History of Saint-Petersburg: Exhibition “Deigned to visit…” Official visits to the Peter and Paul Cathedral” in the Peter and Paul Fortress

The exhibition "Deigned to visit ..." Official visits to the Peter and Paul Cathedral" opens on June 8, 2012 in the Peter and Paul Fortress (Saint-Petersburg).

The exhibition is timed to the jubilee - the 300th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of the Peter and Paul Cathedral. It is dedicated to numerous visits of the royal family, heads of state and government delegations to the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

The Peter and Paul Cathedral is an architectural monument of the Russian baroque of the XVIII century, the tomb of the Romanov dynasty, a memorial of Russian military glory – it has always occupied a special place among the churches of Saint-Petersburg. Erected in the years of 1712-1733 by the architect Domenico Trezzini the Cathedral from the first days of its existence became a symbol of the Russian statehood. Such a status of the cathedral, some even by the emperor Peter I, affected the future fate of the temple, which became especially honored place in Saint-Petersburg. For three centuries high foreign guests: representatives of the royal houses, the heads of state, government delegations considered it their duty to visit the Peter and Paul Cathedral. The temple is traditionally turned on and up so far in the program of official diplomatic visits to Russia.

Since the second half of the XIX century with the appearance of photography, many official visits to Peter and Paul Cathedral were recorded by photographers, and thank to the fact, we now have the opportunity to see the faces of the honored guests.

The exhibition in the Grand Ducal Burial Vault presents photographs of late XIX - early XX century from the collections of the Central State Archive of Audiovisual Documents of St. Petersburg and contemporary photographs which are stored at the State Museum of the History of Saibt-Petersburg. They show the honored guests of the cathedral: French President Emile Loubet and Raymond Poincaré, the German Emperor Wilhelm II, King of Sweden Gustav V, King of Romania Charles I, King of Serbia, Peter I, the Chinese Prince Tsai-Tao, Japanese Prince Fushimo, the Prince Siam Chakrobon and others.

Also, June 7-8, 2012 the Peter and Paul Fortress is hosting the International Scientific Conference "Churches of the Petrine era."