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Rare early plan of St. Petersburg, based upon the plans created by Peter the Great to build an entirely new capital city for his Russian Empire.
Ottens pla shows the growing city that surrounds the Peter and Paul Cathedral and fortress on the Island of St. Petersburg (Zayachy Island), and around the shipyards on Admiralty (Admiraliteits) Island. Vasilievsky Island is depicted with a rectangular grid of canals, a palace and two elaborate formal gardens.
The plans for the City were developed by architect Domenico Trezzini between 1716 and the early 1720s. The project was never completed, but is still evident in the layout of the streets in the modern city. Above the plan is a map showing the city's position between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga. It shows the historic Ladoga Canal, also a project of Peter the Great.
The map was drawn by Reiner Ottens and published by the widow of Joshua Ottens.
The Ottens brothers, Reiner and Joshua, operated a successful printing partnership in the mid-eighteenth century (fl. 1726-1765). They began the venture in 1726, publishing maps and other prints as “R & I Ottens.” They specialized in the reprinting of others’ work, especially Guillaume De L’Isle. In 1750, Reiner died; his soon, also Reiner, took his place, but the firm began listing their works as “Joshua & Reiner Ottens.” The firm lasted until Joshua’s death in 1765. Joshua’s widow, Johanna de Lindt, sold their remaining stock of plates in 1784.
