-
Grand Choral Synagogue
Designed by Vasily Stasov, the striking Grand Choral Synagogue opened in 1893 to provide a central place of worship for St Petersburg’s growing Jewish community. Its lavishness (particularly notable in the 47m-high cupola and the decorative wedding chapel) indicates the pivotal rol
-
Ivan the Great Bell Tower
With its two golden domes rising above the eastern side of Sobornaya ploshchad, the Ivan the Great Bell Tower is the Kremlins tallest structure – a landmark visible from 30km away. Before the 20th century it was forbidden to build any higher in Moscow. Its history dates back to the
-
Alexander Blok House
This museum occupies the flat where poet Alexander Blok spent the last eight years of his life (1912–20). The 4th-floor apartment has been preserved much as it was when Blok lived here with his wife Lyubov (daughter of Mendeleev). When the poet fell ill in 1920, his family moved in
-
Central Naval Museum
Following a move to this beautifully repurposed building opposite the former shipyard of New Holland, the Central Naval Museum has moved into the 21st century and is now one of St Petersburgs best history museums. The superb, light-bathed building houses an enormous collection of m
-
Botanical Gardens
On eastern Aptekarsky (Apothecary) Island, this was once a garden of medicinal plants – founded by Peter the Great himself in 1714 – that gave the island its name. Today the botanical gardens contain 26 greenhouses on a 22-hectare site. It is a lovely place to stroll and a fascinat
-
Moscow State University (MGU)
Head to the hills south of the city for one of the best views of Moscow. From the square in front of Moscow State University, most of the city spreads out before you. It is an excellent vantage point to see Luzhniki, the huge stadium complex built across the river for the 1980 Olym
-
Narkomfin
The model for Le Corbusier’s Unitè d’Habitation design principle, this architectural landmark was an early experiment in semi-communal living. Designed and built between 1928 and 1930 by Moisei Ginzburg and Ignatii Milinis, Narkomfin offered housing for members of the Commissariat
-
Rumyantsev Mansion
History buffs should not miss this oft-overlooked but superb local museum. Part of the State Museum of the History of St Petersburg, the mansion contains an exhibition of 20th-century history, including displays devoted to the 1921 New Economic Policy (NEP), the industrialisation a
-
Oranienbaum Park
Spared Nazi occupation, after WWII Oranienbaum was renamed for the scientist-poet Mikhail Lomonosov. Now known as Oranienbaum again, it doubles as a museum and public park , with lots of beautiful pathways, ornamental lakes and other follies and pavilions to enjoy. Beyond the beaut
-
Mikhail Bulgakov Museum
Author of The Master and Margarita and Heart of a Dog, Mikhail Bulgakov was a Soviet-era novelist who was labelled a counter-revolutionary and was censored throughout his life. His most celebrated novels were published posthumously, earning him a sort of cult following in the late
-
Kirov Museum
Leningrad party boss Sergei Kirov was one of the most powerful men in Russia in the early 1930s. His decidedly unproletarian apartment is now a fascinating museum showing how the Bolshevik elite really lived: take a quick journey back to the days of Soviet glory, including choice e
-
Peterhof Town
The centre of Peterhof Town has plenty of sights. In front of the Grand Palace is the beautiful Upper Garden , which backs onto the Grand Palace. Wander down Pravlenskaya ul and you’ll find yourself in the middle of town. It’s well worth wandering past the handsome St Peter and Pau
-
Sokolniki
Changed beyond recognition in recent years, Sokolniki park is criss-crossed by cycling paths, and blends into a proper forest bordering on Losiny Ostrov national park (Национальный парк Лосиный остров). The area by the entrance, centred around a fountain, is full of cool eateries a
-
Sennaya Ploshchad
Immortalised by Dostoevsky, who lived all over the neighbourhood and set Crime and Punishment here, St Petersburg’s Haymarket was once the city’s filthy underbelly. Indeed, until a much-needed face-lift just over a decade ago, the square was overloaded with makeshift kiosks and mar
-
Gulag History Museum
Amid all the swanky shops on ul Petrovka, an archway leads to a courtyard that is strung with barbed wire and hung with portraits of political prisoners. This is the entrance to a unique museum dedicated to the Chief Administration of Corrective Labour Camps and Colonies, better kn
-
Tauride Palace & Gardens
Catherine the Great had this baroque palace built in 1783 for Grigory Potemkin, a famed general and her companion for many years of her life. Today it is home to the Commonwealth of Independent States and is closed to the public. The gardens, on the other hand, are open to all; onc
-
Sheremetyev Palace
Splendid wrought-iron gates facing the Fontanka River guard the entrance to the Sheremetyev Palace (built 1750–55), now a branch of the State Museum of Theatre & Music , which has a collection of musical instruments from the 19th and 20th centuries. The Sheremetyev family was f
-
Bolotnaya Ploshchad
Named after the swamp it used to be, Bolotnaya has a lot to tell about those who rebelled against the Kremlin, which views it warily from the other side of the river. Comprised of gardens and a bulging section of the citys main avenue, flanked by the grim constructivist Dom na Nabe
-
BAM Museum
Tynda’s pride and joy has four rooms of BAM relics and photos (no English), but also covers native Evenki culture, WWII, local art and regional wildlife. Dont miss the 9m-long barrel of Diogenes parked in the yard, where many later BAM workers lived during the railroads constructio
-
Novodevichy Cemetery
Adjacent to the Novodevichy Convent, the Novodevichy Cemetery is one of Moscow’s most prestigious resting places – a veritable who’s who of Russian politics and culture. Here you will find the tombs of Bulgakov, Chekhov, Gogol, Mayakovsky, Prokofiev, Stanislavsky and Eisenstein, am
Total
1113 -travel
FirstPage PreviousPage NextPage LastPage CurrentPage:
48/56 20-travel/Page GoTo Page:
