"St. Peter's city" a Saint Petersburg Travel Page by Anya_D

Next year, 2003, there will be a wide celebration of 300 anniversary of St. Petersburg.

The city was founded by Peter the Great in 1703 (I guess you did the math already reading the previous sentence!) as a new capital for Russia. It was in line with Peter's policy towards Europe: he wanted Russia to borrow all the best achievements of western culture and science. St. Petersburg is poetically called 'a window to Europe', both for its geographical position and the importance Peter assigned to it when founding it. Another poetic name of St. Petersburg is "Venice of the North". The city has about 400 briges over rivers and canals.

The appearance of St. Petersburg, including its architectural style, can be accounted for by Peter's striving to introduce European spirit into Russian mode of life. The historic center of St. Petersburg is now in UNESCO World Heritage List.

And now people visiting St.Petersburg and comparing it with Moscow, cannot help noticing that in St. Petersburg they feel themselves in Europe, but in Moscow they feel they are in Russia.

More information about St. Petersburg is coming. The pictures on this page are by by myself (the opening pic), Vitaly Lunev and Vladislav Sorokin.

Meanwhile, I am adding the Novgorodian Travelogue: please check it! Pics in T-logue are mine. Novgorod is one of the oldest Russian cities, and it is also included into the UNESCO's List.