Saint Petersburg Travel Guide 2022 - Best Places to Visit in Saint Petersburg Russia in 2022
Summary
TLDRSt. Petersburg, Russia's cultural capital, is celebrated for its elegant architecture, including stately palaces and cathedrals. Founded by Peter the Great in 1703, it boasts the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Winter Palace, and the opulent Catherine Palace. The city's canals and rivers offer scenic cruises, while its museums house world-class art and historical artifacts. Landmarks like the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood and St. Isaac's Cathedral showcase the city's rich history and architectural prowess.
Takeaways
- 🏰 Saint Petersburg is celebrated for its elegant architecture, including stately palaces and cathedrals, which are interspersed with the city's many canals and waterways.
- 🌍 As Russia's second largest city, Saint Petersburg is strategically located at the mouth of the Neva River on the banks of the Gulf of Finland.
- 🏛 Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, Saint Petersburg served as the capital of the Russian Empire for two centuries.
- 🎭 The city has been a magnet for artists, composers, scientists, and writers, transforming it into a cultural powerhouse known for ballet, classical music, and theater.
- 🌆 Due to its extended summer days, Saint Petersburg is nicknamed the 'City of White Nights', making it a magical destination year-round.
- 🏰 The Peter and Paul Fortress, built in 1703, originally served as a defensive structure and later functioned as a prison and site of executions.
- 🏟️ Palace Square, the main city plaza, is marked by the Alexander Column and has been a site of significant historical events, including the 1917 Russian Revolution.
- 🏞️ The Peterhof Palace, often referred to as the 'Russian Versailles', is renowned for its opulent design, fountains, and statues, including the Grand Cascade.
- 🏝️ Vasilevskiy Island, just across the river from the city center, is home to several landmarks and museums, including the Russian Academy of Sciences.
- 🛍️ Nevsky Avenue, the main thoroughfare of Saint Petersburg, is lined with historic buildings, shopping arcades, and cultural institutions.
- 🏰 The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is a notable landmark, built on the site of Alexander II's assassination, known for its colorful and intricate interior.
Q & A
What is Saint Petersburg known for?
-Saint Petersburg is known for its elegance, grandeur, and gorgeous architecture, including stately palaces and cathedrals. The city is renowned for its numerous canals and waterways, cultural heritage, and world-class ballet, classical music, and theater performances.
Where is Saint Petersburg located?
-Saint Petersburg is located at the mouth of the Neva River on the banks of the Gulf of Finland in Russia. It is Russia's second-largest city after Moscow.
Who founded Saint Petersburg, and when?
-Saint Petersburg was founded by Peter the Great in 1703 and served as the capital of the Russian Empire for centuries.
What was the original purpose of the Peter and Paul Fortress?
-The original purpose of the Peter and Paul Fortress was to protect the state from outside invasions. Although it was never used in actual warfare, it later served as a prison and execution site during the Bolshevik Revolution.
What is significant about Palace Square in Saint Petersburg?
-Palace Square is the main city plaza in Saint Petersburg, located in front of the Winter Palace. It is significant for its historical events, including the assassination of Tsar Alexander II and the start of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917.
Why is Peterhof Palace often referred to as the 'Russian Versailles'?
-Peterhof Palace is often called the 'Russian Versailles' due to its opulent architecture, extensive gardens, and numerous fountains, reminiscent of the grandeur of the Palace of Versailles in France.
What can visitors find on Vasilevskiy Island?
-Vasilevskiy Island is home to several landmarks, including the Museum of Electrical Transport, the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, the old Saint Petersburg Stock Exchange, and the Baroque Menshikov Palace.
What is notable about Nevsky Avenue in Saint Petersburg?
-Nevsky Avenue is a 4.5-kilometer-long main thoroughfare in Saint Petersburg, known for its opulent architecture, high-end stores, fine restaurants, luxury hotels, and significant historical landmarks such as the Stroganoff Palace and the Russian National Library.
Why is the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood named so?
-The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is named after the assassination of Tsar Alexander II, which took place at the site. It is renowned for its ornate and colorful architecture, similar to that of Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow.
What makes the canals of Saint Petersburg unique?
-The canals of Saint Petersburg, initially built to prevent flooding, now serve as transit routes and popular sightseeing locations. The canal system stretches over 300 kilometers with numerous bridges, and visitors can enjoy boat tours to see the city’s landmarks from the water.
What is special about Saint Isaac's Cathedral in Saint Petersburg?
-Saint Isaac's Cathedral is one of the largest churches in the world, featuring a massive gold-plated dome visible across the city. It has stunning interiors with elaborate reliefs, mosaics, and iconostasis, and functions as a museum while still hosting some religious services.
Outlines
🌍 St. Petersburg: A Cultural Gem
Saint Petersburg is renowned for its architectural beauty and rich cultural heritage. As Russia's second-largest city, it is home to numerous palaces, cathedrals, and canals. Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, the city was the capital of the Russian Empire for centuries, drawing in artists, composers, and writers. Famous for its long summer days, known as 'White Nights,' St. Petersburg offers world-class ballet, music, and theater performances. Visitors can explore historical sites and cultural activities year-round.
🏰 Peter and Paul Fortress: A Historic Landmark
The Peter and Paul Fortress, built in 1703, was originally constructed to defend against invasions but later served as a prison during the Bolshevik Revolution. Today, it is part of the State Museum of Saint Petersburg’s History. Within the fortress, visitors can explore the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the final resting place of Russian tsars, as well as prison cells, a city museum, and the Saint Petersburg Mint, still operational since 1724.
🏞️ Palace Square: A Hub of Historical Events
Palace Square is the main public space in St. Petersburg, located in front of the Winter Palace. The iconic Alexander Column, built to celebrate Alexander I’s victory over Napoleon, dominates the square. The area has witnessed many significant events, including the assassination of Alexander II in 1879 and the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. Today, the square hosts a range of parades and celebrations, including Victory Day and New Year's Eve events.
🎠 Peterhof Palace: Russia's Versailles
Located 45 minutes from St. Petersburg, Peterhof Palace is often called the 'Russian Versailles' due to its opulent architecture and sprawling gardens. The palace, with its golden domes and fountains, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Grand Cascade fountain is the highlight, while the palace’s interiors include ceremonial rooms and a grand ballroom. The surrounding gardens, with over 60 fountains and 200 statues, offer a perfect spot for a picnic along the Gulf of Finland.
🏝️ Vasilevskiy Island: A Cultural Haven
Vasilevskiy Island is home to a variety of cultural landmarks and institutions. Connected to mainland St. Petersburg by bridges, it houses the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and the Old Saint Petersburg Stock Exchange. The island also features the Menchikov Palace, part of the Hermitage Museum, as well as branches of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It’s a must-visit for those interested in Russian art, literature, and science.
🚶 Nevsky Avenue: St. Petersburg's Bustling Hub
Nevsky Avenue, a 4.5-kilometer-long street, is the heart of St. Petersburg. Named after the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, the avenue is lined with historical buildings, including Stroganoff Palace and Kazan Cathedral, as well as luxury stores, restaurants, and hotels. Even without shopping, the street is worth visiting for its vibrant atmosphere, with street artists and historic landmarks like the Anichkov Bridge, which bears marks of World War II.
⛪ Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood: A Sacred Landmark
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood was built on the site where Alexander II was assassinated, earning its name from the spilled blood. Its colorful exterior resembles St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. Inside, it houses one of the world’s largest collections of mosaics. The church is a must-visit for tourists and is located near other landmarks like the State Russian Museum. An audio tour of the church provides a deeper understanding of its history and significance.
🏛️ Catherine Palace: The Tsars' Summer Escape
Catherine Palace, located 30 kilometers south of St. Petersburg, was a summer residence for Russian tsars. The palace's rococo design, with its vivid bluish-green facade and golden statues, is stunning. Inside, visitors can tour opulent ballrooms, the Amber Room, and the Grand Hall. The palace is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens, offering a peaceful retreat after taking in its grandeur.
🚤 Rivers and Canals: A Unique Way to Explore the City
St. Petersburg's canal system, initially built to prevent flooding, now offers scenic boat tours. The city has over 300 kilometers of canals, with popular routes along the Griboedov Canal and Winter Canal. Many tours include live music, food, and guides in English. A highlight is the nighttime rides to see the city’s bridges open for ships, a spectacular sight along the Neva River.
🛳️ Cruiser Aurora: A Symbol of Russian Revolution
The Cruiser Aurora is a historic Russian naval ship that played a key role in the Russo-Japanese War and the 1917 Russian Revolution. Moored on the Neva River, the Aurora is now a museum where visitors can explore six rooms, including recreations of life aboard the ship. The Aurora’s deck offers stunning views of the Neva River and surrounding imperial buildings.
🏛️ Saint Isaac's Cathedral: A Marvel of Architecture
Saint Isaac's Cathedral is one of the largest churches in the world, renowned for its massive gold-plated dome, which is visible throughout St. Petersburg. Built over 40 years, the cathedral features 100 massive columns and ornate interior decorations, including reliefs and icons. Although it still hosts services, the cathedral operates primarily as a museum, showcasing its architectural and historical significance.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Saint Petersburg
💡Peter and Paul Fortress
💡Palace Square
💡Peterhof Palace
💡Nevsky Avenue
💡Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
💡Catherine Palace
💡Rivers and Canals
💡Cruiser Aurora
💡Saint Isaac’s Cathedral
Highlights
Saint Petersburg is Russia's second-largest city, known for its elegance, grandeur, and architecture featuring stately palaces and cathedrals.
Located at the mouth of the Neva River on the Gulf of Finland, Saint Petersburg was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great and served as the capital of the Russian Empire.
Saint Petersburg is renowned as a cultural powerhouse, offering world-class ballet, classical music, and theater performances.
The city is known as the 'City of White Nights' due to its long summer days, making it a magical destination throughout the year.
Peter and Paul Fortress, built in 1703, was designed to protect the city but later became a prison and execution site during the Bolshevik Revolution.
The 18th-century Peter and Paul Cathedral, located within the fortress, is the final resting place of Russian tsars.
Palace Square, located in front of the Winter Palace, is a historic site that witnessed significant events, including the assassination of Tsar Alexander II and the start of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917.
Peterhof Palace, known as the 'Russian Versailles,' features over 60 fountains and 200 statues in its sprawling gardens and is one of the most opulent palaces in Russia.
Vasilevskiy Island is home to several landmarks, including the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Nevsky Avenue, a 4.5-kilometer-long street, is the hub of Saint Petersburg with high-end stores, restaurants, and luxury hotels, offering a mix of shopping and architectural beauty.
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, built on the site of Alexander II's assassination, is one of the most iconic and beautiful churches in Russia.
Catherine Palace, located 30 kilometers from Saint Petersburg, is a Rococo-style summer retreat for Russian tsars, famous for its lavish ballrooms and stunning gardens.
The canals of Saint Petersburg, once used to prevent flooding, are now a popular tourist attraction with boat cruises offering scenic views of the city.
The Cruiser Aurora, a historic Russian naval ship, played a role in the 1917 Russian Revolution and now serves as a museum on the Neva River.
Saint Isaac's Cathedral, one of the largest churches in the world, is known for its massive gold-plated dome and impressive reliefs and iconostasis.
Transcripts
saint petersburg known for its elegance
and grandeur is swamped in gorgeous
architecture with stately palaces and
cathedrals jostling for space amid the
city's numerous canals and waterways it
is russia's second largest city after
moscow located at the mouth of the never
river on the banks of the gulf of
finland it was founded in 1703 by peter
the great and served as the russian
empire's capital for centuries artists
and builders as well as composers
scientists and writers were all drawn to
a chores this transformed the city into
a cultural powerhouse with world-class
ballet classical music and theater
performances taking place alongside
opulent opera houses with its museums
historical tourist attractions and
palaces st petersburg offers a diverse
range of activities due to its endless
summer days the city is known as the
city of white knights it is a magical
place to visit at any time of year let's
look at some of the top things to do in
saint petersburg
[Music]
number one peter and paul fortress the
original purpose of the peter and paul
fortress was to protect the state from
outside invasions it was built in 1703
and throughout the next four decades it
was extended and remodeled while the
castle was never used in actual warfare
it did serve as a prison and execution
quarters during the bolshevik revolution
in the early 20th century it is now part
of the state museum of saint
petersburg's history there are various
buildings within the fortresses walls
which are flanked by magnificent gardens
in stone walks the 18th century peter
and paul cathedral the final resting
place of russian stars is perhaps the
most well-known within the fortresses
walls are additionally prison cells a
city museum and the saint petersburg
mint building established in 1724 to
make coins and still in operation
number two palace square the main city
plaza in st petersburg is a vast open
public space directly in front of the
winter palace the alexander column made
of a single piece of red granite and
standing 47 meters tall in the center of
the square was built in the 1830s
alexander the first commissioned it to
celebrate his triumph over napoleon many
significant events in soviet and russian
history have occurred on the square
sarah alexander ii was assassinated here
in 1879 and bolshevik troops began the
revolution here in 1917 by storming the
winter palace where the royalty resided
since then area has seen a variety of
marches and demonstrations ranging from
military parades commemorating world war
ii's victory day to new year's eve
celebrations
number three peterhof palace because
peterhof palace is 45 minutes from the
city you should plan on spending at
least half a day there it is however
well worth it this sumptuous palace
located on the gulf of finland is often
known as the russian versailles it's
easy to understand why whether it's
because of the gilded domes or the found
and strewn around the sprawling gardens
surprisingly the gardens at peterhof
contain more than 60 fountains and 200
statues the grand cascade the most
famous is a must-see site in st
petersburg don't miss a visit to the
magnificent peter off palace the inside
features classic stage rooms the
elaborate ceremonial staircase and the
grand ballroom to name a few there's
more to the gardens outside than just
the amazing collection of fountains a
canal in lower park flows directly into
the gulf of finland making it a perfect
site for a picnic
number 4 vasilevskiy island this small
island which is just across the river
from the city center and the winter
palace and is connected to the mainland
by two bridges and a metro line is home
to a number of landmarks and beautiful
parks including a museum of electrical
transport the peter the great museum of
anthropology and ethnography the old
saint petersburg stock exchange and the
baroque menchikov palace which serves as
a branch of the heritage museum and
houses mostly 17th century russian art
the russian academy of sciences
maintains numerous branches on the
island including the institute of
russian literature which houses genuine
manuscripts of some of russia's most
famous riders including adored poet
alexander pushkin
number 5 nevsky avenue the 4.5 kilometer
long nevsky prospect or avenue is the
hub of saint petersburg named after the
alexander nevsky lavrov monastery that
is on the same street netsky avenue is
home to the 18th century great gastony
d'vore one of the world's oldest
shopping arcades as well as a plethora
of high-end stores fine restaurants and
luxury hotels the late baroque
stroganoff palace the early 19th century
chasm cathedral and the russian national
library housed in a building dating back
to the 1700s are all located on nevsky
prospect which is known for its opulent
architecture even if you have no
intention of shopping the lights and
ambience of this road are worth seeing
along the route you'll come across
street artists a 1913 movie theater and
the anishka bridge which was severely
damaged during world war ii and was
repaired with shell damage from nazi
weapons as a reminder of what happened
here
number six church of the savior on
spilled blood savior unspilled blood was
built on the spot where alexander ii was
murdered in an attack hence the horrific
and graphic name spilled blood despite
the fact that saint petersburg is full
of churches this one is perhaps the most
beautiful which is why it made our list
on the inside the colorful church is
just as bright and extravagant with one
of the world's largest collections of
mistakes most people compare it to
russia's in basil's cathedral which is
also one of the country's most
well-known landmarks any tour of the
city will take you by the cathedral of
the savior of the spilled blood probably
several times it's close to the state
russian museum and there were plenty of
other attractions around furthermore
alexander ii was a pivotal character in
russian history if you have the time a
one hour audio tour of the church is
highly recommended it will tell you
about the history and building of the
church sin isaac's cathedral and
colonnade is another religious structure
worth visiting when in saint petersburg
it's easy to spa thanks to its golden
dome
[Music]
number seven catherine palace the
beautiful catherine palace located 30
kilometers south of the city is where
the russian tsars came to relax and
unwind during the summer months the
palace is large and showy style stems
from 1752 when architect bartolomeo rosh
trelly renovated and redecorated the
existing structure coating it with
beautiful stuccos the rococo castle is
painted a vivid bluish green with white
columns and gold statues and ornaments
standing out beautifully it truly is a
wonderful sight you can visit a variety
of opulent ballrooms on the premises the
golden infillite of state rooms is
without a doubt the most impressive
although the amber room and grand hall
are also worth seeing the palace is
nestled amid some brilliantly put out
and planted gardens which are excellent
for taking a peaceful stroll and after
all the overwhelming splendor you've
just taken in it is named after
catherine the first who commissioned it
number eight rivers and canals the
canals of saint petersburg were
previously utilized to avoid floods and
while they still do they are now mostly
used for transit and to enjoy lovely
cruises along the neva the canal system
runs for more than 300 kilometers with
hundreds of pedestrian and vehicular
bridges spanning it the gribo yet off
canal and the winter canal are the two
most popular canals the grebo yedov
canal runs alongside the church of our
savior on the spilled blood and under 21
bridges the winter waterway the city's
shortest canal connects the winter
palace and the hermitage theater small
and big boats move across the canals
with some providing food live music or
unique english language tourists such as
special rides to see the best school
bridges open at midnight
number 9 cruiser aurora the former
russian naval ship aurora is a fortified
cruiser with an armored deck built in
the early 1900s it saw action in the
russo-japanese war from 1904 to 1905 and
it survived the battle of tsushima in
which russia suffered significant
casualties in both human life and ship
sunk or destroyed a discharge from it
aurora cannon also signaled the start of
the russian revolution in 1917. the
aurora is now moored on the never river
and is the central naval museum's most
popular branch visitors can tour the
ship's six separate rooms which include
recreations of ordinary living such as
how passengers ate and slept photographs
and paintings and model ships while
access to the aurora is free the engine
room is only accessible for an extra fee
the view from the deck of the aurora is
stunning with imperial buildings and
rocking waters all around
[Music]
number 10 saint isaac's cathedral saint
isaac's cathedral is one of the largest
churches in the world regardless of
denomination its massive gold-plated
dome can be seen from practically
anywhere in saint petersburg throughout
100 huge columns together with many
smaller domes were erected over the
course of the 40-year construction
process the interior is even more
stunning with stunning reliefs and
mistakes and iconostasis covering every
available surface although it still
hosts services the soviet government
converted its an isix cathedral into a
museum in 1931 and it remains so too
浏览更多相关视频
London (United Kingdom) Vacation Travel Video Guide
Churches of Germany — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide
America's French Colony: A History of New Orleans | Legendary Cities Cultural History Documentary
3 days in Seville, The Ultimate Itinerary
LA STORIA DI LECCE con tutte le sue bellezze
Europe's Largest Gothic Palace Was Once Home to Popes | National Geographic
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)