The former capital of Russia has seen some dramatic changes
in its 305-year history. Founded in 1703 by
Peter the Great, St Petersburg has been described as the
Venice of the North for its
winding canals and
grand Italianate architecture, yet the city narrowly escaped destruction during WWII.
Extensive
restoration and beautification for the tri-centenary celebrations in 2003 have restored St Petersburg to its
original glory. The renovation project was no doubt aided by the fact that former Russian president
Vladimir Putin hails from St Petersburg.
Situated on a
series of islands
where the River Neva meets the
Gulf of Finland, St Petersburg was a
planned city. Peter the Great took up residence in a tiny
log cabin by the Neva and personally supervised the construction of his
grand European capital, a project continued by his niece Anna and daughter Elizabeth.
The city was more than just a vanity project - at the time, western Russia was threatened by Sweden, and a vast
naval port was created to allow the Russian Navy to assert
its
dominance
over the Baltic Sea. Nevertheless, the
grandiose palaces immediately marked St Petersburg out as one of the great
cities
of
Europe.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the
Tsars of St Petersburg lived a life of extravagant luxury in the magnificent palaces
constructed by
Domenico Trezzini and
Bartomoleo Rastrelli. This opulent lifestyle depended on the abject poverty of
serfs and
peasants, sowing the seeds
of
discontent
that eventually led to the
Russian Revolution.
During the three-year
Nazi blockade of St Petersburg from 1941 to 1944, more than 1 million residents
starved or froze to death, and the city's
artists and intelligentsia were decimated in
Stalin's purges. The city persisted in a state of suspended animation
for the rest of the Soviet era.
Following the
collapse of Communism in 1985, St Petersburg was starved of state funding and many of its most glorious palaces and cathedrals fell into disrepair. Since then, the city has fought its way back to greatness, aided by foreign investors and the
new Russian oligarchs.
The biggest concerns for modern-day visitors
to St Petersburg are the prices
(the city is almost as costly as Moscow) and the weather. St Petersburg is best visited during the
warm days and
white nights of midsummer, but it is
bitterly cold in the depths of the
Russian winter.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
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Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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