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This text comes paraphrased from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  There's no way I could have gotten all this detail from our trip.  I include it because I think the history is important, and relevant.

Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea.  The city's other names were Petrograd (1914-1924) and Leningrad (1924-1991).  It is often called just Petersburg and is informally known as Peter

St. Petersburg Founded by Tsar Peter I of Russia or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov on 27 May 1703, it was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years (1713-1728, 1732-1918).  Saint Petersburg ceased being the capital in 1918 after the Russian Revolution of 1917.  It is Russia's second largest and Europe's fourth largest city (by city limit) after Moscow, London and Paris.  The city has 4.6 million inhabitants, and over 6 million people live in its vicinity.  Peter was born in Moscow on 9 June 1672, and became Tsar of Russia one month before 10th birthday.  His reign was from 7 May 1682 until 8 February 1725.  He was succeeded by Catherine I.

We saw the actual dress Catherine I is wearing in the photo above.  It was in the Armory museum in the Kremlin in Moscow.  We also saw a broad array of coaches and carriages in the Armory.  Many were very elegant, but none as elegant as this Coronation coach of Catherine II The Great.  This coach was not housed at the Armory.

Coronation coach of Catherine II, exhibited in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. Catherine II the Great Empress and Autocrat of All the Russias Reign: June 28, 1762 — November 17, 1796

         

During World War II, Leningrad was besieged by Nazi Germany and co-belligerent Finland.  The siege lasted 872 days from September 1941 to January 1944.  The Siege of Leningrad was one of the longest, most destructive, and most lethal sieges of major cities in modern history.  It isolated the city from most supplies except those provided through the Road of Life across Lake Ladoga, and more than a million civilians died, mainly from starvation.  Many others were eventually evacuated or escaped by themselves, so the city became largely depopulated.  For the heroic resistance of the city and tenacity of the survivors of the Siege, in 1945 Leningrad became the first city in the Soviet Union awarded the title Hero City.

Leningrad and many of its suburbs were rebuilt over the post-war decades, partially according to the pre-war plans.  The 1948 general plan of Leningrad featured radial urban development in the north as well as in the south. 

On this map of St. Petersburg you can see the canals that meander through the city and provide a marvelous tour with views of the many beautiful buildings that you don't get from the windows of a tour bus.  You can also see the radial design of the streets.

The Leningrad Metro, underground rapid transit system which was designed before the war in the 1930s, was opened in 1955 with its first seven stations decorated with marble and bronze.

The Pushkinskaya Station with a statue of Alexander Pushkin.

Upon our arrival in St. Petersburg we were driven by coach from the airport to our hotel, the "Novotel St. Petersburg Centre", which was an excellent hotel.  The hotel restaurant, "Côté Jardin" was very good.  We ate breakfast and dinner there for our three day stay.

On the way to our hotel we passed by this beautiful palace with this very ornate gate.

Our route took us over this bridge which had four bronze statues of a man breaking a wild horse.  The bus however, was traveling fast, so I only got a photo of two of them on this pass by.

Two days later we passed over this bridge again and I tried to get the other two horses, but I had forgotten which horses I had already gotten a shot of, and darned if I didn't take photos of the same two horses.  Just one of the disadvantages of being on a tour bus.  

Our first full day in St. Petersburg was spent taking a City Tour which included a visit to the Peter & Paul Fortress.  The weather was not cooperating for taking great photographs.  But on the way to the Peter & Paul Fortress I did take these photos below to give a feel of the splendor of this great city.

Given the history of St. Petersburg, and the 872 days of siege during World War II, it is hard to believe that the city has been restored to such beauty and magnificence. Look closely at the detail of the bronze work on the face of this building..

Sorry I can't give any information on most of these buildings, only to say that they are very impressive in their architecture and style.

There were four of these monuments, two on each end of the bridge.  According to our guide they signified the ships returning to port.

This is another photo from Wikipedia.  This is the Peter & Paul Fortress.  It was taken in winter as you can tell from the ice onthe river.  Could that be the British Embassy on the right.  It sure looks like the Union Jack is flying.

They sure do go in for a lot of gold leaf.  Awesome!

Now this is a chandelier to die for. 

I just couldn't get over all the gold leaf and exquisite marble used in this cathedral.

Outside there were actors in costume and for a fee you could get your picture taken with them. We passed on that splendid honor. This bronze statue is some famous educator.  They say you can sit in his lap and obtain wisdom, and if you rub his hands it's good luck.  Some people will believe anything.  LOL  You can see how polished his fingers are from people doing just that.

There were vendors selling souvenirs.  I bought a scarf like the blue one at lower right.  It has St. Petersburg on it.  I thought it would be a nice way to remember it.

This is the cruiser that singled the start of the Russian revolutionary war by firing a single shot, and that was the sum total of it's involvement in the war, or so says our guide.  You see, tourists will believe anything they are told.  And who knows, it could be true.

This vacationing is a lot of work.  It has been a long day, but Pat is holding up like a true Brit.  It was always nice to get back to the ship and relax on a deck chair, or at the bar with a cool one.

This is the Church of the Savior on Blood.  Weird name I thought.

I think at this point I said to Pete, "Can we go get a beer now?"

This is said to be the most famous bronze statue of Peter I the Great.

I don't remember who this rider is, but the artists here sure sculpt some beautiful horses.

After a long day of walking, we stopped at a little sidewalk cafe for a beer, and to rest our weary bones.

We boarded our bus to return to our hotel and get ready for the ballet.  We were going to see Swan Lake performed this night.

This in the interior of our tour bus.  Doesn't the upholstery just make you want to lose your lunch?

On the way back to our hotel we passed by that beautiful ornate palace gate which I photographed on our way from the airport upon our arrival (see photo near the beginning of this chapter).  Since the clouds had finally parted and I had a close shot at the gate, I shot this photo below.

Can you believe how beautifully the weather has become?  I wanted to start
our city tour over again so I could get some decent photographs.

Here we are entering our hotel to get dressed for dinner and the ballet.

I'll stop at this point, and pick up in Chapter 9 with the ballet.  This chapter has gotten rather long, and I apologize if I got carried away.