Kronstadt is a seaport town and a fortress in Russia, located on Kotlin Island in the Gulf of Finland. It is the main base of the Russian Baltic Fleet. From 1703 to 1918, Kronstadt was the home of the Russian Navy. Kronstadt has been repeatedly attacked by the Swedes, the French, the Germans and the Bolsheviks. The town was founded by Peter the Great in 1703. The first fortifications were built by French engineers during the reign of Peter the Great. These fortifications, known as Peter and Paul Fortress, were completed in 1706. The Citadel, the main fortress of Kronstadt, was built in the 18th century by the Russian military engineer Andrey Voronikhin. The Kronstadt Naval Cathedral was built between 1763 and 1783 by the Russian architect Andrey Kvasov.