Saint Petersburg, Russia

Nevsky Avenue, Saint Petersburg

Tours, Attractions and Things To Do in Saint Petersburg

The famous city on Neva River, the brilliant Saint Petersburg, is the place you fall in love at first sight. It has unique entrancing elegant look created by rigorous and yet luxurious architecture of classicism era.

Magnificent palaces adorned with colonnades, majestic cathedrals, imposing fountains and parks, the richest museums, grandiose monuments, picturesque embankments, graceful bridges, straight as an arrow avenues, leading to the slender Admiralty needle; annually millions of tourists from all over the world visit the city to witness all this beauty with their own eyes. Besides, it is only there, in the city on the great river Neva, that you can see the unique spectacle – the drawing of bridges to enable the navigation of heavy ships. Only there, the most northern of all the major cities in the world, you can enjoy the romance of the white nights: during these wonderful days the sun goes down beyond the horizon at about 9 degrees so evening twilight is nearly merged with firs morning light.

Today Saint Petersburg is the second largest and important in Russia. It is often called the northern capital, which means it has nearly equal status with Moscow. In fact, Saint Petersburg is the city of epithets: the «cultural capital» - the city of aristocracy and intelligentsia, educated people and the noble; «North Palmyra» - the name praising the beauty of the city; «Northern Venice» - a comparison with the famous European city on water ... Saint Petersburg has everything to be praised by poets from all over the world. Each building there is a poem frozen in lace of stones and glorified by history. A walk around Saint Petersburg is an incomparable pleasure. Peter and Paul Cathedral with a spire of gold - the symbol of Russia's northern capital. The famous Palace Square with the towering Alexander Column.

Petersburg is filled with magnificent architecture of palaces and wealthy estates. First of all comes the brilliant Peterhof, which surpasses most of the summer residences of European monarchs due to its architectural and technical perfection. It is impossible to imagine the city without monumental and majestic Saint Isaac's Cathedral, as well as unusual and unique Church of the on Blood. If you enter the city by the sea, you will be welcomed by Vasilievsky Island. It is a part of the city and another attraction of Saint Petersburg. The city on the Neva has its own patron, who also is the landmark of Saint Petersburg. Proudly frozen on his magnificent horse, Peter I, The Bronze Horseman, is guarding his city.

Few people know that Saint Petersburg is situated on the islands! The city is located on 47 islands; 24 of them are quite large. The biggest are Vasilyevsky and Petrogradsky. The Neva is cradle of Saint Petersburg. On the banks of the Neva were built the most famous architectural complexes. Facing the Neva are the main squares of the Northern Capital. The architects «dressed» the riverbanks of the «northern beauty» in granite lace. The Neva divides the city into parts joined with one another by well-known Saint Petersburg bridges. The Neva is crossed by eight amazing drawbridges.

Saint Petersburg is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List with its 36 complexes uniting about 4,000 outstanding monuments of architecture, history and culture. In fact, the city itself is a museum. The museum world of Saint Petersburg is incredibly diverse: world-famous Hermitage, the State Russian Museum with the richest collection of Russian art, the palaces of Saint Petersburg and its suburbs. All in all there are more than 200 museums. Not so long ago the city celebrated its tercentenary. Survivor of the 11 emperors, dozens of floods, the revolution, the three-year siege and the economic reform, Saint Petersburg has became another symbol of Russia known to the whole world.

Photos of Saint Petersburg

History of Saint Petersburg

The city was founded by the legendary Russian Emperor, Peter I and named after Saint Peter the Apostle. The city construction began in 1703 with the erection of the Peter and Paul Fortress on the Hare Island. The city is literally built on the site of former marshes and swamps. Peter, who liked everything foreign, decided to entrust the construction of its new capital to foreign architects. According to Peter’s instructions the architects with international reputation were invited to Russia. The city quickly grew and developed. Building of the city on the Neva River froze from1728 to 1732, when the successors to the throne chose Moscow as their residence. The return of the Empress, Anna Ioannovna, to Saint Petersburg resumed the city construction. Every epoch gave the city its unique features, which can be found in the appearance of buildings, streets, and squares. During the reign of Catherine the city received its stone buildings. It was under her rule that the structures constituting the main architectural attraction of capital were erected: the Palace Square, the famous monument to Peter I, the Bronze Horseman. At the same time the territory of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra was built. The reign of Elizabeth was the beginning of the city decoration with majestic buildings worthy of the capital. It was then that the construction of the Winter Palace, where the Hermitage is locate, began along with Anichkov Palace, Smolny and Vladimir Cathedral.

Attractions

Alexander Column
Admiralty
Mariinsky Theater
Peter and Paul Fortress
Split of Vasilyevsky Island
Andrew's Cathedral
Cruiser Aurora
Kazan Cathedral