Mystic Russia in Seven Nights / Eight Days - Third and Final Stop - Saint Petersburg - Three Nights - Day II

Saint Petersburg

Three Nights / Three Days (half-day on day one and half day on day 4)
Day Two

We took you to Saint Petersburg after our trip through Moscow and Kazan. Yesterday we visited a few attraction on and around Nevsky Prospekt. the street with ornamental buildings on both sides.

Our day Two at Saint Peterburg starts with visiting a place where Saint Petersburg started to be built. The “Beginning of Saint Petersburg”, the  “Peter and Paul Fortress” on the banks of Neva River. 

Peter and Paul Fortress

This is the first Russian fortress in the location that was to be the future megacity called Saint Petersburg. Take public transport and reach  Vasilyevsky Island. To be precise, at Spit of the Island. The fortress is a short walk from here. The fortress is accessible through a bridge each at both of its entrances. This fortress is open to the public. However, there are entry fees at various buildings inside the Fortress.

Visiting this fortress will take a long time. There is a lot to see like the Cathedral where Tsars of Romanov family (Except two) are buried, Boathouse, a prison, etc. It would take at least 2 hours or more to complete the visit to Peter and Paul The fortress from the time one gets down from public transport at Vasilvevsky island and takes a  public transport back.

Peter and Paul Fortress on the banks of Neva

A Hydrofoil boat going to Peterhof

Flying Dutchman (Copy of a Dutch Sail Ship, Now a Restaurant)

Flying Dutchman, a Closer Look

Peter and Paul Cathedral

Adjoining Building

A Grave in the Fortress

Peter Gate

After visiting Peter and Paul Fortress, it is time to visit the palace square and (time permitting) Hermitage but we will take a detour and visit Grand Mosque of Petersburg first.

Grand Mosque of Saint Petersburg

As one exits the Peter gate of the fortress and crosses the connecting bridge to reach the main road, a little diversion (about 500 m) will take you to Saint Petersburg Mosque. It is called Saint Petersburg Mosque or Grand Mosque of Saint Petersburg.  It was constructed by the Tsar between 1909 to 1913. It may be the only mosque in Saint Petersburg and this happens to be the largest mosque in Europe (except Turkey) that can accommodate 5000 people. Is it Grand? It is but may not be as grand as all the other things in Russia.  See for your self.

Beautiful Lamp Post on the Raod Side

Grand Mosque of ST Petersburg

Another View

From Saint Petersburg Mosque, it is easy to walk to the Palace Square. To do this, all that is required to be done is to cross the Troitsky Bridge which can be seen below. Some more walk down along the Neva will take you to Palace Square.

Troitsky Bridge

The Hermitage and Palace Square

This trip takes one to Palace Square. Palace square is really the city centre of Tsar's time. This was the place where Russian history happened in the Tsarist era. Palace square is a vast open the non-vehicle area  with Winter Place (Hermitage Museum) on one side, Bow shaped General Staff Building on the other side and an Alexander Column (a 47.5 meter tall, half a ton granite column installed to commemorate the victory of Tsar Alexander I over Napoleon in 1814) in the centre.

The vibrant atmosphere of this square is seen to be believed. It is sheer beauty and you can spend a lot of time enjoying this place. It is worth spending time in the palace square, have an ice cream from the ice cream carts,  take ample photographs and have fun. From Palace Square, proceed to Admiralty Building.

If one has to visit Hermitage Palace and Museum, it should be attempted only if at least 3 hours to spare for this visit, though three hours are grossly inadequate. This period is the minimum needed just to stroll through this grand museum. In a three day programme, visiting Hermitage is a though target, however, if one has the time (entry fee is between 300 to 700 Rubles), a quick visit to the Hermitage can be made, if not for the artefacts, just to see the grandness of this Winter Palace.

Hermitage, The WIntwr Palace (Now one of the biggest museum)

Front View

Why Should Other Tourists have all the Fun (I am at Extreme Left, and then Shreya, Rekha and Girish from left to right)

Alexender Column

Murals on the Base of the Column

General Staff Building (Opposite Hermitage)

General Staff Building, Another View

It is now time to move to another great place, second structure to be built after Peter and Paul Fortress. 

The Admiralty Building

Admiralty Building is one of the oldest building of Saint Petersburg. It was built the year 1703 when the construction of the city started. Originally, it was Admiralty shipyard where ships were made for Imperial Russian Navy. After serving for nearly 140 years, the shipyard operations were closed and the Admiralty was put to use as administrative offices. It is the current headquarter of the Russian Navy.

The major attraction is the building itself and its golden Spire (actually made of wood from inside). It is a building with over 400 m façade facing Alexzendrovskey Garden. The Spire and the Golden Ship-shaped Weather Cock has come to signify the City of Saint Petersburg. The photos speak for themselves.

Admiralty Building Main Gate with the famous Ship Shaped Weather Cock 

Let us now move to a statue of a great Tsar, Peter the Great. This statue is  famously called "The Bronze Horseman"

The Bronze Horseman

The Bronze Horseman. It is a grand equestrian statue of Peter the Great, installed on a Huge granite rock carved fro a much larger rock called Thunder Stone, the largest stone ever moved by humans (no animals) alone. The original rock was of 7 x 14 x 9 m and weighed about 1500 T. The Statue is situated in the Senate Square very close to both Admiralty and Isaac’s Cathedral.

The statue is about 6 m tall and the pedestal is about 7 m tall. That makes the height of the statue 13 m from the ground. There is a beautiful garden around it where one can sit and admire the statue and the surrounding buildings, Admiralty, Senate and St Isaac’s Cathedral. It is a tradition that when a boy and a girl marry, they go round and get photographed themselves with major landmarks and monuments in the city. The Bronze Horseman, the statue of Peter the great, Installed by Catherine the II in the year 1872 is a major landmark, never missed by newly married couples. After spending some time in the garden, we move to Saint Isaac's Cathedral.

Street View at the Bronze Horseman

The Bronze Horseman, Ready for the Campagne (Senate building in the background)

Side View, the Bronze Horseman

Close up - Peter the Great 

Saint Isaac’s Cathedral

Saint Isaac Cathedral was built in a 40 years period between 1818 and 1858. This is the biggest Russian Orthodox Christian Cathedral and also the fourth-largest Cathedral in the world. It has a central dome a which has a viewing gallery and four smaller domes on its four sides. It has beautiful exteriors and grand interiors. 

There is an entry ticket to visit the inside of this cathedral and there is an independent entry fee for going up on 43-meter observation deck. Going up on to the Observation Deck gives an opportunity to have a panoramic view of the grand city of Saint Petersburg. This cathedral also has been converted to a Museum (like Saviour of The Spilled Blood Cathedral, also administered by a common set up). 

This Cathedral is a must-visit place when in Saint Petersburg. By the time one finishes the visit, it would be late evening. It may be a good idea to return to your accommodation, freshen up and set out for your Dinner.

Saint Isaac's Cathedral

Another View

Closer Look

Opening of Draw Bridges

When in Saint Petersburg, witnessing the opening of Draw Bridges is the “Not to be Missed” thing. There are 12 bridges that can be lifted but only 9 bridges are regularly opened on a daily basis. The other three are lifted on a need basis. Also, the river shipping traffic from Baltic sea to Neva / Volga river system and vice versa operates only between April and November (when the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea) is not frozen. The opening (and closing) of bridges can be seen only during this period.

They are not lifted for entertaining tourists. It is an amazing thing to see the central part of the bridges on Neva River, massive ones, get lifted up for shipping traffic to pass from Baltic sea to Neva River and vice versa.   There are many people who would be there and the festivities are generally on. This fun is totally free unless you want to do a Bridge Opening Chasing tour on a boat in Neva river. One needs to check the timing of the opening of the draw bridges for the day one wants to see it.

Draw bridge opening schedule can be checked at - https://en.mostotrest-spb.ru/

By the time one witness this spectacle, it would be past midnight. 

Bridge with the span closed (about to open)

Peter and Paul Fortress, the Majestic night look

Khul Ja Sim Sim and the bridge opens

Fully Opened

Now its time to get some sleep and be refreshed for a long visit tomorrow.