Vasilevskiy Island
Peter the Great originally intended Vasilevskiy Island, the largest island in St Petersburg, to be the administrative centre of his “Window to Europe”, but constant flooding and the hazards of crossing the Neva caused him to change his mind. However, the island was not forgotten. Its lower-eastern area, known locally as the Strelka, or Spit, is home to a cluster of fascinating sights, including a pair of eye-catching 15th-century BC sphinxes, the city’s first museum and the grand, russet-coloured Rostral Columns. This splendid, detached area of St Petersburg, with its wide, tree-lined avenues, has an exceedingly calm atmosphere.
1. Rostral Columns
Flanking the former St Petersburg Stock Exchange, the imposing Rostral Columns (1810) were designed as lighthouses by Thomas de Thomon. The enormous figures at the bases of the two columns represent four of the country’s biggest rivers – the Neva, Volga, Dnieper and Volkhov. The columns are decorated in Roman style with ships’ prows jutting out from each side. Their gas torches are still lit up on special occasions.
Birzhevaya ploshchad
2. Kunstkammer
While the Kunstkammer is notorious for Peter the Great’s bizarre collection of deformed foetuses, the museum is also home to an exhaustive Soviet-era exhibition on “The Peoples of the World” – an old-fashioned but informative display of artifacts and comical waxworks. In the main part of the museum, look out for the heart and skeleton of Peter the Great’s personal servant, a 2.27-m (7.5-ft) giant, and a display of teeth pulled out by the tsar, who boasted dentistry as his hobby.Universitetskaya nab. 3 • 328 1412 • Open 11am–6pm Tue–Sun (closed last Tue of month) • Adm • www.kunstkamera.ru
3. Blagoveshchenskiy Bridge
Having gone through numerous name changes and reconstructions since it was built in 1850, this bridge marks the border between the river Neva and the Gulf of Finland. When built it was the longest bridge in Europe; Nicholas I promoted the architect for each span that was completed.
4. Zoological Museum
Peter the Great was exceedingly fond of stuffed animals and biological mutations. This fine museum contains part of his taxidermical collection, including a horse that the tsar once rode into battle. The museum is also renowned for its stunning collection of mammoths.Universitetskaya nab. 1/3 • 328 0112 • Open 11am–6pm Wed–Mon • Adm • www.zin.ru/museum
5. Old Stock Exchange
With its sculpture of Neptune being drawn in a chariot by sea-horses, the Old Stock Exchange was modelled on a famous Greek temple at Paestum in Italy. The building was transformed in 1940 and housed the naval museum up to 2012. The Russian government now has plans to turn the impressive structure into a Federal courthouse.Birzhevaya ploshchad 4 • Closed to public
6. Academy of Arts
The Neo-Classical Academy of Arts (1788) was the birthplace of the Russian Realist art movement, whose founders became known as The Wanderers. The group formed in 1863, when 14 discontented students walked out of their exams in protest against the strict conservatism of their lecturers. The academy’s students include painter Ilya Repin, and architects Andrey Zakharov and Andrey Voronikhin. Look out for the conference hall’s magnificent ceiling painting by Vasiliy Shebuev.Universitetskaya nab. 17 • 323 3578 • Open 11am–7pm Wed–Sun • Adm • www.nimrah.ru
7. Menshikov Palace
This Baroque palace (1720) was one of the first stone buildings in the city. Now a branch of the Hermitage, it houses an exhibition on 18th-century Russian culture which includes the opulent rooms of Prince Menshikov (1673–1729), who was later exiled to Siberia for treason. While living here, Menshikov entertained regularly and once organized a “dwarf wedding” as amusement for Peter the Great.Universitetskaya nab. 15 • 323 1112 • Open 10:30am–6pm Tue–Sat (to 5pm Sun) • Adm
8. St Andrew’s Cathedral
St Andrew’s highlight is its 18th-century iconostasis which includes some extremely rare icons. It stands on the site of a smaller, wooden church, which was destroyed in 1761 after being struck by lightning. During the WWII siege of the city, the church’s dome housed artillery units.6-ya Liniya 11 • 323 3418 • Open 9am–9pm
9. Twelve Colleges
This Baroque edifice, built between 1722–42, was originally intended to house Russia’s 12 government bodies. In 1835 the building was turned over to St Petersburg University. Famous students here include Lenin and eight Nobel Prize winners. Just outside stands a bronze statue of Mikhail Lomonosov (1711–65), Russia’s premier Enlightenment scientist.Universitetskaya nab. 7 • Closed to public
10. Sphinxes
This pair of 15th-century BC sphinxes was discovered in Thebes in ancient Egypt in the mid-19th century and later brought to St Petersburg. A local landmark, the sphinxes’ faces are said to resemble Pharaoh Amenhotep II.
Stalinism
Joseph Stalin (1878–1953) became leader of the Soviet Union in 1922. The dictator led the country through WWII and transformed it into a global superpower. From 1930 onwards, he instigated the “Great Terror” – millions were exiled to labour camps, some never to return. After his death, new Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev began the process of de-Stalinization.
A Walk Around the Strelka
Morning
All the main sights on Vasilevskiy Island are relatively close, so there is no need for public transport or excruciatingly long walks. Start the morning at the 19th-century Rostral Columns, admiring the view across the Neva. Perhaps St Petersburg’s defining feature, the river lies frozen in winter. Afterwards, cross over the road to Universitetskaya nab. and walk down to the city’s oldest museum, the Kunstkammer. Spend some time exploring Peter the Great’s mania for biological oddities. When you have sufficiently recovered your nerve, walk the short distance towards the Academy of Arts, home of the Russian Realist art movement. Directly across the road from the Academy are the Sphinxes, standing guard on the riverside. The sphinxes are a meeting point for the city’s youth. Buy a momento from the numerous souvenir sellers here, and then stroll towards Blagoveshchenskiy Bridge, which was extensively renovated in 2007.
Noon
Now walk down to the splendid 18th-century St Andrew’s Cathedral – admire its breathtaking iconostasis. Afterwards, go back to Universitetskaya nab. and drop in at Russian Kitsch for a slightly surreal journey back to the Soviet era, complete with Soviet pop and menus bound in the works of Lenin.
