SIGHTSEEING IN SAINT-PETERSBURG

The palace, with its canals and secret underground passageway, was built to protect Tsar Paul I, who was petrified of being murdered. Ironically, 40 days after he moved in, he was assassinated in a military plot. A few years later, it became a school for engineers, and today, it's a branch of the Russian Museum. It has a portrait gallery of Russian public figures, temporary exhibitions and occasionally plays and lectures. Admission foreigners 120 - 240Rbl, Russians 30Rbl.

Sadovaya ul. 2
10:00-17:00
except: Mon: 10:00-16:00
Tue: Closed

This exhibition describes the history of various religions from around the world. There are exhibits about Greek and Egyptian religions, as well as an exhibit outlining the history of the Russian Orthodox Church. Admission foreigners 45 - 95Rbl, Russians 10 - 25Rbl.

Pochtamtskaya ul. 14
11:00-17:00
except: Wed: Closed

This fortress, built to deflect Swedish raids, was the city’s very first structure. While the view from the fortress ramparts is fantastic, the main attraction is Trezzini's Peter and Paul Cathedral, built in 1712. Almost all Romanov tsars including Nicholas II, are buried here. There are several other museums scattered around the fortress grounds and you can buy a special day ticket which enables access to all. Entrance to the fortress is free. Admission cathedral and museums: foreigners 60 - 120Rbl, Russians 10 - 20Rbl (ticket valid for all museums). Admission roof walk foreigners 30 - 50Rbl, Russians 10 - 20Rbl.

Petropavlovskaya krepost 3
The fortress open 06:00 - 22:00
Museums open 11:00 - 18:00, closed Wed.
Cathedral and prison are open daily 10:00 - 18:00
Roof walk Nevskaya panorama open 10:00 - 22:00.

With one of the largest collections of Russian art housed in Rossi's impressive Mikailovsky Palace, this museum is definitely worth a look. Its collection spans from 12th-century Icons to 20th-century masters like Chagall, Malevich and Kandinsky. Admission foreigners 150 - 300Rbl, Russians 30 - 70Rbl.

Inzhenernaya ul. 4/2
10:00-18:00
except: Mon: 10:00-17:00
Tue: Closed

Admission: foreigners 50 - 100Rbl, Russians 25 - 50Rbl. Price is included one shot of vodka.

Konnogvardeysky bul. 5
Tel: 312-34-16
11:00-22:00

The wealthy Sheremetev family lived in this palace until the 1917 revolution. Also known as the Fountain house, because of the large quantity of them in the garden. These days, the palace has a permanent display of the Sheremetev's private art collection, and it is home to the Museum of Musical Life. Admission foreigners 75 - 150Rbl, Russians 0 - 15Rbl.

Nab. reky Fontanky 34
12:00-18:00
except: Mon-Tue: Closed

The director of the Hermitage once said, “I can't say that the Hermitage is the number one museum in the world, but it's certainly not the second.” And with over three million works of art and treasures housed in five connected buildings along the Neva, the museum can't fail to impress. If works by Picasso, Van Gogh or Rembrandt don't make you gasp, then the interiors of the Winter Palace will. Give yourself plenty of time and try to go on a weekday to avoid the crowds. Admission foreigners 350Rbl, Russians 100Rbl. First Thu of the month FREE admission for all visitors.

Dvortsovaya nab. 34 (entrance from Dvortsovaya pl.)
10:30-18:00
except:
Mon: Closed
Sun: 10:30-17:00

This palace was purchased by the wealthy Yusupov family in 1830 to house their art collection. It also was the scene of the grizzly murder of the sleazy Siberian peasant Rasputin, who was exercising too much influence over the royal family for Felix Yusupov's liking. There is a Rasputin tour, and you can see where Felix and his entourage tried to poison and shoot Rasputin in the cellar in 1916, before they beat him and chucked him into the Moika, where he finally died. Admission foreigners 70 - 300Rbl (included guide-player), Russians 40 - 80Rbl.

Nab. reky Moiky 94
Tel: 314-98-83
11:00-17:00

This cathedral which was modelled on St.Peter's in Rome is one of the city's most majestic. It was built from 1801 to 1811 to house the miracle-working Icon of our Lady of Kazan.Services daily. Admission is free.

Kazanskaya pl., 2

The symbol of Saint Petersburg - onion domed cathedral that stands out from the neo-classical surroundings of the city-center. The church was build on the very place where Tsar Alexander II was mortally wounded in 1881. Admission foreigners: 250 roubles.

Kanala Griboyedova nab., 2a, No services.
11:00-18:00
Wednesday: Closed

Services on high-holidays and week-ends. Admission foreigners: 250 roubles. Entrance to the colonnade: 125 roubles.

Isaakievskaya pl., 1
11:00-18:00
Wednesday: Closed

It was founded in 1897 and launched in 1900. The legendary ship that gave the signal to start the attack of the Winter Palace. From 148 the cruiser became the monument of the October revolution. Admission is free.

Petrogradsaya nab.,3
10:30-16:00
Closed: Monday, Friday

A unique palace that has preserved interiors of the XVII century. Genuine unique pieces of art and household objects of Peter the Great epoch are on display. Admission foreigners: 300 roubles

10:30-16:00
Closed: Monday

The exhibitions of the museum illustrate the everyday life and culture of the peoples of Russia in the XIX-XX centuries. Admission foreigners: 200 roubles.

Inzhenernaya ul., 4/1
10:00-17:00
Closed: Monday

This was the first museum to be open for public in Saint Petersburg. The unique collection of various 'monsters' brought by Peter the Great from Holland became popular at once. Admission foreigners: 50-100 roubles.

Universitetskaya nab.,3
11:00-17:00
Closed: Monday, Tuesday, last Thursday of the month

Located in the former stock-exchange building, this museum shows the history of the Russian and Soviet navy, from the times of Peter the Great until the present. Its exhibits include uniforms, flags and even a submarine complete with loaded torpedoes. Admission foreigners: 40-100 roubles.

Birzhevaya pl.,4
11:00-18:00
Closed: Monday, Tuesday, Last Thursday of the month.

This museum has a collection of 30,000 exhibits of fauna from every continent and climatic zone of the world. There is a small collection of live insects and the skeleton of a 44,000-year-old mammoth is a highlight. Admission foreigners 30 roubles. Last Thursday of the month admission free for all visitors.

Universitetskaya nab., 1
11:00-18:00 Closed: Friday

When Peter the Great arrived to supervise the construction of the Peter and Paul Fortress and his new city this cabin was built for him in the course of three days only. Admission foreigners: 70-135 roubles.

Petrovskaya nab.,6
10:00-17:00. Closed: Tuesday

Europe's biggest mosque is a place of worship for up to 5.000 Muslims. Built in 1913 this is the northernmost mosque in the world. During Soviet times medicines were stored here.

Kronverksky pr.,7
Open daily.

Founded by peter the Great in 1710 this orthodox monastery is the most important in Saint Petersburg. The St.Trinity Cathedral is worth the visit as well as the cemeteries where you can see the graves of Russia's greatest composers and writes, including Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Dostoyevsky. Admission foreigners 2 USD.

Nab. reki Monastyrka, 1
Open daily 6:00 - 20:00

St. Petersburg was the cradle of the Russian revolution, and 70 years of communism left its mark on the tsarist capital, but that mark is fading. Communist symbols, once on every corner, have gone from most parts of the city, but if you want to find remnants of lost socialist dreams and communist kitsch, St. Petersburg has some not-to-be-missed sights.

Communist ceiling at Moskovsky station
To see one of the city’s best examples of communist kitsch, and one of the least noticed, head to Moscovsky station, go to the main entrance hall and look up. The ceiling mosaic depicts the happier times, which perhaps never came. The Olympic flags tell you it is from the fifties, when the Soviet Union joined the Olympic family.

Lenin at Finlyandsky station
There is quite a bit of Soviet mythology attached to this station. It was here that Lenin returned from exile in April, 1917, in a sealed carriage, drawn by a train that was a gift from Finland (the train is still displayed here). Out front, a large Lenin statue points the way to a radiant future, and, at the entrance to the adjacent metro stop, there is an impressive mosaic of Lenin with a red flag blacking out the sun.

Lenin statues at PS, Professora Popova ul., Moskovskaya pl., Nab. kan. Obvodnogo
There used to be dozens of them; now, there are only a handful left. The Botanical Gardens on Petrograd, have a serene image of Lenin deep in thought on its grounds, and Moskovskaya ploshchad, in the city’s south, has the city's largest and most chilling statue. Between Baltiisky and Varshavsky stations, on the Obvodny canal, there is another Lenin. He is standing alone, but not so long ago, Stalin stood beside him.

Soviet city - Pl. Stachek, Stachek pr. and Kirovskaya pl.
Soviet city-planners were given free rein between Narvskaya and Avtovo metro stops in the city’s south-east. While not very cheery, this area has some quirky sights, including a school built in the shape of a hammer and sickle (Stachek pr. 5). Out the front of Narvskaya metro, there is an impressive mosaic with the call 'Proletarians of all countries, unite!' And on Kirovsky ploshchad, there is a statue of Kirov and plenty of Soviet symbols to decipher on the surrounding buildings.

Stalin’s metro
St. Petersburg’s metro may not be as impressive as its counterpart in Moscow, but some stations offer enough communist glamour to justify a short joyride. Naturally, the most Soviet stops are on the red line (line one). Avtovo, Narvskaya, Kirovsky Zavod and Pl. Vosstaniya each have an impressive array of communist images, statues and symbols. Pl. Vosstaniya is also home to the city’s two remaining public images of Stalin. After you come down the escalators, you will have pillars on both sides of you. Stalin is on the second pillar on your left, and, again, a bit further down, on your right.