Global Treasures - St. Petersburg - Russia

Global Treasures - St. Petersburg - Russia

In 1703, Tsar Peter The Great founded St. Petersburg in the swampy delta mouth of the River Newa and today it is a living monument to the lives and times of Russias Imperial Tsars.

The Winter Palace contains Russias largest museum, the Eremitage, which houses more than two and a half million exhibits. Since Peter the Great, Russian rulers purchased many major works of art, but it was Catherine The Great who acquired complete collections from the auction houses of Europe.

The Admiralty, with its needle-shaped, gold-plated tower, is one of the citys most famous landmarks, its grand architecture depicting the emergence of Russia as a naval power and the marvelous Isaaks Cathedral has the third largest dome in the world.Twenty four thousand tree stumps were used for its foundations and it can accommodate a congregation of 14,000.

At the widest part of the Newa is the regal and dominant, Peter And Paul Fortress that Peter The First had built to protect his capital city from Sweden and to guard Russias passage to the East Sea.The focal point of the fortress is the Peter And Paul Cathedral that served as the burial place of the Tsars and contains the marble coffin of Peter the Great.

Russian Baroque and Russian Classicism were established in St.Petersburg city of monumental events, outstanding architecture and an Imperial metropolis on the grand scale.