Saint Petersburg

#Saint_Petersburg_Leningrad

Originally founded as Saint Petersburg in 1703 it was the capital of the Russian Empire until 1918
The name was changed to Leningrad in 1924 (which remained during the Soviet era)
 until reverting back in 1991

KeyTip
For cheap travel within the city use the Metro and depending on length of stay
  St. Petersburg Card for unlimited public transport (bus, train, metro or trolleybus) plus museum access

 

Here i am experiencing what they call "White Nights" with nearly 24 hours of daylight
as i take in all the culture 
The season typically runs from late April to end of August with many festivals and events
 But remember its prime time here, so expect higher prices for hotels plus flights
(if available, so book early)

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
The name comes from the area where the Tsar Alexander 11 was killed by a bomb in 1881
(there were six previous assassination attempts, the seventh was fatal)
 thus the site is a memorial to him

Interesting Facts
A) Two Decades; the church took twenty four years to build because of the complexity of 7,500 sq meters (80,700 sq feet) of mosaics, which took thirty artists to finish

B) Not a Church; there was no parish or public mass, so the state allocated money for its upkeep. 
Then after the 1917 revolution the local authorities cut off financing, forcing the church to cover
 their own expenses.
But the priests refused to cooperate with he Soviet Government, thus in 1930 the church was closed and then its bells were melted down

C) World War Two; ironically this global conflict saved the church from being destroyed
as the Bolsheviks had been on a mission to wipe out all such structures in the area

D) Griboyedov Canal; local officials attempted to dismantle the church as supposedly it impeded traffic along this waterway, the public protested and the Savior was once again saved 

E) Museum; in the 1960s the church was recognized as an architectural monument and was
 restored over twenty seven years, then reopened in 1997 

Wrought Iron
Meaning "to work" which describes how blacksmiths
hammered and shaped it

Matthew Clark
Was a Scottish engineer who played a major role in the construction of many classical buildings in Saint Petersburg (1810-1830s) with his innovative work introducing iron construction
 to civic buildings plus his pioneering of dome designs 

Eight Hundred 
With this number of spans you get the nickname "Venice of the North"

Other Bridge Facts
A) Anichkov; look for the horse sculptures which were buried during
the war for protection
B) Bank; narrow pedestrian crossover that has the glided winged lions statues
which rumor has, touching it brings good financial luck
C) Palace; it connects you to the Winter Palace area
D) Blue; claims to be the widest (100 meters-350 feet) in the world and crosses
the Moyka River 
E) Drawbridge; about a dozen that cross the Neva River and offering nightly openings in the tourist season during the White Nights timeframe

Ownership Rules
The citizens here can own various property types from homes, apartments or even land
which they pay taxes on
State Seizure
But authorities can take your property for "slandering the army" or collaborating with what they would consider an undesirable person or various organizations

Smolny Cathedral
Was intended to be a convent by Empress Elizabeth who planned to retire here as a nun,
 but her plans changed
After her death the construction was put on hold, finally to be completed ninety years later

KeyTip;
You can climb to the bell tower for great views of the city and adding to the
adventure..... the stairs are narrow plus creaky
Just the way it should be 😆 

Neva River
From the Finnish word "neva" meaning swampy

A) Forced Labor; hundreds of thousands of peasants (many dying) helped build the city
 by draining the swamps for its land
B) Stone Tolls; land carts and water barges entering the city were forced to pay a "tax"
 in building materials, which was then used locally  
C) Canals; were cut out to help manage the water and its flooding, which then became
 transportation routes
D) Deep Metro; because of the waterlogged soil, the subway system had to be built deep with some sections at 85 meters (279 feet) deep

St. Isaac Cathedral
Rumor is; because of its large dome (fourth biggest in the world) the Nazi land troops used it as a reference point during the war, which saved it from destruction
Also from the air, the golden dome was painted grey to avoid attracting the German bombers

Innovative Engineering
To support the massive structure on its marshy lot, over 10,000 tree trunks were sunk
 deep into its foundation 
Also by using electrotyping to create the lightweight six meter (19 foot) tall angel statues

KeyTip
Take the 262 steps to the colonnade (observation deck) for views of the city
 or they do have a lift for those unable to climb