Many old-timers like to say that the city is not the same today, times have changed and people. However, like any generation that has reached old age and has observed changes. All changes reflect the history of the city. St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful, eventful, amazing and even mystical settlements. Having survived the destruction, revolution, war, the handsome Petrograd (aka Peter and Leningrad) today attracts tourists not only from the country, but from the whole world.
What is a walk along the streets where Brodsky once walked, clumsily confessed love to Asa Dovlatov. They say that even homeless people here behave like true lords.
How the city was built
The first step is to know how St. Petersburg came about. The history of the city (a summary is presented in the article) begins in the 17th century. He walked 1703. Peter I conquered Ingermlandia and hastily decided to build a fortress on these lands, originally called St. Peter Burch. So the king called her, but not in his honor, but out of respect and admiration for the apostle Peter. According to another version, this name applied to the whole earth and it has remained since ancient times, when the Teutonic knights ruled here.
Amazing is the history of the city. St. Petersburg began to exist at a time when the Northern War was still underway, because the first thing it was intended to serve as a defense fortress. Rumor has it that the king himself laid the first stone, and when this happened, an eagle flew in the sky.
However, this is more like a legend, since such birds have never been found in this area, and Peter himself was at a ship construction site far from St. Petersburg.
A total of about three hundred thousand people worked on the creation of the city. They were regularly hired in two or three shifts, which lasted from March to October.
The bloody history of the city is considered. St. Petersburg is often said to be standing on the bones, as many builders died during the work. This is not entirely true. Masters were given rations and money for the work, which is confirmed by documents. Although it could not do without excesses. Men from all over the country were called in for each shift, but not all came. Those who arrived sometimes strove to escape. To find a fugitive, the king ordered him to be imprisoned by his family and kept there until the loss itself declares itself.
And what happened before that?
But not always did St. Petersburg exist.
A brief history of the city for children will be especially interesting. About a million years ago, large deciduous forests grew on the territory of the modern polis, the rivers were full-flowing. When severe frost took control, most of the land was covered with continental ice. Who would have thought that a place for Peter was guarded by a layer of frozen water almost 1 kilometer thick. That is, if a glacier appeared today, it would hide the city “with the crown”.
The history of the city is connected with the river. St. Petersburg stands on the Neva, which in sight did not exist even 4-5 thousand years before construction. The modern channel of this reservoir was determined only 2500 years ago. Prior to this, Tosna and Mga flowed in its place peacefully.
After the ice came down, people began to come to this territory - the ancient European tribes. According to researchers, the name of the main river was given by Indo-Europeans. For a thousand years BC, the ancestors of the Baltic and Finns came here.
East Slavic tribes came to the Neva only in the 9th century AD, they formed Novgorod Russia. Lands began to be actively populated, farms grew, crafts and trade developed.
How Petersburg became the capital
Since 1712, St. Petersburg was proclaimed the capital of the Russian Empire.
The history of the city begins immediately with fame and recognition. All important objects were immediately transferred here, but there was one snag. In fact, the city was in Sweden. This is the only case in history when the capital of one state was located within another.
For a little over a century, the city maintained its status and lost it during the reign of Peter II, and then returned it back.
The reason for the transfer of the capital is explained by the pro-European orientation of the king. St. Petersburg became the personification of the new, modern, western, while Moscow was considered a relic, old, eastern. Such a confrontation explained the frequent change in the status of Belokamennaya and Petrov cities.
Until now, Peter is called the northern, cultural, intelligent capital of Russia.
City in the 19th century
The 19th century brought little troubles to the city. The war of 1812 demanded money constantly. Therefore, the development of St. Petersburg slowed down somewhat, since all funds went to support the troops. But along with this there was an increase in the importance of St. Petersburg as an administrative center.
The emphasis was placed on science, the establishment of educational institutions. Printing houses were also built. One of the legendary achievements is the opening of the Pulkovo Observatory and the Russian Geographical Society, which for a long time remained the country's scientific centers.
In the first half of the XIX century, the North Dvina Canal opens, which takes Saint Petersburg to a new level. The history of the city (photos of this period were practically not preserved) makes a sharp turn - industry and trade begin to develop due to new transport hubs. The architectural design of the city is also gaining momentum. The best foreign and domestic masters work on the facades of St. Petersburg.
Lullaby of the revolution
Excursion to the cruiser Aurora (St. Petersburg) - the history of the city for children in the form of adventure. And during the walk you can talk about those events.
Even before the revolution, when anti-German sentiments raged due to the First World War, it was decided to rename the city to Petrograd. The growth of industry led to the emergence of a large number of workers who organized many socialist groups, organizations. It was here that the revolution of 1905-1907 began.
It is worth remembering that before that it was here that the uprising of the Decembrists of 1825 took place.
The cruiser Aurora (St. Petersburg), the sights, the history of the city, the names of the streets make it feel like these events did not happen a century ago, but only recently.
In 1924, the village was renamed Leningrad, three days after the death of the leader of the proletariat.
Soviet period
The revolution led to a sharp decrease in the population of the city, and less than a million remained in the 20s. Petrograd was brought back to life with the beginning of the NEP. Printing houses, publishing houses, theaters were reopened.
The center of cultural life is St. Petersburg. The history of the city for children and adults takes on new bright colors.
Also here a new trend of Russian art begins to seethe - avant-garde.
Cultural houses existed in every district, and the abundance of museums and exhibitions was surprising.
Many churches, in connection with the prevailing communist convictions, were given to the needs of the economy, turned into museums.
St. Petersburg was becoming completely different. The history of the city, a summary of events were now available to everyone.
Horrible events begin after the death of Kirov in 1934. Many residents became victims of the Great Terror. After this, the series of days marked in black does not end for Leningraders. World War II tested the townspeople for stamina - and they passed this difficult test. The blockade of Leningrad lasted almost 900 days. For this feat and other achievements, the village received the title "Hero City".
These events should be included in the program of extracurricular activities in schools and tell what the history of the city of St. Petersburg is glorious (grade 2 and older).
Revival after the war
The post-war years were marked by a course towards restoration. The field of shelling and bombing hardly left at least one building on which there would be no mark of the terrible events of the war. But the rapid mobilization of the townspeople and authorities made it possible to return Leningrad to its former face as soon as possible.
In addition, it was not only practically destroyed, but also looted St. Petersburg. A brief history of the city for children is primarily stories about the amber room, which after the war disappeared and has not been found so far.
In 1955, the metro was built, power lines, water supply and other benefits of civilization were restored.
For the first time in history in the late 80s, the population of Leningrad breaks a record - it was then 5 million.
Post-Soviet time
After the collapse of the USSR, the city was returned to its historical name - St. Petersburg. The history of the city for children and adults changes its course again. 90 rebellious years lead to a decrease in the population.
Having recovered a little from stress, the city is doing everything to strengthen the title of intellectual and cultural capital. Monuments are being erected, buildings are being renewed, squares are being rebuilt.
In the 2000s, a small resident is finally born who becomes 5 millionth.
This city has its own atmosphere.
More than one lesson can be built on literature alone on the topic “The History of the City of St. Petersburg” (Grade 2, classes on local history in high school).
Everything in St. Petersburg: humor, sadness, people make up a special flavor. Legends such as Joseph Brodsky, Sergey Dovlatov, Alexander Bashlachev, Boris Grebenshchikov and other idols of more than one generation admired the city, lived it.
For those who want to try to live in the past era, at the time of balls and quiet social conversations with an exquisite speech, it is worth coming to St. Petersburg. The history of the city is reflected in buildings, streets, the spirit of past centuries seems to be in the air.
But in order to actually fall in love with Peter, you need to come to him.