St.-Petersburg, Russia in brief
ByTatyana Kogut
Posted Date: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 | Viewed: 133
St.-Petersburg – the symbol of European Russia, by right thought to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Unlike the other Russian cities, with their common monosyllabic names, the name “Sankt Piterburh” (how it sounds in Russian) consists of two words, each with its own meaning. Sankt is the Latin for “Saint”, “Peter” is the name of the apostle Saint Peter (which is, by the way, translated from Greek as “the stone”), and “burgh” is the Dutch for “city”. This way, the name of the former Russian capital unites the name of its tsar, its saint patron and cultures of ancient Greece and Rome, Germany and Holland.
The city stands on the Neva River, at the spot where it flows into the Gulf of Finland. The climate is therefore damp – the winter is mild and the summer is rather cool. The city’s northern location is also the reason for such a unique phenomenon as “the white nights”, which can be observed May 25th – July 17th.
St.-Petersburg is one of the largest cities in the world, with a population of more than 5000 inhabitants. It is also a large industrial, cultural and scientific centre, an important traffic centre, sea- and airport. It is no wonder that one will find lots of universities, theatres, museums, offices and factories here.
The former capital of Russia (it played this part in 1712-28 and 1732-1918), it faced many important political happenings like the February Revolution and the October Revolution. During the Great Patriotic War the city faced a 900-day siege and, thanks to its heroic resistance to the enemy, was officially awarded with the title of the Hero City.
The city boasts of a great amount of architectural ensembles and is therefore a true magnet for tourists. The Peter and Paul Fortress, Alexander Nevsky Monastery, Smolny Cathedral, Palace Square and the Winter Palace, the Alexander Column, The Bronze Horseman, St Isaac's Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, The Mariinsky Palace, The Church of Savior on Spilled Blood, the Field of Mars, The Summer Garden and Summer Palace of Peter the Great… the list of St.
-Petersburg attractions could be continued. In 1960 there was a Piskariovskoye Memorial Cemetery sobering monument built in the city. The suburban attractions are the fountains of Peterhof, parks and palaces of Pushkin, Pavlovsk, Gatchina ect.
Whenever you come to St.-Petersburg, you will definitely enjoy it! The city will enchant you with its northern beauty and traditional hospitality. Summer Petersburg is renowned for its white nights, when the sun goes down for just a couple of hours and the rest of night is as bright as a daytime. What a great chance to extend your walks around the city streets! It is in summer that guests like to watch bridges draw.
St.-Petersburg is a fabulous view in autumn! Yellow, red and dark-green leaves make this city not only a photography model, but also a magnet for romantic personalities. Autumn is the best time to visit the city suburbs. Their parks and palaces look exceptionally elegant and beautiful during the period.
Winter is good for a calm visit to the city palaces, museums and theatres. The weather is chilly and often slushy, but the number of tourists is smaller, so you are more likely to find a proper hotel room. By the way, the choice of hotels is extensive. Calm halls of local museums will tell you the story of the city, its shows will impress you with a diversity of Russian traditions, Russian character and soul. Hiding from winter in cosy cafes and restaurants is a real pleasure.
Having arrived to St.-Petersburg in spring, you will feel all the pleasures of nature awakening, everything breathes with freshness while the ice on the Neva river melts.
Go to St.-Petersburg and enjoy its beauty!
Hotels n St.-Petersburg - Reservation of St.-Petersburg hotels.
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