St. Petersburg is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Russia with a rich history and magnificent architecture. There are many beautiful places, historically important monuments, museums, parks, buildings, reserves, squares. All these sights of St. Petersburg are located on spacious central streets, ceremonial squares, and also between many outlandish buildings and structures. The brightest of them, which are definitely worth a visit, we will describe in this article.
One day trip: where to go for a walk?
Thanks to a huge selection of travel companies, everyone has the right to choose the most suitable route for themselves. In each individual case, it will depend not only on financial opportunities, but also on the number of days of your stay in St. Petersburg. But what sights of St. Petersburg can you see if you came here just for one day?
It would seem that only a day is so little. But even for this day you will be able to visit a lot of beautiful and interesting places. For example, you just can not do without a panoramic walk along the central streets of the city. It is best to start your acquaintance with this wonderful place from Nevsky Prospekt.
Go down to the bottom and start moving through Alexander Nevsky Square to a delightful architectural creation - the building of the main Admiralty. Pay attention to his spire. It can be seen from almost anywhere. Therefore, when traveling, focus on it.
A few interesting things about the Admiralty
The structure of the Admiralty is quite easy to recognize, since it is a huge architectural complex located on the Neva River. It arose thanks to the talented city architects. It was they who managed to design the complex to which one street leads - Gorokhovaya - and immediately two city avenues: Voznesensky and Nevsky. The building itself, without which no tour of St. Petersburg is complete, is decorated with various stucco moldings and outlandish bas-reliefs. At its top there is a spire with a gilded weather vane in the form of a ship.
Initially, the complex, stretching 407 meters along the coast, was built of wood. Later, the building was rebuilt and became stone. In the 19th century, its architecture was supplemented with bright elements in the Empire style and the picturesque Alexander Garden.
What else to see in the city in a day?
Going on a one-day tour of St. Petersburg, take a walk along the stunning Uprising Square. It is here that the building of the Moscow station is located. Due to its unusual facade color, it looks like a magnificent royal palace. Few people know, but a similar building was built in Moscow. This building is also a public place and is called the Leningrad Station.
Not far from one of the main squares of St. Petersburg, the Znamenskaya Church was once located. This building itself was exclusive, since it was built in 1767. At the same time, the construction of the cathedral was personally led by Queen Elizabeth. However, a few after its opening, the cathedral building was destroyed. In its place, builders erected a rounded shape of the lobby of the current metro station "Uprising Square".
On the other side of the station building stands a modern building of a local hotel. Here, in the 50s, a square was defeated, and later an obelisk with the inscription “Hero City of Leningrad” was erected in it. All these sights of St. Petersburg are easy to get around in just a day.
Visit to the brightest museum of our time
When there is more time for walking, it always makes sense to visit more places and take advantage of interesting offers from travel companies with ready-made excursion options. For example, the State Hermitage can be included in our list of the best tourist places in the city. This is not just a building, but a huge museum complex, which is one of the largest art galleries in the world.
In its walls there is always something to see. Here you will meet with many historical exhibits belonging to different eras, including the times of antiquity. Among the expositions presented in the State Hermitage, it is easy to find exhibitions of ancient Egyptian artifacts, paintings of expressionists, ceramic objects of ancient Incas and much more.
A special fortress on Hare Island
Another iconic and interesting attraction of St. Petersburg is the Peter and Paul Fortress, located at the mouth of the Neva River, right on Zayachy Island. It is believed that it was built in the 18th century with the goal of defending the city.
Previously, the fortress was equated with a military facility, so tourists were not allowed on its territory. Today, all lovers of antiquity can enjoy the unusually clever structure and other objects located behind a huge defensive fence. So, in the complex are located:
- Peter and Paul Cathedral.
- The building of the military historical museum.
- Mint.
- The former prison of the Trubetskoy bastion and the current museum.
- The structure of the Grand Duke's tomb.
Moreover, it is quite nice to just walk around the complex. There are many beautiful places, hiking trails and places for a relaxing holiday surrounded by nature.
Beautiful and unusual royal house
In addition to the aforementioned buildings, the famous Peter's house is located on the territory of Hare Island. This is one of the most dilapidated architectural structures, once erected during the life of the ruler. Despite its many years of age, the construction is pretty well preserved. Rumor has it that this is because of the canopy that the builders erected at the request of Peter.
According to many historians, it was in this summer building that Peter lived during the construction of the city. From his windows, he watched the progress of work, gave orders and criticized the masters. The house itself was built as soon as possible.
Rumor has it that the masters had only three days to do this. And all because the king wanted to enter him as quickly as possible. The fact that the structure was done in a hurry is evidenced not only by the principle of erection of the structure, but also by the presence of low ceilings. Some sources claim that with a height of more than two meters, the ruler of the spruce moved around the room, almost clinging its crown to the ceilings.
Another unusual structure
Not far from the Tsar’s summer house, in a picturesque park on Petrovskaya Embankment, you can see a completely unbelievable “case” structure. You can distinguish it by a beautiful patterned fence and red walls. This house was also built under Peter I in 1844. It has a bedroom, a royal office and a dining room.
The walls of the building are covered with an unusual gray ship canvas. The interior is restored. And in the rooms you can see beautifully preserved furniture from the time of the imperial reign. According to user stories, everything is simple and no frills here. For example, in the office there is a large pear-like chair with a wide back. They say that at one time his design was designed by the sovereign personally. In the dining room you can see dark and nondescript furniture, simple tin dishes and a candlestick with a double-headed eagle.
Be sure to visit this house "case", on end to see the difference between the royal chambers and the simple, almost ascetic way of life that Peter I sometimes had to lead. The next on the agenda will be the Mariinsky Theater. We talk about him further.
Visit to the theater and the surrounding area
The State Academic Theater is located near the Sadovaya metro station. This is one of the oldest theater buildings in the cultural heritage of Russia, designed by Italian architect Alberto Cavos. According to some reports, it was erected at the place where the Alexander Theater previously stood. This building was once heavily damaged by a terrible fire. They decided to name the new building in honor of the famous royal person, Maria Alexandrovna.
Famous actors performed on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater, sounded popular opera arias, and staged works by Asafev, Prokofev and Glier. On the day of its discovery, which happened in the autumn of 1860, Glinka's opera was staged on a large stage.
The building of the Opera and Ballet Theater was repeatedly restored, and during the events of the Great Patriotic War it was generally transferred to Perm. The Mariinsky Theater managed to return to its native Leningrad only in the fall of 1944. The room was restored several times, but despite this, he managed to preserve a part of his long history.
If you came to St. Petersburg in the summer
If your trip to the glorious city of Petersburg falls on hot summer time, you are guaranteed a bright and unforgettable vacation. So, exactly at this time in the city you can see the legendary white nights. This unusual phenomenon is quite real to catch between the end of May and the beginning of July. At this time, it will be light at night, like day. At a later date (approximately June 18-25), one of the longest white nights can be observed.
Simultaneously with the white nights in St. Petersburg, it is real to enjoy the delights of navigating drawbridges. Against the backdrop of these giant buildings, you can make the most impressive and romantic shots. They are especially magnificent against the sunset.
Grand Catherine Palace
Regardless of whether you arrived in St. Petersburg for one day or decided to stay longer, be sure to visit Tsarskoye Selo and the Catherine Palace. Few people know that the history of its origin dates back to the reign of Emperor Peter I. This building, which took about seven years to build, was erected in honor of his just and proud wife Catherine of Saars.
Initially, the building was not called the Large Catherine Palace. Rather, it was the "Stone Chambers." But since the reign of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the building has been finalized: painted in azure with a touch of gold and acquired two more floors. At the same time, the building became three-story, acquired an incredibly beautiful front porch and gilded domes resembling the tops of the church.
Over time, there have been significant changes in the interior. Smooth transitions from one room to another appeared in the palace, stairs were visually rounded, the front suite with exquisite furniture and decor elements appeared.
The rider sung in poems
If you like beautiful monuments, pay attention to the legendary Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg. It is located directly on Senatorial Square. This majestic pedestal personifies Peter I, proudly riding a horse. At one time, the idea of its creation was put forward by Catherine II. With the support of experienced consultants, architects, she ordered the creation of a statue that would represent Peter I in the guise of a real Roman emperor.
However, contrary to the expectations of the tsar, the creative sculptor Falcone decided to slightly change the overall context and exposition as a whole. In 1782, he showed the image of a young and ambitious ruler on a horse. At the same time, the animal, as conceived by the author, personified the rebellious people, and the rider himself was a strong and unshakable king.
Take a walk around the city in search of lions
If you are crazy about beautiful statues and sculptures of animals, you will definitely like the lions of St. Petersburg. These are amazing and most diverse creations, of which there are simply a huge number. According to some reports, there are over 1,000 copies. Moreover, they are made of a wide variety of materials. In St. Petersburg there are lions made of marble, gypsum, copper, cast iron. Many of these statues were made locally by experienced foreign craftsmen, and some came from Israel, China and Italy.
The time of their creation is also different. So, the earliest representatives of these large cat species date from the eighth century. The latest versions, according to the stories of historians and archaeologists, have appeared in the current century. And they continue to appear today. It is only interesting why precisely these silent statues were chosen as statues.
Why exactly the lions?
It is believed that lions were not chosen by chance. Experts in the occult sciences claim that it was this beast in antiquity that was considered one of the most powerful totems from the forces of evil. For the same reason, statues depicting lion's torsos and heads were installed at the entrance and exit of the city, and were mounted at the main squares of the palaces.
Moreover, these guards were often portrayed looking into the distance (like watchmen on guard) and standing on three paws. At the same time, one of their forepaws was raised and stood on a ball. It was believed that in this way the rounded surface did not allow the lion guard to fall asleep. As soon as he begins to fall asleep, his paw weakens and rolls down. He feels it and wakes up.
We leave for the suburbs
There are many beautiful and interesting places in Petersburg. However, there are quite remarkable cultural monuments that can be found in the suburbs. This is exactly what the museum reserve in Pavlovsk is. This is a real royal complex, the core of which is considered to be the Pavlovsk Palace or the summer residence of the famous Russian monarch.
Not far from the palace, according to users, there is a beautiful park rich in vegetation. Its total area exceeds 600 hectares. It is located near the Slavyanka River.
They say that the construction of this complex took more than 50 years. Moreover, it was built with the participation of several generations of builders, designers and architects.
The majestic country residence of the king
And finally, you can complete your city tour in Peterhof (St. Petersburg). This is one of the most famous suburban residences of Tsar Peter I. It was founded in honor of the victorious event (when a radical change occurred in the Northern War). According to the stories of visitors, this is an incredible cultural and architectural monument, which can be safely called the Russian Versailles.
The residence is surrounded by a beautiful park complex called the Kingdom of Fountains. Moreover, this name is not symbolic at all, since on its territory there are over 150 beautiful fountains and cascades. All of them fit perfectly into the overall concept of the park. In addition to fountains, in the park you can see many statues, flower beds, pavilions, beautiful curly arbors.
According to eyewitnesses, the garden has a lot of interesting plants and trees. They say that up to now even several trees have been preserved that were planted during the life of Peter I.
In a word, Petersburg is an amazing city with a huge number of attractions and beautiful places.