The first construction in the city was the Peter and Paul fortress, with a cathedral inside. On entering the workshops the first impression is one of intense concentration. Technicians rarely look up even when being photographed with a camcorder. Yet an American with a camcorder is a radical thing. Another impression is of slow, steady, careful work.
Nobody paces the aisles encouraging quick production.
In fact, workers seem to be trusted to work at the pace that will produce the best quality. Quality control is strict, and any errors will be quickly detected. Technicians seem to be about equally divided between men and women, and ages range from 19 to 65. The most delicate and skilled work is in the construction of microscope objectives. Optical glass is made from Baltic sand, and is used throughout the world.