Highlights of St. Petersburg









Located at the mouth of Neva river, on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, St. Petersburg became the first Russian seaport in the Baltic which does not freeze in winter. Peter the Great called the city “Window to Europe”. Peter the Great was a key figure in Russian history, a man who managed to transform a feudal state into a Russian empire, a state based on European standards of that period.

In his youth, Peter I was a simple nobleman in Europe and a member of the Great Embassy. He thought that Russia could not become an empire without a fleet. Peter I ordered to build a fortress on the Hare island in the middle of Neva river in 1703. The Peter and Paul Fortress became the first building of the future St. Petersburg, which nine years after its foundation became the capital of the Russian Empire.

St. Petersburg is very young compared to other European capitals and is the most European in appearance among Russian cities. It is due to the fact that all buildings are made in European style and were mainly built by European architects who were hired to work in Russia. More than 300 bridges, tributaries and canals pass through the Neva.

Coming to St. Petersburg, every tourist must visit the Hermitage. It is located in the Winter Palace on the main square of the city. The palace is a bright landmark, it is the former residence of the family of emperors, a huge building with dazzling luxurious interiors. After the revolution, the palace became a large museum, where collections from around the world are collected. The Hermitage is famous for its collection of marble copies of Greek and Roman sculptures, its Egyptian hall, the collection of Scythian gold and the largest collection of paintings by artists of Russia and Europe from different times. Walking through the numerous galleries, pay attention to the Madonna of Raphael, Judith Giorgione, St. Sebastien Titian and many paintings by Rembrandt. Inside this beautiful Winter Palace are some of the finest collections of French impressionists.

The largest church in the city is St. Isaac's Cathedral (1818–1858). It is one of the largest domed buildings in the world. It took 40 years to build it under the guidance of architect Auguste de Montferrand. Another magnificent church in - Kazan Cathedral (1801-1811), located on Nevsky Avenue. The Peter and Paul Cathedral (1712–1732), the symbol of the city, contains the tombs of Peter the Great and other Russian emperors. In addition to these four main cathedrals, which today operate mainly as museums, there are many other churches.

The Alexander Nevsky Monastery (where the relics of St. Alexander Nevsky are located) contains two cathedrals and several small churches in different styles.

The most familiar symbol of St. Petersburg is the statue of Peter the Great, installed in 1782 on Senate Square. This statue is made by French master Etienne Maurice Falcone and occupies a prominent place in Russian literature as the Bronze Horseman.

St. Petersburg is surrounded by imperial residences, some of which are on the World Heritage List. Peterhof with the Grand Peterhof Palace and magnificent fountain cascades; Tsarskoye Selo, with the baroque Catherine Palace and the neoclassical Alexander Palace; and Pavlovsk, where the dome palace of Emperor Paul (1782-1786) and one of the largest English-style parks in Europe are located. Gatchina, which is located 45 km south-west of St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg has always been famous for its cultural life. Among the more than forty theaters of the city is the world-famous Mariinsky Theater. St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the best in Russia.

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St. Isaac's Square

St. Isaac's Square

St. Isaac's Square is a square located in the Admiralty Municipal District of St. Petersburg. From the north it is bounded by Admiralty Avenue, from the south - by the Mariinsky Palace. Along with the Palace and the Senate Squares, St. Isaac's Square is traditionally attributed to the architectural ensemble of the central squares of the city. Due to the placement of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg in the Mariinsky Palace, St. Isaac’s Square is considered as the main administrative square. As part of the historical buildings of the center of St. Petersburg, the area is included in the World Heritage List. On May 26, 2013, the square celebrated the 310th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg, which can add St. Isaac's Square to the Guinness Book of Records. The architectural appearance of the square was formed for over 300 years: during this time, the square repeatedly changed its names, borders, buildings were built and demolished.
Amber Room

Amber Room

The Amber Room is the famous masterpiece of art of the XVIII century, which completely disappeared during the Second World War. Amber was the main decoration element - a large room consisted of amber panels and jewelry. It was considered the pearl of the summer residence of Russian emperors in Tsarskoe Selo. The amber room was created by master Andreas Schlüter for Prussian King Frederick I.
Yusupov Palace

Yusupov Palace

The Yusupov Palace on the Moika is a former palace in St. Petersburg, a monument of history and culture of federal significance. Located on the embankment of the River Moika, the territory of the palace with a garden extends to Dekabristov Street. The palace is known in history as the place of the murder of Grigory Rasputin. Currently, the building houses the Palace of Culture of Educators, which in the 1990s was formed into a multifunctional historical and cultural center, combining educational, sightseeing, exhibition and concert activities.
Winter Palace

Winter Palace

Winter Palace is the main imperial palace of Russia, in the city of St. Petersburg. Since the Soviet era, the main exposition of the State Hermitage Museum has been placed within the walls of the palace. Since the end of construction which lasted from 1762 to 1904, it has been used as the official winter residence of Russian emperors. From July to November 1917, the Provisional Government was housed in the palace. The winter palace and Palace Square form the most beautiful architectural ensemble of the modern city and are one of the main objects of domestic and international tourism.
Tsarskoye Selo

Tsarskoye Selo

Tsarskoye Selo - a museum-reserve in the city of Pushkin (St. Petersburg), which includes a palace and park. The ensemble of the XVIII-XIX centuries, the former suburban royal residence, turned into a museum after nationalization in March 1918. The museum got its present name in 1992. The museum-reserve includes: the Catherine Park with a palace and pavilions, the Alexander Park with a palace and pavilions and the Babolovsky Park with a palace.
The State Hermitage Museum

The State Hermitage Museum

The State Hermitage Museum is a museum of fine and decorative arts, located in the Winter Palace complex in the center of St. Petersburg. One of the largest and most significant art and cultural-historical museums in the world. The museum began its history with a collection of works of art acquired in private by the Russian Empress Catherine II. Initially, this collection was located in a special palace - the Hermitage - from which the general name of the future museum was fixed. In 1852, a public museum was formed from a greatly expanded collection. It became open to the public, located in the specially constructed building of the New Hermitage. The main exposition part of the museum occupies five buildings located along the Neva River Embankment, the Winter Palace is considered to be the main one. The museum also owns the Eastern Wing of the General Staff Building on Palace Square, the Menshikov Palace on the other side of the Neva, and the depository in Old Village and other buildings. The museum's collection includes about three million works of art and monuments of world culture, from the Stone Age to our century. In 2013, the State Hermitage Museum was one of the twenty most visited art museums in the world. According to the results of 2018, it took the 9th place.
The Russian Museum

The Russian Museum

The State Russian Museum has the largest collection of Russian art in the world. It is located in the central part of St. Petersburg. The modern Russian museum is a large complex. The main exposition part of the museum occupies five buildings: the Mikhailovsky Palace with the Benois exhibition building, the Mikhailovsky Castle, the Marble Palace, the Stroganov Palace and the Summer Palace of Peter I. The museum also includes the Mikhailovsky Garden, the Summer Garden, the Mikhailovsky Castle Garden and the House of Peter the Great on Petrovskaya Embankment and a number of other buildings. The director of the museum is Vladimir Alexandrovich Gusev. As of January 1, 2015, the collection of the Russian Museum amounted to 410,945 items. This number includes works of painting, graphics, sculpture, numismatics, decorative, applied and folk art, as well as archival materials.
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

The Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ on the Blood, or the Church of the Savior on the Blood in St. Petersburg is an Orthodox memorial church of the Resurrection of Christ. The temple was built to commemorate the fact that on this place on March 1 (13), 1881, as a result of the assassination attempt, Emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded (the expression on blood indicates the king’s blood). The temple was built as a monument to the martyred king with funds raised throughout Russia. It is located in the historic center of St. Petersburg on the banks of the Griboyedov Canal near the Mikhailovsky Garden and Konyushennaya Square. The height of the nine-domed temple is 81 m, its capacity is up to 1600 people. It is a museum and a monument of Russian architecture. The project is made in the "Russian style", somewhat reminiscent of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. The construction lasted 24 years. On August 6 (19), 1907, the cathedral was consecrated. The temple has the status of a museum.
Summer Palace of Peter the Great

Summer Palace of Peter the Great

The Summer Palace of Peter the Great is the name of a residence that has survived to its present state in the Summer Garden of St. Petersburg. Currently used as a museum (a branch of the Russian Museum). The summer palace was built in the Baroque style by Domenico Trezzini in 1710-1714. This is one of the oldest buildings in the city.
Senate square

Senate square

The Senate Square (in 1923–2008, the Square of the Decembrists) is one of the central squares of St. Petersburg. Located at the western end of the Alexander Garden. Senate Square was named so in 1763 after the placement of the Senate government agency there. The former mansion of Vice-Chancellor Bestuzhev-Rumin was adapted to the needs of the state. Currently, it is the residence of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation. Senatskaya Square is one of the oldest squares in St. Petersburg. It began to form as early as 1704, initially as part of the glacis of the Admiralty.
Saint Isaac's Cathedral

Saint Isaac's Cathedral

St. Isaac's Cathedral is the largest Orthodox church in St. Petersburg. It is located on St. Isaac's Square. The Cathedral of the St. Petersburg Diocese from 1858 to 1929. The modern building of the cathedral is the fourth St. Petersburg temple in honor of Isaac of Dalmatia, built on the site of a cathedral designed by Antonio Rinaldi. Consecrated in the name of St. Isaac of Dalmatia, saint was revered by Peter I, as the emperor was born on the day of his memory - May 30, according to the Julian calendar. Registered in June 1991, the church community had the opportunity to hold services in the cathedral. Services in St. Isaac's Cathedral are held daily.
Restaurant Podvorye

Restaurant Podvorye

Opened in 1993, the Podvorye («Coach House») restaurant has since become known as «Russia´s most authentic Russian restaurant». In addition to having its own regular clientele, it has established a reputation in Saint Petersburg and far beyond. Podvorye is remarkable for being equally esteemed by travelers as well as local residents.
Peterhof

Peterhof

Peterhof is an intracity municipality within the Petrodvorets district of the city of St. Petersburg. It is located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. The “New Petergof” railway station and three railway stops, which are part of the infrastructure of the Baltic Line of the October Railway and are equipped with two suburban communication platforms, are located on the territory of the municipality “Peterhof”. Peterhof was founded in 1710 as an imperial country residence. It attained city status from 1762. The city houses a monument of world architecture and palace and park art of the 18th — 19th centuries. The Palace is the main building of the Peterhof Palace and Park Ensemble. Originally a rather modest royal palace built in the style of "Peter the Great Baroque" in 1714-1725, it was rebuilt under Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in 1747-1752 using the Versailles model (architect F.-B. Rastrelli). A regular park (102 hectares) on the shores of the Gulf of Finland was laid out along the lines of the country residence of the French king Louis XIV at Versailles in the then fashionable French style. In the park there are several artistically finished architectural and park ensembles – Grand Palace with a cascade, a canal and flower beds, a large greenhouse with a fruit garden and greenhouses, Monplaisir Palace with a garden and greenhouses "for cooking herbs", Marly Palace with gardens and fish ponds. However, the worldwide fame of the Lower Park of Peterhof came from its unique and numerous fountains (more than 150 fountains and 4 cascades).
Peter and Paul Fortress

Peter and Paul Fortress

The Peter and Paul Fortress is a fortress in St. Petersburg, located on Hare Island, the historical core of the city. The official name is St. Petersburg Fortress, in 1914-1917 - the Petrograd Fortress. The fortress was founded on May 27, 1703 according to the plan of Peter I and French engineer Lambert. The fortress is part of the Museum of History of St. Petersburg. In 1991, a monument to Peter the Great was erected by the sculptor Shemyakin in the Peter and Paul Fortress.
Peter and Paul Cathedral

Peter and Paul Cathedral

Peter and Paul Cathedral – Orthodox cathedral in St. Petersburg in the Peter and Paul Fortress. This is the tomb of Russian emperors, a monument of Peter the Great’s Baroque architecture. From 1733 to 2012, the Cathedral with a height of 122.5 m was the tallest building in St. Petersburg, and until 1952 it was the tallest in Russia.
Pavlovsk with the Imperial Palace

Pavlovsk with the Imperial Palace

State art and architectural palace and park museum-reserve. The palace and park ensemble of the end of the XVIII - beginning of the XIX centuries, located in the city of Pavlovsk, modern suburb of St. Petersburg. The core of the palace and park complex is Pavlovsky Palace, which was the summer palace of Paul I. Adjacent to the palace is a park of about 600 hectares, on both banks of the Slavyanka river, which makes it one of the largest landscape parks in Europe. It took about 50 years to build the palace and park by three generations of architects and designers: Charles Cameron, Vincenzo Brenna, Giacomo Quarenghi, Andrey Voronikhin, Carlo Rossi.
Palace Square

Palace Square

Palace Square is the main square of St. Petersburg, an architectural ensemble that emerged in the second half of the 18th - first half of the 19th century. The area is formed by monuments of history and culture of federal significance: the Winter Palace, the building of the headquarters of the Guard Corps, the building of the General Staff with the Triumphal Arch, the Alexander Column. Its size is about 5.4 hectares. As part of the historic buildings of the center of St. Petersburg, the area is included in the World Heritage List and is a pedestrian zone.
Palace Bridge

Palace Bridge

The Palace Bridge is a drawbridge across the Neva River in St. Petersburg. It connects the central part of the city (Admiralteisky Island) and Vasilyevsky Island. It is located on the axis of the Palace Passage and Birzhevaya Square. The bridge is 250 m (255 m) long and 27.7 m wide. It consists of five spans. The central two-winged span of the Palace Bridge is one of the symbols of the city. The bridge received its name from the Winter Palace and the Palace Embankment located next to it. With the advent of the new government in 1918, the bridge was renamed the Republican, in 1952 the historical name was returned.
Oranienbaum

Oranienbaum

Oranienbaum is a palace and park ensemble on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland, 40 km west of St. Petersburg. Located in the city of Lomonosov (until 1948 - Oranienbaum) and includes palaces and parks of the XVIII century. The Empress's Cottage in Oranienbaum is a unique artistic monument that has preserved all the elements of the original interior decoration. The palace and park ensemble is part of the World Heritage monument "The historical center of St. Petersburg and the associated complexes of monuments." Since 2007, the palaces and the park are under the jurisdiction of the Peterhof State Museum-Reserve.
Nicholas Palace

Nicholas Palace

The Nicholas Palace is a three-story residence of Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich in the depth of a square fenced on Blagoveshchenskaya Square of St. Petersburg. It was built in 1853–1861 by the famous eclecticist Shtakenshneider and his assistants August Lange and Karl Ziegler. After the owner’s death in 1894, it was acquired by the treasury to house the Xenia Alexandrovna Women's Institute. After the revolution, the palace was passed into the hands of the trade unions, which renamed it the “Palace of Labor”. Premises, some of which have retained the original finish, are now leased to commercial structures.
Mariinsky Theatre

Mariinsky Theatre

The State Academic Mariinsky Theater is the Opera and Ballet Theater in St. Petersburg, one of the leading musical theaters in Russia and the world. The theater complex itself includes the main building on Theater Square, the concert hall (since 2006), the second stage on the Hook Canal (since 2013) and branches in Vladivostok (since 2016) and Vladikavkaz (since 2017). The theater conducts its history from the Bolshoi Theater, founded in 1783 on the orders of Empress Catherine the Great, which was located in a building later rebuilt as the St. Petersburg Conservatory. The theater was part of the Imperial Theaters of Russia.
Kunstkamera

Kunstkamera

The Kunstkamera is a museum of rarities; at present it is the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography named after Peter the Great. It is the first museum in Russia established by Emperor Peter the Great and located in St. Petersburg. It has a unique collection of antiquities, revealing the history and life of many nations. This museum is known for its “special” collection of anatomical rarities and anomalies. The building of the Kunstkamera is from the beginning of the XVIII century. It is a symbol of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Kronstadt

Kronstadt

Kronstadt is a port city in Russia, located on the island of Kotlin and adjacent smaller islands of the Gulf of Finland and a dam. It is the only settlement of Kronstadt. The population is 44,401 (2018). In 1990, the historic center of the city entered the UNESCO World Heritage List (as an integral part of the “Historical Center of St. Petersburg and related complexes of monuments”). In April 2009, Kronstadt was awarded the title of City of Military Glory. In May 2013, the Bank of Russia issues a commemorative coin from the Cities of Military Glory series with the coat of arms of Kronstadt.
Kazan Cathedral

Kazan Cathedral

Kazan cathedral is one of the largest churches in St. Petersburg. Built on Nevsky Prospect in 1801-1811 by the architect Andrei Voronikhin to store the honored list of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Kazan. After the Patriotic War of 1812 acquired the value of the monument of Russian military glory. In 1813, commander Mikhail Kutuzov was buried here and the keys to the taken cities and other military trophies were placed.
Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra

Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra

The Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Monastery is a male Orthodox monastery on the eastern tip of Nevsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg. The first and largest monastery of the city. Since 1797 has the status of laurels. The structure of the architectural complex includes several famous necropolises, where many prominent figures of the XVIII — XIX centuries rest.
Faberge Museum

Faberge Museum

The Faberge Museum is a private museum in St. Petersburg, located in the palace of the Naryshkin-Shuvalovs. It has a unique collection of Russian jewelry and decorative arts of the XIX — XX centuries. The most valuable and famous items in the museum collection are 9 imperial Easter eggs, created by the company of Carl Gustav Faberge. In the museum's collection are the first and last of the imperial eggs. The director of the museum is Vladimir Voronchenko. The museum was created to collect, exhibit and popularize the masterpieces of Russian art. From February 3 to May 2, 2016, the first in Russia exhibition of works by Mexican artist Frida Calo was held at the Faberge Museum. The museum consists of 11 rooms: the Knight's Hall, the Red Living Room, the Blue Living Room, the Golden Living Room, the Avant Hall, the White Living Room, the Blue Living Room, the Exhibition Hall , Gothic Hall, Upper Pantry, Beige Hall.
Cruiser Aurora

Cruiser Aurora

The Aurora is a 1st rank cruiser of the Baltic fleet of the Diana type. Named in honor of the sailing frigate "Aurora", famous for the defense of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky during the Crimean War. During the Russian-Japanese war, the ship participated in the campaign of the Second Pacific Squadron, which ended with the Tsushima battle. The cruiser also participated in the First World War. A blank shot from the Aurora was the signal for the beginning of the storming of the Winter Palace. The cruiser became one of the main symbols of the October Revolution. Since 1948, it has been parked at the Petrogradskaya Embankment at the Bolshaya Nevka river. The cruiser "Aurora" is an object of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation.
Bronze Horseman

Bronze Horseman

The Horseman is a monument to Peter I on Senate Square in St. Petersburg. Its opening took place on August 7, 1782. The monument is made of bronze. The name "copper" was fixed to him thanks to the poem of A.S. Pushkin's The Bronze Horseman. The model of the equestrian statue of Peter was made by sculptor Etienne Falcone in 1768-1770. The head of the statue was molded by a student of this sculptor, Marie Ann Collot. The casting of the statue was carried out under the guidance of the foundry affairs of the master Yekimov Vasily Petrovich and was completed in 1778.
Alexander Column

Alexander Column

The Alexander Column is a monument in the Empire style, located in the center of the Palace Square of St. Petersburg. It was erected in 1834 by architect Auguste Montferrand by decree of Emperor Nicholas I in memory of the victory of his elder brother Alexander I over Napoleon. It is under the jurisdiction of the State Hermitage Museum. This monument added to the composition of the Arch of the General Staff building, which was dedicated to the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812. The Alexander Column resembles samples of the triumphal structures of antiquity. The monument has an amazing clarity of proportions, conciseness of form, beauty of the silhouette.
Admiralty Main Building

Admiralty Main Building

The Main Admiralty Building is a complex of Admiralty buildings in St. Petersburg on the 2nd Admiralty Island, located on the banks of the Neva River, a significant architectural monument of the Russian Empire. Originally built as a shipyard, it was rebuilt in the XVIII — XIX centuries. Since 2012, the Main Command of the Russian Navy has been located here.