This is my first review on mouthshut...Actually this is my first review overall on anything....I m very lazy indeed to write a review but its a pleasure to write on Mouthshut and St. Petersburg is simply irresistible!! I will write it in points so it wouldn’t be lengthy and boring!!
Some synonyms of St. Petersburg : ’’City of White Nights” , ” Northern Venice”, ” Northern Palmira’’, ”Cultural Capital of Russia”
St. Petersburg, Russia, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, the historical and cultural importance of which is as big as that of Paris, London or Rome. Officially proclaimed the ’’Cultural Capital of Russia’’ St. Petersburg is a place, where you need weeks just to see all its major landmarks. Created by Peter the Great as a sea port on the Baltic it was essentially ’’a window to the West’’ for Russia, combining the best of the West and the East.
’’City of White Nights’’, ’’Northern Venice’’, ’’Northern Palmira’’ was founded by Peter the Great in 1703.
St. Petersburg stands on 42 islands in the Neva River delta
St. Petersburg is the northernmost major city of the world
Due to the city’s northern position it enjoys the phenomenon of the ’’white nights’’(sunlight even in midnight) , which last from May 25-26 until July 16-17
In dry hot weather the temperature may rise to +25°C or +30°C. The temperature may seriously drop in winter, reaching -25°C or -30°C.
The city is located not only on the banks of the Neva River, but on those of about 100 other rivers, canals and straits as well. Water constitutes 1/10th of the area of the city.
The abundance of islands in the city has led to the construction of a multitude of other bridges as well. There are now 308 bridges within the city proper. This total reaches 534 bridges if Petersburg’s suburbs are included. Twenty-two of these are drawbridges, which are regularly opened three seasons out of the year to allow ships and boats to pass. The total length of the city’s bridges is about 16 kilometers .
St. Petersburg is the only city in the world that was (for 206 years ) the de-facto capital of a country.
St. Petersburg is the biggest European megalopolis that isn’t the capital of a country. St. Petersburg has the greatest population density of any city in Europe.
St. Petersburg is the 19th largest city in the world and second largest in Russia.
There are about 120 museums, 40 theatres, 50 universities
Saint-Petersburg is also the home of the world-famous ballet-school.
The Hermitage Museum , located in St. Petersburg, was started in the 18th century as a repository for the collection of Empress Catherine II. In the 20th century, it grew to become one of the largest museums in the world , with more than 3 million items . The collection, which includes artworks and other cultural and historical objects from Russia, Western Europe, Asia and other parts of the world, spans the centuries – from Paleolithic to contemporary time periods.
’’St. Isaac’s Cathedral’’ - the second largest basilica in the world
-City changed its name three times: St. Petersburg (1703-1914), Petrograd (1914-1924), Leningrad (1924-1991) and St. Petersburg again from 1991. During 200 years St. Petersburg was the capital of Russia.
-Due to its unique geographical position it is the only city among the biggest cities of the world, famous for its remarkable season of White Nights, which begins in the beginning of June and lasts up to the middle of July. During the season of White Nights St. Petersburg undoubtedly is the most beautiful city in the world .
- Travel : The metro (4 Lines) in St. Petersburg is considered to be the deepest in the world because some lines go under the Neva river. Other modes of transport are trams, autobuses, trolleybuses, mashutkas, and taxies.
Places to see in St. Petersburg :-
• Hermitage Art Museum
• General Headquarters
• The Kazan Cathedral
• The Smolny Convent
• The Bronze Horseman
• Holy Savior on the Spilt Blood Cathedral
• The Russian Museum
• St. Nicholas Cathedral
• St. Isaac’s Cathedral
• The Nevsky Prospect
• The Admiralty
• The Neva and the Opening bridges
• The Anichkov Bridge
• Tsarskoe Selo (Pushkin)
• Pavlovsk
• Russian Folklore
• Peter & Paul Fortress
• St. Isaac’s Cathedral
• Boat trip along the canals
• Theatre and Musical Art Museums
• The Summer Gardens
• Marinski Theatre
• Suburb excursion to Peterhof (Fountains)
• The Winter Palace
• Russian Ballets ………………………………….
……………and that was just a tip of an iceberg !!! I personally think that even 1 yr wouldn’t be enough to explore this breathtaking city. St. Petersburg, certainly one of the most beautiful cities of the world is waiting to unveil its treasures just for you.......