St Petersburg attractions

It’s easy to see why Peterhof Palace, a magnificent complex of palaces and gardens stretching along the St. Petersburg seafront, is called the Russian Versailles. Fronted by the opulent Grand Palace and displaying a rich variety of architectural styles, this UNESCO World Heritage Site—known officially as the Peterhof State Museum-Reserve (Muzeya-Zapovednika Peterhof)—is one of the city’s most visited attractions.

Built by Catherine the Great in the 18th century for her son, Emperor Paul I, Pavlovsk Palace is a notable example of the era’s neo-classical architecture. Set amid 1,500 acres (607 hectares of landscaped parks and woodlands, a visit to the estate provides insight into the life of one of Russia’s most enigmatic rulers.

The late 18th-century Mikhailovsky Castle was designed to appease Emperor Paul I’s fear of being assassinated—an impenetrable fortress, protected by fortified ramparts, drawbridges, secret tunnels, and a moat. The Emperor’s paranoia was well-placed; in an ironic twist of fate, the Tsar was murdered in his sleep barely a month after moving in.

Rising up from the banks of the Moyka River, the distinctive canary-yellow façade of Yusupov Palace (Yusupovsky Dvorets harbors a rich history. One of four palaces belonging to the aristocratic Yusupov family, it’s known for its remarkably preserved interiors and as the site where Grigory Rasputin was murdered in 1916.

St. Petersburg’s most iconic site after the Hermitage Museum, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is known for its elaborate façade and brightly colored onion domes. Officially the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, the magnificent church was built on the site where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881.

The Mariinsky is St. Petersburg’s most notable theater, home to the Kirov Ballet (now known as the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Ballet in Russia, and a venue for opera and classical music. As well as the 19th-century building, modern additions have added to the performance space. Arts and culture lovers shouldn’t miss seeing a performance, such as Swan Lake or Anna Karenina.

A trio of golden crosses tops this blue-and-white Baroque Orthodox cathedral in Saint Petersburg. It actually contains two churches: Saint Nicholas Church on the ground floor, with Epiphany Church above. It’s also an important site for the Russian navy, and there are memorials here dedicated to the crews of sunken Soviet submarines.

With an elegant Baroque façade that stretches along the Neva riverfront, the 18th-century Menshikov Palace is a striking sight. The building—which is one of the oldest in St. Petersburg and was once home to Prince Menshikov—houses part of the world-renowned State Hermitage Museum art collection.

To see tropical animals in St. Petersburg, a city better known for its subzero winters, visit Ekzoopark. A family-friendly destination regardless of the weather, the indoor park is home to more than 400 species (some endangered) from habitats such as deserts, rain forests, and savannas.

This museum is currently closed for renovations; it is likely to reopen at the end of the year or in early 2020.The Siege of Leningrad was one of the most significant events of WWII to take place on Russian soil. This museum tells the story of the epic battle from the perspective of both the military and the civilians who lived and died in the besieged city, giving visitors a fascinating—and harrowing—look at the tragic events that unfolded here.

Cats have long played a part in St Petersburg’s history, beloved by Peter the Great and credited with keeping rats (and disease) at bay during the long siege of WWII. The State Hermitage Museum famously has its own resident cats, but the ultimate destinations for cat lovers visiting the city are the Republic of Cats Museum and Cafés.

The first aquarium of its kind in Russia, the Planet Neptune Oceanarium transports visitors into an underwater world, with more than 4,500 fish and marine creatures. Over 150 different species are represented, including sharks, seals, stingrays, moray eels, and a variety of Russian fish.

A diesel-electric attack submarine from the early Cold War era, the C-189 was built in 1954 and used in the Soviet navy until 1990. Nowadays, visitors can get onboard and explore the docked submarine-turned-museum.

Housed in an imposing horseshoe-shaped brick building, the Military Historical Artillery Museum is an impressive structure. The central courtyard is flanked by armoured tanks, and the Russian flag rises proudly from the roof. Inside, the museum houses one of the largest collections of military equipment in the world.

The State Museum of the Political History of Russia covers a lot of ground, with exhibitions featuring everything from the Russian Revolution to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the evolution of modern-day Russia. Each gallery offers a wealth of information, and multimedia and interactive displays bring history to life.

Nikolaevsky Palace is one of St. Petersburg’s lesser-known palaces, but its striking neoclassical facade and unique architectural features make it well worth a visit. The historic palace also plays host to the popularFeel Yourself Russian! show—a showcase of traditional Russian music and folk ballet.

Opened in 1989 to mark the centennial of her birth, the Anna Akhmatova Museum in the Fountain House of Sheremetev Palace celebrates the life and works of one of Russia’s most renowned poets. The twice Nobel Prize–nominated writer lived here for over 20 years and now, enthusiasts can get a sense of where she worked and view her personal effects.

Whether you’re a gaming enthusiast or just nostalgic for arcades of old, this quirky museum is the place to travel back in time and indulge your inner child. Filled with more than 40 restored arcade machines from the 1970's and 80's, the museum is fully interactive with many working games to play on.

Standing where the Fontanka River meets the Neva River in the center of St Petersburg, the Summer Palace of Peter the Great (Letniy Dvorets) offer a nice escape from the busy city. Founded by Peter the Great himself at the start of the 18th century, the garden is modeled after Versailles. Laid out by geometric principles, the romantic garden may be best known for the 79 sculptures lining its avenues, all by 17th and 18th century Italian sculptors.The Summer Palace sits on the banks of the Neva River and is modest compared to other palaces of the same era. A two-story, Dutch-style building with a yellow exterior, the palace was one of the first stone palaces in St. Petersburg. The interior, with just seven rooms on each floor, has been restored to its original state and now displays a collection of 18th century artifacts, including paintings, furniture, tapestries and glassware belonging to Peter and his wife, Catherine.

Among stiff competition, the elegant Neo-classical crescent of Gatchina Palace is one of St. Petersburg’s loveliest palaces, built for Count Gregory Orlov, a favorite (read: lover?) of Catherine the Great, in 1782 by the maestro Antonio Rinaldi, who was responsible for many churches and Imperial palaces around the city. After Orlov’s death, Gatchina was home to four generations of the Romanov Tsars before being requisitioned by the state in 1917. All but destroyed in World War II, the doors of the palace only reopened when refurbishment started in 1985; it is so breathtakingly huge that restoration still goes on today.Today a visit to this most romantic of palaces encompasses a treasure trove of Romanov riches — what style these guys lived in — in a series of ever-more opulent rooms; the standout collections among the art, coins and armory being the moving black-and-white photographs charting the life of the Romanov family, more than 30,000 rare Russian books and priceless 16th-century Sèvres porcelain.The palace is surrounded by landscaped gardens that could take all day to explore. They are ornamented by winding pathways through birch trees, bridges hopping across to islands in the lakes, fountains, orangeries, aviaries and a variety of wood and stone follies — including the Priory Palace, which was given to the Romanovs by the Maltese Knights of St John in 1799 — as well as greenhouses nurturing tropical plants and botanical gardens neatly divided into parterres.

Also known as Russian State Pushkin Academy Drama Theater, the Alexandrinsky Theater opened in 1832 and is the home of the oldest theater company in Russia. It is one of the most famous theaters in St. Petersburg, second only to the historic Mariinsky Theater. The theater building is also considered to be one of the finest works of architect Carlo Rossi. However, inside the theater, only carvings on the Tsar’s Box and a few other boxes remain from Rossi’s original design.Named after Empress consort Alexandra Feodorovna, the theater was one of the largest in Europe when it opened, with space for an audience of nearly 1400. It has been the site of the premieres of many of the top Russian dramas, including the works of Alexander Griboedov, Alexander Ostrovsky and Anton Chekhov.

With a prime location on the corner of Nevksy Prospekt and the Moika River Embankment, the Stroganov Palace (Stroganovsky Dvorets) is one of the oldest aristocratic in St. Petersburg. Designed by renowned Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the palace is one of the best examples of late Baroque architecture in St. Petersburg. The light pink main façade faces Nevsky Prospekt and features a large entrance arch supported by two Corinthian columns that leads to an inner courtyard. Oak gates feature carvings of branches and lion’s heads, while windows are framed by cupid figures.Today the palace houses part of the collection of the State Russian Museum and several rooms are open to the public, having been restored to their late 18th century appearance. The State Dining Room overlooks both Nevsky Prospekt and the River Moika and features large mirrors opposite the windows to create the illusion of a room much larger than it actually is. The Large Ballroom is simply grand, with glittering chandeliers, parquet floors made of exotic woods, stucco molding and patterned balcony railings, as well as a large painting by Valeriani. The Mineral Study, restored in 2005, is considered one of the masterpieces of 18th century Russian architecture.

The Admiralty building is one of St. Petersburg's oldest structures. It was built by Peter the Great and originally served as a dockyard. It once housed the Admiralty Board, which was in charge of ship building and eventually became part of the ministry of the navy. Some sections were built in the 1700s while other additions were constructed in the 1800s.Unfortunately visitors today won't be able to see the building in its original state. Many of the statues were destroyed in 1860 when the Orthodox church declared them to be pagan. The building was also damaged during the blockade of Leningrad and was attacked by the Germans in World War II. The Admiralty building does still have lots of sculptures and reliefs to admire. There is also a 240 foot golden spire with its weather vane, a little ship, that sits on top of it and is one of the city's most recognizable landmarks. The original is in the Naval Museum, so the one you see here today is a replica. The building now houses the naval college.

The Bronze Horseman is a statue of Peter the Great on a horse. Catherine the Great had the statue built in the late 1700s to honor Peter the Great as the founder of the city of St. Petersburg. She commissioned the French sculptor Etienne-Maurice Falconet who had spent a long time studying the movements of horsemen on reared mounts. The horse stands on a rock meant to represent a cliff. This huge block of granite weighs more than 1,600 tons and took more than nine months to transport from the Gulf of Finland.Visitors can still see an inscription on the stone that says "to Peter the First from Catherine the Second” in Latin on one side and in Russian on the other side. The statue faces west to represent Peter “leading Russia forward” because he drew inspiration from countries in the west. Legend has it that St Petersburg can never be taken by enemy forces as long as the statue remains standing in Senatskaya Square. You will often see newlyweds having their wedding photos taken in front of the statue.

Smolny Cathedral (Smol'nyy Sobor) is a cathedral and convent located on the banks of the River Neva in St. Petersburg, Russia. It was built in the mid 1700s in a Baroque style, and it is one of the most recognizable buildings in the city due to its striking blue color. It was originally built to house Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great. Since being denied the throne, she intended to become a nun. However, once her predecessor was overthrown, she was able to take her place as the Empress of Russia instead. Work on the cathedral was stopped when Catherine II came to power, and it wasn't until around 1835 when work started again. Due to this, the interior was done in a neo-classical style.The cathedral is laid out in the shape of a cross with four smaller churches in the corners. Visitors can also see the detailed church spires and the clock tower which stands at 308 feet tall. Today the cathedral is used primarily as a concert hall. The surrounding convent buildings are used as governmental offices as well as faculty buildings for St. Petersburg State University.

Grand Maket Russia, or Гранд Макет, is a private museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. It is a model museum, meaning that it represents collective images of Russia on a scale of 1:87. It is quite big, at 800 m², or 8611 square feet, making it the largest model museum in Russia and the second largest in the world. The museum opened on June 8 2012, in a two-story building built in 1953, at the initiative of St. Petersburg businessman, Sergey Morozov. It represents everyday life in Russia: from work, leisure, sports, study, military service, travel, and more. It also features different modes of transportation with movement, light and sound effects: from trains to cars, trucks, trams and buses. The display is interactive, and visitors can push buttons to activate different effects.

Long considered to be the lifeline of St. Petersburg, the Neva River (Reka Neva) flows through the capital city from Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia, eventually making its way to the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea. Visit this historically important waterway to learn about the region’s history and see the city sites.

Gold-domed St. Isaac’s Cathedral is one of St. Petersburg’s most recognizable, and most popular, attractions. The 19th-century Orthodox cathedral combines Renaissance, Neoclassical, and Baroque elements, so looks different from many other Russian churches. Rarely used for worship, it now contains an art museum.

Art enthusiasts visiting St. Petersburg likely already have the State Russian Museum at the top of their itinerary. This is the world’s largest museum of Russian fine art, as well as Russia’s first state-owned art museum, with more than 400,000 works of art on display.

With its striking powder-blue domes and looming cathedral spires, set against a backdrop of dense woodlands and glassy blue waters, the Valaam Monastery makes a suitably arresting centerpiece to Valaam Island. Marooned on Lake Ladoga’s largest island, reaching the historic monastery is an adventure in itself, with scenic ferry cruises running from the mainland and thrilling helicopter rides linking it to St Petersburg.Dating back to the late 14th-century and rebuilt several times throughout history, the Valaam Monastery is one of Russia’s most significant religious sites, once regarded as the country’s spiritual and cultural center and completely self-sufficient. Today, the vast complex centers around the exquisite Cathedral of the Transfiguration, surrounded by monks cells, chapels, workshops and farmlands, and remains a working monastery, with resident monks hosting regular services and choir recitals.