Peter the Great founded the city of St. Petersburg in 1703 to serve as a foothold in land newly won from Sweden, as a “window to Europe,” and as a new capital worthy of its western-looking Tsar. Determined to build a great European metropolis, Peter invited architects from across Europe to design the city and poured great financial and human resources into its often brutal construction. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the city was Russia’s political and cultural capital from Peter I until the Bolshevik Revolution. Today its 4.7 million inhabitants make it the second-largest city in Russia and its famous history and landmarks, such as the Hermitage Museum, make it a major tourist destination. The American Corner opened in February 2002.