Sightseeing
Saint Petersburg
St. Petersburg is known to be one of the greatest and most beautiful cities in the world, its historical and cultural importance is as big as that of Paris, London or Rome. "Northern Palmira", "Northern Venice"... most poetic names have been given to our city. The founder of St. Petersburg Peter the Great laid the first stone of St. Peter and Paul's Fortress on Hare Island on May 16, 1703, thus inaugurating the new city. In 1712 St. Petersburg became the Capital of the Russian Empire, the centre of its political and cultural life. Saint Petersburg was officially recognised by UNESCO as an open-air museum, city - monument.
The best architects, sculptors and artists were invited here and created the city unique look. Wonderful broad squares, wide avenues, including the main street - Nevsky Avenue, rich palaces of Russian aristocrats, majestic cathedrals and government buildings sprang up everywhere. St. Peter and Paul's Cathedral, the Building of the Twelve Collegias, St. Nicholas Church, Winter Palace, Smolny Cathedral, the Senate and Sinod, Smolny Institute, St. Isaac's and Kazan Cathedrals, Nicholas and Mariinsky Palaces, built to the designs of architects Treziny, Chevakinsky, Rastrelli, Rossi, Quarenghy, Montferrand, Stakenschneider and others, make the city unique. It is ornamented with brilliant sculptures of Russia's statesmen - the famous Bronze Horseman - the monument to Peter the Great, the monument to Catherine II, monuments to the great army leaders Mikhail Kutuzov and Barclai-de-Tolli, and many others.
Here the brilliant composers - Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Glinka and others created their music; illustrious poets and painters worked here.
St. Petersburg palaces are its gems - the grand summer residences of Russians Tzars, such as Peterhoff, Tzarskoye Selo, Pavlovsk and Lomonosov. Aurora cruiser, Smolny Institute and the Field of Mars tell about three Russian revolutions. Everyone knows about the 900-days siege of Leningrad during the World War II. Over 500.000 of its victims are buried at the memorial Piskarev cemetery.
St. Petersburg was founded as the capital of the Russian Empire. It was built and decorated by prominent European and Russian architects and sculptors. The Northern Capital was built as the first city in Russia with planned layout. For this very reason, it became the most European of all Russian cities, combining Russian tradition with an outward European appearance. Here it is possible to see a great variety of architectural styles: classical, baroque, modern, eclectics, and others.
We offer rich cultural program to our Forum participants. It will give you an exclusive opportunity to enjoy all splendour of the city, reflected mainly in its architecture.
Among the tours being offered to the guests of St. Petersburg, the city tour is the very first and the most important one. During the course of more than three hours you will become familiar to the history of the great city and will see its famous architectural ensembles: the Palace Square, the Spit of Vasilievsky Island, St. Isaac's and Kazan Cathedrals, the Admiralty, the Smolny Cathedral, the Summer Garden, the Hermitage buildings, the Alexander Nevskiy Monastery, monuments to Peter the Great, Nicholas I, Catherine II, and of course, Nevsky Prospect - the city most important street, which, by right, is considered one of the most beautiful streets in the world.
Of course, this time is not enough to see all the beauty of the "Northern Palmyra". During the course of the following excursions we will give you an opportunity to get to know other sights and museums of the "Northern Venice" in details, depending on your wishes and interests.
The Hermitage Museum and Winter Palace (Gala Rooms)
One of the biggest museums of the world, founded in 1764. It occupies the building of the Winter Palace - the former residence of the Russian emperors, the Small Hermitage, the Old Hermitage, the Hermitage Theater and the New Hermitage. It is the acknowledged treasure house of the world art. Its collection consists of about 3 million pieces, including masterpieces of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Roden, Rembrandt, Rubens, French impressionists, pieces from ancient Egypt, Greek and Roman sculptures, West European paintings of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, Russian and European porcelain, works of gold, and much, much more.
Winter Palace, former residence of the Royal Family, was built in the 18th century in Russian baroque style by Bartolommeo Rastrelli. The main Ambassadorial Staircase leads on to two suites of gala rooms. The large suite contains the Grand Fieldmarshal Hall, the Ministry Study, the Memorial Room of Peter the Great, Small Throne Hall, St. George Hall (Grand Throne Hall), Church and the Apollos Hall. Former residential rooms include the Green Dining-Room, the Rotunda, the Arab Hall, the Private Dining-Room, the Malachite Room and the Boudoir. The Neva suite is composed of the Concert Hall, the Great Hall, the Antechamber and Peter Gallery.
None of the guests will be left indifferent to the richest collection of Russian art, over 300,000 works of Russian painters starting from the 11th century. Masterpieces of the great icon-painters such as Andrei Rubliov and Simeon Ushakov, artists Brullov, Repin, Surikov, Vereshchagin, Venetsianov, Petrov and Serov.
The collection is displayed in three buildings. The main one is Mikhailovsky Palace, built for Grand Prince Michael in 1819 - 1825 (architect Rossi).
One of the most beautiful cathedrals, fourth highest domed building in the world of 101,5 meters high. It was built for 40 years (1818-1858) to the design of French architect August Monferrand in Russian classical style. It is interesting not only for its architectural style and construction technology but also for its interiors decorated with 150 paintings, 62 mosaics, works of Russian and Italian sculptors.
Mikhailovsky (Engineer's) Castle
It is an affiliate of the Russian Museum. Built in 1797 - 1800, designed by V. Bazhenov and V. Brena, for Emperor Paul I. In 1823 it became the Millitary Engineering Academy.
The oldest monument of history and architecture in St. Petersburg. The construction was started in 1703. It was built as a fortification during the Russian-Swedish war, but was never used as fortress and its bastions were turned into political prison cells. Here Prince Alexei the son of Peter the Great, Princess Tarakanova, writer Radishchev, Decembrists, revolutionary -narodniks were held as prisoners.
St. Peter and Paul's Cathedral designed by Trezini was the burial-vault of Russian emperors since 1725. All Russian Tzars are buried here, starting from Peter the Great. The last Russian tzar - Nicholas II Romanov and his family, who were executed by Bolsheviks during the revolution of 1917, are also buried here.
It is one if the biggest and oldest music theaters in Russia that is famous all over the world. The theater dates back to 1783. The construction of the theater building was completed in 1859 (architect A. Kavos). On October 1860 the performance of M. Glinka's opera "Life sacrificed for Tzar" marked its inauguration. The theater was named after the wife of Alexander II. Operas and ballets written by great Russian composers were performed on its stage.
The performances here featured such brilliant world famous stars as E. Lavrovskaya, F. Shaliapin, M. Kshesinskaia, A. Pavlova, T. Karsavina, V. Nizhinskiy, M. Fokin, and G. Ulanova.
Valery Gergiev, one of the best orchestra conductors in the world, is now the Chief Producer of the theater. If you go to the opera you will surely enjoy splendid singing, magnificent costumes and scenery, and brilliant orchestra.
The ballet repertoire consists of Marius Petipa's stage versions of classical Russian ballets like "The Swan Lake", "The Sleeping Beauty", "The Nutcracker", etc.
The residence of an old and noble Russian family - the Yusupovs. It was also the site where Rasputin was murdered. You will be offered to view gala and residential rooms of the palace and to listen to concerts of classical and folk music.
Country residencies of the Royal Family
Peterhoff will surprise you with the unique complex of fountains, summer residence of Peter the Great ("Russian Versailles") and a small collection of unique pieces of art. The imperial summer residence on the Gulf of Finland, 29 km from the city.
In the beginning of the 18th century the palaces and the parks with fountains were constructed under the order of Peter the Great to commemorate the victory of the Russian army over Sweden near Poltava. The highest fountain of Petrodvorets, depicting Samson (21m), was built as a symbol of that victory 25 years after the battle. The excursion around the Big Palace includes visiting of gala halls, residential rooms and studies.
Here art pieces of the 18th and the 19th centuries such as paintings, clock, chandeliers, dinner sets and decorative lacquer panels are displayed.
It was the favorite place of Catherine the Great and the last Russian Tzar - Nicholas II. Located 29 km south from St. Petersburg. Ekaterininskiy Palace construction was started in 1717. Park in French style with splendid sculptures was laid out around it. In the middle of the 18th century Tzarskoye Selo became the official royal residence.
Ekaterininskiy Palace offers its visitors the unique opportunity to see the Amber Room, reconstruction of which is being done by the best restores of Saint Petersburg.
Not far from the palace there is Lyceum where the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin studied.
The residence of the family of Paul I - Pavlovsk - is located 5 km away from Pushkin (Tzarskoye Selo). The Pavlovsk park is one of the pearls of the world landscape art. Each of the seven major park districts is marked by poetry, where the beauty of the northern nature is combined with exquisite skill of artists. In its rooms created by architects Cameron, Voronikhin and Rossi, wonderful pieces of 19th century applied art, paintings of Russian and European masters that belonged to Paul I and his family are exhibited. Among them are some items made by the Empress Maria Fyodorovna.
Lovers of classical music will enjoy concerts in the Philharmonic Hall, Capella House and Conservatoire. For those who favor ballet we will offer tickets to Mariinskiy Theater.Everybody who wishes to feel the charm of Russian folk will be offered to view a very interesting program of the Russian folk songs and dances.
The "Saint Petersburg - City of the White Nights" tour will give you an opportunity to feel the romantics of the night city on the background of open wings of the bridges.