Russia’s historic cultural capital of St. Petersburg dazzles visitors with its gilded palaces, fascinating museums, and bustling canals. Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, this grand metropolis on the Neva River contains a wealth of enthralling sights. Here are 12 of the top attractions to see in stunning St. Petersburg.
The Hermitage
No trip to St. Petersburg is complete without visiting the Hermitage Museum, one of the oldest and largest museums on earth. Occupying the Winter Palace and other opulent buildings, the Hermitage boasts over 3 million works of art spanning the ages. This unparalleled collection includes works by da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Rubens, Matisse and more masters.
Wandering through the Hermitage’s lavish halls provides intimate access to some of the globe’s most renowned fine art and antiquities. Visitors could spend days exploring its exhibits covering sculptures, paintings, jewelry, furniture, coins, weapons and much more across over 600,000 square feet of space. Exquisite artistry fills this must-see monument to human creativity.
Peterhof Palace
Known as “Russia’s Versailles”, Peter the Great constructed the regal Peterhof Palace to rival France’s extravagant palace. Situated on the Gulf of Finland about 25 miles outside the city center, Peterhof remains Russia’s most popular attraction outside Moscow. The immaculately maintained grounds contain opulent gardens, golden fountains, and more than 150 glittering water features.
The Grand Palace itself showcases over 300 rooms of treasures, including ornate ballrooms, gilded halls, and artwork masterpieces. The palace complex also includes charming additions like the seacoast-themed Monplaisir Palace and seaside of Roman fountains. With its mix of natural and manmade beauty, Peterhof provides a magical peek into the lavish lives of Russia’s tsars.
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
With its iconic Russian Orthodox onion domes, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is one of St. Petersburg’s most striking landmarks. Built at the site of Emperor Alexander II’s 1881 assassination, its intricate medieval-style design stands out gloriously along the city’s canals. The interior dazzles as well, with over 7,500 square meters completely covered in intricate mosaics.
Given its remarkable exterior and interior adornments, the cathedral has been dubbed a “museum of mosaics”. Visitors can stand inside this multi-hued marvel and admire biblical images, scenes from Russian history, and more in meticulous mosaic designs covering every surface. This St. Petersburg icon astounds all with its decorative splendor.
Catherine Palace
Home to Russia’s famous Amber Room, the Catherine Palace is among St. Petersburg’s most popular attractions. Located in the suburb of Pushkin, this palace was constructed in the ornate Rococo style for Catherine I. The exterior’s pastel-blue and white facade stretches nearly 1,000 feet long. Inside, highlights include the lavish Grand Hall and the restored Amber Room clad in gems.
Visiting the Catherine Palace allows you to experience the extravagant world of 18th century nobility. The palace presents imperial life through staterooms decorated with gold leaf, carvings, tapestries and other regal refinements. The surrounding gardens also dazzle with nearly 100 elaborately designed fountains. This “palace of palaces” provides a majestic glimpse into Russia’s grand imperial past.
St. Isaac’s Cathedral
Soaring above St. Petersburg’s skyline, the magnificent St. Isaac’s Cathedral ranks as one of the largest orthodox churches in the world. Designed by French architect Auguste de Montferrand, the cathedral took over 40 years to construct in the mid-1800s. The grand dome rises over 300 feet and gleams with 220 pounds of gold. Inside the cathedral, soaring marble columns and vibrant frescoes surround visitors with beauty.
In addition to admiring the cathedral’s opulence, brave visitors can climb its 300 steps to take in panoramic city views from the colonnade beneath the dome. The cathedral also contains an excellent museum with exhibits spotlighting ecclesiastical art, paintings and religious artifacts. This iconic place of worship remains a structural symphony of design.
Peter and Paul Fortress
As the birthplace of St. Petersburg, the Peter and Paul Fortress showcases the city’s founding history under Peter the Great. Visitors enter across the Neva River through the castle-style gatehouse to explore this historic stronghold. Inside you’ll find museums, cathedrals, prisons, and even a still-functioning mint.
Highlights include the Peter and Paul Cathedral containing the tombs of the Romanovs, along with the mint and history exhibits. The Trubetskoy Bastion prison housed famous inmates like Dostoevsky. Visitors can also simply roam the fortress grounds while appreciating the pivotal role this outpost played in the city’s establishment. It provides a powerful plunge into Imperial Russia’s enduring legacy.
Russian Museum
Along with the Hermitage, the Russian Museum holds a significant share of Russia’s most renowned fine art. This state museum houses the world’s largest collection of Russian art specifically, spanning many centuries of creativity from medieval icons to 20th century masterpieces.
Wandering the Russian Museum’s elaborate green and white Italianate halls lets you discover works by iconic Russian artists like Repin, Surikov and more. Exhibits progress chronologically through the eras providing incredible insights into Russian styles and history through the lens of its painters and sculptors. Temporary exhibitions also showcase cutting-edge contemporary works. For understanding Russian art, the Russian Museum is essential.
Mariinsky Theatre
Regarded as one of the world’s leading opera and ballet stages, the historic Mariinsky Theatre offers an unforgettable night at the performing arts. Opened in 1860, this elegant theater has premiered masterworks by Tchaikovsky and other greats. Attending a Mariinsky performance allows you to soak in the ambiance and acoustics of this storied venue.
Along with dramatic operas and ballets, the Mariinsky stages symphony concerts in its gorgeous blue-and-gold auditorium seating over 2,000. Backstage tours provide a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings enabling the Mariinsky’s artistry. Seeing a performance here, even just the affordable tickets in the upper tiers, makes for an incredible St. Petersburg treat.
Nevsky Prospekt
The lively three-mile main boulevard of Nevsky Prospekt offers one of the best places for seeing St. Petersburg street life and people watching. This vibrant thoroughfare buzzes day and night with shoppers, buskers, locals going about their business, and architecture spanning centuries. Historic sites line the street, like the Rastrelliesque Stroganov Palace and grand Kazan Cathedral.
Nevsky Prospekt also provides visitors excellent shopping and dining. Some attractions located just off the main drag include the Russian National Library, the Church of the Savior on Blood, and delightful Literary Café celebrating Pushkin. Strolling Nevsky Prospekt immerses you in the living heartbeat of St. Petersburg.
Peter and Paul Fortress
While the Peter and Paul Fortress grounds themselves are fascinating, the cathedral inside delivers one of St. Petersburg’s most striking interiors. Topped by a 400-foot-tall golden spire, the Peter and Paul Cathedral contains lavish tombs and monuments honoring Russian tsars from Peter the Great onwards. Many royalty including Nicholas II and his family have been interred here over three centuries.
The cathedral’s vaulted ceilings drip with chromatic grandeur through vibrant mosaics, gilded icons and 22 different types of marble. Visitors can admire the baroque opulence before descending to the Romanov tombs below. An excellent museum in the cathedral bell tower surveys triumphs and tumults across Russia’s complex imperial history as well. This site provides rare access to the rulers who shaped the nation.
Yusupov Palace
Famous as the luxurious site where the “mad monk” Rasputin was murdered in 1916, the Yusupov Palace provides an intriguing visit into lavish aristocratic life and one of Russia’s most notorious stories. The palace was the residence of Prince Felix Yusupov, who conspired to kill the monk Rasputin for his influence on the Romanovs. Today’s visitors can tour the palace’s ornate interiors at the scene of the grisly murder.
In addition to the mysterious Rasputin chamber, the palace contains an opulent theater, decadent state rooms and an elegant marble swimming pool in the basement. Temporary exhibitions complement the preserved living quarters offering a glimpse into how Russia’s noble class lived during the empire’s final decades. Between its intrigue and extravagance, the Yusupov Palace delivers fascinating insights.
Summer Garden
This idyllic imperial garden dates all the way back to Peter the Great, who used it for leisure and entertainment. Located near the Neva River next to the Summer Palace, the Summer Garden provides an oasis of beauty with manicured flowerbeds, glittering fountains, marble statues, and romantic arched walkways. Exploring the grounds makes for a refreshing change of pace from the bustling city center.
Visitors can amble through tree-lined paths while admiring the garden’s Italian and French-influenced design punctuated with classical sculptures. Concerts and arts events are hosted here as well. The garden truly comes alive in summer, with over 135 species of plants in bloom. An icon of landscape architecture, these historic gardens cultivate tranquility in the heart of the city.
Fabergé Museum
Located within the luxurious Shuvalov Palace, the Fabergé Museum houses the world’s largest collection of works from the famed House of Fabergé, jewelers to the Russian Tsars. The museum displays over 4,000 Fabergé pieces, including the stunning Imperial Easter Eggs created yearly for the Romanov rulers. Nine of the original Imperial Eggs are reunited here.
Along with its dazzling centerpieces, the Fabergé collection includes jewelry, silverware, and precious objets d’art spanning centuries of master craftsmanship. Visitors gain insight into both the beauty of the artworks and the fascinating history behind them. Temporary exhibits also showcase other legendary jewelers. For those captivated by Fabergé’s flawless gems and enameling, this collection dazzles with their handiwork.
Conclusion
The splendid architecture, palaces, galleries and museums of St. Petersburg offer experiences to dazzle all visitors’ senses.
From jaw-dropping collections like the Hermitage’s treasures to regal estates like Catherine Palace with its legendary Amber Room, St. Petersburg provides access to some of the world’s most magnificent art and artifacts. The city’s lavish imperial palaces, cathedrals, and gardens invite you to step into centuries of captivating history.
With fine arts stages like the Mariinsky Theatre and creative institutions like the Russian Museum, the city also celebrates enduring culture and creativity. By exploring attractions from the Peter and Paul Fortress’s origins to innovators like Fabergé, St. Petersburg reveals its enduring elegance, innovation, and openness for visitors to discover.