From its 1703 foundation by Peter the Great in a swampy war zone to its leading role in overthrowing Soviet power and bringing Russia into the twenty-first century, St Petersburg has undergone several transformations.

Virtually commanded into existence by Peter the Great, the inherent artifice of St Petersburg has made it one of the world’s most storied cities – the stage for political and artistic dreamers. As such, it had a leading role in nineteenth-century cultural life, but with the Russian Revolution of 1917 its glorious history descended into violence and bloodshed. During the Second World War, Leningrad suffered further atrocities in the form of a horrific Nazi siege. Yet it has remained rich in cultural, intellectual and architectural history. It has been home to greats such as Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky and Nijinsky – figures who were gifted with great creativity and passion, and who were often dissatisfied with Russian traditions.

These characters are explored by the author, together with the beguiling physical appearance of the city – canals, bridges, promenades and palaces – but the most lively writing hones in on the interplay between power and intellect, reaction and reform. Arthur George brings to life a St Petersburg steeped in a tumult of war, revolution and aesthetics, and shows it rising from the ashes to help lead Russia on the path to modernisation.