A ceremony to lay flowers at the Bronze Horseman monument to Emperor Peter the Great, the founder of the city, will mark the commencement of Tuesday's events on the occasion of the 305th anniversary of the founding of the city. The ceremony will be attended by the leading official in the city's executive and legislative branches of power, and by honorary citizens of St Petersburg.

Emperor Peter the Great founded the Northern Capital of Russia on May 27, 1703, on the day of the Holy Trinity Feast symbolising love, concord, and conciliarity.

The artillery signal gun will fire the traditional shot at noon from the Naryshkin bastion of Peter and Paul Fortress, the city's historical founding site. In line with tradition, cityfolk will lay flowers at the city founder's tomb in the St Peter and Paul Cathedral.

In the Maryinsky Palace, a ceremony is to be held to present the "Honorary Citizen of St Petersburg" decorations. This year by a decision of the city's Legislative Assembly, such decorations have been awarded to Academician Natalya Bekhtereva of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and scientific director of the Institute of the Brain, and Vadim Alexandrov, General Director of the Metrostroj (underground railway construction) Company.

The programme of festivities also provides for the presentation of the prize of the government of St Petersburg in the fields of literature, arts, and architecture, concerts to be given by brass bands in the Pionerskaya (Young Pioneers) Square and in the Alexander Garden, the show of the world's best animated cartoons, and other vivid events. Torches are to be lighted on the spit of Vassilyevsky Island in the evening in honour of this maritime Hero City.

News source: Itar-tass.com
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