a city of the province of Ingria in Russia, and capital of the whole empire, situated in E. Long. 30. 23. N. Lat. 54. 56. It was founded in the year 1703 by Czar Peter the Great, whose ambition it was to have a fleet on the Baltic; for which reason he determined to found a city which might become the centre of trade throughout all his dominions. The spot he pitched upon was a low, fenny, uncultivated island, formed by the branches of the river Neva, before they fall into the gulf of Finland. In the summer this island was covered with mud; and in winter became a frozen pool, rendered almost inaccessible by dreary forests and deep morasses, the haunts of bears, wolves, and other savage animals. Having taken the fort of Nattebourg, and the town of Neifchanza, in the year 1703, this mighty conqueror assembled in Ingria above 300,000 men, Russians, Tartars, Cossacks, Livonians, and others, even from the most distant parts of his empire, and laid the foundation of the citadel and fortifications, which were finished in four months, almost in despite of nature. He was obliged to open ways through forests, drain bogs, raise dykes, and lay causeways, before he could pretend to found the new city. The workmen were ill provided with necessary tools and implements, such as spades, pick-axes, shovels, planks, and wheelbarrows; they were even obliged to fetch the earth from a great distance in the skirts of their garments, or in little bags made of old mats and rags sewed together. They had neither huts nor houses to shelter them from the severity of the weather; the country, which had been defoliated by war, could not accommodate such a multitude with provisions; and the supplies by the lake Ladoga were often retarded by contrary winds. In consequence of these hardships, above 100,000 men are said to have perished; nevertheless the work proceeded with incredible vigour and expedition; while Peter, for the security of his workmen, formed a great camp, in such a manner, that his infantry continued in Finland, and his cavalry were quartered in Ingria. Some Swedish cruisers being despatched in the neighbourhood, the Czar posted a body of troops in the isle of Rutzari, by whom the Swedes were repulsed, and Petersburg the work met with no farther interruption. The buildings of the city kept pace with the fortress, which is the centre of the town, surrounded on all sides by the Neva; and, in little more than a year, above 30,000 houses were erected. At present there may be about double that number in Petersburg; though many of them are paupery and inconsiderable. In order to people this city, Peter invited hither merchants, artificers, mechanics, and seamen, from all the different countries of Europe; he demolished the town of Nieuichants, and brought hither not only the materials of the houses, but the inhabitants themselves. A thousand families were drawn from Moscow; he obliged his nobility to quit their palaces and their villas in and about Moscow, and take up their residence at Petersburg, in a much more cold and comfortless climate. Finally, resolving to remove hither the trade of Archangel, he issued an ordnance, importing, That all such merchandise as had been conveyed to Archangel, in order to be sold to foreigners, should now be sent to Petersburg, where they should pay no more than the usual duties. These endeavours and regulations have rendered this one of the greatest and most flourishing cities in Europe. The Russian boyars and nobility have built magnificent palaces, and are now reconciled to their situation. At first many houses were built of timber; but these being subject to sudden conflagrations in spite of all the precautions that could be taken, the Czar, in the year 1714, issued an order, that all new houses should be walled with brick and covered with tiles. The fort is an irregular hexagon, with opposite bastions. This, together with all the rest of the fortifications, was in the beginning formed of earth only; but in the sequel they were faced with strong walls, and provided with casemates, which are bomb-proof. In the curtain of the fort, on the right-hand side, is a noble dispensary, well supplied with excellent medicines, and enriched with a great number of porcelain vases from China and Japan. From one of gates of the fort a draw-bridge is thrown over an arm of the river, in which the Czar's galleys and other small vessels are sheltered in the winter. The most remarkable building within the fort is the cathedral, built by the direction of an Italian architect. Petersburg is partly built on little islands, some of which are connected by draw-bridges; and partly on the continent. In the highest part, on the bank of the Neva, the Czar fixed his habitation, or ordinary residence, built of free-stone, and situated so as to command a prospect of the greater part of the city. Here likewise is a royal foundry; together with the superb houses of many noblemen. The marshy ground on which the city is built, being found extremely slippery, dirty, and inconvenient, the Czar ordered every inhabitant to pave a certain space before his own door. In the year 1716, Peter, taking a fancy to the island Wasili-Otterno, which he had given as a present to prince Menzikoff, resumed the grant, and ordered the city to be extended into this quarter. He even obliged the boyars, or nobles, to build stone houses on this spot, though they were already in possession of others on the side of Ingria; accordingly this is now the most magnificent part of the city. On the other side of a branch of the Neva stands Petersburg stands the Czar's country or summer palace, provided with a fine garden and orangery. On the bank of the same river is the Slaboda, or suburbs, in which the Germans generally choose their habitation. Petersburg is very much subject to dangerous inundations. In the year 1715, all the battions and draw-bridges were either overwhelmed, or carried away. The breadth, depth, and rapidity of the Nieva, have rendered it extremely difficult, if not impracticable, to join the islands and the continent by bridges. Besides, Peter was averse to this expedient for another reason: resolved to accustom his subjects to navigation, he not only rejected the project of a bridge; but also ordered, that no boat should pass between the islands and continent, except by the help of sails only. In consequence of this strange regulation, many lives were lost: but at length he gained his point; and by habituating his sluggish Muscovites to the dangers of the sea, in a little time produced a breed of hardy sailors. The adjacent country is so barren, that the town must be supplied with provisions from a great distance; consequently they are extremely dear. Here are woods in plenty, consisting of pine, fir, alder, birch, poplar, and elm; but the oak and the beech are generally brought from Casan. In winter the weather is extremely cold, and hot in the summer. In June the length of the night does not exceed three hours, during which the natives enjoy a continued twilight; but in December the sun is not visible more than three hours above the horizon.

The Czar Peter, who was indefatigable in his endeavours to improve and civilize his subjects, neglected nothing which he thought could contribute to these purposes. He condescended even to institute and regulate assemblies at Petersburg: these were opened at five in the afternoon, and the house was shut at ten: between these hours the fashionable people of both sexes met without ceremony, danced, conversed, or played either at cards or at chess, this last being a favourite diversion among the Russians. There was likewise an apartment set apart for drinking brandy and smoking tobacco. Plays and operas were likewise introduced for the same purposes; but as Peter had little relish, and less taste, for those entertainments, they were performed in a very awkward manner in his life-time: however, since his death, these performances have been brought to a greater degree of art and decorum.

This great northern legislator established, in the neighbourhood of Petersburg, manufactures of linen, paper, saltpetre, sulphur, gun-powder, and bricks, together with water-mills for sawing timber. He instituted a marine academy, and obliged every considerable family in Russia to send at least one son or kinsman, between the ages of ten and eighteen, to this seminary, where he was instructed in navigation, learned the languages, was taught to perform his exercises, and to live under the severest discipline. To crown his other plans of reformation, he granted letters-patent for founding an academy, upon a very liberal endowment; and though he did not live to execute this scheme, his empress, who survived him, brought it to perfection. It was modelled on the plan of the royal society in London, and the academy of France. Mr Bullinger opened it in the year 1726, with an eloquent speech on the design and utility of Petersburg as an academy of sciences; and the professors, who have always distinguished themselves by their merit and erudition, published an annual collection of their transactions: a task the more easy, as they have the benefit of printing presses, well managed, at Petersburg.