Discover the Magic of St. Petersburg

Jan. 30, 2008 — -- For centuries St. Petersburg offered its rulers a capital close to Europe with a distinctly Russian flavor.

The so-called "Window on the West" reflects the confluence of these two cultures in its rich history, music, art and architecture.

Though Moscow is now the capital, St. Petersburg remains Russia's cultural heart.

The Hermitage Museum
Russia's treasure trove of an art museum boasts hundreds of galleries of old masters inside a complex of imperial buildings including the czar's famous Winter Palace. Its seemingly endless collection combines the best of Russian art with Western classics as well, in an iconic setting along the Riva Neva.
Click here to visit the Hermitage's Web site.

The Catherine Palace
Also known as the Summer Palace or Tsarskoe Selo, this is where you will find the reconstructed Amber Room. The blue and gold Catherine Palace is part of a staggering complex of parks, waterfalls and statues south of St. Petersburg, in the town of Pushkin.

Click here to read more about the history of the Catherine Palace.

The Peter and Paul Fortress
St. Petersburg's original citadel, the Peter and Paul Fortress, is also Russia's most famous historical prisons. Don't miss the Prison Museum and the Peter and Paul Cathedral, where all Russian czars from Peter I to Alexander III are interred.

Peterhof
The park and fountain complex of Peterhof is as beautiful as it is fun. This former summer playground of the czar's is best to visit in the warmer months when its 176 fountains are running.
Click here to visit the Peterhof's Web site.

Rostral Columns and Vasiliesvsky Island
Czar Peter the Great intended this area around the Strelka (spit) of Vasilievsky Island to become the heart of downtown St Petersburg. Though downtown moved to the left bank of the river, the Customs House remains and in the 19th century the imposing white Stock Exchange building was erected, flanked by two Rostral Columns. The two columns, studded with ships' prows, served as oil-fired navigation beacons in the 1800s and are still lit for special occasions.