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_City Overview St Petersburg, a city of sudden and historic changes, is turning 300 years old this summer. From its dramatic birth at the order of Peter the Great, in the early years of the 18th century, the city has suffered turbulent years of revolution, the freezing death and starvation of the Nazi siege, the grim purges of Stalin and the end of the Communist era in the 1990s. Situated in the west, on the Baltic Sea, St Petersburg is a city of extremes. Its magnificent architecture is astounding but decay and dilapidation are constant threats, just about fought off by a never-ending restoration programme. The luxurious life of the tsars depended on the abject poverty and squalor of serfs and peasants. Today, the newly rich, in their designer clothes, pass tattered beggars on the streets. Even the weather is extreme – the rivers and canals freeze in the depths of winter, while in midsummer all of Petersburg stays outdoors to enjoy the White Nights of this northern latitude, where the light is never quite extinguished. Peter the Great dreamt of a great northern capital to protect Russia from Swedish military threats. With prodigious energy and his personal knowledge of building and engineering, he oversaw the rise of St Petersburg from the islands and swamps around the River Neva. By the time of his death, in 1725, he had forcibly moved the seat of government from Moscow, the population was 40,000, the Admiralty was building ships for the Russian navy, the imposing Peter Gate guarded the entrance to the Peter and Paul Fortress on Vasilevsky Island, and the Summer Palace and much grander Menshikov Palace were already built. In the century that followed, his successors built ever more magnificent palaces, from the simple style of Italian architect Trezzini, for Peter himself, to the grandiose Baroque constructions of Rastrelli, for the Empress Elizabeth, and the restrained neo-classical designs preferred by Catherine the Great. Alongside the palaces arose elaborate churches from Trezzini’s gold-spired landmark of St Peter and St Paul – the final resting place of the Romanov dynasty – to the confection of bright colour, domes and gold of the Church on Spilled Blood or the carved and gilded extravaganza of St Isaac’s Cathedral. On Nevsky prospekt, St Petersburg’s main thoroughfare, the styles of three centuries, from classical to Baroque to Style Moderne, have created one of the most beautiful streets in the world. Adding to the beauty of the buildings are the canals and rivers, which cross Nevsky prospekt. Like Venice, to which it is often compared, the winding waterways leading to the broad River Neva, are the heart of St Petersburg. Although the capital moved to Moscow after the revolution, St Petersburg is certainly Russia’s first city in terms of beauty. It is also the prime centre for classical culture – from opera to ballet to music – with historic venues, such as the Mariinsky Theatre, presenting a repertoire and choreography that Tchaikovsky himself would recognise. Peter the Great is commemorated in the massive statue of the Bronze Horseman, which rears up over the River Neva. Brought to terrifying life in the poem by Russia’s beloved poet, Pushkin, the Bronze Horseman relentlessly pursues the unfortunate Yevgeny through the streets of St Petersburg. Peter’s single-minded and ruthless drive built the city on a swamp by the blood of thousands of serfs and prisoners, who remain the spectres of this beautiful city. Getting There By Air Pulkovo II International Airport (LED) Tel: (812) 104 3444. Fax: (812) 326 9050. Website: www.pulkovo.ru/english/default.asp Located some 17km (10.6 miles) southwest of St Petersburg, Pulkova II was built in the 1950s as Leningrad Airport but was upgraded in the mid-1990s. Facilities are still bordering on the primitive, so the 2.5 million annual passengers hurry through as quickly as possible. Pulkovo I, the domestic terminal, is situated adjacent to Pulkovo II, within walking distance. Major airlines: Russia’s national airline is Aeroflot (tel: (812) 123 8312; website: www.aeroflot.org), which connects St Petersburg with the UK and North America. Air France, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, CSA (Czech Airlines), Finnair, KLM, LOT (Polish Airlines), Lufthansa, Malev (Hungarian Airlines) and SAS all operate international flights to and from Pulkova II International Airport. Approximate flight times to St Petersburg: From London is 3 hours 45 minutes; from New York is 12 hours 25 minutes; from Los Angeles is 16 hours 50 minutes; from Toronto is 12 hours 5 minutes and from Sydney is 28 hours. Airport facilities: These are poor, consisting of a currency exchange office, cafeteria, bar, duty-free shop and an information desk that is not particularly helpful. Avis and Biracs car hire providers are located in the domestic airport, Pulkovo I, whereas Hertz is located in Pulkovo II. Business facilities: Pulkovo Business Lounge and St Petersburg Business Lounge are located on the second floor of departures. Facilities include long-distance fax and telephone facilities, complimentary drinks and snacks and newspapers and magazines. Arrivals/departure tax: There is an arrival and departure tax of US$11, which is usually included in the price of the ticket. Transport to the city: Many of the better hotels offer a pick-up service. Official taxis waiting outside the terminal have their prices fixed by a cartel and are not much cheaper than the hotel cars. Travellers with a command of the Russian-language should be able to haggle down the price of a ride into the city to about US$9, although this could be quoted upwards of US$30. Visitors may consider using a marshrutnoye taxi, which is a microbus that drops passengers off at at Moskovskaya metro station, for about US$2. The cheapest option, however, is to take the public transport bus 13 from the front of the terminal building to the stop at Moskovskaya metro station and continue to the centre on the metro. Buses run every 15-20 minutes, 0530-2359 (journey time –15 minutes) and cost about US$0.30. Getting There By Water Morskoy vokzal, the Marine Passenger Terminal, on Vasilevsky Island is situated at the West end of Bolshoy prospect, Morskoy Slavy Square 1. Baltic Transport Systems (tel: (812) 303 9912; website: www.baltics.ru) operates the terminal. Facilities are non-existent. Boat services: Baltic Line (tel: (812) 322 1616; website: www.baltics.ru/bl) operates passenger service vessels to Kiel. The one-way journey takes about four days and the fare is approximately US$290. Transport to the city: Bus 7 or trolleybus 10 both go to the centre. Getting There By Road Driving in Russia is best avoided. Roads are poor, petrol stations few and far between and the quality of the fuel is inferior. Accidents caused by bad driving are frequent and the GAI 9 (pronounced ‘Guy-ee’) Traffic Police are notorious for supplementing their salaries by fining foreign drivers for alleged traffic violations. However, with signs hidden, non-existent or in Cyrillic script, it is also easy for visitors to commit a traffic offence. An International Driving Permit and licence from the driver’s home country is required. The minimum driving age is 18 years. Bringing a car from Europe entails making a customs declaration promising to take it out on departure – failure to do so can lead to serious problems. Also required are the vehicle registration documents and proof of valid insurance cover. Major roads are designated by a letter (such as ‘M’ for motorway) and a corresponding number. Traffic drives on the right, speed limits are 60kph (37mph) in the city, 110kph (68mph) in outlying areas and 120kph (72mph) on highways. In the main, it is illegal to turn left. The wearing of seatbelts is mandatory. Drink driving is a very serious offence likely to result in a prison sentence. In law, a blood alcohol ratio of 0.04% is permissible, however, in practice, drinking any alcohol and then driving is illegal. UMA Autoclub provides a 24-hour breakdown service on St Petersburg’s roads (tel: (812) 329 5777). Emergency breakdown service(s): UMA Autoclub (812) 329 5777 Routes to the city: The main roads into the city are the M10 from Helsinki to Moscow and the M11 from Berlin via Poland. Approximate driving times to St Petersburg: From Helsinki – 5 hours 30 minutes; Moscow – 10 hours 30 minutes; Berlin – 21 hours 52 minutes. Coach services: There is a central bus enquiries service (tel: (812) 166 5777) and two main bus terminals in St Petersburg. Avtovokal N1 (Bus Terminal 1), Dnepropetrovskaya ulitsa (tel: (812) 166 0729; fax: (812) 166 5307), serves the intercity and international bus routes. Finnord (tel: (812) 314 8951; fax: (812) 274 3460) operates a daily coach service to and from Helsinki from their office at Italyanskayu ulitsa 37, with stops at the Pulkovskava and Astoria Hotels. Avtovokzal N2 (Bus Terminal 2), Obvodnogo Kanala Nabrezhiya, near the M Ligovsky prospekt (tel: (812) 166 5777), is for buses travelling within the Leningrad region and to nearby cities such as Novgorod. Facilities at the terminals are basic to non-existent. Getting There By Rail The rail service is operated by divisions within the Ministry of Railroads (website: www.eng.mps.ru), however, it is difficult to obtain rail information from any one source. The Central Railroad Ticket Office (tel: (812) 168 0111; website: www.ehi.com/travel/ehi/russia/stpets.htm) provides some times and fare information, otherwise, travellers should contact the individual stations (Russian is spoken) or visit the stations to view the schedules. St Petersburg’s principal stations include Finlayandski vokzal, located at ploschad Lenina, for connections to Helsinki and Moskovsky vokzal, on Nevsky prospekt, ploschad Vosstania, for trains coming in from the north and Moscow. Varshavsky vokzal, at naberezhnaya Obvodnogo Kanala, usually serves Poland and the Baltics. Vitebsky vokzal, Zagorodny prospect 52, for the most part, serves trains arriving from and departing for Belarus, the Ukraine and southern cities such as Odessa. Facilities are basic to non-existent. Trains in Russia are, for the most part, safe and reliable, although the interiors will never win any design awards. Travellers should always bring their own toilet paper, drinking water and a light snack, in case a shortage occurs. On overnight trains, travellers should purchase a kupe (a four-bed compartment) or luks (a two-bed compartment) ticket rather than the plaszkart option, which is for a six-bed compartment, often with no door. Rail services: It is possible to travel to St Petersburg from most European capitals via Warsaw, Berlin, Helsinki or Moscow. There are daily services to Moscow (journey time – 8 hours), Berlin (journey time – 36 hours) and Warsaw (journey time – 26 hours). The Finnish VR passenger services (tel: (358) 307 23703, in Finland; website: www.vr.fi/heo/english/ita/ita.htm) operates services to and from Helsinki (journey time – 7 hours). There is a stop at the Russian border of three to four hours, while the wheels are exchanged to fit the narrower gauge of European railways. Transport to the city: All train stations are located on the red metro line 1. Taxi ranks are available at all of the stations and are the best means of a swift transfer from the station to hotels. Getting Around Public Transport Most people in St Petersburg rely on public transport, so the city is well served by buses, trams and trolley buses. Although there are 65 tramlines, 179 bus routes and 50 trolley bus lines, the infrastructure is pretty run down – cars are crowded, do not run regularly and are subject to frequent breakdowns. If time is of the essence, visitors should use the more efficient metro or take a cab. All public transport operates 0600-2400, with the exception of the metro, which runs 0530-2430. Buses are run by a number of government subsidised garages and mainly operate on the outskirts of the city and from metro stations. Buses are indicated with yellow signs marked with the letter ‘A’. A ticket (talony) costs US$0.25, is available from kiosks or the driver and must be validated by an on-board machine. Trams and trolley buses are operated by Gorelectrotrans (tel: (812) 311 3220). Signs, marked with a ‘T’, hanging from the electric lines, indicate the stops. The tickets are the same as those used on the buses. The metro or St Petersburg Metropoliten (tel: (812) 301 9700, website: www.metro.spb.ru), with four lines and 54 stations, is the best way to travel around the city. Stations are identified by large blue ‘M’ signs, which light up at night. To travel, a single-journey token (zhetony) or ten-journey magnetic card is required, which should be deposited or swiped in the machines at the top of the escalators. These can only be purchased at the station booths and cost US$0.25 per journey. All the names in the metro system are in Cyrillic, so a metro map with English translations is essential. There are no travel passes available to non-residents. Taxis Taxis are cars with ‘T’ on the side. They can be hailed in the street or booked by calling central reservations (tel: (812) 312 0022). Official taxis should have a working meter but visitors should always negotiate a price before getting in and avoid unofficial, unmarked cabs. Visitors should never get into a vehicle that contains anyone other than the driver. A sample fare from the Astoria Hotel to the Hermitage should be about US$3 if the taxi is hailed or US$5 if picked up from the rank at the hotel. For tipping, in metered taxis, it is acceptable to round up to the nearest Rouble. However, in non-metered taxis, the pre-decided fare should suffice. Limousines Limuzin-Servis (tel: (812) 118 2435) or Svit (tel: (812) 356 9329) provide limousines for hire. Rates are expensive, at about US$40-50 for the 15-minute drive to the airport. Driving in the City Potholes and appalling road surfaces, drivers with no apparent road sense and the dreaded traffic police all mean that driving in St Petersburg cannot be recommended. Indeed, self-drive car hire is barely available. Street signs in Cyrillic script and a high incidence of theft from parked cars means that hiring a car with a driver is a much safer and more popular option. There are no organised paid parking areas in central St Petersburg, although it is free to park on the city streets, provided there are no restrictions signs and spaces can be found. Car Hire Self-drive hire is all but non-existent and most hire cars come complete with driver. The main providers are Hertz (tel: (812) 324 3242; website: www.hertz.com), Hotel Astoria (tel: (812) 112 1583), Svit (tel: (812) 356 9329) and Biracs (tel: (812) 310 5356; website: www.biracs.ru). Rates start from about US$100 per day. Bicycle Hire Unfortunately bicycle hire is unavailable, although city-centre cycling can be hazardous, so perhaps this is for the best. Business Business Profile St Petersburg, as the second largest industrial centre in Russia, is a major manufacturing and research centre. Most of the engineering output was, however, geared to meet military needs and went into a sharp decline with the break-up of the Soviet Union. Industrial output fell by some 75%, between 1992 and 1995. The last few years have, however, seen a major transformation towards modern technologies, with new industrial leaders emerging, taking over old city-centre factories for conversion or building new facilities on the eight industrial zones on the periphery of the city. New players on the local scene include multinationals such as Coca-Cola, Unilever and Rothmans. The main artery of the city for business is Nevsky prospekt, with most office situated on or near it. The construction work associated with this transformation has in itself provided a significant boost to the local economy. St Petersburg also benefits from having a well-educated workforce, coupled with world-class educational and research facilities making it very attractive to inward investment, particularly in the field of high-tech industries. It is also a major transportation hub and the country’s largest seaport. The leading industries are engineering, shipbuilding, transport, food processing and paper processing. Tourism is fast emerging as a contributor to the economy and, with St Petersburg already attracting more tourists than any other Russian city, this looks set to increase, bringing with it more construction work and employment in the service sector. The labour force of St Petersburg, at 2.6 million, is approximately half of the resident population, of whom some 3% may or may not be unemployed. Official statistics on employment and unemployment are notoriously unreliable, owing to the lack of financial incentives, under social security legislation, to register, as well as the size of the black or hidden economy. Unemployment in the Russian Federation officially stands at 11%. However, no account is taken of workers still registered with employers but receiving no remuneration, as many Russian workers continue to go to work but receive no pay and some stop going to workplaces that do not have the funds to pay their wages, although they may still be officially on their books. Business Etiquette Formal business etiquette is very important in St Petersburg and both men and women should wear smart, sombre business suits. Business visitors should start each meeting with a handshake and exchange business cards, printed in both English and Russian. Appropriate gifts are pens, key rings and lighters bearing the company logo. Visitors should always wait for the senior Russian present to start the meeting and participate only when invited to. They should also do some research and know a little about everyone at the meeting. Referring to colleagues by their first name and patronymic is a reliable way to show some knowledge of Russian culture. There are not very many women in Russian business but Western businesswomen will not be treated much differently, they will simply be regarded as honorary males. When shaking hands, foreign businessman should never extend their hands to a Russian businesswoman, unless hers is already outstretched, as such a gesture is considered very rude. Normal office hours are Monday-Friday 1000-1800, with a lengthy lunch break, usually 1200-1400, during which no work is done – even telephones are left unanswered. Although working outside business hours may be frowned upon, a business colleague may offer an invitation for a night on the town or dinner at home. If invited to a Russian businessperson's home, visitors should bring an odd number of flowers and wine as a gift, take off their shoes and try not to discuss business until the host initiates it. One should never refuse to drink a toast but beware of the effects of Russian vodka and learn when it is allowed to say no. Visitors should avoid agreeing with their host if criticising Russia but concentrate instead on the positive aspects. Sightseeing Sightseeing Overview From the Yelagin and Kamenyy Islands to the north, along the broad River Neva to the Palace Embankment and by winding waterways to the River Fontanka to the south, St Petersburg, like Venice, is a city of elegant palaces and elaborate churches on a network of waterways. On the Palace Embankment, the Hermitage, the statue of the Bronze Horseman and the Admiralty look out over the Neva to the Peter and Paul Fortress and the bridges to Vasilevsky Ostrov or Petrogradskaya. Behind the Bronze Horseman, the magnificent gold dome of St Isaac’s Cathedral towers over the classical terraces around it. Close by, the Nevsky prospekt runs all the way from the Admiralty through Gostiny dvor to the River Fontanka. From Nevsky prospekt, the Church on Spilled Blood, the Russian Museum and the Kazan Cathedral are all with easy walking distance along the Griboedova Canal, where Dostoevsky set Crime and Punishment (1866). Tourist Information Gorodskoy Turistskovo-Informatsionniy Tsentr Nevskiy prospect 41 Tel: (812) 311 2841. Fax: (812) 315 2152. Website: www.spb.ru Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1900 (Sep-May); daily 1000-1900 (Jun-Aug). Hotels are able to provide information and guided tours. Most large hotels stock the quarterly magazine St Petersburg: The Official City Guide, which is produced by the tourist office. Passes There are no tourist passes currently available in St Petersburg. Key Attractions Hermitazh (Hermitage) The Hermitage is one of the greatest art collections of the world, housed in a vast architectural tour de force. At its heart is one of the world’s most luxurious royal palaces, the ornate Baroque Winter Palace, designed by the Italian Architect, Bartolomei Rastrolli, and perfectly situated, looking out over the River Neva at the soaring gold spire of the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul. The setting and the exterior of the building are stunning but, once inside, the vast carved and gilded white marble Jordan Staircase leads to fabulous columned state rooms with gilded ceilings, crystal chandeliers and intricately patterned mosaic and parquet floors. Added to these riches is an art collection started by Catherine the Great, in 1764, with 255 paintings, now grown to around three million exhibits. It includes works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Rubens, French Impressionists (Renoir, Cezanne, Manet, Monet and Pissarro), as well as Van Gogh, Matisse, Gaugin and Rodin. It would take around ten years to tour the Hermitage, spending just one minute at each exhibit, so the 90-minute guided tour of the highlights with commentary in English gives a good overview for a first visit. Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya 34 Tel: (812) 311 3465. Fax: (812) 312 1576. E-mail: interface@hermitage.ru Website: www.hermitagemuseum.org Transport: Metro Nevsky prospekt/Gostiny dvor; bus 7,10, 47 or T128; trolleybus 1, 7 or 10. Opening hours: Tues-Sat 1030-1800, Sun 1030-1700; ticket offices close one hour before closing time. Admission: US$10; concessions available. Isaakievsky sobor (St Isaac’s Cathedral) St Isaac's Cathedral was built in 1818-58, by French-born architect Auguste Montferrand. Commissioned by Tsar Alexander I to build a spectacular imperial cathedral, he executed a masterpiece of engineering on the marshy ground. One hundred and eighty years later, the gilded dome of St Isaac’s still dominates the skyline of St Petersburg but the price was high – thousands of serfs died in the building, numerous sculptors decorated the façades and pediments, tons of granite columns supported it and Alexander and his successor were dead before it was completed. The interiors are dazzling, with malachite and lapis lazuli columns, mosaic icons, painted ceilings and, in the sanctuary, a large stained-glass ‘Resurrected Christ’. The climb to the colonnade of the dome is rewarded by panoramic views over the city. During the Communist years, the church became a museum of atheism. It is still a museum but church services are held here on special occasions. Isaakievskaya ploschad 1 Tel: (812) 315 9732. Transport: Metro Nevsky prospekt/Gostiny dvor; bus T8, 48 or 222; tram 1, 5, 11 or 31; trolley bus 5 or 22. Opening hours: Thurs-Tues 1100-1900, last admission 1800 (Cathedral); Thurs-Tues 1100-1800, last admission 1700 (Colonnade). Admission: US$17.50 (Cathedral); US$7 (Colonnade); concessions available. Petropavlovskaya krepost (Peter & Paul Fortress) Peter the Great laid out the plans for the Peter & Paul Fortress on Zayachy Island, in 1703, to defend the area from the Swedes. Entered through imposing gates and containing most of the island within its massive defensive walls, the fortress housed part of the city’s garrison and notoriously served as a high-security political jail. Among the first inmates of the Trubetskoy Bastion was Peter’s own son, Alexei, who was tortured and died here. The bleak cells, which held many famous residents, including Dostoyevsky, Gorky and Trotsky, are now a museum, as is the Commandant’s House where prisoners were tried. Next to the Commandant’s House lies the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul, its distinctive high slender spire a landmark throughout the city. The elegant simple spire belies the richly coloured Baroque interior, carved in marble, inlaid with gold and sparkling with crystal, which provides an opulent resting place for Peter the Great and his successors. Petropavlovskaya krepost Tel: (812) 238 4550. Transport: Metro Gorkoskaya. Opening hours: Tues 1100-1600; Thurs-Mon 1100-1700; closed last Tues of month. Admission: Free (fort); US$5-6 (museum). Muzeh-domik Petra I (Cabin of Peter the Great) The first house built in the newly founded St Petersburg, in 1703, was the humble wooden Cabin of Peter the Great, from which Peter supervised the construction of his grand imperial city. Now encased in a protective brick enclosure and furnished with period furniture, its spartan simplicity is a strange contrast to the grand cathedrals and palaces that surround it. Peter lived here between 1703 and 1708 and some of his belongings remain, including his boat, his compass and his icon of the Redeemer. The functional minimalism of the possessions emphasises the frugal life he led in this tiny three-roomed house. Petrovskaia Naberezhnaia 6 Tel: (812) 232 4576. Transport: Metro Gorkovskaya. Opening hours: Wed-Mon 1100-2100; closed last Mon of month. Admission: US$1.50; concessions available. Khram Spas-na-Krovi (Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood) Modelled on the 16th-century traditional Russian style of St Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, the Church on Spilled Blood was built on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated, on 1 March 1881, and named accordingly. The richly ornamented exterior of colourful enamelled domes, gilded mosaic panels, ceramic tiles, columned windows with intricately carved arches is like a confection of bright sugar candy in a sweet shop window. The interior of the church gleams with marble and the semi-precious stones in the extensive mosaics. Since 1970, a long programme of restoration has been in progress to reverse the neglect of the years after the Revolution of 1917. Naberezhnaya Kanala Griboyedova 2 Tel: (812) 314 4053. Transport: Metro Nevsky prospekt/Gostiny dvor. Opening hours: Tues-Mon 1100-1800; closed Wed; ticket offices close one hour before closing time. Admission: US$8; concessions available. Further Distractions Piskariovskoye Memorialnoe Kladbishche (Piskarivskoye Memorial Cemetery) Rather than a tourist attraction, Piskarivskoye Memorial Cemetery is a place of pilgrimage for the dwindling survivors of the 1941-44 Siege of Leningrad but is all the more poignant for that. Below large grassy mounds, under the gaze of a massive bronze of Mother Russia, lie the mass graves of 500,000 of those who starved to death in the Nazi blockade. The story is told in the Memorial halls. The suffering and endurance are palpable. Nepokorennykh prospekt 74 Tel: (812) 247 5716. Transport: Metro Akademicheskaya; bus 71, T94, 123 or 178. Opening hours: Daily 1000-1800. Admission: Free. Kreyser Avrora (Cruiser Aurora) Launched in St Petersburg, in 1900, the Cruiser Aurora was significant in the major events of Russian history in the first half of the 20th century. Active in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5, it fired the shot at the Winter Palace in 1917, which signalled the storming of the palace and the beginning of Bolshevik rule. It was sunk during the Siege of Leningrad in 1941 and raised in 1944, to be refitted as a museum in the 1950s. The crew’s quarters and the gun that fired the historic shot are on display, as are photographs and memorabilia of the ship’s chequered history. Petrovskaya Naberezhnaya, opposite the Nakhimov Navy School Tel: (812) 230 8440. Transport: Metro Gorkovskaya. Opening hours: Tues-Thurs, Sat and Sun 1030-1600. Admission: Free. Muzeh Antropologiy i Etnografii imena Petra Velikovo – Kunstkamera (Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnology – Kunstkamera) Although the museum has numerous exhibits on people and cultures from around the world and is the oldest state museum in all of Russia, the collection of physical abnormalities is what usually draws visitors. During Peter the Great’s tour of Europe, the future tsar came across Doctor Ruysch’s collection of physically abnormal foetuses preserved in alcohol, which he later was able to bring back to Russia. The collection is best for visitors with an intense scientific curiosity or, in lieu of that, a strong stomach. Universitetskaya Nabrezhnaya 3 Tel: (812) 328 1412. Fax: (812) 328 0811. E-mail: info@kunstkamera.lanck.ru Website: www.kunstkamera.ru Transport: Metro Vasileostrovskaya; bus 7, 10; trolleybus 1, 7, 10. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1100-1800; closed last Tues of the month; ticket offices close 80 minutes before closing time. Admission: US$2. Tours of the City Walking Tours The tourist office, Gorodskoy Turistskovo-Informatsionniy Tsentr (tel: (812) 311 2841, website: www.spb.ru) offers guided walking tours of the city, although visitors must contact the office beforehand, as the tours (along with their prices) are scheduled according to demand. However, one can easily see the majority of sites by walking along the five kilometres (three miles) of Nevsky prospekt, from the Admiralty to Anichkov Bridge. This straight stroll through the outstanding architecture of the 18th and 19th century includes elegant neo-classical apartment blocks, the columns, domes and porticos of churches and cathedrals, the glorious Style Moderne of Yeliseev’s delicatessen and the Baroque extravaganza of the Stroganov Palace. Within a ten- or 15-minutes walk of Nevsky prospekt are the Church on Spilled Blood, the Hermitage, St Isaac’s Cathedral and the Russian Museum. River Tours Many of the beautiful buildings and squares of this ‘Venice of the North’ can only be truly appreciated from a boat. A handful of informal outfits operate river tours, which usually take approximately one hour. Tours of the River Neva start from Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya and cost about US$8 per person. Tours of the rivers and canals depart from Anichkov Bridge Pier, Nevsky prospekt. Tickets cost about US$6.50. The times of these tours are unreliable but will always be on display. Private boats wait for customers at the River Moika, the River Fontanka and the Kanal Griboyedova on Nevsky prospekt and on the River Neva, near the Zimniaya Kanavka canal. Prices per hour are negotiable and are payable in cash. Helicopter Tours Baltic Air (tel: (812) 104 1676) operates flights around St Petersburg. These depart from the Peter and Paul Fortress throughout the day, every weekend. Tickets cost US$30 per person. Excursions For a Half Day Kirovsky Islands: The Kirovsky Islands – Kamenny, Yelagin and Krestovsky – are popular outdoor escapes for city dwellers and are located to the north of St Petersburg’s city centre. Boating on the canals and lakes around the islands, picnics in the parks or walking or cycling along the leafy avenues, amid the homes of St Petersburg’s richer residents, provides a pleasant summer half-day excursion, particularly popular during the White Nights of midsummer. Kamenny can be reached by metro to Chyornaya Rechka, while buses 71, 71a and 45 or tram 12 go to Krestovsky and Yelagin. For a Whole Day Petergof (Peterhof): The Grand Palace of Peterhof (tel: (812) 427 7425, fax (812) 427 9330, website: www.peterhof.org) is situated approximately 32km (20 miles) west of St Petersburg. Built by Peter the Great, in the style of Versailles, remodelled by Bartolomeo Rastrelli and seriously damaged by the Germans in World War II, it has now been carefully restored to its former glory. During summer, splendid fountains and waterways surge and spout in soaring jets and sparkling sprays through the magnificent palaces, parks and gardens of this 600-hectare (1500-acre) estate. The famous Grand Cascade and Water Avenue connect fountains, gilded statues, water jets and channels from the Palace all the way to the sea. Monplaisir, Peter’s original and much more simple home at Peterhof, overlooks the sea, as does the Hermitage, his eccentric private dining room in a tiny red and white Baroque building surrounded by a moat. It takes about 45 minutes to get to Peterhof by hydrofoil or train. In summer, hydrofoils leave roughly every hour from the Hermitage pier (Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya 34). Trains go from Baltisky vokzal to Novy Petergof, from where buses 351, 352, 353, 354 and 355 go to the palace. The opening hours are Tuesday-Sunday 1100-1800 (winter) and Tuesday-Sunday 1030-1800 (summer). The palace is closed on the last Tuesday of every month and ticket offices shut down one hour before closing time. Admission costs US$4.50. Sport Russia has some world-class soccer teams, however, the St Petersburg team, Zenit (website: www.fc-zenit.co.uk), which plays at the Kirov Stadium, Krestovsky Island (tel: (812) 235 4877), unfortunately is not one of them. Nevertheless, in the Russian Premier (Vischaya) League 2002, Zenit hovers around sixth place. Football is a popular spectator sport in the city and games are played on Saturday afternoons, throughout the summer season. Tickets are available from ticket outlets in hotels. Wintersports are the most popular activities in St Petersburg. The city has several ice hockey teams, the best of which is SKA St Petersburg (website: www.snpi.org.ru/ska), who also play at the Kirov Stadium. There are plenty of opportunities for cross-country skiing and the many canals freeze in winter to provide perfect ice skating. The waterways are also the most popular recreation in the summer months, when boating takes over from skating and sledging. Not strictly a sport but very popular is the Russian banya or bath-house – an extremely hot sauna and steam room, where participants beat themselves with birch twigs, followed by a plunge into an ice cold pool, then a comforting drink of tea before starting the whole process again. Bathing: Nevskiye Bani, Marata ulitsa 5/7 (tel: (812) 311 1400), is the major modern bathhouse in the city. Boating: There are rowing boats – from 3-ya Yelagin Bridge – and water bicycles – from Yelagin Palace – available for hire on Yelagin Island. For those who wish to venture further onto the broad waters of the River Neva and the Gulf of Finland, fully crewed yachts, sleeping six-eight, can be hired from the New Yacht Club, Martinova Naberezhnaya 94, Krestovsky Island (tel: (812) 235 2722). Hire rates starts at approximately US$150 per day, including catering. Fitness centres: Planeta Fitness has many locations throughout the city, with the most central location inside the Grand Hotel Europe, Mikhaylovskaya 1 (tel: (812) 329 6597), which boasts a sports centre, complete with workout room, aerobics classes, solarium and sauna. Golf: There is no golf course in St Petersburg, although there are some local enthusiasts who hope to change that. Tennis: Courts can be reserved at a number of tennis clubs in St Petersburg. These include Lawn Tennis Sports Centre, Metallistov prospekt 116 (tel: (812) 540 1886) and Tennis Club, Konstantinovsky Proezd 23, Krestovsky Ostrov (tel: (812) 235 0407). Shopping Shopping in St Petersburg is an architectural delight, with the shops ranging from elegant 18th-century arcades to ornate Art Nouveau and Art Deco. This compensates for the fact that although more goods are available than in Soviet days, there are still unpredictable scarcities. Value Added Tax of 20% is included in prices and is not recoverable for visitors. Opening hours vary but Nevsky prospekt, St Petersburg’s main shopping street, jostles with crowds well into the evening, as most shops stay open until 2000 or later. Vodka, caviar (although it is illegal to take it out of the country), lacquered wares, woollen shawls and semi-precious stones are Russian specialities, as well as the ubiquitous matrioshka dolls and Soviet memorabilia. On Nevsky prospekt, the columned arcades and pillared façade of the 18th-century Gostinyy dvor accommodates hundreds of traders in a labyrinth of units, selling everything from clothes to alcohol. Immediately opposite is the 19th-century glass-roofed Passazh Arcade, with more of the same. Just down the street, the striking Style Moderne frontage of Yeliseev’s, the famous delicatessen, is more stunning than the range of food on offer, although this is the place to look for caviar or vodka. There are souvenir markets and kiosks everywhere, including Konyushennaya ploschad, opposite the Church of the Saviour on the Spilled Blood and Dumskaya ulitsa, across Nevsky prospekt, from the Grand Hotel Europe. The art market at Nevsky prospekt 32/34, in front of St Catherine Catholic Church sells oil paintings, prints and portraits drawn on the spot. Food markets also thrive throughout the city, including Kuznechnyy, off Nevsky prospekt, which sells flowers, fresh fruit and vegetables, homemade cheeses and pickles, usually with unexpected bric-a-brac vendors in the midst of them. Street markets operate 0900-1700. Culture St Petersburg has a rich cultural tradition of literature and music. Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Gogol, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Rimsky-Korsakov and Shostakovich all lived and worked here. In recent years, the removal of state subsidies has hit the cultural life of the city hard, with many of the prestigious companies having to spend much time abroad. Theatre and film, which do not travel so easily, have been worst hit. Opera and ballet have long been the bedrock of St Petersburg’s cultural tradition. The world-renowned Vaganova Ballet School was founded here in 1738, while the wealthy and cultured classes of 19th-century St Petersburg strutted their stuff at the opera. Fifteen-day repertoires (in Russian) are posted in the windows of ticketing venues. Tickets for popular venues are limited and often the best seats are sold through hotels and tourist agencies. The cheapest deals, however, are obtained by going direct to the venue or the theatre ticket kiosks or kassas located throughout the city. The largest are at Nevsky prospekt 42 and in the pavilion at the corner of Nevsky prospekt and Mikhailovskaya ulitsa. They are open 1000-1900. Foreign visitors officially pay much more than Russians and although one can ask a local to buy the ticket, it is worth remembering that a zealous ticket collector at the venue may still charge the difference or throw the offending foreigner out. The St Petersburg Times newspaper provides up-to-date cultural listings that are published in English. Music: The Shostakovich Philharmonia is the home of the traditional St Petersburg Academic Symphonic Philarmonic Orchestra. Touring orchestras also perform here. The acoustics at Glinka Maly Zal (Small Hall), Nevsky prospekt 30 (tel: (812) 312 4585), are better than in the vast Bolshoi Zal (Main Hall), Mikhailovskaya ulitsa 2 (tel: (812) 311 7333). St Petersburg State Capella, Naberezhnaya Reki Moika 20 (tel: (812) 314 1153), has a small concert hall for classical choral music, small orchestras and solo performances. The house soloists sing at the Sunday Holy Liturgy, starting at 1000, in the Preobrazhensky Cathedral, Preobrazhenskaya ploschad 1 (tel: (812) 272 3662). Terem-Kvartet (tel: (812) 110 4068) is a lively company that presents unusual interpretations of classical works and opera, played on traditional Russian instruments, at various venues. The opera at the exquisite Mariinsky Theatre, Teatralnaya ploschad 1 (tel: (812) 114 1211, website: www.mariinsky.ru/en), has scarcely changed in a century. If tickets for the Mariinsky are unavailable, the Mussorgsky Opera and Ballet Theatre, Iskusstv ploschad 1 (tel: (812) 219 1949), is the next best venue for classical performances. Lively folk music, including Cossack and Russian dance, is performed daily at 2030, at the Nicholaievsky Palace, Truda ploschad 4 (tel: (812) 312 2600). Theatre: The Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theatre, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki 65 (tel: (812) 310 0401), presents classical performances of traditional Russian drama. Pazi, the director of the Kommissarzevskaya Theatre, Italyanskaya ulitsa 19 (tel: (812) 311 3102), noted for its colourful costumes and innovative staging, won an international prize for The Lovers’ Suicide on the Island of Skynet, based on a Japanese stageplay by Tikamatsu. Buff, Narodnaya ulitsa 1(tel: (812) 446 6767), has three performance areas, presenting variety acts and improvised comedy. Dance: The Mariinsky Company – formerly the famous Kirov Ballet Company – nurtured greats such as Nureyev and Pavlova. Ballet in St Petersburg remains conservative, with a repertoire of classics. The Mariinsky, which performs only classical ballet, has the most scarce and expensive tickets in St Petersburg. The company performs at the Mariinksy Theatre, Teatralnaya ploschad 1 (tel: (812) 114 1211, website: www.mariinsky.ru/en). The director of Theatre of Ballet, Boris Eifman, enraged classical ballet fans with controversial interpretations of Tchaikovsky. This modern troupe often appears at Oktyabrskaya Concert Hall, Ligovsky prospekt 6 (tel: (812) 275 1273). Film: Foreign films, mostly American, are clumsily dubbed into Russian, although there are still some good Russian and Soviet films to be found. The St Petersburg Times has listings of these. The Crystal Palace, Nevsky prospekt 72 (tel: (812) 272 2382) screens fairly recent foreign films in the original language, while the Avrora, Nevsky prospekt 60 (tel: (812) 315 5254), shows recent American films dubbed into Russian. Anna Karenina (1935), starring Greta Garbo and directed by Edmund Golding, was set in St Petersburg, as was Eisenstein’s October (1927). Warren Beatty’s Reds (1981) charts the same historic events through the eyes of the journalist, John Reed. Cultural events: In February and March, Farewell to the Russian Winter marks the end of winter with folk concerts and sleigh rides. The Musical Spring in St Petersburg is an international classical music festival held in April, while the Festival of Festivals is an international film festival in June. The highlight of midsummer (June-July) in St Petersburg is the White Nights, when a ghostly shimmering pallor is as dark as it gets. Many people stay out all night celebrating in the parks and on the river. The Russian Winter Festival, around Christmas Day, is celebrated with concerts, fireworks and Grandfather Frost. Literary Notes Pushkin, the giant of Russian literature, is widely revered by Russians, many of whom know his poetry by heart. His poem, ‘The Bronze Horseman’, brings the famous statue of Peter the Great to terrifying life, pursuing the hapless Yevgeny through the streets of St Petersburg. Tolstoy’s dislike of St Petersburg, detailed in his sharp insight into the upper ranks of society in Anna Karenina (1875-77), is matched by Dostoevsky’s devastating descriptions of poverty and despair in the slums, in Crime and Punishment (1866). He wrote of ‘this place, with its tattered population, its dirty and nauseous courtyards and numerous alleys’. The novelist Nikolai Gogol lived at Malaya Morskaya ulitsa 17, just off the Nevsky prospekt. He wrote a novel named after that street, which he described as ‘the jewel of our capital’. He also describes the poverty: ‘… in the earliest morning all St Petersburg smells of hot freshly baked bread and is filled with old women in ragged gowns, making their raids on the churches and on compassionate passers-by.’ By the time the journalist, John Reed, was chronicling the events of the 1917 October Revolution, in his book Ten Days That Shook The World (1919), hunger still stalked St Petersburg: ‘…the crowds thickened towards gloomy evening, pouring in slow voluble tides up and down the Nevsky, fighting for newspapers. Mysterious individuals circulated among the shivering women, who waited in the queue, long cold hours for bread and milk, whispering that the Jews had cornered the food supply.’ Nightlife St Petersburg has a vibrant, varied nightlife – ranging from opera and ballet to sleazy nightclubs and acid house raves – and is emerging, after some 75 years of Communist control, as the rock music capital of Russia. However, the scene is constantly changing – new venues open, old ones close. So the best advice is to check the weekly listings in the St Petersburg Times (website: www.sptimes.ru/current/events/gigs.htm). The Russian mafia – a collective term for various groups of gangsters, criminals and racketeers – control most of the nightlife and gambling in St Petersburg. However, most visitors will have no contact with this aspect of Russian life and if you do happen to sit next to a gangster in a smart restaurant, you are more than likely to assume the man is a successful businessman. Caution should be exercised, however, especially with casinos – you should only frequent venues that come recommended. Most of the decent nightlife is in the city centre. Bars open from 1100 and start closing around 2400, although some remain open until 0200 or 0400. Drinking regulations are strict, with the minimum drinking age set at 21 years. The average price of a drink is US$3. Nightclubs have varying hours but you will find them open as early as noon and closing as late as 0900. Casual dress is the norm, although you should smarten up if you plan a visit to the theatre, ballet or to a classical concert. Bars: Although it is a bit scruffy and smoky, Cynic, Goncharnaya ulitsa 4, is an excellent venue for those wishing to settle down with a teapot of vodka to watch occasional spontaneous dance performance by girls who have watched Coyote Ugly too many times. The Idiot, Moiki reki naberezhnaya 82, is popular with the smart-set, who flock here in droves for the friendly service, vegetarian menu and used English-language newspapers and books that are available for perusal. Mollie’s, Rubensshtyena ulitsa 36, provides the international comfort that people have come to expect from an Irish pub – this is also a good introduction to the ex-pat community of the city. Punters seeking the downright weird should check out Sakvoyazh dlya beremennoy shpionki (A Briefcase for a Pregnant Spy), Malaya Konushnaya ulitsa 11. One room boasts tables and chairs without legs, which are attached to chains that dangle from the ceiling and floor. Propoganda, Fontanki reki naberezhnaya 40, is filled to the brim with kitschy Soviet-era decor and posters. Casinos: Premiere, situated in the Titan cinema, Nevsky prospekt 47, is a reasonably safe gambling venue with cards and roulette tables. Open 1200-0900. Venice, Korablestroiteley ulitsa 21, is another upmarket venue, which opens 1900-1600 and is frequented by wealthy Russians and foreigners. A passport is required at both casinos and the dress code is smart-casual. Clubs: At Apraksin dvor 14, Money Honey is located downstairs, with the sweet sounds of rockabilly emanating, while the upstairs City Club caters to an older crowd who like a bit of blues in their rock. Konnyushenny dvor, Griboedova kanala nabrezhnaya 5, is spectacular for clubbers interested in thumping Russian pop music and other wonders of chart-hit wonderland. Located in a former bomb shelter, Griboyedov, Voronezhsakaya ulitsa 2a, is definitely the place to be for an array of house and techno music. Live music: Fish Fabrique, Pushkinskaya ulitsa 10, is perfect for visitors wishing to see local rock and alternative bands. Jazz Club, Zagorodny prospekt 27, is where to head for the Russian spin on jazz, with the modern stuff played on Friday and Saturday nights. The Jazz Philharmonic Hall, Zagorodny prospekt 27, is the venue for traditional and Dixieland jazz, performed in an auditorium but with a more intimate venue upstairs, in the Ellington Hall. Jimi Hendrix Blues Club, Liteiny ploschad 33, has live bands on at midnight, every night. It is open 24 hours a day and has a reputation for great food but exceedingly lousy service. City Statistics Location: Leningradskaya Oblast, Russia. Country dialling code: 7. Population: 4,672,000. Ethnic mix: Mostly ethnic Russians. Religion: Mostly Russian Orthodox with some other Christians, Buddhists, Jews and Muslims. Time zone: GMT + 3 (GMT+ 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard. Average January temp: - 7°C (- 13°F). Average July temp: 21°C (70°F). Annual rainfall: 457mm (18 inches). Special Events Farewell to the Russian Winter, folk concerts and sleigh rides, Feb-Mar, throughout the city Musical Spring in St Petersburg, international classical music festival, Apr, various venues Pashka (Easter Sunday), major religious festival with services featuring incense and traditional chanting, Easter Sunday, Mar/Apr, St Petersburg churches Den Kosmonavtiki (Cosmonauts Day), a celebration of Russia’s role in space exploration, 12 Apr, throughout the city Den Goroda (City Day), major festival with fireworks, concerts and much merrymaking, 27 May, city centre Peterburgskoy Pivniy Festival (St. Petersburg Beer Festival), begins with a parade down Nevsky prospect and ends with a fireworks display, early Jun, throughout the city centre Festival-festivaley (Festival of Festivals), international film festival, last week of Jun, cinemas throughout the city Byeliye Nochi (White Nights), late Jun-mid-Jul, throughout the city, especially Palace Square, Peter and Paul Fortress and Yelagin Island Den Voenno Morskova Flota (Navy Day), gaily decorated naval boats, first Sunday after 22 Jul, River Neva Prasdnik Fontanov (Celebration of the Fountains at Peterhof), good, clean fun with a music, light and water show, mid-Sep, Peterhof Palace Teatralnyy festival Baltiyskikh stran (Theatre Festival of the Baltic Countries), mass gathering of the Baltic’s clowns, pantomime artists and actors, two weeks in Oct, city theatres Den konstitutsii (Constitution Day), celebration of the new constitution with firework displays, 12 Dec, throughout city Russian Winter Festival, concerts and fireworks, around 25 Dec, throughout the city Cost of Living Inflation in Russia has been so high in recent years, all prices have been given in US Dollars, in order to make them more realistic. However, all payments have to be made in Roubles and it is illegal to use US Dollars in Russia. One-litre bottle of mineral water: US$0.50/Rb15 33cl bottle of beer: US$0.30/Rb10 Financial Times newspaper: Not available 36-exposure colour film: US$1.60/Rb50 City-centre bus ticket: US$0.20/Rb5 Adult football ticket: US$1/Rb29 Three-course meal with wine/beer: US$8-32/Rb250-1000 1 Russian Rouble (Rb1) = £0.02; US$0.03; C$0.05; A$0.05; €0.03 1 American Dollar (US$1) = Rs31.60; £0.63; C$1.49; A$1.65; €0.93 Currency conversion rates as of February 2003 Copyright © 2003 Columbus Travel Publishing Ltd.