Saint Petersburg is a multifaceted and enchanting city sprawling along the Neva River, boasting numerous architectural, historical, and cultural landmarks. A traveler in this city will find many interesting and astonishing sights.
Monuments of Petersburg
Having visited the Russian Venice, there are countless places one simply must see.
Let’s look at the list of sights every tourist must witness firsthand:
1. Nevsky Prospekt is considered the calling card of Petersburg, stretching 4.5 km. Here you will find the Kazan Cathedral, the famous Gostiny Dvor, and the Passage. This place is always crowded, as a journey through Petersburg begins here.
2. The city begins its history with the Peter and Paul Fortress, laid down in 1703 on Zayachy Island. At one time, the fortress was deemed impregnable. Here in the casemates, Tsarevich Alexei was imprisoned, followed by the incarceration of the Decembrists and Narodnaya Volya members. Now, the Peter and Paul Fortress serves as a museum.
3. One cannot visit St. Petersburg without seeing the Hermitage. This museum is among the largest in the world. It houses approximately 30 million artistic masterpieces and artifacts from various periods of human life on Earth.
4. At Senate Square, one can view a monument erected during the reign of Catherine II. The Empress believed she was continuing the work of Peter the Great, hence she ordered a huge stone to be brought from the village of Konnaya Lakhta and had a bronze sculpture of Peter installed on it.
5. The cruiser Aurora is well-known. The ship participated in a naval battle and remained afloat even after being hit by 18 shells. Since 1900, the ship has been permanently moored.
Cathedrals of Petersburg
Saint Petersburg has many cathedrals that astonish with their grandeur:
1. St. Isaac’s Cathedral is a brilliant creation that can be admired for hours. Its height is 101.5 meters, with a dome diameter of 25.8 meters. The construction of this cathedral lasted 39 years. It is adorned with sculptures of apostles on all sides. Inside, one can see unique panels, wall paintings, stained glass, and statues.
2. Kazan Cathedral was built by order of Paul I, who traveled extensively in Italy and was struck by the beauty of the Roman Cathedral of Saint Peter. Returning to Russia, he ordered a similar one to be built in Petersburg. The cathedral has 48 columns.
3. The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is strikingly beautiful. The church was erected in memory of the tragic events, namely the fatal wounding of Emperor Alexander II. The construction of the church lasted 24 years. Inside, the church looks richly adorned with gemstones, mosaics, and marble.
It is important to remember that the main attraction of Saint Petersburg remains its drawbridges. Tourists come here especially for them, as they are a symbol of the city. There are about 800 bridges in the city, but the most important is the Palace Bridge, which connects Palace Square and the Spit of Vasilievsky Island.
