The “Gazprom City” complex with a 400-meter skyscraper is planned to be built on the place of Swedish fortress of Nien destroyed by Peter the Great and the 14th century fortress of Landscrona that was stormed by Alexander Nevsky’s son.
      
      St. Petersburg archeologists insist on preservation of remains of the medieval fortresses.
      
      “The problem is that the spot of building construction under the skyscraper is nothing but the fortresses of Nien and Landscrona. These are ancient towns that existed long before St. Petersburg, and here the building works are planned to start” – said Professor Oleg Ioannisyan, Head of the Architecture Archeology Section of the Hermitage.
      
      The project Gazprom City proposes building a high-rise business centre on the bank of Neva River, near Okhta.
      
      The project has long evoked lots of disputes, since the skyscraper planned to be erected in front of the Smolny Cathedral will be domineering and mar the historical look of St. Petersburg. The city dwellers even filed an action the court about the illegitimacy of the building project.
      
      Source: rian.ru