"St.Petersburg in winter - minus 22... " a Saint Petersburg Travel Page by socrates_07

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299 years St.Petersburg

Maybe you wonder why I gave that page such a titel. Well, when I was in St.Petersburg in 2002 this city was one year short of the 300th anniversary. ;-) Unfortunately I had no chance to visit Piter (as local people call their city) in 2003 again.

When I visited St.Petersburg it was a building site. Many of the beautiful buildings were under restoration so I couldn't show you the real beauty of St.Petersburg.
Most of the pictures I took by myself, but I also used pictures which i found in the internet. Why I use such picures? Well, I want to show you what you shouldnīt miss there. Some of these sights I saw but either they were wrapped in or I couldnīt use my camera. Sometimes we had temperatures until - 22 degree celsius and according the operating instructions of my camera I shouldnīt use it if the temperature is below zero. Well, till - 15 degree celsius I took some pictures but I didnīt want to take more risk to to damage it. Thatīs why you should go there in summer. And you wonīt have the problem with the snow in the city. Of course, a city with "old" and dirty snow never appears very inviting. So, if I would go to St.Petersburg again, I would go in summer.. in June. Why in June? Have you ever heared about the white nights in St.Petersburg? The nights are as bright as early evening.

Before I want to show you the locations which I visited (and some more which I didnīt visit THIS time) I want to give you some general informations.

ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA IN FACTS AND FIGURES

Location:
Eastern Europe, the Eastern shore of the Baltic Sea (Gulf of Finland)
Time Zone: GMT +3, Eastern +8
Founded: 16 (27) May, 1703
City's birthday: celebrated each year on May 27
Population: 4 million 750 thousand (as of January 1998)
Area: 1400 square kilometers
Main river: Neva. The city is located in the delta of the Neva River on numerous islands, a fact which prompted some observers to call it "The City on 101 Islands"
Main natural phenomena: White Nights, Floods

Origin of the name: named in honor of St. Peter and NOT Peter the Great, the founder of the city. The name can be translated as "The City of St. Peter".
Name changes:
May, 1703 - August, 1914 St. Petersburg
August, 1914 - February, 1924 Petrograd
February, 1924 - July, 1991 Leningrad
July, 1991 - Present St. Petersburg

Nicknames:

"The Venice of the North" (referring to St. Petersburg's many rivers and canals)
"The Palmyra of the North"
"The Northern Capital of Russia" (referring to the centuries-old rivalry between St. Petersburg and Moscow)

Symbols: the Angel with a Cross (weather-vane on top of the Peter and Paul Cathedral) the Little Ship - Korablik (weather-vane on top of the Admiralty tower)
The Seal: A sea anchor and a river anchor with a scepter - a symbol of royal power - on a red field.

Airports: Pulkovo II International, Pulkovo I Domestic
Sea port: Passenger terminal on Vasilievsky Island