This picture is taken by smartphone’s camera
Come and get your best shot of St.Petersburg!
This place
The Peter and Paul Fortress was not just the birthplace of St. Petersburg but also the most fearsome political prison of the Tsarist period, where the main punishment was complete and utter isolation; even speaking with guards was impossible. One of the prison’s first inmates was Tsarevich Alexei, who was accused of high treason. Alexei also just happened to be the son of the city’s founder, Peter the Great. Amongst the most famous of the fortress’ prisoners were Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Alexander Radishchev, Maxim Gorky and Leon Trotskii. Female prisoners were also held in the jail. One of them, a certain Vera Figner, was held in solitary confinement for over 20 years.
Interesting fact: The spire of the Peter and Paul Fortress’ cathedral is one of St. Petersburg’s most recognizable symbols. It is topped with a statue of an angel holding a cross with wings spread wide and a finger pointing to the heavens – the protector of the Northern Capital. The angel may seem small from the ground, but in reality it is almost 6 metres tall with a 3 metre wide wing span. The spire of the cathedral itself is the tallest structure in St. Petersburg’s historic centre, standing at 122.5 metres tall.
This day
On February 14th 1718, Peter the Great published a decree detailing the disinheritance of his son Tsarevich Alexei. At the end of 1716 Peter received information regarding his son’s constant drunkenness and his romantic relationship with a former serf, Afrosina. Peter demanded that the Tsarevich reform his behaviour and enter a monastery. As a result, Alexei fled to Vienna, hoping to gain the protection of Emperor Karl VI. In January 1718, after many attempts to persuade Alexei both with threats of punishment and promises of leniency,
Peter was able to convince his son to return to Russia. Alexei renounced his right to the throne, gave up the names of those who had helped him escape and asked permission to marry Afrosina and retire from public life. Afrosina however, who was imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress before being sent to meet with Peter and Alexei at Peterhof, betrayed her lover, telling Peter everything Alexei had omitted from his own confessions. She revealed his dreams of ruling Russia after his father’s death, his threats towards his stepmother (Catherine I) and his hopes for revolution and the violent death of Peter. After Peter heard this statement, which was confirmed by Alexei himself, the Tsarevich was placed under guard, imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress and subjected to torture.
Two special courts, one secular and one religious, comprised of members of the General Staff and the Senate and members of the Holy Synod respectively, sentenced Alexei to death for high treason. Two days later, on July 7th 1718, before Peter had officially confirmed the sentence, the Tsarevich died. The exact cause of Alexei’s death is still not entirely clear, although it was likely the result of the torture he endured.
