Saint Petersburg is a city where the majestic palaces of Russian emperors are reflected in the waters of the Neva River and its numerous canals, and the air is saturated with the history and creativity of Pushkin, Dostoevsky, and Brodsky. Petersburg is not just the "Northern Capital" or the "cultural capital" of Russia. It is a grand urban planning experiment, a city of dreams, a "window to Europe," cut through by the will of Peter the Great over three centuries ago.
This is a city impossible to forget after your first visit. It can be many things: ceremonial and imperial on Palace Square, romantic and mysterious in quiet courtyard-wells, dynamic and modern in new public spaces, strict and harmonious in its Classical ensembles.
History of Saint Petersburg
From a fortress on Hare Island to the cultural capital of the world. The history of Saint Petersburg began on May 27, 1703, when Tsar Peter I founded a fortress on the small Hare Island in the Neva delta, naming it after the Apostle Peter — Sankt-Piter-Burkh. This event took place during the Great Northern War, and the fortress was intended to protect the lands recaptured from the Swedes. By 1712, the city, built with incredible speed, officially became the capital of Russia, a status it held for over two hundred years, until 1918.
The 18th century was a time of rapid construction and Europeanization. The city was built "in the European manner" according to a clear plan. It was here that the first Russian museum, the Kunstkamera, the Academy of Sciences, and the Academy of Arts were opened. In 1837, Russia`s first railway line, connecting Petersburg with Tsarskoye Selo, was launched.
The 19th century was the golden age of Russian culture and industry. Hundreds of factories and plants operated in the city, and majestic railway stations were built. However, Petersburg also witnessed tragic events: the Decembrist revolt, the revolutions of 1905 and 1917. The city is rightly called the "cradle of three revolutions."
World War I forced the abandonment of the "German" name: in 1914, the city was renamed Petrograd. After Lenin`s death in 1924, it became Leningrad. The Soviet period was a time of industrialization and an incredible ordeal. The 872 days of the siege during the Great Patriotic War became a symbol of the courage and resilience of Leningraders.
In 1991, after the dissolution of the USSR, the city regained its historical name — Saint Petersburg. Today, it is a modern metropolis that has preserved its unique historical heritage and is one of the world`s leading tourist and cultural centers.
The Architectural Code of Saint Petersburg
Petersburg`s architecture is a unique fusion of styles, but unlike Moscow`s eclecticism, it is distinguished by its ensemble strictness and thoughtful planning. The city became a testing ground for European architectural ideas adapted to Russian soil.
Petrine Baroque. The city`s first style, characterized by simplicity, restraint, and practicality. The chief architect was Domenico Trezzini. His creations: the Peter and Paul Cathedral with its skyward-pointing spire, the Twelve Collegia building, and Peter I`s Summer Palace.
Elizabethan (Russian) Baroque. The mid-18th century, a time of monumental luxury. The undisputed leader of the style was Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli. He created two masterpieces that defined the city`s face: the Winter Palace and the ensemble of the Smolny Convent with its incredibly beautiful bell tower.
Classicism. From the 1760s until the mid-19th century, Classicism became the dominant style. It is characterized by harmony, strictness of form, and a turn to the heritage of antiquity. Architects created not just buildings, but entire ensembles. This was the era of Carlo Rossi (the buildings of the General Staff, the Senate and Synod, the Mikhailovsky Palace), Andreyan Zakharov (the reconstruction of the Admiralty), Andrei Voronikhin (Kazan Cathedral), and Auguste Montferrand (St. Isaac`s Cathedral, the Alexander Column).
Eclecticism and Historicism. In the second half of the 19th century, the strictness of Classicism gave way to playing with historical styles: Neo-Gothic, Neo-Renaissance, Russian style. A vivid example is the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, built in the "Russian style" on the site of the assassination of Emperor Alexander II.
Art Nouveau. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Northern Art Nouveau came to Petersburg, more restrained and tending towards natural motifs than its Moscow counterpart. Apartment buildings on Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt and the building of Vitebsky Railway Station are the best examples of this trend.
Constructivism and Stalinist Empire Style. During the Soviet era, the city was adorned with avant-garde buildings (Kirov Palace of Culture), and after the war, with monumental structures such as metro stations and buildings on Moskovsky Prospekt.
Contemporary Architecture. Today, Petersburg carefully preserves its historic center (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and new construction is mainly carried out on the outskirts, adhering to height regulations to avoid disrupting the city`s unique panorama.
Sights of Saint Petersburg
Palace Square and the General Staff Building. Palace Square is the main architectural heart of Petersburg. Its ensemble is formed by the Winter Palace and the General Staff Building with its Triumphal Arch, created by Carlo Rossi. In the center of the square rises the Alexander Column — a monolithic granite pillar symbolizing Russia`s victory over Napoleon, held on its pedestal only by its own immense weight.
The State Hermitage Museum. One of the greatest art museums in the world, its main building is the Winter Palace. Its collection numbers millions of works of art — from ancient Egyptian stone sculptures to Impressionist paintings. No less famous are the palace`s state rooms, the Jordan Staircase, and the "Peacock" clock.
The Peter and Paul Fortress. The founding site of the city on Hare Island. The historical core of Petersburg, it was never used in actual combat but served as the main political prison of Russia. In the center of the fortress rises the Peter and Paul Cathedral with its gilded spire, containing the burial vaults of the Russian emperors.
St. Isaac`s Cathedral. A grandiose architectural monument of the 19th century by Auguste Montferrand. The fourth largest cathedral in the world, it amazes with its scale, mosaics, and malachite columns. From the observation terrace on the cathedral`s colonnade, the best panorama of the city center opens up.
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. A memorial church erected on the site of the fatal wounding of Emperor Alexander II. Its ornate appearance in the pseudo-Russian style, with kokoshniks and decorative tiles, contrasts sharply with the city`s strict classical architecture. Inside is a unique collection of mosaics covering almost the entire walls.
Kazan Cathedral. The main functioning cathedral of the city, with its majestic colonnade spreading its wings onto Nevsky Prospekt. It houses the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God and the tomb of Field Marshal M.I. Kutuzov.
Vasilyevsky Island and the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island. The historical center of business and academic life. The main architectural ensemble of the Spit, with the Old Stock Exchange building and the Rostral Columns serving as lighthouses, forms the city`s unique appearance from the Neva River.
Sacred Architecture, Palaces, and Museums
Besides its cathedrals, Petersburg is famous for its suburban residences, palaces, and museums, forming a "golden ring" around the city.
The Nikolaevsky (Cavalry) Palace, the Mariinsky Palace, the Mikhailovsky Palace — the latter is now the core of the collection of the State Russian Museum, which holds the world`s finest collection of Russian art.
The Kunstkamera — the first public museum in Russia, founded by Peter I. Its famous tower and collection of anatomical rarities are known to everyone.
The Cruiser "Aurora" — a legendary ship that became one of the main symbols of the October Revolution and is now a museum ship.
Palace and Park Ensembles of the Suburbs
This is a true string of pearls around Petersburg, recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage sites.
Peterhof (Petrodvorets). Famous worldwide for its Grand Palace and its grand system of fountains, surpassing Versailles in beauty. The Lower Park with its palaces, cascades, and trick fountains was the main summer residence of the emperors.
Tsarskoye Selo (the town of Pushkin). The jewel is the Catherine Palace with its incredible Amber Room, restored by Petersburg`s restorers. Also located here is the Alexander Palace, where the family of the last emperor, Nicholas II, lived.
Pavlovsk. A masterpiece of Russian Classicism, a palace and landscape park created for the widow of Paul I. One of the most romantic and harmonious ensembles in Europe.
Gatchina and Oranienbaum. Unique palaces and parks with different architecture — from the medieval-style castle in Gatchina to the elegant Chinese Palace in Oranienbaum.
Kronstadt. A fortress city on Kotlin Island, the sea gateway to Petersburg. Famous for the Naval Cathedral of St. Nicholas and the forts that defended the approaches to the capital.
Parks, Canals, and the Special Flavor of Petersburg
The Drawbridges. The city`s main nightly show. From April to November, the bridges across the Neva (Palace Bridge, Troitsky Bridge, Blagoveshchensky Bridge, and others) are raised to allow ships to pass into Lake Ladoga.
Rivers and Canals. The Neva, Fontanka, Moyka, Griboyedov Canal — the "water frame" of the city. A boat trip along the rivers and canals opens up a completely different, "Venetian" perspective of Petersburg.
The Summer Garden. The city`s oldest park, laid out by Peter I. Today, it is a formal, regular park with marble sculptures and fountains.
Nevsky Prospekt. The city`s main thoroughfare. A stroll from the Admiralty to Vosstaniya Square is the best way to feel the pulse of the Northern capital.
New Holland Island. A unique island, a monument of 18th-century industrial architecture, restored and transformed into the city`s most fashionable public space with a park, skating rink, and restaurants.
Unusual Corners of Petersburg
• The Fabergé Museum in the Shuvalov Palace on the Fontanka River — the world`s best collection of Fabergé eggs and jewelry art.
• The Yusupov Palace on the Moyka River — a luxurious mansion with a theater, where Grigory Rasputin was killed.
• The Engineers` and Writers` Communal House (Kirov House) on Dobrolyubova Prospekt — a constructivist experiment.
• Gromov`s Dacha (The Universe of Water Museum Complex) on Shpalernaya Street — a Romantic-style manor.
• The Sevkabel Port creative cluster — a creative space on Vasilyevsky Island by the water with a view of the Gulf of Finland.
• Architect Rossi Street — a unique ensemble of strict proportionality (the street`s width equals the height of the buildings).
White Nights and Bridges
From late May to mid-July, Petersburg experiences the White Nights — a time when dusk never turns into full darkness. This is the most romantic season, when the city lives 24/7. The main event is the school-leavers` holiday "Scarlet Sails," with a grand pyrotechnic show and a brig sailing under scarlet sails along the Neva.
Practical Tips
Book tickets in advance. Queues for the Hermitage, the Russian Museum, Peterhof, Tsarskoye Selo, and for the drawbridges can be enormous. Buy tickets online several weeks in advance, especially during the White Nights season. For visits to the Mariinsky Theatre, it`s best to book tickets months ahead.
Opening hours. Most museums are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The palaces and parks in the suburbs often have seasonal hours: the fountains in Peterhof operate from May to October.
Transport. The Petersburg Metro is both deep and beautiful. The metro runs from 5:30 AM to 1:00 AM. For payment, the "Podorozhnik" card or contactless bank cards are convenient. It`s easy to get to the suburbs by commuter trains from Baltiysky, Vitebsky, or Moskovsky railway stations, as well as by taxi.
Navigating the water. During the navigation period (approximately April to November), the drawbridge schedule is the main puzzle. Check the drawbridge times if you are not staying on the same side of the city center as the main attractions. The current schedule is available in navigation apps.
Where to eat. On Nevsky Prospekt — historic cafes and restaurants (e.g., Yeliseyevsky, Pyshechnaya on Bolshaya Konyushennaya Street). On Rubinsteina Street — trendy bars and restaurants. Be sure to try smelt (in season, May-June), pyshki (Russian-style doughnuts), Leningrad-style rassolnik (pickle soup), stroganina (frozen raw fish), and Baltic sprats.
What to drink. Cranberry morse (a berry drink), sbiten (a spiced honey drink), and various infusions in Russian cuisine restaurants. Petersburg is the craft beer capital of Russia, with many excellent breweries and bars.
Saint Petersburg is Russia`s second-largest city, with a population of over 5.6 million people, and a major cultural and scientific center. It offers travelers a unique combination of imperial grandeur, the romance of its waterways, the tragic history of the 20th century, and the energy of a modern European metropolis.
