Kazansky Cathedral

This is a very special cathedral for the residents of St Petersburg. It was built between 1801 and 1811 to a design drawn by Voronikhin. The cathedral was built to house the miracle-working icon of Our Lady of Kazan (the icon is now kept in the Prince Vladimir Cathedral). Kazansky Cathedral was constructed in the shape of a Latin cross. The side facing Nevsky Prospect boasts a colonnade of 96 columns. Exhibitions are held here regularly according to the Orthodox church and the Ecclesiastical art.

It is very easy to get to the cathedral. Take a metro more..

type:	Churches and Cathedrals
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Monument to Nicholas I

Monument of Nicholas in Isaakievskaya Square
photo by: Joseph Hollick

The monument to Nicholas I is situated on Isaakievskaya Ploshchad (Isaac square). This particular monument was designed by A. Montferrand and unveiled on 25th June 1859. The horse and the Tsar were carved by P. Klodt, while the other figures, the weapons and the Imperial monograms are the works of R. Zaleman.

The enormous statue spans a length of six metres and is supported on only two points- the horse's hoofs. The pedestal is of marble and granite. The four seated female figures are supposed to resemble the wife and daughters of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I.

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type:	Monuments
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Church of the Resurrection

The Church of the Resurrection (Church of Our Saviour of the Spilled Blood) is a monument of Russian architecture and decorative art of the 19th century. The cathedral was designed by the architect A. Parland and modeled after St Basil's in Moscow. It was constructed between 1882 and 1907 on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was mortally wounded by a terrorist bomb.

The unique interior and exterior decorations of the Church include icons and panels made from majolica and mosaic. Most of the designs were made from drawings of leading Russian artists of the last century. more..

type:	Churches and Cathedrals
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The Hermitage

Hermitage Museum as seen from Neva River
photo by: Joseph Hollick

The State Hermitage is the world's second largest museum (only the Louvre in France is bigger). Situated in the city center, the museum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in St Petersburg. The colourful green and white paint combination of the Winter palace is done in Russian baroque style, such that it becomes very difficult not to fall in love with The Hermitage at first sight. The museum is situated on Dvortsovaya Embarkment (Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya); few metres away from the Dvortsovaya bridge- one of the oldest and most beautiful bridges in St Petersburg.

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type:	Museums
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The Admirality

Used for ship-building unitl the 1860s, the building is now used home to the Naval Engeneering College.

type:	Admirality
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Peter and Paul Fortress

The Fortress was constructed during the reign of Peter the Great. First built in earth and wood , it was rebuilt in stone by the middle of the 18th century. In the center of the Fortress there is Peter and Paul's Cathedral (1727, architect D. Trezzini) which is the burial place of all Russian Emperors (from Peter the Great to Nicholas II) except Peter II and Ioann VI.

type:	Palaces
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Nevskiy Prospekt

Nevskiy Prospekt (Avenue) is the main thoroughfare of St. Petersburg.  It runs about 4.5 kilometers from Admiralty Prospekt to the Alexander Nevskiy Square. The avenue is about 26-60 meters wide. Old Nevsky Prospekt is the part between the Insurrection Square and the Alexander Nevsky square. Nevskiy Prospekt crosses over the Moika and Fontanka rivers and the Griboedov Canal.

Nevskiy Prospekt appeared in 1710 as two roads in a boggy forest leading from the Admiralty and from the Alexander Nevskiy Monastery to the Old Novgorod more..

type:	Hotspots
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Suvorov Monument

Located on Suvorovskaya Ploshchad (Suvorov Square), this monument was erected in 1818 on the approach to the Troitsky bridge. The heroic figure of the general carved to resemble Mars, the Roman god of war, is the handwork of the sculptor M. Kozlovsky. F. Gordeyev designed the bas-relief on the base, which represents the spirits of Glory and Peace.

To get to the monument, take a metro train to Gorkovskaya subway station (metro station). From here you can walk along Kamennostrovsky Prospekt to the Troitsky bridge. The monument is at the far end of the bridge.

type:	Monuments
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Bronze Horseman

Located on Senate Square (Decembrist square), the Bronze Horseman is a monument to Emperor Peter the Great- founder of the city of St Petersburg.

The monument depicts a rider on a horse whose hind legs are trampling on a venomous snake. The famous statue is the work of the sculpture E. Falconet except for Peter's head (carved by his pupil M-A Collot) and the snake (carved by F. Gordeyev). A massive crag found near St Petersburg forms the pedestal of the monument: it weighs 1600 tonnes. The monument was unveiled in more..

type:	Monuments
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The Russian Museum

In March 1998 the State Russian Museum, the world's largest museum of Russian Art, celebrated its Centennial. With the renovation of the museum's main building - Mikhailovsky Palace - you can now enjoy the best collection of Russian Art. The museum, then called the "Russian Museum of Emperor Alexander III", was established in 1895 and opened its doors to the public on March 7 (19), 1898. First paintings for its collection were donated by the Hermitage, Academy of Fine Arts and various royal palaces. Since then the collection has been growing very quickly. Nowadays, the more..

type:	Museums
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address:	ploshchad Iskusstv

Zoological Museum

The Museum of Zoology was established in 1832 on the basis of the collection of the Kunstkamera. It has one of the finest collections in the world, with over one hundred thousand specimens including a set of stuffed animals that once belonged to Peter the Great. the most evocative display shows the discovery of a 44,000-year-old mammoth in the permafrost of Yakutia in 1903.

The closest subway stations are "Vasileoostrovkaya" and "Nevsky Prospekt". Recommended you take a route taxi or trolleybus. (about 10-20 minutes)

Tel: +7 812 328 0112

type:	Museums
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address:	No. 1 Universitetskaya Embarkment
openinghours:	Saturday to Thursday (11:00-18:00); closed on Fridays

Summer Palace

Situated in the Summer Garden, the Summer Palace was erected on the banks of Fonanka River during 1710 to 1714.

type:	Palaces
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St. Isaac's Cathedral

St. Isaac's Cathedral
photo by: Andrew Ludwig

The St. Isaac's cathedral is Russia's biggest cathedral and one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world. It is named in honour of St Isaac of Dalmatia, on whose day (30th May) Peter I was born .

The cathedral was built between 1818 and 1858 to a design made by the French architect Auguste Montferrand, who was commissioned to build the most spectacular church - a prime landmark of the Russian Imperial capital. Many leading artists and craftsmen of that time participated in the construction of this edifice. These include sculptors I. Vitalli and P. more..

type:	Museums
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tel:315-9732:	+7 812 210 9206

Printing Museum

The printing museum was built in 1905. It is an old printing house and is devoted to the history of printing in St Petersburg at the beginning of the 20th century. Collections include copies of newspapers and magazines, restored interiors and printing equipment from the mid 19th century up to early 20th century. There are various exhibitions on particular subjects.

To get to the museum, you can take the metro. Take a train to the metro station 'Nevsky Prospect', take the exit to Griboedova Canal and walk down Nevsky Prospect. You can also take a taxi from the metro more..

type:	Museums
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Monument to Lenin

This monument to the founder of the Soviet Union is situated on Ploshchad Lenina (Lenin square). Vladimir Lenin can best be referred to as the father and founder of the Soviet Union. He was at one time a student of the Saint Petersburg State University.

The monument to Lenin was erected on the square near the Finland Station in 1926. It is the work of the sculptor S. Yevseyev, architects V. Shchuko and V. Gelfreikh. It was on this square in 1917 that the communist leader made a speech immediately after his return to Russia from exile.

The monument more..

The "Steregushchy" Monument

This monument was created by the sculptor K. Izenberg and unveiled in 1911. The monument commemorates the heroic exploits of two sailors from the torpedo boat "Steregushchy" during the Russian-Japanese War. Even when sorrounded by the enemy navy, the sailors still prefered death to captivity: they went down to the hold and scutled the ship.

The monument is about ten minutes walk from the "Gorkovskaya" subway station.

Address:Kamennostrovsky Prospekt

Alexander Nevskiy Monastery

This monastery was founded by Tsar Peter the Great in 1710 as "the Monastery of Holy Trinity and Grand Duke St. Alexander Nevskiy" some years after the founding of St Petersburg. The monastery (then called lavra) was built to commemorate the victory of Prince Alexander Nevskiy (Grand duke of Novgorod) over the Swedish troops in the Neva battle of 1240.

Construction of the stone monastery started in 1717. On 30 August 1724 the remains of St. Alexander Nevskiy were transferred to the church of the Annunciation at the orders of Peter the Great.

In 1797, the monastery more..

St. Nicholas Cathedral

St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Epiphany otherwise known as "Sailor's Cathedral" was built as a church between 1753 and 1760. It became a Cathedral in 1941. The cathedral has a four-storey bell-tower to the west, which was built between 1756 and 1758. The cathedral contains some of the relics of St. Nicholas the miracle-worker, saviour of those dying at sea and the patron saint of sailors.

The cathedral can be reached from the metro station 'Sadovaya-Sennaya Ploshchad'. It might be necessary to use an autobus, trolley bus or tram car from the station.

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Aurora

The Aurora Cruiser was founded in 1897 and launched in 1900. It is named after the Aurora frigate that defended Petropavlovsk on Kamchatka during the Russia-Japan war of 1853-56. The cruiser also took part in the Tsunima. The cruiser became the monument of the October Revolution on November 17 1948. Today it is a part of the Navy Museum.

Aurora is located on the Petrogradskaya Embarkment of the Bolshaya Nevka River .

Open: Daily from 10.30 a.m to 4 p.m except Mondays and Fridays

Tel: +7 812 230 8440

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Central Naval Museum

The Central Naval museum is one of the largest naval museums in the world. It was established in 1709. Museum's exhibitions include items related to the history of the Russian fleet, and the traditions of Russian sailors. The museum stores over 800,000 exhibits which include 2,000 ship models, over 3,500 banners, over 7,000 items of arms, weapons and military facilities. There are also about 2,000 paintings. Peter the Great's boat is a unique part of the Museum's exhibition.

The museum is located close to the Dvorsovvy bridge (about ten minutes walk from Palace square). more..