The Peter and Paul Fortress was established on 1703 by Peter the Great on a small island on the Neva River delta to protect his new capital. At its center is the Peter and Paul Cathedral that became the burial place for Czars. Instead of traditional Byzantine Orthodox style, it was designed in Baroque style by Domenico Trezzini. Completed in 1733, its 123m tall gold-plated needle is topped with an angel holding a cross, making it the tallest Orthodox Church in the world. Being a royal cathedral, its interior is richly decorated, more suitable for palaces than a house of worship.