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Saint Petersburg Pages by Canadienne


Saint Petersburg Things to Do Tips by Canadienne
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Canadienne    


Real Name: Stevie
Lives In: Toronto, CA
Member Since: Mar 15, 2003
VT Rank: 104



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Tips 1 - 10 of 46
Saint Petersburg Things to Do
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Museums: The Russian Museum
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  • Saint Petersburg Museums
  • Pushkin & The Russian Museum
  • by Canadienne
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  • When traveling, I'm much more interested in visiting a museum filled with national art than simply "impressive" art. Time is precious and I'd rather be soaking up the atmosphere of the country I am in, in every way possible, than admiring borrowed treasures.

    So, visiting the Russian Museum was a priority for me. . .and it fulfilled every expectation.

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    Address: Inzhernaya ulitsa 4
    Directions: Arts Square, near Gostinyy Dvor & Nevsky Prospekt Metros
    Website: http://www.rusmuseum.ru/eng/
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    Museums: The Russian Museum (Part II)
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  • The museum's art collection is laid out in chronological order. . .fantastic for watching the progression of themes and techniques. I tore the applicable pages from my Rough Guide and carried them through, adding to the educational aspect.

    There is a decent cafeteria (no more expensive than museum cafeterias at home) to grab lunch if you spend the day, as we did.

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    Address: Inzhenernaya ulitsa 4
    Directions: Arts Square, near Gostinyy Dvor and Nevsky Prospekt Metros
    Website: http://www.rusmuseum.ru/eng/
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    Museums: The Russian Museum (Part III)
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  • Saint Petersburg Museums
  • Entry of The Russian Museum
  • by Canadienne
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  • The Russian icons are wonderful ~ though we weren't able to discern the aspects that make Andrey Rublev the legend that he is.

    My mother's favourite section was classical ~ portraits and landscapes, with a particular fondness for Levitsky.

    I favoured later paintngs, more interested by the period beginning with the Wanderers (painters who rebelled against their Academy) and continuing into the early 20th Century.

    Each period is very well represented. . .even a couple of hours spent would give a good introduction to the rich history of Russian art.

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    Address: Inzhenernaya ulitsa 4
    Directions: Arts Square, near Gostinyy Dvor and Nevsky Prospekt Metros
    Website: http://www.rusmuseum.ru/eng/
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    Cathedrals and Churches: Church on Spilled Blood
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  • Saint Petersburg Cathedrals and Churches
  • Church on Spilled Blood
  • by Canadienne
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  • The Church on Spilled Blood (Khram Spas na Krovi) is eye-catching from any angle. . .the onion domes can be seen from many spots in central St. Petersburg (the steeple is 80 metres high). While they bring to mind St. Basil's in Moscow, they are unique in St. Petersburg and stand out from the "European" influence in the city's other churches.

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    Address: nab. Kanala Griboedova
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    Cathedrals and Churches: Church on Spilled Blood (Part II)
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  • Saint Petersburg Cathedrals and Churches
  • Church on Spilled Blood
  • by Canadienne
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  • The church is simply gorgeous ~ it's decorated (inside and out) with mosaics that cover some 7,000 square metres.

    It's hard to believe that in 1930 it was closed and transformed into a warehouse. Incredible amounts of restoration work have been done since the 70s and it was finally reopened to the public in 1997. It's a museum, not a church, but it is used for special religious functions/occasions.

    The section in the picture juts out over the Griboedova canal, in an effort to truly mark the spot where Tsar Alexander was killed.

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    Address: nab. Kanala Griboedova
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    Cathedrals and Churches: Church on Spilled Blood (Part III)
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  • Saint Petersburg Cathedrals and Churches
  • Church on Spilled Blood
  • by Canadienne
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  • Entry to the museum is 250 rubles (it was 31 to a usd when we were there), so it's not cheap (none of the entries are) and a camera ticket is an additional 50 rubles.

    As beautiful and extraordinary as the exterior of the church is, it is surpassed by the mosaics on the inside, so I recommend swallowing the fee and counting this as an "unmissable" sight. We later visited St. Basil's and both feel this is a definite example of improving on the model.

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    Address: nab. Kanala Griboedova
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    Cathedrals and Churches: Church on Spilled Blood ~ Interior Mosaics
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  • Saint Petersburg Cathedrals and Churches
  • Church on Spilled Blood Mosaics
  • by Canadienne
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  • The mosaics were based on works of art by Russian painters including Vasnetsov (one of my favourites from the Russian Museum) and Nesterov.

    It took artists in the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts 12 years to complete the majority of the work on the pieces. The detail that goes into each scene is incredible ~ pay special attention to the fingers and toes for a sense of the magnitude of work.

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    Address: nab. Kanala Griboedova
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    Cathedrals and Churches: Church on Spilled Blood ~ Mosaics (Part II)
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  • Saint Petersburg Cathedrals and Churches
  • Church on Spilled Blood Mosaics
  • by Canadienne
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  • The Church on Spilled Blood is one of St. Petersburg top attractions ~ it had quite a few tourist groups when we visited (Russian and Italian were the predominant languages).

    There isn't anywhere to sit inside, so the amount of time that you'll spend admiring the mosaics and other interior decorations is limited by your tolerance for standing on the marble floors.

    A few sections of the mosaics are lit with warm lighting, which the gold tiles reflect.

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    Address: nab. Kanala Griboedova
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    Monuments: Palace Square ~ Alexander Column
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  • The Alexander Column is located at the centre of the Palace Square. The pillar weighs 600 tonnes and, combined with its base, it reaches 47 metres. It was raised in the 1830's to honour Alexander I and his success against Napolean's armies.

    This photo doesn't do it justice, but if you check out the size of the people next to its base, you'll get a better sense of it.

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    Address: Palace Square (Dvortsovaya ploshchad)
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    Monuments: Palace Square ~ Alexander Column (Part II)
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  • The double-headed eagle was adopted as a Russian emblem in 1497 by Ivan III. The eagle looks east and west and was a byzantine emblem (the Tsar was linked to that empire through marriage).

    You'll find the emblem on gates, on monuments, in tapestries, and many other places. Here it's found at the base of the Alexander Column.

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    Address: Palace Square (Dvortsovaya ploshchad)
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    More Saint Petersburg Tips

    OverviewThings to Do
    Tips: 46 - Photos: 46
    Restaurants
    Tips: 11 - Photos: 11
    Hotels & Accommodations
    Tips: 5 - Photos: 5
    Nightlife
    Tips: 5 - Photos: 5
    Off The Beaten Path
    Tips: 28 - Photos: 28
    Tourist TrapsWarnings Or Dangers
    Tips: 2 - Photos: 2
    TransportationLocal Customs
    Tips: 10 - Photos: 10
    Packing ListsShopping
    Tips: 4 - Photos: 4
    Sports TravelGeneral Tips
    Tips: 15 - Photos: 15

    Saint Petersburg Forum

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    Tallinn to St Pertersburg Eurolines
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    Comments for Canadienne about Saint Petersburg
    hunterV Sat Jan 27, 2007 13:17 UTC
     Great pages here at VT! Thanks!
    807Wheaton Fri May 19, 2006 13:25 UTC
     Thanks for a good overview of St. Petersburg. I'm thinking of a visit while on a Scandanavian cruise and need to get oriented.! Greetings from Augusta, Georgia ~ Marcia
    Mariasjoy Tue Apr 25, 2006 20:09 UTC
     Thank you for your kind treatment of my city, I not realize Americans so intersted in Russia and the culture here. We are noyt the evil people some thought we were.
    saccharinicity Sat Mar 4, 2006 01:22 UTC
     your st. petersburg pages are simply amazing. i am planning a trip to russia for the fall and your tips are so so helpful! thank you for wonderful pages :)
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