The cradle of Saint Petersburg, Peter and Paul Fortress (1703) has withstood the passing of time and that of Russian history. Today it houses several museums but is far from stuck in the past and continues to attract hosts of visitors: worshippers to the cathedral, families on Sunday outings, swimmers who take advantage of the beach at the foot of its ramparts or, in winter, the walruses which dive into the freezing waters of the Neva.