St. Petersburg attractions

Near the Gorkovskaya metro station, it’s impossible not to notice the building with the Large Blue Dome. It’s a mosque. It’s an important place for Muslims. For tourists, it’s a beautiful building that’s a must-see.

The Saint Petersburg Mosque is located near the Peter and Paul Fortress, on Kronverksky Prospekt.

Construction took place between 1909 and 1920, designed by architect N.V. Vasiliev. The mosque was officially opened on February 22, 1913.

Dimensions:
Length – 45 m.
Width – 32 m.
Height of the main dome – 39 m.
Height of the minarets – 48 m.
Address: St. Petersburg, Kronverksky Prospekt, 7.
Nearest metro station: Gorkovskaya. (Distance approximately 350 meters.)

The location of the mosque is marked on the city map.

The Kazan Cathedral is located in the very center of St. Petersburg, on Nevsky Prospect, near the Gostiny Dvor department store and the Dom Knigi store. It is one of the largest cathedrals in St. Petersburg and one of the city’s most famous landmarks.

Thanks to its unusual appearance (for a Russian church), it’s impossible not to notice the cathedral while walking along Nevsky Prospect.

A grandiose, semicircular colonnade faces Nevsky Prospect. A semicircular cast-iron grille, considered a masterpiece of casting art, stands in front of the western façade.

Be sure to visit the cathedral’s interior. The cathedral’s decoration is equally impressive. The interior resembles a palace hall. Inside, there are 56 columns of pink Finnish granite with gilded decorative elements. Note the cathedral’s floor. It is made using different types of marble, creating a unique pattern on the floor. The lighting is well thought out.

Kazan Cathedral is closely associated with the War of 1812. After the victory over Napoleon, military trophies were brought here: 107 captured French flags and standards of defeated French regiments, and 93 keys to fortresses and cities captured by the Russian army. Field Marshal M. I. Kutuzov, who commanded Russian troops during the war with Napoleon, was also buried here.

In 1837, bronze monuments to the Russian commanders M. I. Kutuzov and Barclay de Tolly were ceremoniously unveiled in the square in front of the Kazan Cathedral. A significant portion of the trophies are now in museums, but some still hang on the walls of the cathedral.

Architectural Features

The architect Voronikhin designed the Kazan Cathedral. Emperor Paul I desired the new cathedral to be similar to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. At the same time, according to Orthodox tradition, the main entrance to the church should be located in the west, and the altar on the east side of the building.

For this reason, the Kazan Cathedral is located sideways to Nevsky Prospect. The main entrance to the Kazan Cathedral is not on Nevsky Prospect, but on Kazanskaya Street. Architect Voronikhin came up with an original solution. He added a semicircular colonnade (reminiscent of the colonnade in St. Peter’s Square in Rome) to the side wall of the church facing Nevsky Prospect. This is the one we see from the city’s main street. The cathedral itself is hidden behind the columns. The dome of the cathedral rises above the center of the colonnade.

Construction of the cathedral began in mid-1801, and it was completed in September 1811. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary formerly stood on this site, housing one of St. Petersburg’s most important relics—the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Kazan. The new cathedral was built specifically for this icon. The Kazan Cathedral is a functioning church, which should be taken into account when visiting the cathedral.

Dimensions and Other Information

The length of the Kazan Cathedral from west to east is 72.5 meters, and from north to south, it is 57 meters. The total number of columns forming the colonnade and portico is 136.
The colonnade on the Nevsky Prospekt side consists of 94 columns.
The portico on the south side of the cathedral has 20 columns.
The portico on the west side has 12 columns.
Column weight: 28 tons.
The height of the outer column is approximately 14 meters.
The lower column diameter is 1.45 meters, and the upper column diameter is 1.1 meters.
Maximum height: 71.6 meters.
Dome diameter: over 17 meters.
Admission to Kazan Cathedral is free.
The nearest metro stations are Nevsky Prospekt and Gostiny Dvor.
You can find the cathedral’s location on a map of St. Petersburg.

Not far from the Kazan Cathedral there are: Bank Bridge, Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, the Russian Museum, and the Mikhailovsky Theatre.

The Neva River divides into two branches near the Winter Palace and the Peter and Paul Fortress. The Bolshaya Neva flows south of Vasilievsky Island, while the Malaya Neva curves around the island from the north. This area, the eastern part of Vasilievsky Island, has its own name, the “Spit of Vasilievsky Island.” (This is a rough translation of the name from Russian to English.) Many consider it the most beautiful spot in St. Petersburg.

The Old Stock Exchange building is the most prominent landmark on the eastern end of Vasilievsky Island. In front of it stand two Rostral Columns. On major holidays, gas torches are lit at the tops of the columns. The embankment offers a beautiful view of the Neva, the Peter and Paul Fortress, and the Winter Palace. And this place itself looks beautiful from the embankments of the Neva.

Attention!!! The Palace Bridge (usually) opens at night in the summer. (This is done to allow ships to navigate the Neva.)
You may find yourself “trapped” on Vasilievsky Island and unable to access Nevsky Prospect at this time of night.

Pictured: view of the Neva and the Peter and Paul Fortress from the Spit of Vasilievsky Island in winter.

To reach this spot, cross the Neva on the Palace Bridge near the Winter Palace. The nearest metro station, Admiralteyskaya, is approximately 1 kilometer away.

The Spit of Vasilievsky Island is marked on the Map of St. Petersburg.

Also nearby are the Zoological Museum and the Kunstkamera. You can cross the Palace Bridge to Palace Square.

One of St. Petersburg’s landmarks are the ancient Egyptian sphinxes. Two sphinxes stand in a beautiful location on Vasilievsky Island, on the Neva River embankment (near the Blagoveshchensky Bridge) in St. Petersburg. The embankment offers a beautiful view of the Winter Palace and St. Isaac’s Cathedral, which are located on the opposite bank of the river.

The sphinxes were carved approximately 3,500 years ago. They were installed at the entrance to a temple near the city of Thebes in Egypt. The temple was built for Pharaoh Amenhotep III. The sphinxes’ heads are portraits of this pharaoh. The sphinxes are made of the mineral syenite.

The sphinxes were brought to St. Petersburg from Egypt in 1832 at the initiative of Muravyov, chamberlain of the Russian imperial court. The sphinxes were installed on the University Embankment of the Neva River in 1834.

Where can you see real Egyptian sphinxes? To do this, simply visit St. Petersburg. Photograph of the sphinx on the embankment in St. Petersburg.

You can check the location of the sphinxes and other interesting places on the St. Petersburg tourist map.

The most convenient way to get to this place is from Vasileostrovskaya station.

Also located near this place in St. Petersburg are: the Kunstkamera, the Menshikov Palace, the Academy of Arts, the Rumyantsev Garden, the University, and the Zoological Museum.

The most famous monument to Peter the Great is located on Senate Square in St. Petersburg. It is known to virtually all Russians as the “Bronze Horseman.” The monument is located on the Neva embankment, near St. Isaac’s Cathedral, between the cathedral and the Neva.

The Bronze Horseman is one of the city’s symbols and one of its main attractions. It is a popular spot among both locals and visitors. It is a must-see for tourists visiting the city, a popular film location, and a popular destination for newlyweds.

Peter the Great sits on a rearing horse, gesturing toward Sweden, Russia’s main rival at the time. The sculpture weighs approximately 8 tons, is over 5 meters high, the pedestal is over 6 meters high, and the total height of the monument is approximately 10.5 meters. The monument to Peter the Great was a great success and has become a favorite among city residents. In 1883, A.S. Pushkin titled one of his poems (the plot was related to the monument) “The Bronze Horseman.” This is the most common name for the monument today. The monument is easily accessible from St. Isaac’s Cathedral or the Winter Palace. It is approximately 700 meters from Palace Square.

Also located near the Bronze Horseman monument in St. Petersburg are: Palace Square, the Admiralty, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and the For Seasons Hotel.

Check the monument’s location on the St. Petersburg tourist map.
Admiralteyskaya is the nearest metro station: (approximately 700 meters). Exit the metro station, turn left, walk to St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and turn right, past St. Isaac’s Cathedral. Walk to the riverbank.

Pictured: The equestrian sculpture is the most famous monument in St. Petersburg.

The equestrian statue of Peter was created by sculptor Étienne Falconet. The contract with the sculptor was signed in 1766. Various designs for the monument were proposed, but the sculptor created the monument according to his own design. The preparation of the life-size plaster model of the monument took twelve years and was completed in 1769. The casting of the statue was completed in 1778. The granite stone for the pedestal was found near St. Petersburg and delivered to Senate Square. The monument was ceremoniously unveiled on August 7, 1782. It was the first equestrian monument to a Russian tsar.

The Lakhta Center is a new landmark in St. Petersburg, the city’s tallest building, a skyscraper, and a new business center. The Lakhta Center tower stands 462 meters tall.

Location

The Lakhta Center business center is located in the northwestern part of the city, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, at the junction of Lakhtinsky Prospekt and Primorskoye Highway, south of Lake Lakhtinsky Razliv. Approximately one kilometer east of the center is the 300th Anniversary of St. Petersburg Park. The Western High-Speed ​​Diameter (a toll road) is approximately 3 kilometers away. The nearest metro station, Begovaya, is located next to the Park and approximately 1.4 kilometers from the Lakhta Center.

The location of the Lakhta Center business center can be found on the map of St. Petersburg.

Information

• Construction (planned): 2012–2018.
• Number of floors: 87
• The spire is 462 meters high.
• The top floor is 386 meters high.

The Lakhta Center business center will house the offices of Gazprom, Gazprom Neft, and other companies.

According to online information, the Lakhta Center business center will also house:

Office space.
Medical center.
Sports complex.
Convention center.
Children’s science and education center.
Planetarium.
Panoramic restaurant.
Cinema.
Observation deck for tourists.
Exhibition space.

Not all St. Petersburg residents are happy with the addition of such a tall building to the city. The top of the Lakhta Center suddenly appears where you wouldn’t expect it. Many consider it an out-of-place feature in the city’s architecture. Furthermore, some question whether the city really needs it. High-rise buildings are justified where there’s a shortage of land for construction.

Opponents of high-rise buildings claim that the Lakhta Center is destroying St. Petersburg’s “skyline.” Look at the photo and make up your own mind.

In the photo: a view of Vasilievsky Island from the Hermitage. Can you see the Lakhta Center there?

Peterhof is one of the most popular, beautiful and attractive places for tourists in the suburbs of St. Petersburg. If you will be in St. Petersburg in the summer, then you definitely need to find time to visit the park with beautiful fountains and Peterhof Palace.

Peterhof is a small town, suburb of St. Petersburg. It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, at a distance about 30 kilometers south-west of the center of St. Petersburg. The population of the town is about 78,500 people.
Peterhof got its name from the German word Peterhof – “Peter’s Court”. From 1944 to 1997 the town was called “Petrodvorets”.

Peterhof was founded in 1710 as the emperor’s country residence. It received the city status in 1762. There were villages Kuusoja and Pohjajoki on the place of Peterhof on the coast of the Gulf of Finland prior to the beginning of the XVIII century. The most famous town landmark is the “Peterhof” museum.

Sea Channel view of the in Peterhof from the Grand Palace is shown in the picture.

The Museum Peterhof includes: “Peterhof Grand Palace,” “Upper Garden”, “Lower Park” and other objects.

The most interesting place for tourists (in summer) in Peterhof is “Lower Park”. Lower Park has an area about 102 hectares. The park stretches from west to east along the coast of the Gulf of Finland by 2.5 kilometers. Its width from north to south is about 500 meters.

The main decorations of the park are its fountains. “Grand Cascade” fountain is situated in the central part of the park, in front of Grand Palace. “Sea Canal” is laid from the Grand Cascade to the coast. The canal divides the park into two parts. “Adam” and “Eve” fountains, “Chess Mountain” and “Gold Mountain” fountains cascades, Monplaisir Palace and Hermitage Pavilion are located at the equal distance from the canal on both sides of the park. “Oak” and “Umbrella” fountains are children’s favorites. The most famous fountain in the park is “Samson tearing the lion’s mouth” named fountain.

Operating mode of the Peterhof Lower Park

• The park is open (summer 2026): 09:00 – 20:00.
• On Saturdays, the park is open from 9:00 to 21:00.
• Ticket office opening hours: 09:00 – 19:30.
• Fountains operate weekdays from 10:00 to 18:00 on weekends and public holidays from 10:00 to 19:00.
• Launch of the Grand Cascade fountains: 11:00.
• Entrance fee to the Lower Park: 1100/900 rubles (for citizens of Russia and Belarus). There are exemptions for certain categories of citizens. Prices for the summer season 2026. The cost of the full ticket for foreigners is 2500/2100 rubles.

How to get there
You can get to Peterhof:
By bus (get off at the “Fountains” stop)
From the Avtovo metro station, take buses #200, #210, #204E, and #343E.
From the Leninsky Prospekt metro station, take buses #103 and #343E.
From the Prospekt Veteranov metro station, take buses #103 and #343E.
From the Yugo-Zapadnaya metro station, take bus #201.

By sea transport from the pier at 18 Palace Embankment, near the Winter Palace. In Peterhof, the pier is located in the Lower Park, near the Sea Canal. A trip to Peterhof on the Meteor is probably the best option, although not the cheapest.

By electric train from the Baltic Station, then by bus: No. 352, No. 356, No. 463, No. 489/

Pushkin is a small town located just south of St. Petersburg. It is widely known and popular with tourists for its parks and the famous Catherine Palace. Until 1918, the town was called Tsarskoye Selo, and from 1918 to 1937, Detskoye Selo. Pushkin is located approximately 25 kilometers south of the center of St. Petersburg (Palace Square). It is approximately 11 kilometers from the ring road.

Pushkin is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (part of the historic center of St. Petersburg). The town’s population is approximately 100,000.

The town was founded in 1710 as the imperial country residence of Tsarskoye Selo. It received city status in 1808. The town is home to the Tsarskoye Selo Museum-Reserve. The most famous parts of the reserve are Catherine Park with the Catherine Palace and other parks and buildings.

Until the early 18th century, when this territory belonged to the Swedes, a Swedish estate stood on the site of the future city. On June 13, 1710, Emperor Peter the Great gifted the buildings located here to his future wife, Marta Skavronskaya (the future Empress Catherine the Great). This date is considered the city’s founding.

Between 1718 and 1724, a small two-story stone palace was built here.
During the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna, Tsarskoye Selo became the imperial residence. In the 1740s and 1750s, Catherine I’s small palace was rebuilt. From 1751 to 1756, the architect F.B. Rastrelli oversaw the reconstruction of the Catherine Palace. As a result, a luxurious palace was built and the park was expanded in Tsarskoye Selo. From 1811 to 1843, the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum was housed in a wing of the Catherine Palace. Alexander Pushkin, who later became a famous poet, lived and studied at the Lyceum from 1811 to 1817. On February 10, 1937, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the poet’s death, the city was renamed Pushkin.

It was here in 1837 that the first railway in the Russian Empire, the Tsarskoye Selo Railway, was built from St. Petersburg. During World War II, the city was occupied by German troops, who destroyed and damaged many of the palace buildings.

Parks and Palaces

Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo

Alexander Park is located northwest of Catherine Park. The park covers an area of ​​120 hectares. The park consists of a formal section (the New Garden) and a Landscape Park. The Alexander Palace is located within the park.

The Alexander Palace is located approximately 400 meters north of the Catherine Palace. The palace was built between 1792 and 1796 by the architect Giacomo Quarenghi.

The Catherine Park is located in front of the Catherine Palace. The park covers an area of ​​107 hectares. It consists of a formal Old Garden and a landscaped English Garden. The park features several ponds and numerous pavilions.

The Catherine Palace

The Catherine Palace is the oldest and most famous building in the town of Pushkin. Its splendor leaves a strong impression on visitors. By visiting the palace, you can learn how the Russian emperors lived.
The Grand Catherine Palace (also known as the Grand Tsarskoye Selo Palace) is one of the largest royal palaces near St. Petersburg. Construction of the palace began in 1717 by order of the Russian Empress Catherine. It was a small two-story palace with only 16 rooms.

In 1752, by order of Empress Elizabeth, the palace’s renovation began under the direction of architect F.B. Rastrelli. The result was a grand palace that still amazes visitors with its luxury.

The Grand Enfilade designed by Rastrelli is called the “Golden Enfilade” due to the abundance of gilded carvings. The Great Hall is the palace’s largest formal room. This elegant hall, over 800 square meters in area, was intended for official receptions and celebrations, gala dinners, balls, and masquerades.

The walls of the Picture Hall are decorated with 130 paintings by Western European artists.

The famous Amber Room was once located immediately behind the Picture Hall.

Amber Room

The Amber Room, or Amber Cabinet, is one of the most famous rooms in the Grand Catherine Palace. The decorative elements of the Amber Room were crafted in Prussia in the early 18th century. In 1716, the Amber Room was gifted by King Friedrich Wilhelm I to Peter the Great. In 1755, the Amber Room was installed in the Catherine Palace.

During World War II, the interior details of the Amber Room were taken away by German troops. The subsequent fate of the room was unknown.
The Amber Room was fully restored by restorers (including with the assistance of German firms).

The Catherine Palace sometimes hosts closed events (film shoots, banquets, weddings). On such occasions, the palace is closed to the public. For more information, please visit the museum’s official website: http://www.tzar.ru

We recommend: We recommend that you go to Tsarskoye Selo on your own.

How to get to the Tsarskoye Selo Museum?

By car from St. Petersburg, take Pulkovo Highway or Vitebsky Prospekt. The distance from the ring road is approximately 11 kilometers.

From Vitebsky Station in St. Petersburg, take the commuter train to Tsarskoye Selo Station, then walk or take bus #188. (The distance from the train station is approximately 2.5 kilometers.)

From Moskovskaya metro station, take buses #187, 478, or 252.

From Zvezdnaya or Kupchino metro stations, take bus #342.

Routes may have changed. Please check the map for details.

Address: 7 Sadovaya Street, Pushkin, St. Petersburg.

You can find the location of the Tsarskoye Selo Museum on the map of St. Petersburg.