What is the modern name of the city formerly known as Leningrad?

This Russian city has a history of changing names that reflects the country's own political and social shifts. Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great (Review), it was originally named St. Petersburg. The name, however, sounded very German, and with the outbreak of World War I, it was changed to the more Russian-sounding Petrograd in 1914. This name, meaning "Peter's City," was a direct translation of the original.

Following the death of the Soviet leader Vladimir (Review) Lenin in 1924, the city was renamed Leningrad in his honor. This name would become famous worldwide, particularly for the resilience of its inhabitants during the brutal Siege of Leningrad in World War II. For decades, the city was a powerful symbol of the Soviet Union.

With the fall of the Soviet Union, the city's population voted to restore its original name. In 1991, it officially became St. Petersburg once again, a move that symbolized a rejection of the country's communist past and a return to its historical roots. Interestingly, the surrounding region, or oblast, is still known as Leningrad.