St. Petersburg is one of Russia’s most popular tourist destinations for a number of reasons. Awash with culture, stunning architecture and fantastic food , it is a dynamic, pleasant and open city. It has fewer cars and less commotion when compared to Moscow, with many of St. Petersburg’s residents describing the city as having a European feel.
St Petersburg’s Architecture
St. Petersburg, founded in 1703, has a unique, colourful and eclectic design that has changed over time, ranging from Baroque-style buildings and Soviet architecture to Neoclassical structures and Style Moderne. This is something that keen architects such as Kulvir Singh Virk are quick to acknowledge and appreciate.
Neoclassical Structures
Neoclassical architecture is a type of building that flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries with the renaissance of Classical Greek and Roman architecture that began around 1750. Catherine the Great intended to deviate from her predecessors’ chosen style, which was High Rococo. She favoured Neoclassical architecture over Baroque designs and commissioned Scottish architect Charles Cameron to design the Alexander Palace. He was also commissioned to redesign Palace Square. This explains the nod to the Neoclassical that is prevalent in the city.
Soviet Architecture
‘Soviet architecture’ is commonly used to refer to two architectural styles associated with the Soviet Union: constructivist architecture, which was popular during the 1920s and 1930s, and Stalinist architecture, which was popular from the 1930s until the 1950s. One widely-discussed piece of Soviet Architecture in St. Petersburg is the House of Soviets, a symmetrical, no-nonsense tower built in the 1930s.
Baroque-Style Buildings
Baroque architecture is a dramatic construction style that emerged in Italy in the 17th century. The Baroque style was primarily represented by cathedrals, churches, mansions and palaces and was intended to demonstrate riches and power. The Winter Palace is one of the most famous Baroque-style structures in St. Petersburg. It is adorned with two rows of columns, and statues and vases line the perimeter of the roof. The staterooms, private rooms and boudoirs’ interiors are all works of art in their own right.
The White Nights
White Nights is a phenomenon that occurs in St. Petersburg from mid-June to early July. The city is illuminated by sunshine throughout the whole day. This is also the time of year for the White Nights Festival, a series of ballet, opera and symphonic performances at the world-famous Mariinsky Theatre. This is a fantastic time to visit St. Petersburg and to take in its stunning architecture.