The impressive Peter and Paul Fortress was the point of origin and still today is a central point of geographic orientation. With the cathedral and its museums, the fortress is considered to be the architectural center of the part of the city that today is known as the Petrograd side. Its foundation is considered to be the date of origin for the city as a whole. The majestic glamour of the fortress cannot deceive of the fact that its history has plenty of spilled blood on its account: Hundreds of forced laborers paid for the construction of this building with their lives and within the walls of the bastion, a great number of prisoners were tortured, even the son of Peter the Great...