be seen through various excursion programs.

Makarovsky Bridge

The year of construction was 1912. It was made by decree of Nicholas II in order to shorten the route from Anchor Square to Petrovskaya Pier.

Dock Bridge

Its construction was carried out in the second half of the 19th century, it lays a bridge across the Peter the Great Canal and is located in the immediate vicinity of the Petrovsky Dock.

The dock bridge is considered a drawbridge, but since the day the dock was closed, it has never been lifted.

Blue Bridge

The beginning of construction dates back to 1780, and the opening was marked only in 1801. The bridge passes through the Obvodny Canal, and at its base stands the oldest footing rod in Russia. It has a zero value relative to the surface of the earth from which measurements of earth's heights and sea depths are made.

Anchor Square

Anchor Square, located near the St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral, is considered one of the interesting places in Kronstadt. It is famous throughout the world for its unique pavement made of cast iron parts.

The creation of the pavement was marked in the 19th century after the visit of General V.P. Lebedev Boston and New York. At the present time, almost all of Anchor Square has been restored, but most of the original cast-iron “checkers” have survived to the present day.

Short description

Kronstadt is a Russian port city located on the island of Kotlin in the Gulf of Finland. Today, about 44,000 people live on its territory of 19.35 km². Translated from German, the word “Kronstadt” means “City – Crown” , “Fortress – Crown”. The name reflects the significance of the place. Initially, the city served as a shield for St. Petersburg from enemies from the sea.

are organized daily from St. Petersburg to Kronstadt , then you can familiarize yourself with various excursion programs.

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Excursion programs

There are quite a lot of excursion programs. You can attend an excursion in Kronstadt by making a preliminary registration in St. Petersburg.

The most interesting excursions are:

Walking route

You should start sightseeing in Kronstadt from Martynov Street immediately upon arrival in the city. Next, following towards the Obvodny Canal, visit the submariners' park.

Then you need to head to:

1. Along Makarova Street and take a walk along the Blue Bridge, where you can see the Obvodny Bridge on the left side, and on the right is the Italian Pond, overlooking the Merchant Harbor.
2. Near the Blue Bridge there is a Kronstadt water pole, installed directly above a seven-meter deep well, which is connected to the Gulf of Finland.
3. At the Blue Bridge there is a symbolic memory of the siege stickleback directly on the wall of the Obvodny Canal.
4. Heading further you can see the Italian Pond, where there are cannons on carriages, and before they were on forts and fortresses until the middle of the 19th century.
5. Near the pond is the Italian (Menshikov) Palace.
6. Near the Italian Palace there is a monument to P.K. Pakhtusov.

7. Next, heading towards the Petrovsky Canal, you need to cross the path along the Dock Bridge.
8. At the place where the Petrovsky Canal ends there is the Kronstadt Lighthouse, but it can only be seen from a distance, since the pier leading to it is fenced.
9. In the immediate vicinity of the Dock Bridge there is Petrovsky Park, from which you can get to the embankment where Petrovskaya Harbor is located.
10. Very close to Petrovsky Park there is a beautiful Summer Garden.
11. From the Summer Garden you can take the stairs of the Petrovsky Dock to Anchor Square. It houses the Naval Cathedral, the eternal flame, and the monument to S.O. Makarov and the Makarovsky Bridge itself.

Approximately this route can be completed in one day and get acquainted with the most popular attractions of the city of Kronstadt.

Petrovsky dock

Address: Petrovsky Dock Canal

View of the dock from Makarovskaya Street:

A monument to the mind and ingenuity of Peter the Great. Built for quick repair of ships entering the port. Letters from Dutch engineers have been preserved. Peter set them the task of designing a dry dock, from which water could be pumped out in less than a month. In their letters, the Dutch touchingly fantasize about steam pumps that have not yet been invented, capable of fulfilling the sovereign’s task, but classify them as unrealistic theorizing. Peter solved the problem radically: using the manpower of captured Swedes and peasants, he created a dock, the water from which flowed into a lake located below the dock level.

The project expanded and dragged on: a canal was dug, a wind tower-water pump was built. Peter did not see his docks ready; construction was completed after his death. But the dock, drained in less than a month, with a capacity of ten ships, served sailors for another 75 years before the invention of the steam pump.

Location, how to get there

Kronstadt is located just 30 km from St. Petersburg and you can get to the city by different means of transport.

For example, you can use:

• by bus No. 101, departing from the Staraya Derevnya metro station;
• minibus No. 405, departure point is Chernaya Rechka metro station;
• minibus No. 407, departing from the Prospekt Prosveshcheniya metro station;
• excursion meteors;
• by your own car along the Ring Road from St. Petersburg.

The Russian seaport of Kronstadt is a landmark that is not only the first cradle of the maritime fleet of the Russian Empire, but a significant structure that played a vital role in the preservation of Russian lands throughout its existence.

Article design: Oleg Lozinsky

Interesting Facts

In honor of the anniversary of the city of Kronstadt in 2003, a coin with a face value of 10 rubles was issued with an image of the city’s coat of arms on the reverse.

In 1921, a documentary film was made about the city, and you can watch short stories about its history and attractions in individual museums of St. Petersburg, for example, in the “Universe of Water” museum complex on Shpalernaya Street 56.

Every July, Kronstadt becomes the center of the Navy Day celebrations. The city hosts performances by a brass band, artists of the Baltic Fleet Theater, musical groups, master classes and other festive events.