Previous Next Pause

"George and Co (private joke!)"

"The cruiser, Aurora, returned to St. Petersburg in 1916 for repair and was caught up in the 1917 Revolution. Many of the crew supported the Bolsheviks and refused an order to take to sea; it is famous for firing the shot that signalled the attack on the Winter Palace. During WW11, the ship's guns were removed for land defence and it was sunk in the harbour to keep it from falling into the hands of the Germans. It was later salvaged (1957) and is now a permanent floating museum. "

This old ship called the Flying Dutch now has a modern commercial use as a restaurant. The unknown statue is on the embankment opposite the Aurura.

"Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral is located on an island on the Neva and is part of the Peter Paul Fortress. The 122 meter high church tower is the symbol of the city."

"The building with the pillars is the Old Saint Petersburg Stock Exchange with two Rostral Columns on either side of it. In the 18th century the columns fulfilled the role of lighthouses with a form of Greek brazier lit by oil on top which acted as beacons to guide ships into the port of St. Petersburg's during the long dark nights. They are now fitted with gas torches and are lit on ceremonial occasions although I'm not sure what occasion it was on the day of our visit. "

"This shot taken by Dezidor (from the net) shows the Hermitage frontage in all its glory alongside the river Neva. I took this from the net as we were not able to get this shot from where we approached the Hermitage."

"The Winter Palace taken from Palace Square on the opposite side to the entrance to the Hermitage."

"Selfy in the Palace Square."

"This style involving small statuettes on the edge of the roof is typical of Russian architecture but has been plagiarised from Roman times and the gold mushrooms is more Turkish and typical of the Russian Orthodox Church."

"Palace Square looking towards the Triumphal Arch (another idea plagiarised from the Romans). This is the main square of St. Petersburg and site of the Bloody Sunday (1905) storming of the Winter Palace to start the October Revolution. The semi-circular General Staff Building surrounds the triumphal arch which connects the square with Nevsky Prospekt. The centrepiece of the square (not shown) is the Alexander Column which commemorates Alexander I’s defeat of Napoleon."

"The Hermitage Museum and the queues to get in. We were advised by our guide that we would need to go into the museum early to avoid the massive queues that form later in the day. Originally planned for the second day we therefore went as our first major 'sight' early on our first day. The Hermitage forms part of the Winter Palace; diametrically opposite the museaum entrance is the Palace Square."

"The short wait was well worth it as this is the incredible sight you see as you enter the Hermitage and climb the stairs; the marble pillars, gold pillasters and decorated ceilings are in almost every room - absolutely stunning."

"Entry staircases."

"Small Throne Room, sometimes called the Red Room, was where, during the era of the Tsars, dignatories gathered on New Years Day to offer good wishes to the Tsar. The picture behind the throne is of Peter the Great."

"The Grand Church Of The Winter Palace; in May 1918, the Cathedral was officially closed for worship. It is now used as an exhibition hall"

"On the left the Regina Vasorum or the Queen of Vases is a 4th-century BC hydria from Cumae depicting Eleusinian divinities with gilded flesh in polychrome relief. The figures were made separately, painted and gilded, then attached to the vase with slip. The vase on the right is a Malachite Vase made of Russian semi-precious stones mounted in gilt-bronze."

"The Great Kolyvan Vase is the largest malachite vase in the world finished in 1843 and brought into the new museum in 1851 before the building was completed around it. The bowl was made from a great slab of greenish jasper found at the foot of Revnev Mountain and the stone-cutters spent almost fourteen years working on a design by Avraam Melnikov. The statuette on the right is the 'Rape of Proserpina' carved from ivory and wood by Simon Troger."

"Armour of Medieval knights in the appropriately named Knight Hall hosts a collection of Western European arms and armour from the 15th-17th centuries, part of the Hermitage Arsenal collection."

"St George Hall also referred to as the Great Throne Room links the Hermitage with the Palace. The original hall built in 1798 was lost in the fire of 1837 and subsequently rebuilt by Russian architect Vasily Stasov. This room was the scene of many formal ceremonies of the Imperial court and was where the First State Duma was opened by Nicholas II in 1906. He was forced to agree to the Duma as a concession to his people in an ultimately futile attempt to avert revolution."

"Chandeliers"

"Statues of unknown origin, both in the main (Jordan) Staircase of the Winter Palace."

"Floor mosaic in the Pavilion Hall, circa 1847-1851"

"Not a square inch of plain, undecorated floor, wall or ceiling to be seen!"

"Of the many statues by famous sculptors are 'The Crouching Boy' by Michaelangelo (left) and 'Mary Magdalene' by Antonio Canova. Intrigued by the presence of the skull, this is what was described 'According to legend, the sinner Mary Magdalene repented after meeting Christ and spent many years in the desert, where she lamented her past sins. The skull at her feet signifies the brevity of earthly existence' - above my artistic appreciation."

"The picture left is Goya's Portrait of the Actress Antonia Zárate (1810–11) and on the right 'Madonna and Beardless Joseph' by Raphael (1506)."

"Statues of warriors in Armorial Hall either side of the entrance."

"The Peacock Clock, designed and built by Englishman James Cox in 1777. Once a week (Wednesday) it is turned on and as it chimes the owl turns its head followed by the peacock gracefully turning its neck and lifting its tail slowly before quickly turning around to display its fan of golden feathers. It concludes with the crowing of a rooster below. The cycle is meant to represent the end of night and the rise of the sun, suggesting the continuity of life; the clock dial is hidden in a mushroom."

"The inner gardens at the the museum."

"Lunch on the first day with our tour group. You can tell who's wearing sunglasses (it's in the eyes). We were blessed with some fantastic weather during our holiday."

"St Isaac's Cathedral which dominates most views of St Petersburg"

"The Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Isaac of Dalmatia, a patron saint of Peter the Great and is one of the symbols of St Petersburg and Russia. This architectural marvel has dominated the city's skyline for 150 years. "

"The Monument to Nicholas I in front of Saint Isaac's Cathedral on the left (1859) and the massive entry door to the cathedral. "

"The Cathedral has been rebuilt four times (as shown in the models above). The first one was constructed in 1707 during the reign of Peter the Great and the fourth was connected with the famous French architect Auguste Montferrand who took 40 years to build it and who died a month after it was finished. Legend has it that he took so long as he had been told that he would die soon after it was finished (another story for the tourists)."

"The walls of the Iconostasis are mosaic images of saints; the megalomania of the czars can be gleaned by taking a close look at the saints chosen to be included as apart from Jesus and Mary (who were obligatory) all the figures were chosen because their names coincided with a member of the Romanov family. Even the cathedral's namesake, St. Isaac, was chosen because Peter the Great was born on the church calendar day of this saint."

"The dome was painted by the president of the Academy of Fine Arts Karl Bryullov to the subject of 'Virgin in Glory'. Under the very roof in the centre of the dome a white dove is hovering casting divine light upon the astonished visitors.

"Next to the Iconostasis is an enormous stained-glass figure of Christ. "

"The Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye Selo, named after Catherine I, wife of Peter the Great. Originally a modest two-storey building commissioned by Peter for Catherine in 1717, it owes its awesome grandeur to their daughter, Empress Elizabeth, who chose Tsarskoe Selo as her chief summer residence. Starting in 1743, the building was reconstructed by four different architects, before Bartholomeo Rastrelli was instructed to completely redesign the building on a scale to rival Versailles. "

"The gold leaf used as decoration contrasts with the pale blue and white of the buildings"

"This is the Grand Hall, also known as the Hall of Lights or Light Gallery, the largest room in the palace with close to 1000 sq m of floor space. It was used to hold special receptions, banquets, balls and masquerades. Although everything in this room was destroyed by the Germans during WWII, bar the ceiling, it has been painstakenly restored to its former glory."

"Interior of the Chevalier dining room in Catherine's Palace."

"All the food on display is ceramic. The blue wall ornament is actually a traditional blue-and-white multi-tiled stove from Delft with cobalt painting."

"Inside the" Catherine Palace there are many themed displays that show how the Romanovs lived from Empress Elizabeth Petrovna to the last of the Romanovs. Their personal characters, tastes and interests tell the story of their over-150-year life in the residence."

"Start of the river trip into center of St Petersburg."

"Even the bridges have ornate decoration on them."

"Selection of photos on the river boat trip."

"Descending the subway to the Admiralteyskaya metro station; even though the station is so far below street level (86 meters), there is no sensation of depth due to the extremely well lit ceiling of the escalator. The escalator is in fact three escalators required to get to the bottom, a good 10 minute journey down. "

"Believe it or not this is the Admiralteyskaya metro station completed in 1955 as part of a major upgrade of the metro system to relieve congestion. You just have to admire the marble walls and pillars and the absolute cleanliness everywhere which is largely due to food and drink being banned and anyone who flouts the law is severely punished."

"The walls are decorated with many murals depicting scenes from Russian history; the mural on the left is of Peter the Great."

"Our train. Again, note the marble walls of the tube. Saint Petersburgs unforgiving geology has frequently hampered attempts by Metro builders; the most notable case took place on the Kirovsko-Vyborgskaya Line in the 1970s when tunnelers broke into an underground cavity of the Neva River and flooded. In 1995 the tunnel flooded again and had to be closed for 9 years before a new section was built to replace it."

"Sportivnaya metro station (our destination) a single stop from the Admiralteyskaya station is located in close proximity to the Petrovsky Stadium which is the home of Zenit St Petersburg."

"The Grand Cascade at the Peterhof Palace which has a total of 64 different fountains and over 200 bronze statues. This is the wonderful sight you see as you enter the main gates."

"The Grand Cascade and the Pavilion - from here the water makes its way down the canal (on the left) to the Bay of Finand. This photo shows one of the four statues (Samson, Neva, Volkhov and Tritons)stolen by the Nazis that had to be completely re-stored."

"Its hard to believe that the fountains operate without the use of pumps; water is supplied from natural springs and collects in reservoirs in the Upper Gardens. The elevation difference creates the pressure that drives most of the fountains of the Lower Gardens, including the Grand Cascade. The Canal takes the water from the fountains all the way to the Gulf of Finland on the right."

"The Lower Gardens."

This is a photo of the Palace kitchen before its restoration; it must have been a real chore carrying food from the kitchen at the edge of the Baltic to the Palace every meal time. Its also important to realise that after the destrucion of the Palace by the Nazis most of the restoration has been completed in the last 60 years and continues to this day."

"Lifesize statue of Peter the Great who stood well over 6ft, which was unusual in those days."

"The East Chapel."

"Lunch at a very glitzy restaurant. I have to say that the meals provided by Alla Tours were fairly plain but nevertheless excellent; I think that Russian food is in anycase not as 'cordon bleu' as some countries. I would not hesitate to use Alla again if we visited places where they operate."

"Church of the Spilled Blood; when we visited the spires were undergoing some sort of repair and the central onion was covered with sheeting so I have pinched a shot from the internet to show how it should have looked. Although designed with a classic Russian Orthodox exterior and mosaic interior, the designer (Alfred Parland) was not Russian. Officially called the Church of the Resurrection of Christ it is nearly always referred to by the name 'Spilled Blood' that was its 'raison d'etre'."

"The awe-inspiring ceiling and dome of the Church of the Spilled Blood."

"An elaborate shrine, in the form of a ciborium, was constructed at the end of the church opposite the altar, on the exact place of Alexander's assassination. It is embellished with topaz, lazurite and other semi-precious stones, making a striking contrast with the simple cobblestones of the old road, which are exposed in the floor of the shrine."

"The naval base at Kronstadt, scene of the rebellion by the Russian navy against the bolsheviks in 1921; the fortress on Kotlin Island was the base for the Russian Baltic Fleet and a guardpost for the approaches to Petrograd. The rebellion was crushed by the Red Army after a 12-day campaign, resulting in many thousand deaths; however, an interesting aside is that many hundreds of sailors also escaped by walking across the frozen Bay of Finland to claim asylum."

"Red sky at night, shepherd's delight."

"The ship's wake in the evening sun."

"Leaving St Petersburg after two memorable days."

---

St Petersburg, Russia

Our visit to St Petersburg was the obvious highlight of the cruise and it didnt disappoint.  We arrived during the night which enabled us to get up early for our first day in St Petersburg and leave the ship to rendezvous with our tour guide Julia.  Based on previous experiences of tours organised by cruise companies we decided to get better value for money by booking an online tour before we left England.  We had been recommended to use Alla Tours who have an excellent reputation and are based in St Petersburg using a small team of very experienced tour guides and I would like to say that they were fantastic and so knowledgable.  We made our way through Russian customs which in spite of misgivings proved to be a very simple process; as long as you have your passport and a visa free tour ticket - no problems.  Our group of 8 from the Aurora met Julia and joined the tour bus where a further 8 passengers from a Princess cruise ship, moored alongside us, were already on board.  And so our adventure began.

•    - a boat ride through the city
•    - the Hermitage museum
•    - Catherine Palace and the Amber Room
•    - the Peterhof (gardens and fountain)
•    - a subway ride
•    - the Church of the Spilled Blood
•    - St Isaac Cathedral

We also had a visit to the Nevski Prospekt (shopping centre) included but by the time we were due to do this on the second day we had all had enough and voted to give that a miss.

The Hermitage

The Hermitage was the first main attraction we visited but sadly our 2-3 hour stay was insufficient to see all the wonderful art and artifacts on display.  The process of westernisation that led to the acquisition of so much renaissance art which can now be found in the Hermitage was started firstly by Peter the Great and continued by Catherine the Great, who married Peter's grandson and became empress.

The Hermitage is without doubt the most beautiful and OTT museum I have ever been in with marble and gold leaf everywhere and valuable works of art in almost every room, some of the items by famous figures such as Michaelangelo, Leonado da Vinci, Canova and Raphael.  It's testament to the vigour that Catherine put into collecting (one might say plundering) most of these works.

On the way out we passed through the Egyptian hall so it seems that it wasn't just American and British archeologists plundering the Egyption tombs in the early part of the 20th century.

St Isaac Cathedral

From the Hermitage we visited St Isaac Cathedral which can be seen in almost all of the photos of St Petersburg with its impressive gold, domed roof.  This cathedral has been rebuilt four times in its lifetime, the original in the early 1700's.  The current cathedral was commissioned by Tsar Alexander 1 and designed and built by the French-born architect Auguste de Montferrand.  Legend has it that he took so long to complete the building (effectively his whole life) because a clairvoyant had predicted he would die soon after its completion which became a self-fulfilling prophesy as he did indeed die within a few months of completion.

The exterior is dominated by the dome but inside the walls and roof are covered with mosaics, paintings and marble.  The interior was originally decorated with scores of paintings by great Russian masters of the day but when these began to deteriorate due to the cold, damp conditions inside the cathedral, Montferrand ordered them to be painstakingly reproduced as mosaics.

Catherine Palace & the Amber Room

After lunch in a very nice Russian restaurant in St Petersburg, we travelled out to the Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye Selo (around 30k from St Petersburg) and the first impression which was a recurring theme throughout the tour was the amount of gilding of everything from gates and railings to the statues, atlantes, caryatids and pilasters and the onion shaped spires on the roofs.  This is very much characteristic of Russia, pre-communism and the orthodox church, not the drabness most of us associate with communist Russia.  The resultant palace, completed in 1756, took over 100kg of gold to decorate the palace exteriors, an excess that was deplored by Catherine the Great when she discovered the state and private funds that had been lavished on the building.  The exterior of the palace has been restored to its original colours of pale blue and white and is quite stunning.

The Amber Room   

The most impressive sight inside is of course the Amber Room which is in fact a reconstruction (1979-2003) of the original which was considered the 8th wonder of the world before it was looted during WW11 by the Nazis and relocated in Königsberg; however, at the end of the war the Amber Room had disappeared and its current whereabouts is unknown.  The picture (inset) courtesy of the web shows the room in all its glory and I have had to use this as unfortunately due to the negative effect of flash on the amber taking photos inside the room is forbidden.

The City of St Petersburg and the Subway

The following day after a very quick and easy walk through customs we picked up our guide and bus and went for a river boat trip through the waterways into the centre of St Petersburg.  Having read how the city of Leningrad was destroyed by the Germans during WW11 it is hard to imaging the distruction when you see how the city has been rebuilt; this is not the drab mass of concrete I have seen in other post war communist countries but buildings, cathedrals parks and statues rebuilt in the old, sympathetic style.  The trip on the Subway was incredible, nothing like other metro systems in the world, with the deepest station (Admiralteyskaya) 86 meters below ground.  We travelled on the metro for only a single stop to the Sportivnaya station but the trip was well worth it.  An interesting fact is that food and drink is forbidden in the metro and consequently both the stations and trains are immaculate - a lesson we could learn over here.

The Peterhof Palace

After our Subway ride we were taken to the Peterhof Palace which is around 20 miles from St Petersburg.

The Peterhof is a series of palaces and gardens laid out on the orders of Peter the Great and for good reason often referred as the "Russian Versailles".  This is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and although it was pretty much destroyed by the departing Germans towards the end of WW11 extensive rebuilding and restoration has brought it back to life; much of the restoration work is still going on.

The extensive gardens consist of higher and lower levels which is the system that 'drives' the fountains.  Water is colected in the upper levels and the height difference provides the pressure to supply the fountains; there are no pumps and the water is not recirculated as it is carried down the canal and directly into the Bay of Finland - a truly spectacular sight.

It is quite outstanding and an absoulte must for any visitor.

Church of the Spilled Blood

This is probably one of the best known sights in St Petersburg and formed the back-drop for the BBC coverage of the World Cup in the summer of 2018.  In fact when we were there at the end of May they were already preparing for the visiting supporters and some areas were fenced off as they set up the Fanzone adjacent to the Church.

The church was built on the site where Emperor Alexander II was fatally wounded by political assassins in March 1881.  The church was built between 1883 and 1907, funded by the imperial family, and the extravagant shrine was constructed on the spot where Alexander II was fatally wounded.  The cathedral housed a mortuary during the Second World War.

Leaving St Petersburg

We arrived back at the ship after a wonderful two days in St Petersburg and after thanking out guide Julia for such an exciting and informative tour (she really did know her stuff) we prepared for the evening and went up on deck as we sailed past Kronstadt.  I had already been to John Mercer's talk about the Kronstadt Rebellion and was fascinated to see where this took place.

Also as we sailed out into the Baltic Sea the setting sun was a sight to behold - beautiful.