Day 2 in St. Petersburg
The Peter and Paul Fortress is a major landmark in St. Petersburg, being considered the birthplace of the city, as it is the first structure to be built here. The fortress is found on one of the numerous islands of St. Petersburg, so you’ll have to pass over the Neva on the small wooden, but always crowded, Ioanovsky bridge. This fortress has lots of activities to offer for at least one day, that is why you can choose alone what to do there. But we advise you not to miss Petrovskiy Curtain Wall and Gate, St. Peter and Paul Cathedral, the Gosudaryev Bastion, but also take a walk along the Neva bank.
Parallel to the Neva River and Admiralty Quay, the Alexander Garden is sprawling. The Russians tell that they go into this park to show themselves, as well as see others. Follow this tradition and relax on a bench, or wander through the park and explore its hidden attractions.
On the Petrovskaya Naberzhnaya, the first St. Petersburg “palace” of Tsar Peter the Great is located, being known as the Cabin of Peter the Great. The house can be described as a combination of an izba, a traditional Russian countryside house, and the Tsar’s beloved Dutch Baroque. The wooden cabin has just three rooms: living room, bedroom, and study, they being called “red chambers” because the walls were painted in red oil. Currently, the cabin is a branch of the Russian Museum and displays personal and domestic objects owned and used by Peter.
Feel a unique experience by climbing the famous Cruiser Aurora. This is one of the most interesting museums in St. Petersburg. The memorial ship weights 7 thousand tons, and measures 126.8 meters in length and 16.8 meters in width. The admission to the Aurora is free, but for an extra fee you can tour the engine-room.
Visit the Marble Palace. This palace, the work of A. Rinaldi, was recognized as “one of its kind”. This refers to the fact that the basic material for the facades and the interior is natural stones: granite and marble. Namely from this characteristic comes the name of the palace. It was built at the order of Catherine the Great as a gift for Count Orlov, for his participation in the Empress’s enthronement. A story tells that the blueprint for the Marble Palace was created personally by the Empress, and later it was approved by Rinaldi. Of course, he knew whose authorship he praises, and probably for this reason he was confirmed as architect of the project.
We suggest you to end your day in the Summer Garden, perhaps the most popular park of Russia. There are hundreds of notes about the garden in classical works. A. Pushkin was particularly fond of it, often walking here in the evening, when the park mesmerizes with tranquility and harmony. This is why come here, and under the crown of old trees, think about everything that the day brought to you.
