These influences led St. Petersburg to become the host to Russian's Golden Age and a mecca to some of the world's greatest dances, artists, composers, and scientists. This has also contributed to reforms such as domestic reforms which altered the future of Russia. .
Peter the Great was determined to reform the domestic structure of Russia. He had a simple desire to push Russia - willingly or otherwise - into the modern era as existed then. While his military reforms were ongoing, he reformed the church, education and areas of Russia's economy. For someone who believed in royal absolutism this was unacceptable. The subordination of the church within Russia was completed without a problem. In 1700, the head of the church, Patriach Adrian, died. Peter did not replace him. In 1701, the control of church property was handed over to a government department called the Monastyrskii Prikaz. The simple fact that it was a government department meant that it was inferior to the will of Peter. The church hierarchy was officially abolished and the church was placed under the control of the Holy Synod and was fully linked to the state. It was designed to control their daily life so that they became an apparatus of the state. The task of the clergy was seen as two-fold: to work for the state and to make their congregations totally submissive to the state by convincing them that Peter was all but God-like to ensure the population of Russia's total subordination to the crown. Education also had to be modernised if Russia was going to survive as a power in Europe. Peter wanted a modern army and navy that would be feared throughout Europe. The officers in the military had to be educated or this would never be achieved. While on his travels as a youth, Peter had seen the importance of the knowledge of science and maths for military success. The correct use of artillery needed a knowledge of angles; the building of fortifications needed a knowledge of engineering.
