St. Petersburg: History, Pix's, etc.!!

From the London/UK Guardian this morning, they have this headline: "Searching for signs of the Soviets in St Petersburg" with this subhead: "Built from scratch by the tsars, imperial St Petersburg was at the epicentre of the Russian Revolution."

This story offers many different historic aspects for St. Petersburg. Among the highlights are: "The tourist trail in St Petersburg is all about the tsars – the palaces of Peter and Catherine the Greats, the French architecture, Renaissance masterpieces, Fabergé eggs, the gold, the jewels. Less visited is a tiny wooden cabin on the banks of the Neva built for Peter in just three days in 1703. Here he lived for six years, on mosquito-infested marshland, while presiding over the building of the city from nothing – a coastal city that would give Russia vital access to Europe. Lacking access to stone, Peter had his workers paint the wooden exterior to look like brick, with horizontal rows of white separated by thin strips of red paint. In 1723, he had it encased in a red brick pavilion, and ordered that it be preserved for posterity. At the tsars’ former Winter Palace, the vast eau-de-nil wedding cake on the banks of the Neva better-known as the Hermitage Museum, we skip from one gold and crystal room to another, gasping at the magnificent vulgarity. The splendour, the 18th-century bling, is almost overwhelming."

This story has many nice pictures from key locations in the area. The author covers a good amount of information on Lenin and some of the Soviet history from the 1900's.

Posted below are some of my top pictures from our highly-enjoyable visit to St. Petersburg. Super loved the history, architecture, character, etc., from this charming city.

Full story at:

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/oct/22/st-petersburg-museums-culture-soviets-russia

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 158,321 views for this posting.

Here is a unique angle for the spectacular fountains and water from the spectacular Peterhof outside of St. Petersburg. The greatest technological achievement of Peterhof is that all of the fountains operate without the use of pumps. Water is supplied from natural springs and collects in reservoirs in the Upper Gardens. This elevation difference creates the pressure driving most of the fountains for the Lower Gardens, including the Grand Cascade.:

Private, personal tours can be worth it, especially in St. Petersburg. Here our group of four, with our guide, Jane or Zhenya from Anastasia, we are viewing and learning more about one of the two da Vinci masterpieces (Madonna Litta or Madonna and Child) at the Hermitage after an early admission. There are only 14 such paintings by this artist existing in the whole world. We did an early admission at the Hermitage, lessening the crowd battles and adding to the enjoyment in this spectacular place/set of five palaces AND museum. It is both! This Madonna and Child was probably painted in Milan, where the artist moved in 1482. The Madonna's tender gaze as she looks at her son, and the tranquillity of the distant mountainous landscape, reflect humanist dreams of Ideal Man and a Harmonious Life. Experts says the painting reveals great beauty in its coloring and composition. The painting came to the Czar's collection and museum in 1865 from the collection of Count Antonio Litta in Milan.:

Here is my wife and Cindy examining closely one of the highly-detailed tables in the vast Hermitage collection that includes much more than just paintings and sculptures. The Russian skills and craftsmanship for such details is amazing and must be seen “up close and personal”. You cannot just walk by quickly and appreciate fully the details for their expert workmanship!:

Here is an overall view of the size and scale of St. Isaac's interior in St. Petersburg. It is the largest Russian Orthodox cathedral in this historic city and was dedicated to Saint Isaac of Dalmatia, a patron saint of Peter the Great. The cathedral took 40 years to construct, 1818 to 1858, under direction of a French architect. During Soviet rule, it was nearly destroyed and was made into a Museum of Scientific Atheism. It has been restored to its religious beauty/role. The cathedral's main dome tops out at 333 feet and is plated with pure gold.:

As we entered Catherine's Palace in St. Petersburg, here was the welcoming band. This Rococo summer residence of the Russian Czars is located in the town of Pushkin, 15 miles SE of St. Petersburg. The residence originated in 1717, when Catherine I engaged a German architect to construct a summer palace for her pleasure. In 1752, Empress Anna found her mother's residence outdated and had her court architect demolish the old structure and replace it with a much grander edifice in a flamboyant Rococo style. Construction lasted for four years and in 1756 the new 325-meter-long palace amazed courtiers, foreign ambassadors and other visitors. During Elizabeth's lifetime, the palace was famed for its lavish exterior, including more than 100 kilograms of gol

d used to gild the sophisticated stucco façade and numerous statues erected on the roof.:

Inside Catherine's Palace in St. Petersburg with our personal guide from Anastasia, we view this spectacular reception “ballroom”, painted ceiling, gold, etc., at our pace and timing schedule, getting our personal questions answered, etc. This majestic setting requires a little time to “soak it up”.:

To help those preparing for their first visit to St. Petersburg (or those wanting to refresh their great memories from being there), here below are some more of my visuals. Hope that these options are helpful to consider in doing your future planning.

PRIVATE TOURS?:

Some "private" tour are smaller than a cruise ship groups, but still you could be part of their smaller "mass" of 12-25 people that travels together and is offering only that firm's plan/schedule. Not always a schedule and pace to fit ALL of your priorities. Below are some of my priorities and visuals to prove why we loved these options. One of the challenge? Two of the best locations are out of the main city and require more logistical time to get there and back. Even if you do not love art that much, the Hermitage is spectacular as it is a collection of five different historic palaces in a great, central location.

The honest truth is that there are a number of very good to excellent private firms in St. Petersburg. Most people liked their tour and will beat the drums and say theirs are the "best". Of course, they have only tried one and do not have much real sense of "comparison". It is my suggestion to write to four or five of the top firms, tell them exactly what you want, seek and love. (And before doing this step, you might have to do some of your own advance research to determine those priorities.) See what you get back and which one is the "best fit" for your specific personal needs and travel style. Some people are very happy and satisfied with the basic, standard "formula" tour that is offered up. I am NOT a big fan, however, of "one size fits all". Personal choice!!

Others, like us, want things to be a little more custom. In our "planning process", I asked lots of questions (after doing some advance reading and research) and got back many good replies (quickly) from Anastasia that helped me get my arms around the many, varied options in St. Petersburg. Getting your trip "flow" and "pacing" is very important for St. Petersburg. We were super happy with how it all worked in having a great mix for what we saw and how it fit together.

Another key factor is their "flexibility". Once in Russia and doing the first day, we asked about a couple of "schedule adjustments" and they got things done in a smooth and excellent manner. One item was a request to stop at a shop to buy a Russian-style military hat and I asked about getting an early admission at the Hermitage to avoid some of the bus/mass crowds at the regular hour. Making things custom and personal was very important to us. Some firms are flexible and very responsive. Others are not that way, nor interested or caring. That degree of custom/personal versus standard/more mass is part of the "choice" process. You need to determine what you want and need.

Clearly, a private, smaller tour is much better than being "forced marched" in a mass of 30-45 people through the Hermitage as the guide barks out the canned script for the various art works you are passing quickly past. We saw those types of ship tours while there and would hate to suffer under that type of less-than-desirable situation.

Just like there are many different sizes, styles and types of shoes, the same is true with private tour companies. We don't all wear and have same types of shoes for all of our needs, occasions and purposes. These visual samples might help to get folks prepared for the great glories that are there in St. Petersburg.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 204,269 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Lots of beautiful church towers and buildings are located all over in historic St. Petersburg. Some “riding around time” allows an opportunity to see the variety of buildings in this historic capital. Sampling the great architecture and history in St. Petersburg are two of the big, BIG joys from being there in this charming city.:

Here is a wider shot of the Spilled Blood Church interior in St. Petersburg. Its exterior design is more traditionally "Russian" or Orthodox than St. Isaac. Spilled Blood or the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ was built on the site along a canal where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881 and its building was dedicated to his memory. Construction began in 1883 and was completed in 1907. This city's architecture is predominantly Baroque and Neoclassical, but this church harkens back to medieval Russian architecture in the spirit of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. The Church contains over 7500 square metres of mosaics, among the most for any church in the world. It suffered much damage during the Russian Revolution and World War II, but was reopened in 1997, after 27 years of restoration. The results are beautiful!!:

The Peter and Paul Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox cathedral located inside the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg. It is the first and oldest landmark, built between 1712 and 1733 on Zayachy Island along the Neva River. Both the cathedral and the fortress were originally built under Peter the Great. The cathedral's bell tower is the world's tallest Orthodox bell tower and is an integral part of the main building. This cathedral is sometimes considered the highest Orthodox Church in the world. Its golden spire reaches a height of 404 feet and features at its top an angel holding a cross. The cathedral was closed in 1919 and turned into a museum in 1924. It is still officially a museum, but religious services resumed in 2000. The cathedral houses the remains of almost all the Russian Emperors and Empresses from Peter the Great to Nicholas II:

One of the many fountains on the grounds of the Peterhof is the Orangery Fountain, depicting Triton fighting a sea monster. There is a cafe there with outdoor seating and super views where we ate outside and had our lunch.:

At Catherine's Palace, here is the spectacular Amber Room when my camera accidentally went off and captured this view.:

From the hydrofoil coming from the Peterhof, here was our view of the Hermitage exterior and this water feature in the main, harbor area.:

From Conde Nast Traveler, they have this headline: "Best Destination: St. Petersburg" with these highlights: "This Russian city is the winner for the second year running, beating out the other 13 nominees including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, London, and Paris. 'St. Petersburg is one of the most famous cities in the world and this is a fantastic opportunity for the city to take its rightful place as a top rank tourism destination.' "

This result/winning was based on the World Travel Awards, now in its 23rd year that were announced in early September 2016 for the top leaders in the tourism, airline, hotel, and hospitality sectors. This was a result from near one million votes being casted for the best-of-the-best.

Below are some more of my many visual images captured in St. Petersburg, especially for the Hermitage. Hope these inspire you with great ideas and/or bring back nice memories from visiting in this highly-rated city.

KEY HERMITAGE BACKGROUND: YES, the Hermitage is enormous, like their vast empire. The Tzar ruled this space of 1057 rooms, 117 stairs and 1945 windows. The number of sculptures on the roof of the Winter Palace is 176, including its many vases. This main palace was built by more than 4000 builders, marble and sculpture specialists, parquet makers and artists. The palace was built in the period from 1754 to 1762. At that time it was the tallest dwelling house in St Petersburg. The Winter Palace was repainted several times in different colors. It was red, pink, and a few other colors. It acquired its green color in 1946. The Winter Palace was made to represent the power and glory of the Russian Empire, especially to impress those in western Europe. The length of the main facade is 492 feet, the height is 98 feet.

Full story at:

http://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/titanic-belfast-st-petersburg-snag-top-spots-at-europes-oscars-of-travel/1

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 44,590 views for these postings.

Here is the Grand Staircase at St. Petersburg’s Hermitage. It was restored after the fire of 1837. This white marble staircase is divided into two flights with ten solid columns of granite supporting the vaults of the staircase. Full of light and gleaming with gilding and mirrors, the staircase extends for the whole height of the Winter Palace. The painted ceiling is by 18th-century artist Diziano Gasparo representing the gods of Olympus Olympus. This gives an impression of an additional height to the staircase. The décor of the staircase includes monumental sculptures brought by Peter the Great from Italy. In the 18th century the staircase was known as the Ambassadorial Staircase because the envoys of foreign countries ascended it when going to the palace for official receptions.:

This is the Gallery of Generals celebrating Russia’s famed military history at the Hermitage. Military commanders of the War of 1812 look down on us from the portraits on the walls of this "War Gallery". The dark fabric of their uniforms sets off their bright military decorations and the irridescent moire of the ribbons of their orders. Emperor Alexander I personally approved the list of generals. Napoleon I failed to force Russia to surrender and it force his return to Paris in failure. The Overture of 1812 was written by famed Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1880 to commemorate Russia's defense of their fatherland against Napoleon's invading Grande Armée in 1812.:

Almost as famous as the two Madonnas by da Vinci at the Hermitage is this one with the same subject by Raphael. It is called The Conestabile Madonna. It was acquired by Czar Alexander II of Russia in 1871. It was believed painted around 1502-04 and was likely the last work painted by Raphael in Umbria before moving to Florence. Our guide told us that the wood frame was made by Raphel’s father. Both the art piece and frame are very unique.:

At St. Petersburg’s Hermitage, here is just one of the many, many great galleries with so many different and great architecture details, soaring ceilings, dramatic floors, etc., in areas where the Czars entertained and impressed other Royals and nobility. Even without the art items, these five palaces are so spectacular! This room is adorned with 19th-century Russian lapidary works and feature Italian and Spanish canvases of the 16th-18th centuries, including Veronese, Tintoretto, Velázquez and Murillo.:

One of the two dozen or so paintings by Rembrandt inside the Hermitage. This is his famed Return of the Prodigal Son that was done shortly before his death in 1669. Our guide explained that this painting reflected his normal power of realism, but added more psychological insights and spiritual awareness at this late period period in his personal and artistic history.:

Another example of Hermitage galleries with lots of room and special architecture. The display rooms are all different in their design and style:

Thx Terry - Great photos which had me wistfully thinking back to our visit to SPB in August where we - yes - did a small group tour with one of the usual suspects. Agree with your advice and observations 100%. You forgot to mention the portrait of the Duke of Wellington in the War Gallery, mind...

Thx Terry - Great photos which had me wistfully thinking back to our visit to SPB in August where we - yes - did a small group tour with one of the usual suspects. Agree with your advice and observations 100%. You forgot to mention the portrait of the Duke of Wellington in the War Gallery, mind...

Appreciate this nice follow-up from your visit to St. Petersburg. Glad to bring back nice memories!! Happy we agree on the tips that I shared. Sorry, do not remember having the portrait of the Duke of Wellington pointed out in the War Gallery. That's a good reason to go back to the Hermitage, again.

Here are some more visuals from St. Petersburg. In this case, I am focused on the Peterhof with their great gardens. Hope this are of help to those doing future planning or to those seeking to bring back nice memories.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 218,057 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

One of the gold-covered towers of the Palace at the Peterhof that is seen as you walk towards the spectacular gardens and fountains.:

Fountains and water at the spectacular Peterhof outside of St. Petersburg:

Looking up from the Gulf of Finland along the water canal towards the Palace at the Peterhof:

A carved stone statute in these historic and great gardens at the Peterhof:

Another fountain and statue area for strolling and enjoying on these park grounds:

These are the surprise fountains that go off on the hour to the delight of kids and others who enjoy such fun at the Peterhof:

Hello, I am having trouble contacting Anastasia Travel. I have tried the website, the email addresses and the chat message with no personal response. I am getting the automated response that my message was received. Do you have any suggestions. Thanks.

Beautiful photos and helpful information on many fronts. Thanks so much.

Hello, I am having trouble contacting Anastasia Travel. I have tried the website, the email addresses and the chat message with no personal response. I am getting the automated response that my message was received. Do you have any suggestions. Thanks.

 

Beautiful photos and helpful information on many fronts. Thanks so much.

My advice would be to wail until Monday, January 9th. My guess is that no one is currently available because the entire week from January 1st through January 7th is a Russian national holiday (with January 7th being Orthodox Christmas day in Russia). :)

My advice would be to wail until Monday, January 9th. My guess is that no one is currently available because the entire week from January 1st through January 7th is a Russian national holiday (with January 7th being Orthodox Christmas day in Russia). :)

aquidneck1: Hello' date=' I am having trouble contacting Anastasia Travel. I have tried the website, the email addresses and the chat message with no personal response. I am getting the automated response that my message was received. Do you have any suggestions. Thanks. [b']Beautiful photos and helpful information[/b] on many fronts. Thanks so much.

Appreciate this great question and the wonderful follow-up from our Colorado CC Board friend/expert. Sounds like a good and smart "guess".

THANKS for this excellent sharing and help to those planning their future adventures! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 219,861 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Thanks to both of you for the quick response. I did hear from Katherine today and indeed, it was the holiday. No rush moving forward. Thanks again.