Petrovsk

Petrovsk stands on the Medveditsa, on the route between Saratov and Penza. Founded by decree of Peter I in 1698, it was a fortress intended to protect the region from Crimean Tatar raids and the disorder that threatened travellers on the road. Its square enclosure had double oak walls and eight roofed towers. Outlying settlements and watch posts helped guard the roads through the surrounding river country.

The fortress formed the centre of a line that stretched between settlements on the Atkara, Serdoba and Volga. Cossack guards and ploughing soldiers settled nearby, protecting both the roads and forests reserved for shipbuilding. As Russian settlement advanced beyond the old frontier, Petrovsk continued as a district town. The fortress itself was abolished in 1782, but the town remained a centre for the communities along the Medveditsa.