Petrograd
Petrograd is a major city within the Russian Empire. Until the Russo-German War, the capital of Russia was moved from Petrograd to Moscow.
History
Petrograd, originally St. Petersburg, was founded by Tsar Peter the Great in 1703 after the city was conquered from Sweden. The city then became the capital shortly after Peter moved his residence there and built the Winter Palace. The city recieved heavy damage during the wars against Napoleon, though he primarily focuses on Moscow.
Petrograd was also the scene of great conflict during the Austro-Prussian War. Though the army of Prussia did not enter the city until after the war, much of the damage came from a barrage from the Prussian and Swedish navies.
The city remained untouched during the Great War. However, when the German Empire declared war in 1936, the German army attacked and occupied the city. Following this war, Tsar Ivan VII changed the name from St. Petersburg to Petrograd to distance the city from anything resembling German. At the same time, Ivan moved the capital of the empire from Petrograd to Moscow for security purposes.
Points of interest
Among the most visited place in the city is the Winter Palace, the main place of residence of the Imperial Family until the move to the Moscow Kremlin in 1940.
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