St. Petersburg full of sights is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is often called Northern Venice or East Paris, and this is true, for all the centuries-old history St. Petersburg glorified Russia, having become its business card in the world.
St. Petersburg – the second-large and most beautiful city of Russia. The amount of sights in it cannot be counted, however we tried to collect all best tourist places of “the cultural capital” in one article.
The Hermitage – the museum sight of St. Petersburg
The Hermitage is in the Winter Palace which in turn is at the Palace Square. The Winter Palace was constructed on Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli’s project in 1754-1762. The Hermitage is the most beautiful and most important museum of the city. It became the house for millions of works of the period of the 18-19th centuries. Works of art of the most great artists of the world are carefully stored in huge halls of sight. Considering Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Picasso, Rembrandt’s work and hundreds of other most famous artists, just you do not notice how time quickly flies.
For once it is simply impossible to look at all works of art even if to run from all forces on Hermitage halls, and it is valid indeed, this luxury of St. Petersburg has hundreds of thousands of various creations. It is possible to buy the 2-day ticket for visit of the museum, two days after all there has to be enough for acquaintance with the best exhibits of the Hermitage.
For 2.5 centuries the collection of works rose by more than 3 million works of art which history begins the Stone Age and comes to an end with creations of world culture our day
The Hermitage occupies 365 halls in the main museum complex which is located in historic center of St. Petersburg. Except the main Winter Palace, the museum has still other cases. In particular, we will advise you to go to Imperial porcelain plant. In former years it made porcelain for an imperial family, and now in its territory there is a special museum of their production. Also you will be able to buy there porcelain of improbable quality from which any drink seems more tasty. Though be ready, their production not from the cheapest.
Alexander Nevsky Lavra – cathedrals of St. Petersburg
Alexander Nevsky Lavra was founded in 1710 on the legendary place where Alexander Nevsky with the army won a victory over the Swedish army. The monumental cathedral of St. Petersburg crowns a high dome which perfectly is in harmony with surrounding buildings of the monastery. Very few people know that at the beginning of the 20th century in the territory of Alexander Nevsky Lavra there were about 12 churches, now only two of them are open for visitors. Within the walls of this sight bodies of members of royal family, priests, outstanding commanders and governors of St. Petersburg were buried. Among cathedral icons there is also an image of one of the most esteemed orthodox Saints – the Reverend Seraphim of Sarov. If you are in St. Petersburg, surely visit Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
Church of the Savior on Blood – cult sight of St. Petersburg
This wonderful sight of St. Petersburg is constructed in the Russian style on the place of death of the emperor Alexander II in March, 1881. Construction of church was completely financed by an imperial family and private patrons. The facade and interior finish of sight consists of incredibly beautiful and small mosaic, and the interior was developed by the most famous Russian artists of that time: Vasnetsov, Nesterov and Vrubel. It is interesting to know that this cult sight of St. Petersburg is constructed in truly Russian style which at that time gained the greatest popularity in architecture.
All who wish to know better history and architecture of Russia of the 19th century surely enter this sight in the tour across the city.
Alexander Column – historical sight of St. Petersburg
Alexander Column – a monument of the Russian victory in war with Napoleonic France. It is called in honor of the emperor Alexander I who ruled Russia in 1801-1825 (during Napoleonic wars). A column – tremendous work of architecture and equipment of St. Petersburg. The sight was constructed for 4 years (1830-1834) on the project of the architect of the French origin August Montferrand. Height of a column makes about 47 meters, and on the top the monument is topped with a statue of an angel with a cross (the person of an angel is made on a sample of the face of the emperor Alexander I), which it is well visible even from the farthest point of St. Petersburg. The body of a column is made of one monolithic red granite. The sight is the real feat of engineering art.
The column weighs about 600 tons. The fact that the monument was built without modern cranes and engineering cars is interesting. You undoubtedly will like this wonderful monument of St. Petersburg.
The Maryinsky Theater in St. Petersburg
Who did not hear about the Maryinsky Theater? Such, probably, there is not a lot of. The theater has 3 scenes:
Big scene
Small scene.
Concert hall
The troupe of this theater – is professionals of a world class. Certainly try to get on a performance. The hall of the Maryinsky Theater (A big scene) is beautiful in the look, it can enjoy even without representation. Tickets for representation need to be bought in advance (at least for few weeks). Often happens that all tickets buy up one week prior to a performance. On the ballet Swan the lake on the Big scene of the Maryinsky Theater tickets cost $100.
The Peter and Paul Fortress – the first sight of St. Petersburg
The Peter and Paul Fortress – historic center of the city and the most important defensive works of the 18th century. Tourists often underestimate a role of this military and engineering monument in the history of the city and pass by. The architectural complex of sight includes a set of defensive elements of the 18th century; ceremonial gate; The Botny House where the imperial cargoship was stored; Mint, and also Engineering and Commandant’s houses. The Peter and Paul Fortress endured the mass of historical events, managed to serve as prison for Alexey (son Peter I) and the first revolutionaries – Decembrists. Now the main construction of a complex is Peter and Paul Cathedral where tsars from Peter I to Nicholas II are buried.
In the territory of sight often hold various exhibitions and the presentations so to you will be what to be engaged here.
The Mikhailovsky Palace – sight
The Mikhailovsky Palace – one of the most magnificent and grandiose structures of St. Petersburg. For the first time started talking about sight at the end the XVIII century when at the emperor Peter I the son Mikhail was born. In honor of Mikhail the decision to build the best palace in the Empire was made. Construction works were conducted only in a warm season to reach the maximum reliability. Millions of rubles were spent only for magnificent interiors and front jewelry. The most impressive are sculptures of lions on an entrance ladder, the copy of ancient antique sculptures and figures from the most rare breeds of a tree. Surely enter this sight in the St. Petersburg tour.
Bronze Horseman – a symbol of St. Petersburg
Bronze Horseman – perhaps, the most known monument to Peter I. The equestrian statue of the emperor is dated 1782 and is one of the oldest in the city. Thanks to the interesting arrangement at Senate Square, the Bronze Horseman became the hero of a set of riddles and legends. In sight there is also a lot of symbolism: the arrangement of hands of Peter I, a stone form under a monument and even a look of the tsar transfers majesty and indestructibility of the Russian Empire.
