Saint Petersburg

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Origin of the city of Saint Petersburg

The first settlers arrived in the 8th century already. For a long time the place was a subject of controversy between the Swedish and the Russians. It was Tsar Peter I the Great who finally managed to conquer Saint Petersburg for Russia. In the 18th century the inhabited area began to spread in the swamp. The development of Saint Petersburg followed Amsterdam - the houses were founded on shoes that were hammered in the unstable bottom. A lot of people died during the construction work, in particular a great many of serfs. This is why it is said that Saint Petersburg stands on human bones.

Saint Petersburg, the pillar of Russia

In 1712 Peter the Great made Saint Petersburg the capital city of Russia. During the Second World War, Saint Petersburg (at that time called Leningrad) was besieged by Nazi Germany for nearly 900 days (without success) . At that time a lot of historical monuments were destroyed.

Monuments in Saint Petersburg

Obviously the most breathtaking building in Saint Petersburg is the Winter Palace , built under the reign of Tsarevna Elizabeth (daughter of Peter the Great) . The Italian Baroque construction is now the largest gallery in the world as it keeps some three million of artwork pieces. Another significant monument in Saint Petersburg is Saint Isaac´s Cathedral. It is one of the largest cathedrals in the world as well. The building, 100 metres tall, is a dominating landmark and offers splendid views of the most beautiful parts of Saint Petersburg. In the cathedral you will come across lots of marble, semi-precious stones and precious stones. Its golden dome is coated with 100 kilograms of pure gold. There are other significant buildings in Saint Petersburg, for example, numerous churches – the Lutheran Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Greek-Catholic Church of Saint Catherine or Orthodox Kazan Cathedral and many others – the Smolny Convent or Church of the Savior on Blood, whose architecture attracts a lot of tourists and photographers. Another significant building is situated at the south-western part of the Saint Petersburg, former imperial residence called Petergof, built in the classicist style. It is full of golden sculptures and there is a beautiful park with lovely lakes and fountain cascades. For a list of sights go to list of sights in Saint Petersburg.

Saint Petersburg and UNESCO

Saint Petersburg is gorgeous at any season. In summer the climate is very pleasant while winters are characterized by snow-covered sceneries exactly the same like in fairy tales. The historical core of Saint Petersburg became the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990. Besides the historical monuments, Saint Petersburg offers a variety of cultural activities - museums and theatres - and also parks, sports facilities, the zoo and - of course - great many accommodation facilities and restaurants.

GPS: 59.9344624675, 30.3298187256  Edit

Altitude: 9 m  Edit

Population: 4600310  Edit

	Stroganov Palace Museums, 0.5 km	Add to the plan
	Saint Michael's Castle Castles , 0.8 km	Add to the plan
	Hermitage Museum Museums, 1.1 km	Add to the plan
	Winter Palace 1.1 km	Add to the plan
	Kunstkamera Museums, 1.6 km	Add to the plan
	Tauride Palace 3 km	Add to the plan
	Smolny Institut 3.9 km	Add to the plan
	Pulkovo Observatory 18.1 km	Add to the plan

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