Founded by Peter the Great in 1703, Peter and Paul Fortress was the first structure built in St Petersburg. It has a rich and somewhat sinister history as a military base, a home of government departments, burial ground of the Russian imperial family, the site of ground breaking scientific experiments and one of the most feared prisons in the Russian Empire.
St Petersburg is known for its amazing array of churches, among which Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, Kazan Cathedral and St. Isaac’s Cathedral are most visited by tourists in St Petersburg.
Peterhof is one of the most popular tourist attractions. It is sometimes referred to as “the Russian Versailles” and Versailles was the inspiration for Peter the Great’s desire to build an imperial palace in the suburbs of his new city. Peter’s daughter, Empress Elizabeth ordered the expansion of the Grand Palace and greatly extended the park and the famous system of fountains. Today Peterhof palace and park is drawing millions of visitors every year.
St Petersburg is Russia’s second largest city after Moscow. However, it is unlike any other Russian city. Dominated by the Winter Palace which stretches for 200 meters along the river front, it was the capital of imperial Russia. Its Hermitage Museum housed in the Winter Palace is one of the world’s greatest and oldest collection of art, treasure, and antiques with over 3 million items in its collection. It is no surprise that it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Suomenlinna, originally called Viapori in Finnish, was founded in 1748 on a cluster of islands off coast of Helsinki. Its construction began in the 18th century when Finland was still part of the Kingdom of Sweden. In 1808, Viapori was transferred under the rule of the Russian Imperial Government. With Finland’s independence in 1917, Viapori was taken over by the newly founded Finnish government in 1918 and renamed Suomenlinna (‘Castle of Finland’). It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 2017 has been a great year for me and I look forward to better years ahead. May the spirit of Christmas brings peace, love and joy to us all.
Have a very blessed Christmas!
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