St. Petersburg: Astounding Beauty by Peter the Great

There are few cities in the world that are as magnificent as St. Petersburg, Russia. The city was established by Peter the Great in the 1700s and although it has gone through rapid changes of decline and rebuilding, the city today combines a wonderful European feel with the intriguing Russian history. It is here that you can find the best culture of the country including monuments created by some of the best artists ever on earth including Rastrelly, Montferrand, and Rossi. There’s no doubt that when in St. Petersburg, you will never be at a loss for things to do.

Start your history tour by visiting the cabin that Peter the Great called home. St. Petersburg’s oldest building, it has only three rooms and is built of timber. It may be a far cry from the where world leaders live today but back in 1703 when Peter the Great was building his magnificent city, it was actually quite an abode. Take a tour inside and see how he lived by viewing some of his own personal artifacts as well as furniture within the cabin that was there during his reign. If you want to be witness to some more great architecture you may want to visit Smolnyi Cathedral. This building was also built for Peter the Great’s family as it was initially designed for his daughter Elizabeth. Because she could not inherit the throne, she instead stayed at the monastery which is still attached to the beautiful building. On the other side of the grand cathedral is a convent which is just as beautiful as the monastery.

And if you’re interested in seeing more architecture that was built by Peter the Great, you may choose to visit Petropavlovskaia Krepost or more commonly known as Peter and Paul Fortress. This building epitomizes what St. Petersburg is all about as it encapsulates the history and culture of the city. Here you can also see sights such as the Trubetskii prison, Peter’s Boathouse, and the Mint. Inside the cathedral you can also view the burial places of Peter the Great as well as many other Russian Tsars.

Another grand building that must be seen when in St. Petersburg is Peterhof. This magnificent palace needs at least an entire day dedicated to touring it as you want to make sure you have adequate time to spend at the Grand Cascaden, the golden statues, over the 150 water fountains and many other one of a kind sights in this beautiful building. Another residence that you may want to spend some time at is the home of Catherine the Great, which has been transformed into Ermitazh, or The Hermitage. Catherine the Great had collected four thousand paintings, which are now the main exhibits within the home. Those paintings are just part of the items that you can view here however as there are three million different pieces in total. Don’t feel badly if you don’t know where to begin – simply follow what catches your eye first!