Here Kronstadt is
To heart Russian it is a treasure:
It reminds Peter,
Peter's spirit lives in it.
I.Myatlev.
This remarkable city is located in east part of the Gulf of Finland on Kotlin's island in 29 kilometers to the west of Petersburg. There are on the earth small cities which are marked out far not on all cards but which are world renowned. Kronstadt has a unique destiny, special mission. And it carried by this mission in centuries with advantage.
The island appeared from waters of the Drevnebaltiysky sea 4500 years ago after glacier retreat. The length of the island – about 12 kilometers, doesn't reach the maximum width and three, the area about 16 square kilometers. The gulf at coast of the island is shallow.
Rissert, Rettusari, Kettusari – under different names was mentioned Kotlin's island in the history. There is a legend that when Russian soldiers landed for the first time on the island, Swedes hasty ran, having left on a fire a copper with smoking crash. Here this legendary trophy copper also is represented on the coat of arms.
This earth since davneyshy times belonged to Russia, being a part Vodsky пятины of Veliky Novgorod. The island lay on a great way from the Varangian in Greeks. But German knights tore to parts the Izhora earth, devastated armies of the Swedish and Polish kings. A century after a century all new victories and defeats. Only at the beginning of the 18th century, at Peter 1, during Northern war these lands were forever returned to Russia. He personally examined Kotlin's island and measured depth of a waterway, and then ordered on a shallow near the island to construct a temporary fortress, to protect an entrance in Nevsky губу.7 May, 1704 this first island fort was consecrated, and named it Kronshlot then «the celebration was three-day». To colonel Treyden according to the instruction of the tsar it was recommended to the first commandant: «… to contain this citadel, with the God's help, ashche to happen, though to a man». Since then any enemy soldier didn't settle down on this earth as in the territory.
Kronstadt won not only at the walls. From here the ships with Russian naval flags left to battle and win at Gangut, Chesma, Athos, Navarin. Outstanding naval commanders cast in the lot with this city – Bellingshausen, Ushakov, Lisyansky, Makarov, Wrangel, Krusenstern. Not the smaller glory was brought to Kronstadt by the round-the-world swimmings, the new lands which have opened to mankind. As a rule, they began and came to an end at Kotlin's island. On July 7, 1803 on the Kronstadt raid "Hope" and "Neva" under I.F.Krusenstern and Yu.F.Lisyanskogo's command were deduced шлюпы. They should go to the first round-the-world travel.
Kronstadt is brilliant pages of history of Russian dock, the steamship, the submarine, the ice breaker, a mine, a torpedo, telegraph. This city is the world famous homeland of radio. Here innovative ideas in the field of fortification, artilleries, sea tactics were carried out. On Kotlin talented scientists and inventors served, here received preparation of one thousand experts of Navy.