5 Gotta-Visit Places in Saint Petersburg, Russia

If visiting Russia is in your plans for the New Year, be sure to travel to Saint Petersburg while you are there. Saint Petersburg is a historic, beautiful European city with many places to go and much to keep you busy while you are there. There is much to see whether you visit the city during the summer months or in the wintertime when thelandscape is covered in snow. Although there are many wonderful places to see in the city, for the sake of speed I am going to point out the 5 must seeattractions in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

One of the first landmarks I would suggest visiting is the Peter and Paul Fortress built by Peter the Great in the 1700's. The opulent Peter and Paul Cathedral lies within the gates of the Fortress where many Russian Emperors and Empresses are buried. The cathedral is constructed of stone and has an unusual design for a Russian Orthodox Church of the day. There is a golden angel holding up a cross high on top the cathedral's gilded spire. The Peter and Paul Cathedral atover four hundred feet is also the tallest building in thecity. This is one of the reasons that I put this on my five must see landmarks in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Inside the fortress there is also the City History Museum and the Mint, a place where medals and coins are minted.

Another one of my five must see landmarks in Saint Petersburg Russia is the White Palace which through the ages housed the Russian Tsars. The White Palace is also known as the central building of the Hermitage Museum and is asuperb specimen of Baroque architecture. There are over seventeen hundred doors and over 1900 windows in the thousand plus room palace. The White Palace along with four other buildings form the world renowned Hermitage Museum. The Hermitage Museum houses the largest art gallery in Russia and is one of the most respected museums in the world.

The Alexander Column, designed by Auguste de Montferrand, is the focal point of Palace Square. The Alexander Column stands over 150 feet tall and has an angel holding a cross on on top of it. The column is constructed of a single monolith of red granite standing over eighty three feet tall. The Alexander Column is a achievement of engineering that was erected in less than two hours without using a crane. It is truly one of the five must see landmarks in Saint Petersburg Russia.

An impressive monument in honor of Peter the Great is the Bronze Horseman built by the order of Catherine the Great. According to legend Saint Petersburg will never be destroyed by its enemies while the Horseman guards Saint Petersburg. The sculpture was created by Etienne Maurice Falconet who created the pedestal out of a single piece of red granite made into a cliff where the horse and rider are displayed along with a snake which depicts the enemies of Peter the Great.

As you can imagine there are many interesting places to see while you are inSaint Petersburg. These five must see landmarks in Saint Petersburg Russia are just the beginning of a beautiful journey through the city.

Need flowers Saint Petersburg ? Visit www.sendflowers.ru/eng/flowers-russia-saint_petersburg/

Article Source: http://www.thearticleinsiders.com