An Introduction to St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, previously called Leningrad in honor of the hero “Lenin”, is the cultural center of Russia, which is also known as “Northern Venice”. St. Petersburg is an awesome city where you can experience “rooftop sightseeing”, celebrate your birthday, and even invite a group of bands to play at your home.

This city was built on a large scale during the Peter I period. He was a majestic, wise, talented yet cruel and ruthless emperor who made Russia open the window to Europe through the city of St. Petersburg.

Tourists are constantly surprised by this amazing city, for which many of them would gladly revisit. The weather of St. Petersburg is always gloomy and overcast, however, it never curbs the enthusiasm of visitors from all over the world. The extraordinary astronomical sight, “polar night”, occurs from the end of May to mid-July every year, attracting visitors from home and abroad to take a glimpse of it. Meanwhile, it’s also high time to watch the romantic Broken Bridge, a must-see in a lifetime, where lovers murmur the promises to each other.

Wherever there is a grand river, there is a great city and every river has its own pace. Neva River highlights the splendid history, the expansive field and the abundant cultural atmosphere of St. Petersburg. In addition, the architectural style is definitely worth mentioning for its marvelous history, which gives you a time travel illusion every time you walk through the buildings, as if you could catch a sight of a delicate carriage with women dressed in luxurious and exquisite gowns.

The classy and magnificent construction such as Peter the Great's Summer Palace, the Catherine Palace, and Gatchina reflect the architectural art of St. Petersburg as well. When wandering around the Great Summer Palace, sitting in the wooden chair encompassed by the beautiful flowers, trees and adorable pigeons, you would certainly be detached from the urban noises and get captivated by the serenity and calmness of nature.

Every palace reveals its lavish and vintage sensation. All of them are well preserved, among which, the most remarkable one is the high security Amber Room in Catherine Palace. Photography is not allowed for the sake of amber intactness. Every room and every corner of this spectacular masterpiece will fascinate you with its gleaming glamour.

Other than the above mentioned, you have to take a look at the Kazan Cathedral, bookstores, the famous Bank Bridge, the grand Golden Lion and the Alexander Column, and others.

There are enough reasons that make St. Petersburg the cultural center of Russia where hundreds of theaters, museums, and exhibition centers are located. Looking around the Hermitage Museum could even take you quite a few days for its complicated layout and dazzling displays. Do not miss the Mariinsky Theatre as you would not regret paying a visit. Apart from that, there are plenty of cafés and restaurants on the street, alluring the appetite of passers.

St. Petersburg is a place you can never get bored of and I am deeply convinced that you would definitely take pleasure in a revisit.