It is the second largest city in Russia. Being a dwelling place for 4,7 million Russians, it occupies a territory that equals 500 square miles. It is an altogether rather young city as compared to Moscow or any other ancient center of Russia. Its history has started 3 centuries ago, in May 1703, with the foundation of the fortress called Saint-Petersburg. In 1712 ancient Moscow resigned its commanding commissions to this young and very perspective city, and during 200 years-to-follow Saint-Petersburg had been a metropolis of Russian empire. Three times city changed its name: in 1914, when with the outbreak of the World War 1 the German-sounding name "Saint-Petersburg" was changed for Russian "Petrograd"; in 1924, following the death of Bolshevik party leader V. Lenin, the city was renamed after him; in 1991, when Saint-Petersburg recovered its former name. The city cradled 3 revolutions: that of 1905-07, February 1917 and October 1917. During World War 2 Leningrad suffered a 900-day blockade being completely cut off from any food and energy supplies. But daily air raids and persistent shellings to which the city had been subjected at those bitter days didn’t restrain fortitude of the townspeople. People of Leningrad endured all, and for this courage their hometown was proclaimed a "city-hero".

Nowadays Saint-Petersburg is the focus of significant cultural, industrial and scientific potential of Russia. With special dignity it bears the title of "cultural capital": here one may find 43 high educational institutions, with world-known Saint-Petersburg State university among them, 47 museums, including such precious gems of the humanity, as State Hermitage and State Russian Museum. Water element plays no less significant role in the life of Saint-Petersburg: the city is located on 42 islands including such precious gems of the humanity, as State Hermitage and State Russian Museum. Water element plays no less significant role in the life of Saint-Petersburg: the city is located on 42 islands scattered in the wide estuary of the Neva river, at the place were Neva empties the Gulf of Finland. Neva, the shortest and most full-watered river in Europe, has a capricious character: throughout its 300-year history the city experienced three hundred floods.

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