Saint Petersburg Things to Do Tips by filipdebont Top 5 Page for this destination

General Staff Building Monuments Review

Address: Palace square

Icons in the General Staff building Museums Review

There were a lot of rooms to visit in the General Staff Building.

The first part was filled with portraits, uniforms, weapons of Russian Officers.

In the second part there were a big collection of international gifts, which were given to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

And in the third part there was a lot of Russian religious art work.

Via a small staircase I arrived at the top floor, there was a small chapel. This chapel was decorated with some magnificent Icons.

Like the one at my picture:

Smolensk Icon to the Theotokos
It dates from the 19th century, frame made by Master Unger, St Petersburg.
Oil on panel, Silver, Gilded and Chased.

Exhibition in the General Staff Building Museums Review

So with my combined Hermitage ticket, I could also visit the exhibition in the General Staff Building.

In fact there were three different exhibitions in this building:

- Realms of the Eagle. Empire Style, in the gala rooms of the former apartments of the Chancellor of the Russian Empire.

- 200th anniversary of the Russian Foreign Ministry

- Russian Religious art

Again there were some discussions at the entrance concerning my combined ticked. I think it is not used much yet.

Address: Palace Square

Atlants Hermitage Review

From 1852 till the revolution the official entrance to the Hermitage was via Palace Square.

Like this you first entered via the New Hermitage building.

This is (was) a very special entrance.

As this entrance is decorated with 10 big Atlants.
These beautiful granite Atlants are 5 m high.

Small Rooms in the Winter Palace Museums Review

Via the Internet I had bought a combined two-day ticket (24 US dollars)

After you have put on the protection covers over your shoes, you can enter the Winter Palace.

First you arrive at the State Courtyard of Peter the Greats Winter palace. This is a unique architectural monument, as originally this Palace faced the River Neva. Also Peter the Great spent his last years in this Palace and finally died here in 1725.

At the Courtyard you can see the state carriage of Peter the Great (dating from the early 18th-century) and a carnival sledge (same period).

Further on you can see a number of small rooms, named the small palace. In fact this was part of his private residence.

In a bigger room you can see Peter the Great sitting on a throne. In fact it is the wax effigy of Peter the Great.

It was good to visit this small museum, as it was included in my combined Hermitage ticket.

But I would not advise anyone to buy a separate ticket to visit this small museum.

Then the place for this tip would be better under the Tourist trap chapter.

Address: 32 Dvortsovaya Emb

Winter palace of Peter I Museums Review

With this ticket I visited the big hermitage museum, but I could also visit 3 other museums : the Winter Palace of Peter the Great, Exhibition in the General Staff Building and the Menshikov Palace.

The Winter Palace is located just besides the Hermitage. It is not so easy to find the entrance, see the picture. It is just an ordinary door, maybe there is a sign board but that was in Russian, so no big help to me.

I guess not many people buy such a combined ticket, as there were some small discussions between the people working here about my ticket. But finally they let me in.

You have to put some special covers over your shoes, to protect the wooden floors of the Palace.

It seems as it is not frequently visit as I was the only visitor at that moment.

Address: 32 Dvortsovaya Embankment

Millionnnaja Oelitsa Other Attractions Review

Millionaire Street or Millionnnaja Oelitsa in Russian can be found just behind the Winter Palace of Peter the Great.

This street was named like this because of the rich people, the aristocrats and the imperial family members who lived here in these expensive houses.

So in this street you can see beautiful houses built by important Russian architects.

Vorontsov Palace Palaces Review

As preparation to my trip to Saint Petersburg I had read some travel guides, and I did know that there was great architecture to see in this city.

But is really overwhelming, all those beautiful buildings and Palaces.

Just a hundred metres from my Hostel there was the beautiful Vorontsov Palace.

It is (was) not open for the public.

This Palace was used as a military school from 1810 till 1918. Nowadays it houses the Military Academy Soevorov. It was designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli.

Address: Sadovaya Ulitsa 26

Directions: Metro : Gostiny Dvor or Sennaja Ploshchad

The Winter Canal Rivers and Canals Review

Between the Old hermitage and the Hermitage theatre you can see the Winter Channel.

Like this you can understand why the call Saint Petersburg the Venice of the North.

Three bridges are crossing this narrow channel.

Coming from the front side of the Hermitage along the river Neva, you can reach the Millionaire Street (Millionnaja Oelitsa).

The Library of Nicholas II Hermitage Review

The Library of Nicholas II (hall nr 178 on the official exposition plan).

This library is located in the Winter Palace, and was part of the private quarters of Nicolas II (the last Russian Emperor).

The whole room is constructed in wood. A big heart made of white marble finishes the interior.

Address: Hermitage Museum

Website: http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/