The 350th anniversary of the birth of Peter the Great
Portrait of Peter I by Jean-Marc Nantier (1717)
On June 6, our country celebrates the 350th anniversary of the birth of Peter I, the first Russian emperor, educator and reformer.
Peter I went down in history under the name of Peter the Great thanks to the most important changes in public life: he laid the foundations of the modern state structure of Russia, created a regular army and navy, established a new education system, founding the Academy of Sciences and the country's first higher educational institution – Academic University (now named as Saint Petersburg State University).
✔ It was by his decree that the first public museum in Russia (Kunstkamera) and a public library were opened.
The most ambitious project of Peter was the construction of St Petersburg, which for two centuries bore the title of the capital. To implement this idea, the emperor invited famous foreign architects to Russia, who erected buildings according to European canons. The master plan of the new capital was developed by the outstanding architects Jean-Baptiste Leblon and Domenico Trezzini.
At the day of the birth of Peter I, the Bronze Horseman monument in St Petersburg dedicated to the ruler will be opened after restoration. In addition, the city will host the international Petrovsky Congress, thematic contests, a naval parade, and theaters will show performances about the emperor and the events of his era.
Text: Aleksandra Podolnikova
Photo: wikipedia.org