St Petersburg Cruise Port Guide

St. Petersburg, Russia

Founded by Peter I in 1703, this from 1712 to 1914. The Tsar's brainchild was built according to his plans after draining swampland on the Gulf of Finland. His friEnd were required to construct their palaces along these newly created canals. The result was a gateway to the West and a distinctly European metropolis with Baroque and neo-classical mansions. St. Petersburg's new cultural life attracted such great figures as Pushkin, Dostoyevsky, Tchaikovsky and Tolstoy.

At the start of World War I, the city's name was changed to Petrograd; in 1924, it was renamed Leningrad in honor of the USSR's first premier, Vladimir Lenin. During World War II, Leningrad heroically endured a siege by the Nazis for 900 days and lost nearly one million people. The brave but battered population did not fully recover until the 1960s.

Following 75 years of communist rule, the political upheaval and subsequent changes in 1991 truly astonished the world and brought a new outlook to this city. In the wake of the ensuing events, Leningrad reclaimed its original name, St. Petersburg; it is being restored to its former glory.

The second-largest city in Russia and the country's principal seaport, St. Petersburg boasts some of the world's finest art museums, opulent palaces and one of the world's most talented ballet companies. Many monuments and palaces in and around St.

Petersburg are being carefully restored; they represent an important facet of the country's rich historical and cultural heritage. Some of the world's most magnificent art treasures are housed in the famous Hermitage; several other museums boast fine collections by Russian and international artists.

Strolling down Nevsky Prospect, you will realize the pride of St.

Petersburg's stoic citizens as the former glamour and opulence of its stately buildings begin to emerge once again.