Saint Petersburg[ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk]
Petersburg – Petrograd – Leningrad: these are many names of the city with the remarkable unique destiny. It is the second largest city of Russia and one of the world’s major cities. St. Petersburg has played an important role in Russian history since its founding in 1703. For two centuries (1712–1918) it was the capital of the Russian Empire.
St. Petersburg is a mecca of cultural, historical, and architectural landmarks. Founded by Tsar Peter I (the Great) as Russia’s “window on Europe,” it bears the unofficial status of Russia’s cultural capital.
St. Petersburg is located on the delta of the Neva River, at the head of the Gulf of Finland. The city spreads across 42 islands of the delta and across adjacent parts of the mainland floodplain. The very low and originally marshy site has subjected the city to recurrent flooding, especially in the autumn.
When St Petersburg served as the capital of the Russian Empire, the Imperial family always had ambitious plans for building palaces, parks and places of worship that would outdo the ones built before. Some landmarks outshine their contemporaries until this day and attract many visitors who admire them and their former glory.