Attractions in Central (St Petersburg)

Alexander Column (Aleksandrovskaia Kolonna)

This mighty Doric column, cut from a giant granite monolith with a bronze base, cap, bas-reliefs and a sculpture on top, was put on Palace Square in memory of victory in the war of 1812. The huge granite monolith weighs 704 metric tons. It took 2000 soldiers and 400 workers just one hour and 45 minutes to complete the construction of this monument. The column itself has a height of 25.58 meters. It is the highest triumphal column in the world.

Kazanskii Sobor (Kazan Cathedral)

During a 10 year period (1801-1811), master builder Andrei Voronikhin oversaw construction of this huge building, a majestic semicircular colonnade standing on Nevskii Prospekt. The 96 Corinthian columns are reminiscent of St Peter's in Rome and were the only aspect that survived from the original design formulated by Paul I. Today the former Museum of Atheism housed within the cathedral has been cunningly renamed the Museum of Religion, and daily religious services have been resumed.

Isaakievskii Sobor (St. Isaac's Cathedral)

During the first part of the 19th century, 11,000 serfs drove 25,000 wooden planks into the ground creating the foundation for what would become St Isaac's Cathedral. More than 100 kilos of pure gold was used to gild the dome and the 112 polished granite columns to support it. The massive interior is constructed from various types of marble and stone and is designed to accommodate up to 14,000 people. Construction of the cathedral was a painstaking project, taking 40 years to complete; its architect, Auguste Ricard de Montferrand, died shortly after. The golden dome has governed the Neva River skyline for nearly 200 years. One of the cathedral's most popular attractions is its circular observation deck. After climbing 562 steps, a panoramic view of Peter's city awaits.

St. Nicholas' Naval Cathedral

Many churches were closed or torn down during the time of Communism, but not the 18th century St. Nicholas Cathedral. It was one of 15 churches which remained open and working. The ice blue and white cathedral was well known as the “sailors church” for the fact that this was the church of choice for religious seamen. It houses the remains of Nicholas. It is traditional five cupolas are gilded and the four tier bell tower is said to ring when a person makes an offering pleasing to God. The gilded iconostasis in the upper church deserves particular attention.

Kostel Sviatoi Ekateriny (Catholic Church of St. Catherine)

Peter the Great desired that all Christians, regardless of denomination, were able to worship in a church of their own faith. Hence, the Church of St. Catherine was established in 1716 and it is now not only the largest but the oldest Catholic Church in Russia. After the 1917 Revolution, many of the church's priests were shot or sent to prison. Although the main sanctuary was damaged by fire in 1984, the exterior is striking with a pale facade and large green dome.

Marinskii Palace

While eyes are naturally drawn to the splendorous St Isaac's Cathedral across the square of the same name, the less noticeable Mariinskii Palace is nonetheless of some interest. Designed by a German in 1839-1844, the palace was ordered by Nicholas I as a wedding gift to his favorite daughter Maria. In post-revolutionary times the building was adopted for use as the Executive Committee of the City Council, and the five Soviet crests adorning the facade are a reminder of this role. Nowadays the building is the seat of the city legislature.

Anichkov Palace

Situated on the corner of the Fontanka Canal and Nevskii Prospekt, the palace passed through a series of Imperial hands before Alexander II presented it to his son Alexander III on his wedding day. In 1936, absolutely everything here was given away to other museums throughout Russia. A year later it became the Palace of Young Pioneers, the Communist youth movement. It is now called the Palace of Youth Creativity, and you will have to book ahead if you want a good look around.

Tserkov' Vladimirskoi Ikony Bozhiei Materi (Our Lady of Vladimir Church)

This church with its two chapels was built between 1761 and 1769, the project allegedly being led by architect Pietro Antonio Trezini. The church itself is a spacious five-domed Baroque affair, shaping up as a square with the corners cut off. In 1831, the architect Avraam Ivanovich Mel'nikov built on a two-storey vestibule with Doric columns and thus introduced elements of classicism. In 1783, at the initiative of architect Giacomo Quarenghi, a three-tiered bell-tower was built next to the church and in 1848, F.I. Rusca built on one more tier.

Nevskii Prospekt

On a map of the city center, this grand-scale thoroughfare forms a spine with the many canals appearing as spindly but graceful ribs. On the ground "Nevskii" is the city's vital artery, heaving with people from well before dawn until well after dusk. The street's western end lies at The Admiralty, and from there it runs 3 miles all the way to the Alexander Nevskii Monastery. The street is a dizzying and sometimes exhausting mix of hectic traffic, street poverty, high fashion and eye-turning architecture.

Kvartira Rasputina (Rasputin's Apartment)

Most come to Gorokhovaya 64 for shopping or to seek the advice of an attorney, without ever knowing that Grigory Rasputin once lived here. Set on a busy street, this five story brownstone looks like the kind of place a mad monk might have lived at the turn of the 20th century. The entire place reeks of age, and as you cross through the courtyard and step into his building, it's easy to imagine how he must have weaved his way up the stairs to his apartment after a night of hard drinking. Families now occupy the five room apartment that once belonged to him, so you won't be able to see inside. Do not disturb residents.

Letnyi Sad (Summer Gardens)

In 1704, Peter the Great employed Frenchman Le Blond to design a luxurious formal garden in the manner of Versailles. In 1777, the beautiful garden with fountains, imported trees and more than 200 Italian statues was unfortunately ruined by a flood. Today's slightly more austere incarnation can be ascribed to the more restrained taste of Catherine the Great. Nowadays, more than 80 statues are here—in winter they are eerily encased in wooden boxes for protection from the winter elements; in summer, the relaxed calm of the gardens makes it a popular destination for weddings and parties. You can expect to pay a small fee to enter the gardens.

Sennaya Ploschad'

The first thing you notice as you come out of the Sennaia Ploshchad' metro station is that this is not a typical tourist attraction. Terraced kiosks form the perimeter of a seething mass of peddlers, drunks and a general assortment of St. Petersburg discontents. The ramshackle square is both a hive of history and an unpredictable display of life here and now. This is where Raskolnikov in Dostoevskii's novel 'Crime and Punishment' used to prowl. Anyone wanting a change from the city's architectural glories can come here and see the real Petersburg in action.