 |
Let's take a little walk starting and ending on Saint Petersburg's most famous street, Nevsky Prospekt. The name Nevsky is derived from the Neva River, which flows through the city, while prospekt is simply the Russian word for avenue. We start at the Griboyedov Canal, looking toward the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (Savior on the Spilled Blood). Note the boats in the foreground. I later took a canal cruise on one of them. Click on any photo to see the full-size image. Need help? |
 |
This is essentially the same photo as above, except with the light metering taken from the church, rather than from the canal. I decided to leave both in because they each show something a little different. |
 |
We begin our walk by heading down Nevsky Prospekt toward the Admiralty. The Soviets tried to rename this street "25th of October Avenue" in honor of the Bolshevik Revolution, but the name never caught on. The sign on the wall to the right marks the Kafe Literaturnoye, a favorite hang-out of Aleksandr Pushkin and other Saint Petersburg literary figures. |
 |
A small, informal
memorial to the blockade of Leningrad,
centering on the only remaining sign of its kind in Saint Petersburg.
The blue stencil painting
reads, "Citizens!
During artillery shelling this side of the street is especially
DANGEROUS." |
The Admiralty, built 1806-1823 by Andrian Zakharov.
If you look at the map, you'll notice
that the city's three main roads (Voznesenskiy Prospekt, Gorokhovaya
Street and Nevsky Prospekt) all terminate at this building. |
|
 |
The Admiralty. The
spire is an integral part of the city's skyline, along with the
St Isaak's Cathedral and Cathedral
of SS Peter & Paul in
the Peter & Paul Fortress. |
 |
Detail of the figures at the base of the Admiralty
spire. |
 |
View of Palace Square from the front of the Admiralty.
The green building to the left is the Winter Palace, now home to
the State Hermitage Museum. |
 |
View across the Neva River from the back of the Admiralty. The classical building to the left is part of Saint Petersburg University. The green building with the spire is the Museum of Anthropology & Ethnography (Kunstkammer), founded by Peter the Great himself in 1714. Peter's original exhibit, consisting of freaks of nature (two-headed babies in jars and other mutations) can still be viewed in the Kunstkammer. In fact, I have to admit that's the only reason I went there. |
 |
Decembrists' Square, looking back across the Neva at the University, Kunstkammer, Rostral Columns, and the Fortress. |
Nevsky
Prospekt pg 1 2 3 4 5 | St
Petersburg home | Help | Maps | Next
page >>