St. Petersburg was the Russian capital in 18-19 centuries. It has amazing historical landscapes with palaces, embankments, channels and parks.

1. Raising Bridges and White Nights

The raising bridges are the symbol of Saint Petersburg and one of its most interesting attractions (especially during white nights in June).

2. Canals and Rivers

When Saint Petersburg was designed, Peter the Great took Amsterdam and Venice as examples, and planned a city with canals instead of streets. Because of this intricate web of canals the city is also known as “Venice of the North”. We are planning a nice boat trip by St Petersburg canals for EBEN AC 2022 participants.

3. Historic Centre

Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments is the name used by UNESCO when it collectively designated the historic core of the Russian city of St. Petersburg, as well as buildings and ensembles located in the immediate vicinity as a World Heritage Site in 1991. The site was recognised for its architectural heritage, fusing Baroque, Neoclassical, and traditional Russian-Byzantine influences.

4. The State Hermitage Museum

It is the largest art museum in the world by gallery space. It was founded in 1764 when Empress Catherine the Great acquired an impressive collection of paintings from the Berlin merchant Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky. Now its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display, comprise over three million items (the numismatic collection accounts for about one-third of them). The collections occupy a large complex of six historic buildings along Palace Embankment, including the Winter Palace (see below), a former residence of Russian emperors (web-site).

5. The Peterhof Palace

The Peterhof Palace (an emulation of early modern Dutch "Piterhof", meaning "Peter's Court") is a series of palaces and gardens located in Petergof, Saint Petersburg, Russia, commissioned by Peter the Great as a direct response to the Palace of Versailles by Louis XIV of France. The architect between 1714 and 1728 was Domenico Trezzini, and the style he employed became the foundation for the Petrine Baroque style favored throughout Saint Petersburg.