Places You Shouldn’t Miss When Visiting St.Petersburg, Russia

If you are looking for a place with a rich history and breathtaking architecture, then there is no better location to visit than St. Petersburg in Russia. This is one place that you will not be disappointed if you are craving for a unique blend of nightlife, culture, and art all in one setting. St. Petersburg is one place that will have you coming back for more because it is filled with so many attractions that you will definitely miss the first time you were here! Below are some great historic places you can check out when you step foot in St. Petersburg:

The Summer Gardens or Letnyi Sad

Although a naturally cold region of the world, St. Petersburg still finds beauty in the maintenance of the Letnyi Sad or the Summer Gardens. Historically know to be the place where aristocratic assemblies were held by Peter the Great, these gardens offer a pleasant mixture of Italian statues, fountains, flowers and trees that will amaze the most avid traveler into spending more hours just browsing the garden and its gorgeous plant life and landscaped scenery.

Peter and Paul Fortress

Located on the River Neva on a small delta island, the Peter and Paul Fortress were built to protect Russia from Swedish attacks. Later, it was made functional as an impenetrable jail for political figures. Within the fortress are the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which is also a fantastic tomb for Russian Empresses and Emperors. The cathedral boasts of renowned historical figures buried there like Alexander the Third and Peter the Great. The cathedral is also a masterful art piece at its height of 404 feet sporting the famous St Petersburg weathervane. Within the fortress you can also find the City Mint (that mints medals and coins) and the City History Museum – two places that also need to be visited while in St. Petersburg.

Peter the Great’s Cabin or Domik Petra Pervogo

Visit this log cabin that covers an area of only 60 square meters, consists of three rooms, and holds the record of being St. Petersburg’s oldest structure. Quaintly situated in a copse of trees along the Neva River banks, it is also the place of Peter the Great’s residence as he oversaw the Peter and Paul Fortress construction activities in 1703. With its simple structure and humble outlook, this place still houses some of Peter the Great’s personal effects. This national monument is a prized historical building that has been protected over the centuries through perilous wars and battles.

The Palace Square or Dvortsovaia Ploshchad’

As many other squares around the world, the Palace Square has also been the venue of an infamous massacre of innocent civilians (now known as Bloody Sunday) when peaceful demonstrators were gunned down by bewildered palace guards. It is also the location of the majestic Winter Palace which also serves as the building for the government’s general staff. Again, another violent attack was done when the Winter Palace was stormed in the 1917 October Revolution.