It's best to come to St.Petersburg in spring. Early May would be excellent. Go out in the morning about 7 am when everybody only gets up or even sleeps – and the beauty if the city is entirely at your disposal…
Cathedrals
St. Petersburg is endowed with hundreds of churches representing scores of faiths, but is probably most renowned for its unparalleled collection of Russian Orthodox Cathedrals. In fact, the current head of the Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Alexy II formerly headed the regional Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga Russian Orthodox Church.
Alexander Nevsky Monastery
Historic and revitalized Alexander Nevsky Monastery is a beautiful complex of churches dating back to the time of the city's founding and prestigious cemeteries that house the graves of some of Russia's historic cultural giants including Tchaikovsky, Dostoyevsky, Glinka and others.
Cathedral of SS Peter & Paul
The Cathedral of SS Peter & Paul (1712-1733), with its landmark needle-thin spire, magnificent Baroque interior and burial site for most of the pre-Revolutionary Russian leaders, is well worth seeing. SS Peter & Paul Cathedral is the oldest church in St. Petersburg. It is also the tallest building in the Northern Capital (excluding the TV tower).
Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Commonly referred to as the Savior on the Blood Church because it was built as a memorial on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated on March 1, 1881. Designed by architect Alfred Parland in the style of 16th and 17th Russian churches, the Savior on the Blood Church offers an amazing contrast to the Baroque, Classical, and Modernist styles predominant in the Northern Capital. It's unique decorations include icons and panels made from majolica and mosaic, which were created from drawings by the leading Russian artists of last century. Restorers say the church contains more mosaics than any other church in the world.
Smolny Cathedral
Smolny Cathedral (1748-1754), located on Ploschad Rastrelli, is one of the most beautiful churches in St. Petersburg. Its dazzling cupolas and baroque style architecture rise majestically above the banks of the Neva River.
St. Nicholas' Naval Cathedral
The golden Baroque spires and domes of St. Nicholas' Naval Cathedral of the Theophany (1753-62), rises among the trees at the bottom of ulitsa Glinki and shines above the bland residential and commercial buildings in the area, and shelters many revered 18th century icons and a fine carved wooden iconostasis. Its beautiful bell tower overlooks the Kryukov Canal.
St. Sampson Cathedral
A short walk from Viborgskaya Metro Station on the city's North West side, the five enchanting onion domes of historic St. Sampson Cathedral (1728-1733) rise dazzlingly above the far end of Sampsonievsky garden. The church was originally built in memory of the Russian victory at Poltava and boasts five magnificent Baroque style cupolas. It also maintained two of the oldest cemeteries in the city which were the resting sites of Empresses Anne and Elizabeth and several late great architects including Trezini and Rastrelli.
Transfiguration Cathedral
Historic Savior of the Transfiguration Cathedral (1827-29) rises above Transfiguration Ploshchad close to Liteyny Prospect. The area was once home to the prestigious Transfiguration regiment of the Russian Army. The beautiful square outside the cathedral is home to an impressive array of cannons that were used by the regiment to repel the Turks at Varna; an extravagantly decorated fence, and two historic and important icons. It is also one of the most visited cathedrals in the Northern Capital.
Trinity Cathedral
In the historic center of the Venice of the North, south along the Kryukov Canal from the gleaming golden domes of St. Nicholas Cathedral across a footbridge over the Fontanka River is the large blue-domed Trinity Cathedral (1828-35) located at 7 Izmailovsky Prospect (tel. 251-8765). It is a fine example of classical edifice built by the renowned Russian architect Vasily Stasov. The impressive five-domed cathedral can house up to 3 thousand visitors, but sadly after decades of abuse it has only begun to be restored to its pre-Revolutionary splendor.
Vladimir Mother of God Icon Church
Completed in 1783, beautiful and historic Vladimir Mother of God Icon Church is one of the oldest and most unique churches in St. Petersburg. It's combination of baroque and classical architectural styles are truly fascinating. The church is crowned with five onion-shaped cupolas, which rise into the sky above Vladimir Ploshchad in one of the most historic areas of the Northern Capital. An impressive four-tiered bell tower stands adjacent to the church. The church is also home to one of the oldest and most elaborate iconostasises in Russia.
Monuments and memorials
The Bronze Horseman
A monument to Peter the Great
The Bronze Horseman, an impressive monument to the founder of St Petersburg, Peter the Great,stands on Senatskaia Ploschad' (Square), facing the Neva River and surrounded by the Admiralty, St Isaac’s Cathedral and the buildings of the former Senate and Synod - the civil and religious governing bodies of pre-revolutionary Russia.
The monument was built by order of the Empress Catherine the Great as a tribute to her famous predecessor on the Russian throne, Peter the Great. Being a German princess by birth, she was eager to establish a line of continuity with the earlier Russian monarchs. For that reason an inscription on the monument reads in Latin and Russian: Petro Primo Catarina Secunda - To Peter the First from Catherine the Second.
This equestrian statue of Peter the Great, created by the famous French sculptor Etienne Maurice Falconet, depicts the most prominent reformer of the Russia state as a Roman hero. The pedestal is made of a single piece of red granite molded into the shape of a cliff. From the top of this "cliff" Peter gallantly leads Russia forward, while his horse steps on a snake, which represents the enemies of Peter and his reforms.
According to a 19th century legend, enemy forces will never take St. Petersburg while the "Bronze Horseman" stands in the middle of the city. During the Second World War the statue was not taken down, but was protected with sand bags and a wooden shelter. In that way, the monument survived the 900-day Siege of Leningrad virtually untouched.
Location: Ploschad Dekabristov
Monument to Catherine the Great
This monument to Catherine the Great was unveiled in 1873. The Empress was adored by the people of St. Petersburg for all her efforts to improve the life and education provided by the city and her reign has long seen been known as the "golden age" of Russia. The statue of Catherine is surrounded by delicately carved figures of the most prominent individuals of her reign: politicians and poets, military men and courtiers. The monument is located in the middle of a small, grass-covered square, just off Nevsky Prospekt, which is lined by the Anichkov Palace, the Alexandrinsky Drama Theater and the Russian National Library. As one of the country's most enlightened monarchs, Catherine could not have chosen a better spot herself.
The monument was designed by the Russian artist M.O. Mikeshin and created by the best sculptors and architects of the day. Catherine the Great is dressed in her official gown and holds a scepter in her right hand and an olive wreath in her left hand. The pedestal is decorated with the symbols of royal power. Among the dignitaries, who's likenesses have been carved on the statue's pedestal, are Alexander Suvorov, perhaps the most famous general in Russian history, Prince Potiomkin, the general and politician, Ekaterina Dashkova, the first woman to chair the Russian Academy of Sciences (in the 18th century!!!) and the celebrated poet Gavrila Derzhavin.
Where? Ploschad Ostrovskovo, just off Nevsky Prospekt
Metro: Gostiny Dvor
Alexander Column
The Alexander Column (Aleksandrovskaia Kolonna ), the focal point of Palace Square, was designed by the French-born architect Auguste de Montferrand and built between 1830 and 1834. The monument is 155 feet 8 inches tall and is topped with a statue of an angel holding a cross (the face of the angel is said to be modeled on the face of Emperor Alexander I). The body of the column is made of a single monolith of red granite, which stands 83 feet 6 inches high and about 11 feet 5 inches in diameter. It is a terrific feat of engineering that this enormous column, weighing an incredible 1,322,760 pounds (600 tons), was erected in under 2 hours without the aid of modern cranes and engineering machines.
The pedestal of the Alexander Column is decorated with symbols of military glory. The monument is particularly impressive on a sunny evening shortly before dusk, when the last beams of sunlight are reflected in the polished red granite of the column.
Location: Palace Square
Monument to Fiodor Dostoyevsky
St. Petersburg is often times referred to as Dostoyevsky's city. The great Russian novelist spent most of his adult life here and wrote some of his most famous works here including "The Brothers Karamazov" and "Crime and Punishment." Moreover, the city itself, including the landscape and climate, act as an important backdrop in many of his works.
Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad
This powerful and impressive monument was built as the focal point of Ploshchad Pobedy (Victory Square) in the early 1970s to commemorate the heroic efforts of the residents of Leningrad and the soldiers on the Leningrad Front to the repel the Nazis in the 900-day Siege of Leningrad during World War II
Piskariovskoye Memorial Cemetery
The sobering Piskariovskoye Cemetery is a poignant reminder of the scale of the tragedy the city lived through during the Second World War and (the 900-day Siege of Leningrad). For over 2 and a half years the Nazis kept Leningrad under siege, preventing any movement of people, food or armaments, but despite the horrors experienced by the city’s residents, Leningrad did not surrender. In St. Petersburg we take pride in the fact that during almost 300 years of the city's history enemy forces have never invaded it.
Hundreds of thousands of people died in the city (mostly of cold and starvation) during the siege. About half a million of them, including 420,000 civilians, are buried in the cemetery's 186 mass graves. The slightly raised mounds are marked by year and a long alley leads the visitor to a monument with a statue of the Motherland, portrayed as a grieving woman. Many of St Petersburg families come to the cemetery once or twice a year to bring flowers and pay tribute to the city's defenders, perhaps to members of their own family, who died during the Siege, which the Russians call Blokada.
Near the entrance there is an eternal flame, where everyone stops and gives a minute’s silence in mourning for all those lost during the siege and two pavilions, housing an exhibit of moving photographs and documents depicting the siege. During summer time Russians drop coins into the small ponds in the cemetery, which go towards the maintenance of the site.
Location: Prospekt Nepokorionnykh.
The Narva Triumphal Arch
The Narva Triumphal Arch was erected as a memorial to the war of 1812. A wooden triumphal arch designed according to the plan of famous Italian classical architect Dzhakomo Quarenghi. Quarenghi also built the Concert Hall pavilion (1782-88), Alexander Palace in Pushkin (1792-1800) and the Smolny Institute (1806-08) in St. Petersburg. The Narva Triumphal Arch was specially constructed on the Narva highway to greet the soldiers who were returning from abroad after their victory over Napoleon. The arch was located approximately halfway between Ploshchad Stachek and Obvodny Canal.
The Moscow Triumphal Arch
The Moscow Triumphal Gates (1834-38) were erected in the memory of the Russian victory in the Russo-Turkish war of 1828. At first, city leaders planned to place the triumphal gates by Obvodny Canal but as the city limits expanded further to the south the site for the gates was moved to the intersection of the Moscow highway and the Ligovsky Canal. In this way, the gates not only became a triumphal structure but also an impressive gateway into the Imperial capital. Two guard posts, which served as posts for century guards were also erected on both sides of the highway at the entrance to the city
The Monument to Peter the Great
The impressive bronze monument to Peter the Great sitting on a pony was erected in front of the Mikhailovsky castle in 1800.
Renowned Italian sculpture Carlo Rastrelli prepared the model of the sculpture before Peter the Great's death in 1725. But the sculpture's casting was only completed between 1745 and 1747, and the monument remained in a local building warehouse and was not erected for half a century.
The monument to Peter the Great has an especially beautiful silhouette and thanks to a high socle clearly and distinctly stands out from the background of the sky. Moreover, the light shades of marble, which make up the monument's pedestal, contrast nicely with the dark bronze monument.
Rastrelli succeeded in sculpting a particularly impressionable and powerful image of Peter the Great.
The monument's pedestal faced with green, red and white-shaded Karelian marble is decorated with two bronze bas-reliefs of the Battles of Poltava and Hango, and also an allegorical composition with trophies.
Russian victories at Poltava and off Hango, Finland helped Russia become the dominant power in the north of the continent, establish itself on the Baltic, gain its "window into Europe" and finally become an Empire.
Peter the Great led his troops to both victories.
On July 8, 1709 Peter the Great led his troops to a major victory which finally destroyed the Swedish army.
Off Hango, Finland on July 27, 1714 the Russian Navy under the command of Peter the Great routed the Swedish Navy and captured all 10 of the enemy's ships in its first major victory.
The statue of Peter I was removed from its pedestal at the beginning of WWII and sheltered from the two-and-a-half year German siege. The monument was restored in 1945.
Monument to Peter the Great (by Mikhail Shemiakin)
In the 20th century a new square was developed on the site where Dance Square was previously situated. In 1991, a new memorial was erected on this square in the name of the city's founder Peter the Great. The memorial was created by Leningrad artist Mikhail Shemyakin and donated to the city.
The unfamiliar and mysterious Emperor who reminds one of a criminal awaiting his execution in the electric chair is comfortably arranged in a large bronze chair with armrests, and seemingly ready to jump out of his chair and remind all around him that he is the ruler of his country.
Indeed, the sculpture seems to bring out the most contradictory feelings in the viewer, and in spite of its relatively young age the sculpture is already the object of much city folklore. In fact, the citizens of the city have come to name the monument "Bronze Stay-at-Home" and "Peter IV" which refers to the fact that it is the fourth monument to Peter the Great in the city. It also does not seem to bare any resemblance to the original and therefore it is called "the fourth."
Over time St. Petersburg citizens have grown to love the memorial. Arguments about the monument have died down, and curiously enough city traditions have grown up around the monument. For example, the bronze on Peter the Great's hands and legs shines brightly and therefore it seems that everyone wants to touch the memorial for good luck and also lay flowers at the feet of the monument, especially the young people of the St. Petersburg.
"The Tsar Carpenter"
The impressive monument to Peter the Great "Tsar Carpenter" which now stands on the Admiralty embankment has a particularly fascinating history. The highly detailed monument portrays a young and determined Peter the Great undergoing the laborious task of building a ship with rolled up sleeves and an axe in one clenched hand. 300 years ago a young Peter the Great set off to the city of Zaandam in Holland to learn the craft of ship building which he would bring back with him to Russia to help build the Russian Navy.
In 1909, the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II in honor of the bicentennial of the great Russian Naval victory at Poltava presented the city of St. Petersburg with a monument completed by sculptor Leopold Bernshtam. The monument was titled "Peter the Great learning the craft of ship building in the city of Zaandam." And in the following year a copy of the monument to Peter the Great was also presented to the city of Zaandam, which remembers Peter the Great till this day.
However, as fate would have it, the monument to Peter the Great which became known by the nickname "Tsar Carpenter," did not remain very long on the banks of the Neva River at the Admiralty Embankment where Peter the Great also worked as a craftsman at the nearby Warf. The Bolsheviks tragically destroyed the monument in 1918 shortly after coming to power.
Yet the bronze copy of the original "Tsar Carpenter" monument remained in Holland. On September 7, 1996 the copy was given to city of St. Petersburg by the Government of the Netherlands in honor of the tri-centennial of the Russian Navy and the tri-centennial of the Great Embassy of Peter the Great in the Netherlands. The monument made its way back to the city on the Neva by royal frigate and was then transferred from the frigate by helicopter to its current site on a pedestal on the Admiralty Embankment
Monument to Nicholas I (on Isaakievskaya Square)
The monument to the iron-willed and notoriously despotic Russian ruler Nicholas I on St. Isaac's Square was built by renowned Russian architect August Monferrane between 1856 and 1859. Monferrane also built the neighboring St. Isaac's Cathedral.
The monument to Nicholas I accurately and powerfully depicts the determined absolutist Russian ruler as a powerful military figure.
In fact, Nicholas I was a junior army officer at heart. He was especially devoted to his troops and intricately involved in the details of the military from ordering the alteration of military uniforms to specializing in the engineering of military fortresses.
His despotic rule over Russia from 1825-1855 saw the crushing of the liberal Decembrist revolt and the expanse of Russian territory largely at the expense of Turkey.
Several different sculptures were used in creating the monument. A large model of the pony which Nicholas I sits on was completed by famous Russian classical sculpture Peter Klodt.
N. Ramazanov and R. Zaleman sculpted the model of the monument's pedestal. Zaleman also sculpted the four allegorical female figures, steel fixtures and ornaments on the pedestal and bas-relief showing the historic and significant "Delivery of the Codification of Law to Count Michael Speransky." It was largely through the work of Speransky and his associates that the new code was introduced during Nicholas I's reign in January 1835 marking a milestone in Russian jurisprudence.
P. Klodt completed the casting of the pony statue and two bas-reliefs in the Liteinoy artist's studio of the Academy of Arts. A local factory completed the remaining bronze parts of the monument.
The impressive pedestal stands on a short platform made of red Finnish granite with three steps. The lower part of the pedestal is made of dark gray granite and red porphyry. The middle part is decorated with bronze bas-reliefs and hewed from red Finnish granite. The upper part of the pedestal is made of red porphyry. The pedestal of the pony statue is sculpted from white Italian marble.
The monument has an especially beautiful silhouette, but at the same time boasts a complex composition. The placement of the monument on one of the city's most beautiful and historic squares and the great interrelationship between the monument and the square is especially powerful and gives the impression of a unified and complete ensemble.
Monument to Alexander III
On May 23, 1909 the controversial monument to Alexander III was opened in the center of present day Ploshchad Vosstaniya. It depicted a very stout bronze figure of the counter-reformist and unpopular Russian Tsar combined with a very heavy horse on a pedestal. The monument was hardly opened when it caused an intense public scandal. Petersburg society was divided. The more reactionary part of society was indignant. They said the caricature of the Tsar was too open. However, democratic society welcomed the powerful and exposing monumental sculpture. In fact, the debate even reached the city Duma, which seriously reviewed the question of the right of the statue's existence. Only the author of the monument Paolo Trubetskoy remained unflappable and said, "I do not engage in politics. I simply portrayed one animal for another."
Bridges
St. Petersburg was built on the delta of the River Neva and is spread out over numerous islands of varying sizes, frequently prompting the nickname the "City of 101 Islands". Over the centuries numerous bridges were built to connect these islands across the various tributaries of the Neva and the city's many canals (Moika, Fontanka, Kanal Griboyedova, etc.).
During the summer months when the river isn't frozen, the bridges across the Neva open at night to allow ships to pass up and down the river. Bridges open from May to late October according to a special schedule. Make sure you check the schedules and don't get caught on the wrong side of the river after 2 a.m., or you will be stranded on the wrong side of the river until the drawbridges are lowered between approximately 4:30 a.m. and 5 a.m.
The Alexander Nevsky Bridge - the longest bridge in St. Petersburg
Alexander Nevsky Bridge at 905.7 meters is the longest bridge in St. Petersburg. Built in the 1960s, it is also one of the most modern and practical bridges in the Northern Capital. It solved a major transportation problem by uniting the outlying Maly Okhti region with the rest of the city. The bridge also boasts several innovations including iron-concrete support shells, improved beam span support and eight-sided columns for stronger bank abutment. The bridge's railings, lamps and other features are in a functional, modern and strict style.
Location: near the Winter Palace (Hermitage Museum)
Nearest metro: Ploschad Alexandra Nevskovo
Nearest hotel: Moscow Hotel
Anichkov Bridge
The first bridge to span the Fontanka River, historic Anichkov Bridge combines strict and simple form with high artistic and unique decoration. Adorning the city's main thoroughfare Nevsky Prospect, the bridge boasts some of the most rare architectural and decorative qualities. Its spectacular sculptures of a man reconciling himself to a rearing horse by Peter Klodt have become landmarks of the city. Anichkov Bridge is also home to some of the most celebrated ornate iron railings in St. Petersburg.
The Bank Bridge - the narrowest bridge in St. Petersburg
Historic and quaint Bank Bridge (1825-1826) is a colorful reminder of a short but really bright chain bridge period in the rich bridge building past of St. Petersburg. The charming chain footbridge spans the picturesque Griboedov Canal in one of the most beautiful and historic quarters of the city and represents some of the highest artistic and architectural qualities in early 19th century bridge building. It also boasts four unique and decorative fairy-tale like griffins that ingeniously and mysteriously seem to guard one's passageway onto the footbridge but also the gate of the historic State Bank building (now the Academy of Finance and Economics building).
The Blue Bridge - the widest bridge in St. Petersburg
Blue Bridge is the widest bridge in the Venice of the North covering a width of an impressive 97.3 meters (321.1 feet) and is an important part of the St. Isaac's Ploshchad architectural ensemble. The bridge stands in front of the Mariinsky Palace in the heart of the historical city center.
Location: St. Isaac's Ploshchad, between the monument to Nicholas I and the Mariinsky Palace
Nearest metro: Nevsky Prospekt
Nearest hotel: Astoria Hotel
Bolsheokhtinsky Bridge
Bolshoi Okhtinsky Bridge (1909-1911) uniquely combines the modernist and Romanesque architectural styles in one structure. The bridge is very different from the other bridges built on the Neva River. It was uniquely built so that the middle span is raised upwards by an innovative electrical mechanical system. It was the first bridge of its kind in the Northern Capital. The bridge has only three spans with the center span bordered by Romanesque style granite towers and the two outer spans covered by massive 136-meter long (449 feet) arched girder contours that sharply contrast with surrounding buildings.
Egyptian Bridge
Built in the 1950s, after the original chain bridge of the same name tragically collapsed into the Fontanka River. The bridge combines modern architectural elements with Egyptian themes. It was the first metal bridge built in Russia. But the most enchanting part of the bridge are the 150-year old cast-iron sphinx sculptures which sit gracefully on granite pedestals and adorn the bridge's entryways. Besides some bank supports, the captivating sphinxes are all that remain from the original bridge. Egyptian Bridge also boasts railings decorated with quaint rosettes and brackets. Rosettes also adorn the cast-iron obelisks with lamps standing at the entrances to the bridge.
Leutenant Schmidt Bridge
The first bridge to unite the banks of the Neva River and the first bridge on the course from the Gulf of Finland to the center of the Northern Capital, historic Lieutenant Schmidt Bridge has played an important role as an entryway for sea-going vessels into the city. In addition, the bridge boasts some of the city's most beautiful railings, which are adorned with images of ornate sea horses. It is also home to unique and decorative pavilions and lamps. Moreover, the bridge offers fine panoramic views of the city's historic and picturesque Admiralty and University Embankments.
Lions Bridge
Historic Lions Bridge (1826) represents some of the highest artistic and architectural qualities of the distinguished period of early 19th century bridge-building in St. Petersburg. Lions Bridge, which gets its name from the four majestic cast-iron lions that appear to ingeniously and mysteriously guard the passageway onto the charming chain footbridge, spans picturesque Griboyedov Canal in one of the most beautiful and historic quarters of the Northern Capital.
Lions Bridge is about a 10-minute walk along Griboyedov Canal from Sennaya Ploshchad metro station, or about a 5-minute walk from the Conservatory and the Mariinsky Theater.
Lomonosov Bridge
Lomonosov Bridge was originally part of an ambitious seven-bridge building project on the Fontanka River in the late 18th century and is one of only two of the project's bridges (the other is Stary Kalinkin Bridge) to survive till this day. The bridge with four picturesque towers topped off with cupolas with round ball-like golden urns combines middle-age bridge architectural style with eighteenth century Russian reality. The handsome stone obelisks with charming six-sided lamps in the image of a sea horse were added in 1912 as part of the historic bridge's restoration.
The Palace Bridge
Renowned for the view of the SS Peter and Paul Fortress through its raised spans, the Palace Bridge also offers some of the best views of the Vasilevsky Island Spit and the SS Peter and Paul Fortress. Of the seven bridges crossing the wide Neva River, the Palace Bridge was perhaps the most challenging to build because it had to unite the diverse artistic architectural ensembles of the majestic Winter Palace on the one side of the Neva River and the University Naberezhnaya and Vasilyevsky Island spit on the other.
Trinity Bridge
Built in the run up to the city's bicentennial, beautifully and uniquely modernist styled Trinity Bridge spans the Neva River between Admiralty Island and the Petrograd Side and boasts some of the Northern Capital's most famous floor lamps and obelisks. It also offers one of the best views of the SS Peter & Paul Fortress.
Exchange bridge
Spanning the Maly Neva River and linking the Vasilyevsky Island Spit with the Petrograd Side, Exchange Bridge (1956) serves as the right wing of a beautiful and intricate architectural ensemble, which includes Palace Bridge and Exchange Ploshchad.
First Engineer Bridge
Spanning the Moika River and sparkling green and gold, First Engineer Bridge connected the old wooden Summer Palace of Empress Elizabeth with historic Summer Garden (Letniy Sad) and remains one of the most richly decorated bridges in the Northern capital with its beautiful railings and magnificent floor lamps.
Italian Bridge
Spanning the historic Canal Griboyedova in the heart of the historic city center between Nevsky Prospekt and the Church on the Spilled Blood, 19th century classical styled Italian Bridge adorns the canal with its wonderful ornately decorated lampposts, lamps, railings and girders.
Tuchkov Bridge
The first bridge to span the Maly Neva River and connect the city's largest island Vasilyevsky Island with central St. Petersburg, Tuchkov Bridge at 900 meters or (2970 feet) was also the longest bridge built in the Northern capital in the 18th century.
Volodarsky Bridge
Spanning the wide Neva River in the southeastern part of St. Petersburg, Volodarsky Bridge (1932-1936) combines a simple and clear-cut design with an innovative flexible arch support system to create a unique industrial drawbridge design that casts an interesting and matchless silhouette.
Lower Swan Bridge
Surviving several restorations and repairs since its completion in 1837, Lower Swan Bridge spans the mouth of Swan Canal between magical Letny Sad and Marsovo Pole where it empties into the Moika Canal in the enchanting historic center of St. Petersburg.
