MOSCOW, March 26 (RIA Novosti) - The Finnish President Tarja Halonen will pay a visit to Russia's second largest city of St. Petersburg on March 29, a spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

"This year marks the 200th anniversary of Finland's inclusion in the Russian Empire as the Grand Duchy. A number of festivities will be dedicated to this event in Russia and Finland," Andrei Nesterenko said.

He said the Finnish president is due to take part in events in the city as part of the festivities: 200 years of Finland in St. Petersburg.

The Grand Duchy of Finland preceded modern day Finland and was annexed by Russia as an autonomous Grand Duchy in 1809 following defeat by Sweden at the hands of Russia's Tsar Alexander 1 until it declared its independence in December 1917.