Visit the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, the burial place of tsars, beginning with Peter the Great. With its angel-topped, 400-foot gilded spire, it stands at the center of the fortress which was built as a defense against Sweden in 1704. Although the cathedral dates from the early 18th century, it was built on the site of an older wooden church. This was the first church in the city to be made of stone.
Tour the distinctive Russian Church of Our Saviour on Spilled Blood, which was built on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated in 1881. Although built between the late 1800s and early 1900s, the church was inspired by 16th century Russian architecture, such as St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow's Red Square. The church's gilded, onion-shaped domes are a distinctive sight in St. Petersburg. An outdoor market of Russian souvenirs is across from the church.
View the art in the State Hermitage Museum. Housed in the baroque Winter Palace, which occupies six impressive buildings along the banks of the River Neva, the Hermitage is right in the main center of the city and was once the tsars' private art collection. The distinctive green and white building trimmed with gold holds a collection of more than three million works of art, from the Stone Age to the 20th century. There is an admission charge to the spectacular Treasure Gallery, with its gold, silver and royal jewels, on the first floor.
One of the best ways to view the majesty of the St. Petersburg architecture is to take a boat trip on the River Neva and canals. A Russian tour guide normally gives a commentary on all the major sights. As the boats pass under many impressive and very low bridges, be careful not to stand up. Another sight on the river is the Russian battleship, Aurora, which heralded the start of the October revolution of 1917 with a blank shot from its gun.
A highlight for visitors to St. Petersburg is the 1,001-room Winter Palace, where the October revolution began and ended. Residence of the Russian tsars from Catherine the Great in 1762 to Nicholas II in 1917, the palace rooms are awash with jasper, malachite, agate and gilded mirrors. The palace houses the State Hermitage Museum, the Gallery of the 1812 War, the Great Throne Room, decorated in bronze and marble, and the malachite Room which is decorated with columns of malachite.
