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Learn about the history, culture, and attractions of Saint Petersburg, the second-largest city in Russia and a former imperial capital. Find out how the city was founded, renamed, and rebuilt after the siege of Leningrad.
2 days ago · St. Petersburg, city and port, extreme northwestern Russia. It is a major historical and cultural center, as well as Russia’s second largest city. For two centuries (1712–1918) it was the capital of the Russian Empire. Its historic district was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1990.
- State Hermitage Museum. Founded when Empress Catherine the Great started acquiring works of art in the late 1700s, the museum didn't officially open to the public until 1852.
- Peter and Paul Fortress. The Peter and Paul Fortress was originally a fortified area meant to protect the state from foreign attacks. It was constructed in 1703 and then extended and modified for the following four decades.
- Palace Square. St. Petersburg's main city square is a massive open public space right in front of the Winter Palace. The Alexander Column, built in the 1830s of a single piece of red granite, stands 47 meters tall at the center of the square.
- Peterhof Palace. Located less than 30 kilometers from central St. Petersburg, the 18-century Peterhof Palace complex consists of a series of buildings, several formal gardens, and a total of 173 fountains fed by underground springs.
- Visit The World Famous Hermitage Museum. One of the city’s most popular attractions (with over 3 million items in its esteemed collection), State Hermitage Museum showcases everything from fine art to ancient artifacts.
- Take in a Performance at Mariinsky Theatre. The Neoclassical Mariinsky Theatre is home to Russia’s revered opera and ballet companies. The theatre – named after the wife of Tsar Alexandra II, Empress Maria Alexandrovna – has been here since 1860 when it was known as the Kirov Theatre.
- See Jewelled Eggs at the Faberge Museum. The House of Faberge was founded in St. Petersburg in 1842 by Gustav Faberge. Originally a jeweler, he became famous for designing jewel-encrusted eggs for the Tsars of Russia and is arguably the most famous goldsmith of the modern era.
- Spend an Hour Canal Cruising. St. Petersburg is built on 42 islands, and once upon a time (before bridges were constructed), cruising was the only way to navigate the city.
- State Hermitage Museum. St Petersburg. The Hermitage fully lives up to its sterling reputation. You can be absorbed by its treasures for days and still come out wanting more.
- Grand Palace. Around St Petersburg. The Grand Palace is an imposing building, although with just 30-something rooms, it is not nearly as large as your typical tsarist palace.
- General Staff Building. St Petersburg. The east wing of this magnificent building, wrapping around the south of Dvortsovaya pl and designed by Carlo Rossi in the 1820s, marries restored…
- Lower Park. Around St Petersburg. One of the greatest attractions outside of St Petersburg is the jaw-dropping collection of gilded fountains, statue-lined lanes and picturesque canals…
Saint Petersburg (Russian: Са́нкт-Петербу́рг Sankt-Peterburg), known as Petrograd (Петроград) in 1914-1924 and Leningrad (Ленинград) in 1924-1991, is the second largest city of Russia, with 5.6 million inhabitants (2021), the fourth most populous city in Europe, the world's northernmost city of at least a ...
Discover the grandeur and history of Russia's imperial capital, as well as its revolutionary spirit and cultural attractions. Find tips, articles and activities for your trip to St Petersburg.
