Saint Petersburg: 3 Reasons to Visit the Venice of the North
The Russian land of emperors still remains imperial with extravagant architecture and majestic culture. Built by Peter the Great, this grand place promises an unforgettable voyage. With many influences from designers and architects all over Europe, diversity of styles and large influence from Italy gave Saint Petersburg the nickname the Venice of the North.
The history of the city is rich and amazing. Old mixed with new makes it a wonderful modern piece of art. Places once occupied by the wealthiest people in Saint Petersburg are now turned into breathtaking museums, but that is not the only tourist attraction. There are a lot of cathedrals, bridges, theaters, markets, shopping centers and affordable vacation apartments for a short stay in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
For getting around the city, convenient routes are usually by bus, underground metro, trolley buses and marshrutka (commuter buses). If those options seem too crowded, as they can be, one can always take a taxi and explore all this city has to offer on their own.
1. Once in a Lifetime Churches
Savior on the spilled blood Church – At the beginning of the 20th century, this church was constructed on the location where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated. It’s an architectural landmark and legendary monument of central St. Petersburg. The façade and the interior of the church are decorated with unique mosaics, colored marbles, and stone.
It’s probably the largest collection of mosaics in the world, with scenes and characters from the Bible. Another tourist attraction is the Peter and Paul cathedral in the Peter and Paul Fortress. The main feature is the baroque style and a mix of Italian and Western European architecture.
Pillars inside the church divide it into three parts, painted to look like marbles. Twelve large windows illuminate the church and cast a light on the icons and fresco paintings. In addition, a lot of members of the imperial family are buried in this place, making it a holy symbol of Russia.
Honorable mention goes to the Orthodox Church Kazan Cathedral, inspired by the Basilica of St. Peter's in Rome. The cathedral got the name from the magical Russian icon “Our Lady of Kazan”. The style of the church is distinctly European, made in the image of Florence Baptistery in Italy, with massive bronze doors. The beauty of this cathedral makes St. Petersburg one of the top European travel locations
2. Breathtaking Bridges
The simple, yet magnificent design of Russian bridges makes them quite the attraction and popular sites for tourists. The large network of canals and rivers brought on the birth of some of the most original and fascinating bridges, including:
The Palace Bridge – The bridge sees a fair bit of use on a daily basis and no one can miss it, since the Palace Bridge connects the Palace Square and many sites on Vasilevskiy Ostrov. The architecture is simple and designed to open and lift in the middle, clearing the space for ships passing by. One of the most unforgettable views is the image of the golden spire of Peter and Paul Cathedral when the bridge is being lifted.
Lomonosov Bridge – Named after the famous chemistry, linguistics, literature, and math expert Mikhail Lomonosov, the bridge dates back to the 18th century. It is made out of stone, replacing a wooden bridge which previously occupied this location. Cast iron streetlamps and granite obelisks make the perfect decorations and a memorable site.
The Bank Bridge – A fairytale bridge for pedestrians, the Bank bridge got its name from the first public Russian bank. It has a wooden deck and cast iron griffons sculpted by the famous Pavel Sokolov. Large griffons with wings of gold are the main attraction of the bridge and a splendid spot for winter nights.
Trinity Bridge – The second longest bridge in St Petersburg is 582 meters long. The Art Nouveau design is completed with nine spans, streetlamps, two-headed Imperial eagles and an abundance of decorations.
3. Culture and beyond
This place is bursting with art, international and local events, and luxurious museums, the most impressive of which is the State Hermitage Museum. The green and white museum is in the Baroque style, with many extravagantly decorated halls and rooms open to the public. It holds 2.7 million exhibits and art collected from all over the world, including the works of Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt and many more.
Museums and large-scale restaurants and hotels offer English-based newspapers like weekly St. Petersburg Times, Pulse and NevaNews. Concerning international movies, over 200 films were shot in this city. St. Petersburg introduced us with Fyodor Dostoevsky, Alexander Pushkin and the unforgettable Anna Karenina of Tolstoy.
All of this and many more reasons make this place the perfect European location that tourists adore. Besides the historical heritage, Russians are loud, hospitable and have a very developed nightlife. It’s a completely safe and ideal city to visit for a lovely vacation.
