Top Tourist Attractions of St Petersburg

Formerly known as Leningrad, St. Petersburg is Russia’s second largest city and home to a rich and magnificent history spanning back to Peter The Great. Now, as the city’s skyline stretches upward from The Gulf of Finland, St. Petersburg has much to offer for the world traveler. From monuments to palaces and gardens to zoos, this city is rich with possibilities.

First stop, the Menshikov Palace. Built in 1710 under the orders of General Alexander Menshikov, this palace has lived through am immense amount of history. The palace played host to many historic and grand parties in the 1700’s before it was recommissioned as a military school and then finally restored in 1981 to its former state to be used as a cultural museum.

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Next, stretch your legs at the Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theatre which housed the first staged works of musical geniuses like Tchaikovsky and famous choreographer Marius Petipa. The architecture alone is enough to elicit gasps from spectators but this theatre is no stranger to world class performances and continues to offer astounding operas and ballets for a reasonable price.

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The Hermitage Museum, spanning six massive buildings, houses one of the largest collections of antiquities and art in the world. Founded by Catherine the Great and two and a half centuries in the making, this is one sight that’s not to be missed.

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Who says you have to go to Moscow to see the beautiful dome tipped buildings of Russia. One visit to “The Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood” and you’ll be able to take in all the classically Russian architecture you can handle. Commissioned in 1883 on the site where Russian hero, Alexander II Nikolaevich, was assassinated in 1881, this Cathedral is visible from many parts of the city and was reopened for services in 1997 after decades of restorative measures were taken.

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The last stop is the Imperial Estate of Peter the Great, called simply, Peterhof. Perfectly situated on the Gulf of Finland, this complex is inspired by French architecture and is sometimes considered the “Versailles of Russia.” Aside from the beauty and magnificent architecture, Peterhof is home to a rich tapestry of history. Once a home to Catherine the Great and beseiged by Germans during WWII, this palace has seen its fair share of the sagas of Russian history. Housing several gardens, ornate fountains, and towering staircases, this palace complex is truly a unique sight to behold.

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