Saint Petersburg Things to Do Tips by Upstate1NY

While St. Petersburg in Spring and summer are beautiful, winter adds a luster to this city like none other I have ever seen. The Peter-Paul Fortress in mid December with the spire of the St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral piercing the "winter blue" sky.

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This is one of the crowning jewels of St. Petersburg history. It is also the resting place of the remains of the last tsar and his family. As with most of the restoration work of Russia and St. Petersburg, words fail at the attempt to discribe it. The photo I am using is what I consider my "masterpiece" of photo documentation of my trip, paling even my opening shot of the Cathedral of the Resurrection taken against the evening sky. I was here in winter, the dedicated tourists you see are Russians! When you go to visit as a tourist and you find yourself competeing not with the madding hoard of "fair weather" travelers but with natives seeking to understand their own historical roots, you know you are visiting a site very "worthy" in the minds of the people. So it was here, they willing shared the space, but they were not there to accomadate my interest but to satisfy their own.

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Address: Peter-Paul Fortress
Directions: Peter-Paul Fortress

In the middle of December those energetic Russians where hard at work on their beloved historic "icons" EVERYWHERE!
Here in the fortress, even if you did not see them, the sound of hammers and saws alerted you that they did not see winter as a reason to delay the work at hand.

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I have visited St. Petersburg 3 times, I have visited the Hermitage every time. While indeed I have seen some parts of it more than thrice; neither I, nor you, will ever become bored with it. Russia sees it's State Museums as extensions of the educational system, "Masterpieces" are loaned between "branches" of the state museums. That is why when I was in Saratov down on the Volga, I chanced to see "Menacing Cupid" a work of sculpture that normally resides in the Hermitage, it appears that it was on loan so that people who live in other regions are able to see art treasures of the state without having to travel to other cities.
The city of St. petersburg is so vast, a man from the USA I met, who had lived in SPB for 10 years, warned me "no matter how long you live here, no matter how long you live, you will never see it all!". Enjoy what you can, note other areas of interest, so you can plan your return trip carefully to find new treasures.
EVERYTHING in this city is a "Must See!"

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Directions: Neveski Prospect, accross from the Admiralty, next to the General Staff building beside the Nevya River!
Website: http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/index.html

Winter's throes chill the air but not the spirit or soul.
The carriage and steppe poinies await your arrival to give you a brief taste of "court life" of "Imperial" days

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The "imperial" style set the tone for Russia with "green space" all aound. Fortunately even the Soviet system saw the truth and need in the grace such spaces afforded and continued the practice to the current day. But this is an example of the "old world" planing, Peter Square directly in front with St. Issac's Catrhedral as the background.

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MANY, MANY hours of pleasure await you in the "interior" of the Hermitage.
Paintings, sculptures, artifacts, treasures all!!

I saw two sculpture that displayed very similar themes, a mother nursing an infant.
The style of these sculptures had very real similarities while also being totally distinct in their presentation of the theme.
It is "studies such as these, that make touring the Hermitage such a "passion" and worthy endeavor.
You may see more of this "study" in my travelog pages on the Hermitage.

While touring the Hermitage you will come to realize, sometimes it is hard to tell where the building stops and the art display begins! The Heritage is a work of art, in and of itself!
Notice the pictures of the fireplace mantle and the dinning room in the Tzar's private apartments.
Look at the "study in love" on the faces of the mother and baby in the sculpture.
The artistic and historical significance of the painting, "The Martyrdom of St. Stephen".
The historical preservation element in the display of the electric car belonging to the last Tzar.
The Hermitage is such an eclectic admix of artifacts of Russian past and "world class art show" you will find many, many things to fascinate you no matter what your focus is.
Review my travelog on the Hermitageto see more elements.

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