If you are visiting Saint Petersburg for the first time, then you better be prepared to have fun. The city boasts of 200 parks and gardens and over 100 museums.
Popular Museums and Palaces
St Petersburg is home to famous museums all over the world and a good example is the Hermitage Museum. Founded in 1764, this museum is home to famous pieces of art that mainly focuses on the ancient Egypt and the 20th century. The museum also includes the works of Leonardo Da Vinci and other famous personalities. If you love research, then this is the museum to visit. Other popular museums in St Petersburg include The Fortress of Peter and Paul and the famous Russian Museum, among others.
The Mikhailovsky Castle – this castle was constructed for Paul I and it looks more of a citadel than a palace. In fact, this castle is known to be the most romantic building in Saint Petersburg. It is flanked by the Fontaka in the Eastern side and the Moika in the North. This building holds a rich history especially after the death of Paul I who was killed there back in 1801.
The Yusupov Palace – this is also another crucial landmark in Saint Petersburg. It was built in 1760 and it is associated with Prince Nikolai Yusupov who purchased it in 1830. This elegant and beautiful mansion also has a rich history in Russia connected to the death of Griory Rasputin on the night of 17th December 1916.
Popular Parks and Gardens
With 200 parks this city has one of the highest numbers of public parks in the world. They are covered with posh, green vegetation including flowers to create the perfect atmosphere for visitors to feel at home. If you have been planning to travel to Saint Petersburg, then you should not leave this city without relaxing in some of the following popular landmarks.
Maritime Victory Park – this is a municipal park based in Krestovsky Island. It was opened in 1945 as a commemoration of the Allied Forces’ victory over the Nazi of Germany during the World War II. In recent days, it occupies up to 243 hectares of beautiful, recreational and natural land famed of its beautiful garden and sculptures such as the Black Sea Fisherman not forgetting The Girl Greeting the Victors.
Kirov Central Culture and Leisure Park – this park provides the best environment for residents and visitors of Saint Petersburg to relax and have a leisurely feel. It is always full of activities especially during summer where you can enjoy kid rides, badminton, boat trips around the island and during winter, you can take part in skiing to explore this beautiful landscape.
The Alexander Garden – this park was named after Tsar Alexander II and it is situated just opposite the Hermitage and behind the Admiralty. The Botanical Garden is also a favorite for most visitors because it boasts of over 12,000 plant species. This garden is very suitable especially for tourists interested in botany and related topics. It provides a nice platform to practically see different plant species, their adaptation to their environment and other scientific topics regarding plants.
The Summer Garden – this is the oldest garden in the city. It was planned in 1704 by St Peter the Great and to date it boasts of being the oldest collection of various park sculptures in Russia. This garden has a great significance in the history of Russia and Saint Peter the Great and this gives you a good reason to visit it and learn more. Other popular gardens in St Petersburg include the Michael garden and the Tauride garden.
Leningrad Zoo
This is also another popular landmark in Saint Petersburg that you should visit. In fact, it is ranked second on the list of the largest Zoos in Russia. It has more than 2,000 animals that have been assembled from more than 400 species from different parts of the world. The Zoo provides the best platform for research especially for tourists and locals who are interested in topics that mainly focus on the behavior of animals.
Popular Monuments
If you are interested in sigh-seeing, then you have a reason to visit this city because it offers more than what you would expect. The Bronze Horseman is a popular monument that faces River Neva and boarded by the Admiralty and the famous St Isaac's Cathedral. This monument was built by the Empress Catherine the Great as a mark of respect to her predecessor, Peter the Great. It was created by the famous sculptor from France, Etienne Maurice. It includes a cliff made out of granite and on top of it Saint Peter bravely leads his fellow Russians forward as the horse seems to be stepping on a snake. In this case, the snake is used to symbolize the enemies of Russia.
Famous Bridges and Islands
Still on your tour of this city, you should never fail to visit the famous Blue Bridge. This is the widest bridge in the whole world with an amazing 319-foot span that covers the whole width of the famous Saint Isaac's Square. The bridge is built of iron and stands to be one of the most amazing landmarks in this city. The other must-see landmarks include the Palace Bridge, the Anichknov Bridge, the Bank Bridge, the Lomonosov Bridge and the famous Trinity Bridge.
Basically, St Petersburg is home to thousands of tourists from all over the world due to its wide range of landmarks. With every landmark in this city, there is a story behind it and as a tourist you will have so much fun learning about this city and the famous landmarks. Indeed, Saint Petersburg is a city worth including in your list of favorite destinations around the world.