Petrovsky Petersburg

Excursion offers in St. Petersburg are hardly less than attractions: for every taste, wallet and time. Well, if you close your eyes and imagine for a second that you did not just come to the Northern capital, but came to visit its creator - the Emperor Peter I. What would show you the one whose great imperial spirit is now permeating the atmosphere of the city?

An excursion for you along the North Venice, exactly as the city of Peter was conceived, the tsar would start from one of his favorite places - the Summer Palace, and then the Summer Garden, in which the residence of the emperor and his family was located.

Summer Palace

Tour of the Northern Venice, namely, so conceived the city of Peter, the king would have started with one of his favorite places - the Summer Palace. And then the Summer Garden, which housed the residence of the emperor and his family.

The Summer Palace of Peter I is located in the Summer Garden, which was created in the Versailles style. First Peter I lived in a wooden house, built in 1903 and completely different from the royal residence. This wooden house Peter called his "summer palace", and then this name inherited the new building, in which the royal family really lived in the summer. Peter I loved the Summer Palace and lived in it with his family from spring until late autumn.

According to legend, the king ordered to build a house, placing six of his twelve windows to the east, and the other six - strictly to the west, as if symbolizing the new policy of Russia.

In the residence of the king was built the first sewerage system of the city. The water was supplied to the house by pumps, but went to the Fontanka. Since the house was washed by water from three sides, the Fontanka flow was the driving force of the system. After the flood of 1777, a small bay in front of the house - Havanets, was filled up, and the sewerage system ceased to operate.

Once in the palace, you can move 300 years ago and visit the chambers of Peter and Catherine, his study, the throne room, the living room, the dining room, the children's, the cook's and the lathe rooms - the time machine here works flawlessly, feel like a guest of the emperor himself. @

Adults such a journey in time will cost 100 rubles., Pensioners - 50 rubles., Students - 30 rubles. The palace waits for guests from 10.00 to 18.00 (cash offices are open until 17.00), on Monday from 10.00 to 17.00 (cash desks until 16.00). Tuesday off.

A walk through the Summer Garden

Summer garden

Having pogosted in the imperial chambers, go to his favorite "vegetable garden" (as the gardens were sometimes called at that time), where Peter I often arranged assemblies - receptions of guests, where "one can see each other and talk about any need, also hear what is being done ... ».

Summer garden - almost the same age of the city, it exists since 1704 .According to Peter's plan, the garden was to become a resting place, combining the features of a city and country estate .It was created with a clear layout, straight alleys, neatly clipped trees and shrubs, often in the form of regular geometric figures: a ball, a cube, pyramids .The model was Versailles, the famous residence of the monarchs of France near Paris .Peter wanted his garden to surpass the park of the "sun king" of Louis XIV .Wherever he was and whatever he was doing, the tsar did not forget about his "garden", demanding that valuable varieties of trees and flowers be brought here, all sorts of surprises to invite skilled master gardeners .

After visiting the Imperial Chambers in the Summer Palace, go to his favorite "garden" (as the gardens were sometimes called at that time), where Peter I often organized assemblies - receptions of guests, where "one can see each other and talk about any need, that where is done ... ».

Guests and garden owners liked to visit the northern part, where the gallery was located, decorated with various sculptures - "garden ideas", as they were then called .From the gallery led into the garden alley .It was equipped with sites with fountains .During the celebrations and receptions on the first site, Lady's, usually there was Catherine I with the court ladies, on the second, Shkiperska, Peter himself, who spent time here in the men's company, sipping beer, chatting and having fun playing checkers .Skipper's area was surrounded by four ornamental cut bush, on the side was poked .In the arbor on the island in the middle of the pond, Petr often loved to retire .

In the 1830s there was a tradition to arrange a show of brides in the garden, so, boys, look around, maybe somewhere on the garden alleys you will meet your destiny.

Look in the oldest garden in St. Petersburg, the largest collection of garden and park sculpture of the 17-18 centuries, visit the Tea House, admire every bush, every tree, do not rush to leave - this place has a magical power that inspired not only Peter but Pushkin, Tchaikovsky, Mayakovsky, Akhmatova and many other poets, writers, composers.

Excursion to Peterhof

Admiralty

After acquaintance with the places where Peter was resting, go to his "workplace". You are waiting for the Admiralty - one of the oldest and largest enterprises with a very wide "profile" - from logging to building ships, managed by Peter the Great himself. At this Admiralty shipyard, equipped with 108 cannons, warships were built, the Russian navy was created here. The ancient Admiralty yard, like the modern building, was built in the form of a wide letter P, opened towards the Neva.

According to the rules of military engineering science at that time, the vast territory around the fortress could not be built up so that the enemy could not approach the fortress walls under the guise of buildings. Therefore, on the adjoining territory of the Admiralty the buildings were not erected and the unoccupied spaces on which the Palace Square, the Senate Square and the Admiralty Square were formed, where the garden was broken up in the 1870s.

Above the main facade (about 407 meters long) towers a tower with a spire 72 meters high, 5 meters high. The ship on the spire is carved from gilded brass sheet, its length is 192 centimeters, height - 158 centimeters. It weighs 65 kilograms, rotates easily, indicating the direction of the wind. The building is a wonderful example of architecture and sculpture synthesis, with 56 large sculptures, 11 large reliefs, 350 molded ornaments of the work of the most prominent Russian sculptors of the early 19th century. The general theme of the sculptures is the glory of the Russian fleet.

From the Admiralty, there are three main thoroughfares of the city center: Nevsky Prospect, Gorokhovaya Street and Voznesensky Prospekt. The gilded spire of the building is visible from any point in the Nevsky district. Once at the beginning of the avenue, do not miss the opportunity to take a walk through the Alexander Garden and explore the Senate Square, on which stands the famous monument to Peter the Great - the Bronze Horseman.

At the Admiralty Shipyard, equipped with 108 guns, were built warships, there was created a Russian navy.

The emperor invites

Undoubtedly, Peter would have rolled you along the canals of the city - he was so proud of them, he invited you to the Trinity dam where, over the years, Peter was sent to the Peter and Paul fortress and Peter and Paul Cathedral and, of course, treated him to the famous traktir of the Petrine epoch "Austeria of four frigates ", And then he would be taken to the" Peter's court ", or Peterhof.

In general, in St. Petersburg a lot of places are connected with the name of the great tsar-refractor, who transformed Russia into an absolute new state. Therefore, come to the "city of Petrov" not just to "rest and see," but, perhaps, to look at yourself and Russia differently, to love and believe in it the way the first Russian emperor did.