Masu mulkin mallaka na Sweden sun gina Nyenskans, wani kagara a bakin kogin Neva a shekara ta 1611, wanda daga baya aka kira Ingermanland, wanda kabilar Finnic ta Ingrians ke zaune.Ƙananan garin Nyen ya girma a kusa da shi.A karshen karni na 17, Peter the Great, wanda yake sha'awar sha'awar sha'awar teku da harkokin ruwa, ya so Rasha ta sami tashar jiragen ruwa don kasuwanci da sauran kasashen Turai.Yana buƙatar tashar jiragen ruwa mafi kyau fiye da babban birnin ƙasar a lokacin, Arkhangelsk, wanda ke kan Tekun White a arewa mai nisa kuma yana rufe jigilar kaya a lokacin hunturu.Makiyaya da aka yi wa aikin hidima daga ko’ina cikin Rasha ne suka gina birnin;da dama daga cikin fursunonin yaƙi na Sweden kuma sun shiga cikin wasu shekaru a ƙarƙashin kulawar Alexander Menshikov.Dubun safa ne suka mutu suna gina birnin.Peter ya koma babban birnin kasar daga Moscow zuwa Saint Petersburg a 1712.