Smol'Ninskoe Travel Guide

St. Petersburg

Peter the Great Bridge
Peter the Great Bridge
When we visited Smolny Cathedral we witnessed a baby being baptized and that made this trip quite a special occasion! Source: Wikipedia This Russian Orthodox convent was built to house Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great. After she was disallowed succession to the throne, she opted to become a nun. However her Imperial predecessor, Ivan VI was overthrown during a coup d'état (carried out by the royal guards in 1741). Elizabeth then decided against entering monastic life and accepted the offer of the Russian throne and work on the convent continued with her royal patronage. Smolny Cathedral (Sobor). The convent's main church (catholicon or sobor), a blue-and-white building, is considered to be one of the architectural masterpieces of the Italian architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who also redesigned the Winter Palace, and created the Grand Catherine Palace (Yekaterininsky) in Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin), the Grand Palace in Peterhof and many other major St. Petersburg landmarks. The Cathedral is the centerpiece of the convent, built by Rastrelli between 1748 and 1764. The projected bell-tower was to become the tallest building in St. Petersburg and, at the time, all of Russia. Elizabeth's death in 1762 prevented Rastrelli from completing this grand design. The smaller bell tower. When Catherine II assumed the throne, it was found that the new Empress strongly disapproved of the baroque style, and funding that had supported the construction of the convent rapidly ran out. Rastrelli was unable to build the huge bell-tower he had planned and unable to finish the interior of the cathedral. The building was only finished in 1835 by Vasily Stasov with the addition of a neo-classical interior to suit the changed architectural tastes at the time. The Cathedral was consecrated on 22 July 1835; its main altar was dedicated to the Resurrection and the two side altars were dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene and Righteous Elizabeth. The church was closed by the Soviet authorities in 1923. It was looted and allowed to decay until 1982, when it became a Concert Hall. Today, Smolny Cathedral is used primarily as a concert hall and the surrounding convent buildings house various offices and government institutions. In addition, the faculties of sociology, political science and international relations of the Saint Petersburg State University are located in some of the buildings surrounding the cathedral. The nearby Smolny Institute is named after the convent. The name "Smolny" derives from the location, in the early days of St. Petersburg the place at the edge of the city where pitch ("smola" in Russian) was processed for use in shipbuilding and maintenance. As a result the locale was called "smolny" - the place of pitch. #architecture #blue
Source: http://www.saint-petersburg.com/monuments/catherine-the-great/ This monument to Catherine the Great was unveiled in 1873. The Empress was adored by the people of St. Petersburg for all her efforts to improve the life and education provided by the city and her reign has long seen been known as the "golden age" of Russia. The statue of Catherine is surrounded by delicately carved figures of the most prominent individuals of her reign: politicians and poets, military men and courtiers. The monument is located in the middle of a small, grass-covered square, just off Nevsky Prospekt, which is lined by the Anichkov Palace, the Alexandrinsky Drama Theater and the Russian National Library. As one of the country's most enlightened monarchs, Catherine could not have chosen a better spot herself. The monument was designed by the Russian artist M.O. Mikeshin and created by the best sculptors and architects of the day. Catherine the Great is dressed in her official gown and holds a scepter in her right hand and an olive wreath in her left hand. The pedestal is decorated with the symbols of royal power. Among the dignitaries, who's likenesses have been carved on the statue's pedestal, are Alexander Suvorov, perhaps the most famous general in Russian history, Prince Potiomkin, the general and politician, Ekaterina Dashkova, the first woman to chair the Russian Academy of Sciences (in the 18th century!!!) and the celebrated poet Gavrila Derzhavin. #architecture
Before I visited Russia I somewhat envisioned it to be a rundown country but that false perception changed quite a bit after visiting St Petersburg which was our first stop after arrival in Russia. Everywhere seems to be well maintained (at least most of the tourist attractions were) with fresh coats of paint! #architecture #blue

Popular places to visit

Tauride Palace which includes a castle

Tauride Palace

St. Petersburg’s bright yellow, classically styled palace in the city center is one of its most eye-catching landmarks and is backed by elegant public gardens.

Tauride Palace
Source: http://www.saint-petersburg.com/monuments/catherine-the-great/ This monument to Catherine the Great was unveiled in 1873. The Empress was adored by the people of St. Petersburg for all her efforts to improve the life and education provided by the city and her reign has long seen been known as the "golden age" of Russia. The statue of Catherine is surrounded by delicately carved figures of the most prominent individuals of her reign: politicians and poets, military men and courtiers. The monument is located in the middle of a small, grass-covered square, just off Nevsky Prospekt, which is lined by the Anichkov Palace, the Alexandrinsky Drama Theater and the Russian National Library. As one of the country's most enlightened monarchs, Catherine could not have chosen a better spot herself. The monument was designed by the Russian artist M.O. Mikeshin and created by the best sculptors and architects of the day. Catherine the Great is dressed in her official gown and holds a scepter in her right hand and an olive wreath in her left hand. The pedestal is decorated with the symbols of royal power. Among the dignitaries, who's likenesses have been carved on the statue's pedestal, are Alexander Suvorov, perhaps the most famous general in Russian history, Prince Potiomkin, the general and politician, Ekaterina Dashkova, the first woman to chair the Russian Academy of Sciences

Tauride Gardens

Tauride Gardens is just one of the places to see in St. Petersburg, so why not enjoy the other things to explore during your travels? Experience the area's acclaimed theatre scene and entertainment choices.

Tauride Gardens
Museum of Water showing a park

Museum of Water

Situated in an old red-brick water tower, this museum is an ideal starting point to learn about the wonders of water.

Museum of Water
Hermitage which includes a garden and heritage architecture

State Hermitage Museum

4.5/5(94 reviews)

Immerse yourself in a collection of prehistoric artifacts, Middle Eastern jewelry and European art that spans 6,000 years in one of the world’s oldest museums.

State Hermitage Museum
St. Isaac\'s Cathedral showing a statue or sculpture and a city

St. Isaac's Cathedral

4.5/5(90 reviews)

This cathedral has a commanding position in the St. Petersburg cityscape and the views from it are just as stunning as its decadent interior.

St. Isaac's Cathedral
Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood featuring heritage architecture

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

4.5/5(96 reviews)

This church has been used as everything from a warehouse to a refuse heap, but it is now back at its best as one of St. Petersburg’s premier religious buildings.

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

Other neighbourhoods around Smol'Ninskoe

Alexander Nevsky Lavra showing heritage architecture and a park as well as a small group of people

Tsentralny

5/5(1 area review)

Travellers choose Tsentralny for its fascinating museums. Hop aboard the metro at Mayakovskaya Station or Dostoyevskaya Station and check out top sights like Faberge Museum.

Tsentralny
Nevskiy Prospekt showing a city and night scenes

Nevsky Prospekt

4.5/5(74 area reviews)

Museums, theatres and churches highlight some notable features of Nevsky Prospekt. Make a stop by Faberge Museum or Fontanka River Embankment while you're visiting, and jump aboard the metro at Mayakovskaya Station or Gostiny Dvor Station to get around town.

Nevsky Prospekt
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Okrug

While you're in Okrug, take in top sights like Buff Theater and jump on the metro at Novocherkasskaya Station to see more of the city.

Okrug
Kazan Cathedral which includes heritage architecture and a church or cathedral

St. Petersburg City Centre

4.5/5(147 area reviews)

Fascinating museums, prominent churches, and charming cafes are just a few top things to explore in St. Petersburg City Centre. A visit to Architect Rossi Street or Catherine the Great Monument might round out your trip, and you can jump aboard the metro at Gostiny Dvor Station or Dostoyevskaya Station to get around town.

St. Petersburg City Centre
Hermitage in St Petersburg is a very nice museum. The rooms of the palace are so impressive ! #hermitage #saintpetersburg #russia #palace #museum

Vladimirskiy

While you're in Vladimirskiy, take in top sights like Russian State Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic or Ligovsky Prospekt, and hop on the metro to see more of the city at Vladimirskaya Station or Dostoyevskaya Station.

Vladimirskiy
The former city square of the Old Russian Empire, this square its famous for holding the 1905 Bloody Sunday and the 1917 October Revolution. A massive square just in front of the Hermitage Museum, its a popular destination where carriages, skaters and tourists mix up. The statue in the middle is the Alexander Column, a 50 meters tall column thats unique of its kind. This enormous column was placed in the middle of Palace square to celebrate the victory of Russia over Napoleonic France. Unlike its ancient predecessors, at the top of the column there was not a statue of the respective emperor at the time

Palace District

While you're in Palace District, take in top sights like Pushkin Flat-Museum and jump on the metro at Nevsky Prospekt Station to see more of the city.

Palace District

Smol'Ninskoe Travel Guide