Kronstadt, a fortified town, was founded in the early XVII century on the KotlinIsland in the middle of the Gulf of Finland. It is one of the most famous small towns of Russia, as it played a significant role in the country's history. Kronstadt’s isolated position and its proximity to St. Petersburg for a long time determined the town’s fate of as a sea outpost, serving to protect the capital. Since 1720s Kronstadt has served as the Baltic Fleet military base. Until 1996, the island had been closed to ordinary people: it was possible to get into Kronstadt only with an organized tour or at the invitation of a resident. Even now Kronstadt is populated mostly with Navy sailors, so lives of the majority of its inhabitants are somehow connected with the sea.

At the first glance, Kronstadt’s historical center is very similar to that of St. Petersburg, serving as a museum under the open air. Many old buildings, small gardens and parks, sculptures and fortification monuments, form its unique historical and cultural surface. Kronstadt’s hydraulic engineering system of canals deserves special attention: a part of this system, which dates back to 1719, is still in use.

Kronstadt has managed to keep its unique appearance intact. The town’s greatest attraction is the Naval Cathedral, named after St. Nicholas. It was built in 1903–1913 as the main church of the Russian Navy and dedicated to all perished seamen. According the architect's plan, the cathedral was designed to look a little like the Hagia Sophia Church in Istanbul.