St. Petersburg - Day One

Tuesday, May 20, 2014
St. Petersburg, North-West Russia, Russian Federation
We toured St. Petersburg for ten hours two days in a row. We were whipped at the end of day one. Following is a snapshot of history.

Relive the glory of imperial Russia in St. Petersburg. Inspired by his travels through Europe, Peter the Great set out to create a grand port city: Russia's "Window to the West". In 1703, the first fortress was erected on the River Neva. Neo-classical facades, domed cathedrals, and baroque residences were built along the city’s canals. By 1712, the capital was moved from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Then Catherine the Great continued the dream, adding even more elaborate palaces, parks, and squares all designed by French and Italian architects. But in the face of all this opulence, social unrest grew, giving way to Lenin’s Communist Party. This is where the revolution began…and also where it started to collapse. Nowadays, St. Petersburg is once again at the threshold of change, always welcoming new ideas while looking beyond for inspiration.

Our guide said that Catherine's Palace (the summer palace) was really expanded and designed with all it's opulence by her daughter Elizabeth.

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