Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe

[1] Hermitage bridge in the "Venice of the North"

Cutting off the beards of Russian aristocrats, caricature from the 17th century

[2] Old beards

Map of the EU with accession candidates in 2000

[3] Waiting for Europe

The "Window on Europe"

Russia did not belong to Europe until the end of the 17th century when it became a major power in the Baltic region. Tsar Peter the Great gained access to the Gulf of Finland where he had the city of Petersburg built in European style. He also linked the Eurasian Empire to Europe in cultural terms. The Europeanisation of Russia was at the heart of his reform measures.

Extent
of Europe

Roman Empire

Eastern Europe

Theatre of international politics

Europe and the world