Saint Petersburg
However, in these centuries of rapid growth and development, St. Petersburg has forged its own path, evolving into a timeless city, inimitable in its beauty and harmony. It is elusive and enigmatic, a truly unique city in Russia's history. For more than 200 years, it was the resplendent capital of the great Russian Empire, and remains the country's cultural and spiritual centre to this day.
St. Petersburg is the second-largest city in Russia. It is a major industrial, scientific and cultural center of the country. It is rightfully considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with its historic area being a UNESCO's World Heritage site.
The city's rich scientific and cultural potential creates a unique atmosphere of the city. St. Petersburg is dignified of carrying an honorary title of an “open-air museum”. The city has hundreds of museums, palaces, theatres, monuments, gardens, fountains, and permanent and temporary exhibitions
St. Petersburg is the second-largest city in Russia. It is a major industrial, scientific and cultural center of the country. It is rightfully considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with its historic area being a UNESCO's World Heritage site.
The city's rich scientific and cultural potential creates a unique atmosphere of the city. St. Petersburg is dignified of carrying an honorary title of an “open-air museum”. The city has hundreds of museums, palaces, theatres, monuments, gardens, fountains, and permanent and temporary exhibitions
St. Petersburg is a relatively young city, with a little over three hundred years of history.
Nevsky Prospect is the warmest part of the city. The difference in temperature in summer is around 2–3°C higher than in the outskirts and suburbs, and in winter it is 10–12°C higher and more.
Nevsky Prospect
St. Petersburg is sometimes called the «Venice of the North» because the water surface occupies around 10% of the total city area. By this indicator, St. Petersburg ranks first in Russia and is one of the top-ranked in the world.
«Venice of the North»
The Neva river has a length of only 74 km, but, regardless of this, it takes its course over the territory, which is slightly less than the area of Italy.
The Neva river
St. Petersburg has the tallest cathedral in Russia — the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Here resides the Tomb of Romanovs. The height of the cathedral’s bell tower with its gold-painted tower featuring at its top a flying angel is 122.5 meters.
The tallest cathedral in Russia
St. Petersburg also boasts of the deepest metro in the world. Metro tunnels run as deep as 70–80 meters. Admiralteyskaya is the deepest station of St. Petersburg’s metro. It is also the deepest in Russia and one of the deepest in the world (~ 86 m).
The deepest Metro
St. Petersburg is also a city of trams. The total length of the city’s tram lines amounts to over 600 km. This fact makes an entry in the Guinness Book of Records.
A city of trams
The city on the Neva River was the first city in Russia where, in 1837, the first Russian railway was opened — St. Petersburg — Tsarskoye Selo.
1st Russian railway
St. Petersburg is spaced out on 42 islands, has more than 300 bridges, including 21 drawbridges and 24 pedestrian ones.
Standing on the Trinity Bridge you can see 7 other bridges, and when on the Kashinsky Bridge (across Griboyedov Canal) you can see as many as 9 bridges.
Standing on the Trinity Bridge you can see 7 other bridges, and when on the Kashinsky Bridge (across Griboyedov Canal) you can see as many as 9 bridges.
Bridges & 42 islands
Saint-Isaac’s Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Russia and the fourth largest basilica in the world. Having climbed up its narrow spiral stairs leading to the height of 43 meters, you can relish a bird’s eye view of the whole city.
Saint-Isaac’s Cathedral
The most frequent feature of the city’s sculptural art is angels. All in all, there are over 3000 of them.
Sculptural art
One of the most beautiful suburbs of St. Petersburg is Peterhof with its numerous fountains. At present, it has 173 functioning fountains and 3 cascades.
Peterhof
There are 2 000 libraries, 221 museums, over 80 theatres, 100 concert venues, 45 galleries and exhibition halls, 62 cinemas, 80 clubs, etc. Annually, the city hosts around 100 festivals and competitions belonging to different artistic and cultural disciplines including 50 international ones.