The figure of Francesco Fontana is one of the most intriguing in the history of early Petersburg. The lecture will immerse listeners in a world of architectural investigations, historical paradoxes, and almost detective searches for lost facts. Who is Francesco Fontana? It is unknown when and where he was born, no portraits of him have survived, and many buildings likely belonging to him are attributed to other architects or are listed as anonymous. All of this will be discussed in the lecture by architectural historian Viktor Korentsvit. Francesco Fontana was at the center of the events surrounding the construction of Petersburg - he created projects for Peter I, Catherine, Menshikov, and other political figures of the early 18th century. However, the documents confirming his authorship are fragmentary. Even with the name, there has been confusion - it is possible that Jean Maria Fontana and Francesco Fontana are the same person. This can only be understood through archaeological research, handwriting analysis, and the stylistics of architectural solutions. The lecture will be a true journey into the era when Petersburg was just being born, and architecture was becoming an expression of the ambitions of the new capital. Participants will hear about the paradoxes of official versions, facts that did not make it into school textbooks, and how research continues today to restore cultural justice.