Sights & Attractions in St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg Sights

The city's focal point is the Admiralteistvo, or Admiralty, a spire-top golden-yellow building; a stone's throw away is the Winter Palace, the city's most visited attraction. Three major avenues radiate outward from the Admiralty: Nevsky prospekt (St. Petersburg's main shopping street), Gorokhovaya ulitsa, and Voznesensky prospekt. Most visitors begin, however, at Palace Square, site of the fabled Hermitage. The square is one of the best starting points for exploring the city, and not just for geographical reasons: in a way it symbolizes the city's past, the transition years, and the present. The square housed not only the center of power—the tsar's residence and the great offices of state—but also the splendid art collections of the Imperial family. In the twilight of the tsar's empire, it was here that troops were ordered to disperse a workers' demonstration on Bloody Sunday in 1905—sealing the fate of the Imperial family and ushering in the Revolution of 1917.

Wherever you go exploring in the city, remember that an umbrella can come in handy. In winter be prepared for rather cold days that alternate with warmer temperatures, often resulting in the famous Russian snowfalls. One note: as with most Russian museums, you will find that St. Petersburg's museums charge a small extra fee to entitle you to use your camera or video camera within their walls.

In Russia prices are officially listed in rubles. However, you may still see some prices listed in "conditional units." The "unit" is basically that day's dollar rate, or increasingly in St. Petersburg, that day's euro rate.