Kronstadt

Russia

Kronstadt (Russian: Кроншта́дт, Kronshtádt) is a city and military seaport on Kotlin Island, off Saint Petersburg, in the Gulf of Finland.

Naval Cathedral Kronstadt was founded by Emperor Peter the Great in 1704 as a maritime fortress and naval base on Kotlin Island. The name "Kronstadt" was invented by Peter the Great, and in German means "Crown City".

The port is ice-bound for 140–160 days in the year, from the beginning of December to April. A very large proportion of the inhabitants are sailors.

The Kronstadt Sea Fortress used to be considered the most fortified port in the world. Kronstadt still retains some of the "forts", small fortified artificial islands. Others were destroyed or recycled during the construction of the Saint Petersburg Flood Prevention Facility Complex, a brand new dam of protective structures, which connects the island to the shore and is part of the federal city's Ring Road. Formerly, there were 42 such forts, situated in line between the southern and northern shores of the Gulf of Finland. Some fortifications were located inside the city itself, and one was on the western shore of the Kronslot Island (on the other side of the main navigational channel).

Until 1998, Kronstadt was a closed city, from then on it became a touristic attraction with free access to its territory. The exception is Kronstadt military harbor, and the territories of various military units stationed in the city and surrounding area. The architecture of the city center and city walls mostly dates from the first half of the 19th century.

In the 1970s and 80s, modern neighborhoods were built on the outskirts of the city.

  • Naval Cathedral. Tu-Th 11:00-18:00 (office - 17:00). First built in 1728–31, the present structure was built in 1903–1913, as the main church of the Baltic Fleet, dedicated to all fallen seamen. It had a very tumultous story, having been a cinema hall in Soviet times. Right now it's undergoing extensive repairs and improvements, and was reconsecrated in April 2012. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev recently said the cathedral "looks better than 100 years ago." Repairs are scheduled to be completed in 2013, in time for the cathedral's centennial anniversary.
  • Historic Architecture and Art Museum, Leningradskaya Str., 2, +7 812 435-08-73.
  • Museum of the Kronstadt Fortress, Yakornaya ploschad, 2, +7 812 311-47-13, +7 812 311-42-80. Wed-Sun 11:00-17:00.
  • Maritime Factory Museum, Lenin Avenue, 39, 4th floor. Tue, Wed, Fri 15:00-20:00. Free.
  • Memorial Apartment Museum of St. John of Kronstadt, Posadskaya st., 21, +7 812 311-77-45. Tue-Thu, Sat, Sun 12:00-17:00.
  • Memorial Museum office Popov. Among other picturesque public buildings, are the naval hospital, the British seamen's hospital (established in 1867), the civic hospital, admiralty (founded 1785), arsenal, dockyards and foundries, the school of marine engineering, and the English church.

Naval Cathedral. Tu-Th 11:00-18:00 (office - 17:00). First built in 1728–31, the present structure was built in 1903–1913, as the main church of the Baltic Fleet, dedicated to all fallen seamen. It had a very tumultous story, having been a cinema hall in Soviet times. Right now it's undergoing extensive repairs and improvements, and was reconsecrated in April 2012. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev recently said the cathedral "looks better than 100 years ago." Repairs are scheduled to be completed in 2013, in time for the cathedral's centennial anniversary.

Historic Architecture and Art Museum, Leningradskaya Str., 2, +7 812 435-08-73.

Museum of the Kronstadt Fortress, Yakornaya ploschad, 2, +7 812 311-47-13, +7 812 311-42-80. Wed-Sun 11:00-17:00.

Maritime Factory Museum, Lenin Avenue, 39, 4th floor. Tue, Wed, Fri 15:00-20:00. Free.

Memorial Apartment Museum of St. John of Kronstadt, Posadskaya st., 21, +7 812 311-77-45. Tue-Thu, Sat, Sun 12:00-17:00.

Memorial Museum office Popov.

  • Austeria Restaurant, Sovetskaya ul, 43, +7 812 311-05-32.
  • Cafe Amulet, pr. Lenina, 18, +7 812 311-59-41.
  • Bistro, Kommunisticheskaya ul, 16, +7 812.
  • Cafe Brigantina, Sovetskaya ul, 41, +7 812 311-32-49.
  • Cafe Dom Druzhby, Kommunisticheskaya ul., 3, +7 812 311-12-98.
  • Cafe Zolotoy Yakor, Mayakovskaya ul, 3, +7 812 311-46-57.
  • Cafe Imperial, pr. Lenina, 43, +7 812 435-10-78.
  • Cafe, ул. Карла Либкнехта, 29, +7 812 311-15-92.
  • Cafe Classic, pr. Lenina, 29, +7 812 435-14-76.
  • Cafe Labaz, Grazhdanskaya ul, 7/11, +7 812 311-22-38.
  • Cafe Lika, Leningradskaya ul., 3, +7 812 311-35-84.
  • , pr. Lenina, 43, +7 812 311-42-42.
  • Cafe Na Troikh, Kommunisticheskaya ul., 3, +7 812 311-40-29.
  • Cafe Novaya Volnya, ul. Gidrostroiteley, 8, +7 812 439-41-73.
  • Cafe Notch, pr. Lenina, 53, +7 812 435-27-37.
  • , Flotskaya ul., 17, +7 812 311-84-43.
  • Cafe Parus, Flotskaya ul., 29/9, +7 812 311-59-96.
  • Pelmennaya, pr. Lenina, 18, +7 812 311-63-35.
  • Cafe Podvorye, Grazhdanskaya ul, 7/11, +7 812 311-22-38.
  • Cafe Skazka, pr. Lenina, 31, +7 812 311-39-05.
  • Cafe Strelets, pr. Lenina, 33, +7 812 439-05-00.
  • Cafe Taverna, Kommunisticheskaya ul, 1, +7 812 311-19-69.
  • , Posadskaya ul, 3, +7 812 311-38-45.
  • Cafe Fort, pr. Lenina, 26, +7 812 311-44-59.
  • Cafe Fort Konstantin, +7 812 439-01-02.

Austeria Restaurant, Sovetskaya ul, 43, +7 812 311-05-32.

Cafe Amulet, pr. Lenina, 18, +7 812 311-59-41.

Bistro, Kommunisticheskaya ul, 16, +7 812.

Cafe Brigantina, Sovetskaya ul, 41, +7 812 311-32-49.

Cafe Dom Druzhby, Kommunisticheskaya ul., 3, +7 812 311-12-98.

Cafe Zolotoy Yakor, Mayakovskaya ul, 3, +7 812 311-46-57.

Cafe Imperial, pr. Lenina, 43, +7 812 435-10-78.

Cafe, ул. Карла Либкнехта, 29, +7 812 311-15-92.

Cafe Classic, pr. Lenina, 29, +7 812 435-14-76.

Cafe Labaz, Grazhdanskaya ul, 7/11, +7 812 311-22-38.

Cafe Lika, Leningradskaya ul., 3, +7 812 311-35-84.

Cafe Na Troikh, Kommunisticheskaya ul., 3, +7 812 311-40-29.

Cafe Novaya Volnya, ul. Gidrostroiteley, 8, +7 812 439-41-73.

Cafe Notch, pr. Lenina, 53, +7 812 435-27-37.

Cafe Parus, Flotskaya ul., 29/9, +7 812 311-59-96.

Pelmennaya, pr. Lenina, 18, +7 812 311-63-35.

Cafe Podvorye, Grazhdanskaya ul, 7/11, +7 812 311-22-38.

Cafe Skazka, pr. Lenina, 31, +7 812 311-39-05.

Cafe Strelets, pr. Lenina, 33, +7 812 439-05-00.

Cafe Taverna, Kommunisticheskaya ul, 1, +7 812 311-19-69.

Cafe Fort, pr. Lenina, 26, +7 812 311-44-59.

Cafe Fort Konstantin, +7 812 439-01-02.