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Saint Petersburg ( Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated "Piter"), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924- 1991) and Petrograd (Петрогра́д, 1914- 1924), is a city located in Northwestern Russia on the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. Founded by tsar Peter the Great, it served as the capital of the country during the 18th and 19th centuries. With over 4.7 million inhabitants ( 2002), it is today Russia's second largest city, a major cultural center and an important port.
The Hermitage Museum
Perhaps the most famous of St. Petersburg's landmarks is the Hermitage Museum, one of the world's largest and richest collections of Western European artThis article is part of the Art history series. Pre-historic art Arts of the ancient world European art history Islamic art history Arts of the Far East Contemporary art Medieval Art Main article: Medieval art Art during Medieval times was almost exclusiv. The building that houses the Hermitage - the old Winter PalaceLocated on the bank of the Neva River, the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia was built between 1754 and 1762 as the winter residence of the Russian tsars. First occupied by Catherine the Great, the Baroque-style, green-and-white palace has 1786 door - is an architectural landmark in its own right. Another, rather different museum is the Kunstkamera , established by Peter the Great and housing primarily ethnographic collections.
The city is graced by a number of cathedrals, including the Peter and Paul CathedralThe Peter and Paul Cathedral is located inside the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, Russia. The fortress, originally built by Peter the Great, is the first and oldest landmark in St. Petersburg built in 1703 along the Neva River. Peter's main re, St. Isaac's Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral , and the Church of the Savior on BloodThe Church of the Savior on Blood is one of the main Russian Orthodox cathedrals of St. Petersburg. The name refers to the blood of the assassinated Alexander II of Russia, and that of the martyred Jesus. Construction began in 1883 on the site of the empe. These operate today primarily as museumA museum is a non-profit making, permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, and open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study, education and enjoyment, material evis.
The Resurrection Church The Peter and Paul Fortress (see "History", below) occupies a dominant position in the center of the city. It houses the cathedral of the same name, as well as a number of other museums. A boardwalk has been built along a portion of the fortress wall, giving visitors a clear view of the city across the river to the south.
Other noteworthy landmarks include the Alexander Column and Tikhvin Cemetery at the Alexander Nevsky Monastery (monastery), where many members of the Russian royal family received their education.
Architectural landmarks of 18th and 19th centuries include the Smolny Institute , Palace Square with the Winter Palace, Nevsky Prospekt, the labour exchange building (Russian: здание биржи труда) on Vasilyevskiy Island , Dekabristov Square with the monument of Peter I (erected 1782), the Mariinsky Theater, Rossi Street and the Ostrovskiy Square, Square of Arts. Between 1950-1980 there were erected new residential areas, administrative and public buildings. The memorial complex at Piskarevsky Cemetery was created in 1960. The historical center of St. Petersburg is included in the UNESCO list of world heritage sites.
The majestic appearance of St. Petersburg is achieved through a variety of architectural details including long, straight boulevards, vast spaces, gardens and parks, decorative wrought-iron fences, monumental and decorative sculptures. The Neva River itself, together with its many canals and their granite embankment s and bridges, gives the city a unique and striking ambience. These bodies of water give St. Petersburg the name of 'Venice of the North'.
During the city's original construction, the mouth of the Neva was routed into a series of canals, which still crisscross the central portion of the city, giving it the name of Venice of the North.
St. Petersburg's position near the Arctic Circle, on the same latitude as nearby Helsinki, Stockholm and Oslo (60° N), causes twilight to last all night in May, June and July. This celebrated phenomenon is known as the 'white nights.' The white nights are closely linked to another attraction - the nine drawbridges spanning the Neva. Tourists flock to see the bridges drawn and lowered again at night to allow shipping to pass through the city.
Many historic buildings in the city have been restored in preparation for the three hundredth anniversary of its founding ( May 27, 2003).
The Hermitage museum complex