St Petersburg, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, was founded by Peter the Great in 1703 and it was called so in his honour. The city is situated on the Neva River and has become the "window" to Europe. It was built by the prominent European and Russian architects.
Saint Petersburg was the capital of Russia from 1712 till 1918.
The Peter and Paul Fortress was built to protect the Neva banks from Swedish invasion. Later D. Trezzini, the famous Swiss architect, reconstructed the fortress. It became a prison. Now it is a museum. D. Trezzini erected the Peter and Paul Cathedral here, which is a masterpiece of architecture. Russian tsars were buried in it.
St Petersburg is an industrial, cultural and scientific centre. There are over 80 museums, about 20 theatres, exhibitions, clubs, a university, colleges, institutes, schools, libraries and parks. The Pushkin Drama Theatre, the Bolshoi Gorky Drama Theatre, the Mariinsky Theatre of Opera and Ballet are pearls of the Russian art.
The Summer Garden is the oldest and most fascinating park. Rare trees, bushes and flowers grow there. Beautiful marble statues made by Italian sculptors and a cast iron grille decorate the Summer Garden. There is a bronze monument to the prominent Russian fabulist Ivan Krylov (by sculptor Klodt) in the Summer Garden.
The city is famous for its magnificent architectural ensembles of the 18-19 centuries.
In Saint Petersburg tourists usually start sightseeing from Palace Square, the largest and most beautiful one. One cannot help admiring the ensemble in Palace Square: the Winter Palace (built by Rastrelli) was the residence of Russian tsars till the revolution.
The Hermitage, one of the oldest art museums in Russia, occupies the Winter Palace and four other buildings. There one can see masterpieces of the outstanding artists: Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael. Rembrandt, Velazques and other unique works of art.
The Russian museum is located in the Mikhailovsky Palace, designed by Rossi. Marvellous paintings of the famous Russian artists: Tropinin, Repin, Bryullov, Fedotov, Surikov, Serov, the works of sculptors: Rastrelli, Shubin, Antokolsky are exhibited here.
The streets and squares in St Petersburg are very beautiful. Nevsky Prospect is the main street of the city, where there are amazing buildings, shops. hotels and the remarkable Kazan Cathedral (by Voronikhin) with a colonade and monuments to M. Kutuzov and Barclay de Tolly. Here in the prospect one can see the magnificent building of the Admiralty (by Zakharov) and an ensemble of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Famous Russian writers, painters, composers and actors were buried in the Lavra.
The majestic palaces, cathedrals, churches and other buildings, built by famous architects, decorate St. Petersburg, such as: palaces of Stroga-nov, Vorontsov. Menshikov, Anichkov, the Triumphal Arch and St. Isaacs Cathedral, erected by Montferrand. St. Isaak's Cathedral, one of the most beautiful cathedrals, from the observation place of one can see the panorama of the city.
One cannot but forget to mention the Smolny Institute and the Smolny nunnery, masterpieces of Rastrelli. Girls from aristocratic families studied and lived in the institute.
A lot of bridges cross the Neva, the Fontanka, the Moika and the canals, but the Anichkov Bridge is the most beautiful one.
Saint Petersburg inspired many of our great poets, writers, painters, sculptors, composers and actors. Much of the life and work of Lermontov, Griboye-dov, Pushkin, Belinsky, Glinka, Chaikovsky, Repin and Kramskoi was connected with the city.
Citizens, tourists and guests enjoy visiting the suburbs of St Petersburg: Petergof, Pushkin, Pavlovsk, Lomonosov with wonderful palaces, parks and fountains.
Welcome to Saint Petersburg and its suburbs to get acquainted with their amazing sights!
