Peter and Paul Cathedral
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The Peter and Paul Cathedral is located inside the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, Russia. The fortress, originally built under Peter the Great and designed by Domenico Trezzini, is the first and oldest landmark in St. Petersburg built between 1703 and 1733 on Zayachy Island along the Neva River. Peter's main reason for building the fort was for protection against a potential attack by the Swedish navy during the Great Northern War.
The cathedral is named after Saints Peter and Paul and was the first Cathedral built out of stone in St. Petersburg. Its spire reaches a height of 404 feet and features an angel holding a cross at its top. This angel is one of the most important symbols of St. Petersburg. Inside the cathedral are the remains of almost all the Russian Emperors and Empresses from Peter the Great to Nicholas II and his family who were finally laid to rest in July 1998.
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