Saint Petersburg, the capital of the Russian Empire for almost two hundred years and the embodiment of the pride and glory of the Russian state, was founded on 27 May 1703. The city became the symbol of a new era of Russian history and of grandiose, unprecedented ventures. As if challenging nature itself, the Emperor resolved to create a northern "Paradise" on an area of marshy land that seemed perpetually wreathed in mist. Sweeping stretches of dry land and the long lines of the Neva and the canals became formative elements in the design of Petersburg. Emphasis was placed less on erecting individual buildings than on creating entire artificial panoramas. The idiosyncrasies of the design of the northern capital are clearly visible from the air. During the three hundred years of its existence, Petersburg has endured a multitude of historical and natural disasters. More than once, floods have threatened to destroy this manmade wonder, yet Petersburg has stood its ground. In times...