[ SUNDAY TRAVEL ]
DENNIS CALLAN / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
The Church on Spilled Blood is a memorial to Czar Alexander II, who was killed by a terrorist bomb in 1881.
Russia's most beautiful city has always been a captivating place, filled with great contradictions. St. Petersburg has had a 200-year history encompassing great art, architecture, culture, economic and social problems, and within the past decade, renewal. The city has cleaned up old buildings to become a modern European cultural center that's safe and comfortable to visit.
Russia’s St. Petersburg is a city
If you go
of contrasts, with grand palaces,
museums and monuments,
created amid conflict and turmoil
By Dennis Callan
Special to the Star-BulletinUnimaginable splendor was created during the 18th and 19th centuries, when czars ruled with near absolute power over the world's largest country. All the wealth was funneled into the hands of its aristocracy in St. Petersburg, who spent lavishly, building grand palaces, museums and monuments. Despite the lack of cash in modern Russia, these structures have been preserved and renovated for all to enjoy.
Peter the Great founded the city in 1703. This strategic location, where the Neva River joins the Gulf of Finland, was the perfect place to build his navy. He was determined to catapult Russia into modern times. Architects and artists were imported from Western Europe and put to work constructing a glorious new city.
When construction began in this mud pit there were no stones, so the builders came up with a "stone tax," which required everyone coming to the city to bring a rock. For walkers, only one was required, but horse riders needed 10, and those traveling by barge, 100. Other stone construction was banned to focus on St. Petersburg. The plan worked well.
DENNIS CALLAN / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
The Peter and Paul Fortress was the reason Peter the Great built his new capital here. Czars from Peter to Nicholas II are buried inside the cathedral in the middle of the fort.
St. Petersburg continued as the nation's capital for two centuries, changing names now and then. It became Petrograd to honor its founder, then Leningrad, and now it's back to St. Petersburg. When the capital was moved to Moscow after the revolution in 1918, St. Petersburg's population plunged from 2.5 million to 740,000. Conditions improved as the city played a role in the new nation's development. Its current population is about 5 million, spread over 100 islands, connected by rivers and canals.
Last century's social dislocations helped preserve the city's architecture because there was no money for redevelopment. Now these historic sites are tourist magnets that are kept in top condition. For much of the modern era, the Soviet Union was isolated from the West, but today, Russia is welcoming large numbers of Americans.
Arrivals at St. Petersburg Airport, however, will seem like a journey back to the Cold War era. It will probably take an hour to get through customs.
If you are not on a tour, you are at the mercy of the taxi pirates and may spend $50 to get to your hotel, a king's ransom in a land where $60 is the average monthly income. Negotiate the price first.
Avoid St. Petersburg in the winter. This is one of the world's northernmost cities, with winter temperatures below freezing much of the time, and little daylight.
But days are long during the summer, culminating with "White Nights" in late June, when the sun never sets. All summer long, it stays light until nearly midnight.
St. Petersburg is not an easy city to get around in because the sights are spread out, most locals do not speak English, and public transportation is unreliable, so you should arrange guided tours at your hotel.
Bus tour of the city, Palace Square, Neva River, St. Isaacs, Nevsky Prospect, Arts Square
Begin your first day with a three-hour bus tour of the city. Visits to the Hermitage and outlying palaces will be covered in separate excursions.A highlight of your tour will likely be a visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress, where the city was born. Ironically, the fort never saw any action and became a political prison for two centuries. The Peter and Paul Cathedral stands in the middle of the fort, with a 402-foot tower that is the city's highest structure. All the important czars are buried inside, from Peter to Nicholas II, who was recently moved here with his family. The interior is a mix of golden Baroque ornamentation with geometric patterns on the walls and ceiling.
>> Palace Square: After the bus tour, start a walking tour at Palace Square. The palace is at the epicenter of St. Petersburg history, with the Winter Palace containing the Hermitage Museum on one side, and the magnificent General Staff Building of the Army on the other, with the Alexander Column in the middle. This is the world's tallest monument, a 154-foot-tall cylinder of granite, weighing 600 tons and commemorating Russia's victory over Napoleon. The column is held in place only by gravity. It took 2,400 war veterans more than two years to carve it, ship it from Finland on a special barge and erect it in the square in 1832.
Russia's most important events took place in the square, including 1905's "Bloody Sunday," when protesters were attacked by the army, killing 4,000. The communist revolution had begun, but fizzled out. Underground activities continued, culminating with Lenin's Bolshevik coup in 1917.
>> Along the Neva River: Walk along the Neva River Embankment, past the longest building in Europe, the Admiralty, stretching for 3,000 feet. It was headquarters for the navy.
Across the river you can see two red lighthouses, reminders of St. Petersburg's importance as a port. Called "Rostral Columns," these monuments are a popular place for tour buses. The University complex is also across the river, behind these columns in the Strelka district.
>> St. Isaacs: Continuing along the embankment, you enter Decembrists' Square, with the great church of St. Isaacs on one side, and in the center, one of the symbols of Russia, the equestrian statue of Peter the Great on a powerful horse, rearing up to attack a snake. The large sculpture is known as "The Bronze Horseman."
DENNIS CALLAN / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
St. Isaac's Cathedral, filled with mosaics, statues and murals, was once turned into a Museum of Atheism by communist leaders who outlawed all worship.
Decembrists' Square gets its name from a battle fought here in December 1825, when army officers disrupted the inauguration of Czar Nicholas I in an attempt to install a constitutional monarchy. Their plot failed but is regarded as the first revolution. On one side of the square is a pair of monumental buildings joined by an arch that once housed the Senate and the Orthodox Church headquarters. They were designed by Italian architect Carlo Rossi.
Facing the other side of the square is the huge St. Isaacs Cathedral. Built in the grand style of the Italian Baroque with Byzantine influences by a French architect, Auguste Montferrand, it took 40 years to construct, starting in 1818. Its dome, which soars 325 feet, is covered with 200 pounds of gold leaf that shines in the sun.
Inside St. Isaacs there is a bewildering array of 382 colored mosaics, statues and painted murals, with 43 different types of marble, and stone arranged in dazzling patterns. A huge iconostasis altar screen holds three rows of Byzantine-style icons, supported by columns covered in malachite and lapis lazuli. The four exterior facades look like ancient temples, with 48 massive columns. Built close to the river, the 330,000-ton building is supported by 11,000 wooden pilings.
St. Isaacs was turned into a Museum of Atheism by communist leaders, who outlawed all worship. It is now open as a historic monument, with occasional services. There is complete freedom of worship in Russia today, with the Russian Orthodox Church the main faith, but most Russians are not interested in religion.
>> Nevsky Prospect: Walk three blocks to Nevsky Prospect, St. Petersburg's main street. Nevsky is the best shopping strip the country has to offer, but it is not glamorous because Russia is still a struggling nation. It does have a funky down-to-earth charm, which can make this one of the best experiences of your visit.
DENNIS CALLAN / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
Sidewalk souvenir vendors sell costumed dolls, lacquer boxes, amber jewelry, nesting Matryoshka dolls, and other items at the outdoor markets and at all the major attractions.
The city's main shopping mall occupies a block in the heart of the Nevsky Prospect. Called the Passage, it is a complex with hundreds of small shops on two floors.
One of the nicest attractions on Nevsky Prospect, across the street from the mall, is the Kempinski Grand Hotel Europe. If you can afford the $350 per night rate, this would be the ultimate indulgence. Its facilities include a cafe, cocktail lounge and restaurant. You can also change money in their bank. Unlike most European cities, it's not easy to find money exchange shops here. The Russian ruble is worthless outside the country, so don't change more than you need.
>> Arts Square: Your walk continues another block to Arts Square, a one-block park with a statue of Alexander Pushkin, Russia's great poet, who was killed in a duel protecting his wife's honor. The Russian Museum at the back of this square holds 380,000 objects by obscure local artists.
The impressive Church on Spilled Blood is a block to the left, on a pretty canal. Its wild, colorful spires are similar to the famous St. Basil in Moscow's Red Square. It was built in the Russian Revival style as a memorial to Czar Alexander II, who was killed here by a terrorist bomb in 1881.
Check out the outdoor market behind the church for its wide variety of souvenirs. In front of the church is a tour boat service. A standard, one-hour tour through the canals and rivers of St. Petersburg is an excellent experience.
Returning to Nevsky Prospect from the church, you will be facing Kazan Cathedral, with a graceful dome and two long colonnade arms. During the communist era this was another museum of atheism, but it has been restored as a Russian Orthodox church.
This completes the walking tour, but the five-star Nevskij Palace Hotel is along this stretch and would make a nice watering hole. You might also consider walking about 10 blocks to Ploshchad Vosstaniya Square and then taking the metro, just to experience a Russian subway system. The metro is a bit challenging because signs are written in the Russian Cyrillic alphabet, and transit workers don't speak English, but you can manage if you try.
Morning at the Hermitage Museum, Peterhof Palace and the Golden Cascade.
Start with a morning visit to the Hermitage Museum, which ranks among the world's greatest art museums, with an enormous collection that covers art history from the earliest prehistory into the 20th century. It also has a wide variety of ancient art, with important pieces from Egypt, Rome and Greece -- but no Russian art.The Hermitage is too big to see in one day, so cover half today and return another day. Built for Catherine the Great in the mid-18th century by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the interior is splendid beyond belief. Russia's first picture gallery was created here, but it was not opened to the public until after the 1917 revolution.
The visit begins in "The Ambassador's Staircase." The walls and ceiling of this entry are filled with Baroque statues, mirrors and decorations. The design is one of the few surviving examples of Rastrelli's work in the Hermitage.
DENNIS CALLAN / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
The Hermitage is among the world's greatest art museums, with an enormous collection that covers art history from the earliest prehistory into the 20th century -- but no Russian art.
The Hermitage was officially called the Winter Palace. It now contains 2.8 million items. Not everything is on display, but there are 15,000 paintings and 12,000 statues, spread through 400 exhibition rooms, along with decorative arts such as jewelry, furniture, royal coaches and ceramics.
The quality and quantity of great works rank this museum nearly on a par with the Louvre and New York's Metropolitan. The interior decor almost upstages the art objects. Even the floors are works of art, with many different kinds of hard woods, such as mahogany, rosewood, ebony and oak, arranged in mosaic patterns.
Many rooms are enhanced by semi-precious stones. There are only two Baroque rooms, the Ambassador's Staircase and the Royal Chapel, but each of the 1,000 rooms has its own breathtaking beauty.
The museum was severely damaged in WWII when German bombs fell during the 900-day Siege of Leningrad, but all the art had been removed for safety.
The structural damage took many years to fix, but now everything looks beautiful.
The small rooms on the third floor, formerly used by servants, house a superb display of Impressionist art.
Major Impressionist artists are represented: Monet, Manet, Renoir, Pissaro, Cezanne, Van Gogh and Gauguin. There is also a selection of more modern canvases by Leger, Kandinsky, Picasso, and 37 paintings by Matisse.
The Hermitage is a confusing maze, connected by 117 staircases. The Malachite Room, embellished with the semi-precious green stone, is one of the most famous galleries. Columns, tables and vases are covered with stones, carefully fitted to look like one piece.
>> Peterhof and the Golden Cascade: Peterhof is a spectacular palace in the suburbs. You can get there by hydrofoil from the Hermitage, or on a bus tour.
Considered the most beautiful park in Russia, Peterhof was the main home of Peter the Great. The palace's most notable feature is the Golden Cascade, where dozens of statues covered in gold leaf are drenched in a huge water display celebrating one of the most important events in Russian history -- the defeat of Sweden in the 18th century.
The statues were originally cast in lead, which did not hold up well, and later recast in bronze. Some were destroyed by German troops who trashed the palace and gardens during WWII. Everything was restored a few years after the war.
These fountains are powered by gravity, so they operate all day without running up a big electrical bill. Because the water is always flowing, the statues require frequent re-gilding.
DENNIS CALLAN / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
The Golden Cascade at Peterhof Palace, the spectacular main home of Peter the Great, is one of the great fountains in the world, where statues covered in gold leaf are drenched in a water display, marking the defeat of Sweden in the 18th century.
The water comes from the highlands, about 14 miles away, using technology similar to what was created for it in the 18th century.
View the fountain from as many angles as possible. The terrace offers a lovely overview. Halfway down the steps, look back, then look again from the bottom. Next, walk along the canal to the first bridge, which offers another picturesque view, looking back at the cascade. This canal was dug by 4,000 laborers early in the 18th century as a way of bringing the building materials to the palace construction site.
At the fountain's center is a golden statue of Samson fighting a lion. The main water jet shoots up 60 feet from the lion's mouth, and there are 142 other jets symbolizing Russia's 18th century naval strength. Samson represents Russia's victory over the Swedes in the Northern War.
Until this victory, Russia had been pushed around for centuries, but Peter's triumphs put an end to these attacks. With the new-found peace, Peter was determined to bring Russia into the modern world, so he traveled through Europe to learn how to achieve that. Holland was a favorite inspiration, but Peter also visited Versailles and wanted to build a similar grand palace.
Also known as Petrodvorets, this was the first major palace complex built in St. Petersburg. The massive project would take 200 years to complete, but during Peter's lifetime the early versions of the Great Palace and fountains were opened. He built a smaller home for himself at the water's edge, Montplaisir Palace, measuring "only" 67 yards long. This cozy abode is open to the public for a fee. The main palace was completed after Peter's death by favored architect Rastrelli during Catherine the Great's reign.
There are many beautiful sections of this park, with formal gardens stretching hundreds of yards toward the Gulf of Finland.
Most striking of the fountains is the Chessboard Cascade, with water tumbling down a hillside chute of black and white blocks. Also, look for the Adam Fountain, the Roman Fountains, modeled after those in Piazza St. Peter, Pyramid Fountain, Triton Fountain, and a couple of trick fountains, secretly controlled by mischievous attendants, which will get you wet if you step too close.
There is a long row of outdoor kiosks selling souvenirs outside the gates, with an assortment of costumed dolls, lacquer boxes, amber jewelry, woolen scarfs, T-shirts and nesting Matryoshka dolls.
The fountains are closed from November through April, and the statues are covered with wood for protection from the harsh weather.
Driving from the palace back to town, you pass through the countryside, sprinkled with villages and farm plots. If you are traveling on your own, you could take the hydrofoil, which connects the palace with the Hermitage in just 45 minutes.
Catherine Palace, afternoon in the Hermitage, the Kirov Ballet
>> Catherine Palace: You must visit Catherine Palace, one of the most beautiful of Russia's royal homes, an hour's drive outside town. This stunning place was created by Peter the Great's daughter, Czarina Elizabeth I, who commissioned her favorite architect, Rastrelli. The palace is named after her mother, Catherine I, who died 30 years before the palace was begun in the mid-18th century. Elizabeth also died before the palace was completed.Catherine Palace was later expanded by Catherine the Great into the magnificent structure we see today, helped by the innovative designs of Charles Cameron, a Scot. This was her favorite residence. Built over two generations, the palace displays a mix of Baroque and Neoclassical styles. The façade is nearly 1,000 feet long, featuring many statues of Atlas, whose muscular shoulders hold up the windows, doors and roof line, flanked by dozens of pilasters and 200 types of stucco ornamentation.
Inside this museum are 20 rooms restored to their original appearance. Displays allow visitors to trace the complicated genealogies of the Russian czars. The royal line of succession makes a fascinating tale of intrigue, murder, conspiracy, double-cross, lunacy, arranged marriage and true love.
The most important room is the Great Hall. The room is long and narrow but gives a feeling of expanse because of the illusion created by windows and mirrors, with a trompe l'oeil sky. It was lighted at night by 700 candles in elaborate chandeliers. A mosaic floor of valuable woods arranged in geometric patterns enhances the effect. Hundreds of unique Rococo wood carvings on the walls of birds and flowers extend the space even further.
The palace's most famous feature is the Amber Room, with walls covered in carved amber panels, which were stolen by the Germans during WWII. Russian craftsmen are recreating the original panels using precious natural amber, a fossilized tree sap that is also popular in jewelry making.
This elaborate home had 30 dining rooms, serviced by an army of butlers, cooks, footmen and maids.
The Russian aristocracy did not practice much self-control, enjoying a lavish lifestyle that is reflected in these opulent surroundings. The rooms continue with exhibitions of furniture, ceramics, musical instruments, and decorative arts from Turkey and Japan. In one gallery the walls are covered from floor to ceiling with paintings by obscure 18th-century French and Italian artists. The 120 dark canvases function like wallpaper, with no space between golden frames. Another floor mosaic provides the illusion of standing on a three-dimensional platform, and overhead, a ceiling mural of mythological creatures adds to the visual package.
Walls of several rooms are covered in Chinese silk textiles, depicting allegorical landscapes and floral patterns, with colorful birds and natural scenes. Matching Asian furniture, vases and decorations enhance the effect.
There is an excellent shopping arcade on the ground floor, with a dozen stalls selling a full range of Russian souvenirs. There is more to see in the extensive royal gardens, with little duck ponds, rolling lawns, manicured hedges, surprise gazebos and statues, all connected by gravel pathways.
>> Hermitage, Part 2: Complete your visit to the Hermitage by starting with the Italian collection, including Renaissance masterpieces by Raphael, Perugino, Botticelli, Fra Angelico, two paintings by Leonardo da Vinci and Russia's only Michelangelo. There are more than 500 paintings and many fine sculptures. Each room is a work of art, encompassing rich wooden floors and elaborate ornamental details. Several rooms of 18th century Baroque art include "The Lute Player," Russia's only canvas by Caravaggio, and 26 major works by Rembrandt.
DENNIS CALLAN / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
Singers in ethnic costumes entertain St. Petersburg tourists.
A nearby room is filled with armor. Medieval knights sit on horseback, covered in thick metal. Canova is well-represented, with a gallery containing a dozen of his marble statues, including "Three Graces" and "Cupid and Psyche."
The Spanish section is perhaps second only to the Prado in Madrid, and includes many canvases by Velasquez, Ribera, Murillo and El Greco. A large ensemble of Rubens, Hals and Van Dyck fills the Flemish area. In the Dutch section, look for a charming farmyard scene by Paul Potter. The scene depicting cuddly animals was said to be Napoleon's favorite, and it hung in his room until his death. His wife Josephine, later strapped for cash, sold his vast painting collection to Czar Alexander I, greatly expanding the Hermitage inventory.
Head downstairs to see ancient statues from Greece, Rome and Egypt that cover the ground floor. The Egyptian selection is outstanding, with several rooms reconstructed to look like temples, complete with columns, mummies, jewelry and small sculptures.
In the 1960s, Russia was a close ally of Egypt, doing most of the engineering on Aswan Dam, and was rewarded with many historic treasures. The world's largest vase, about 20 feet across, needed 150 horses to pull it from the Ural Mountains in a special cart.
>> Evening activities: Ballet and more ballet. Go to the Marinskiy Theater for a superb evening of entertainment, provided by the world-famous Kirov Ballet. The colorful costumes and sets in this majestic theater provide a dazzling environment for the magic of the dance, accompanied by a live orchestra. There is a different selection nightly, so you can attend several nights in a row.
Other evening options include the circus, symphony, opera and jazz clubs.
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If you go ...
Here are some of the best places to stay and dine while in St. Petersburg. The telephone prefix, when calling from the United States, is 011-7-812.
Hotels
Prices listed are the best winter rates.>> Hotel St. Petersburg: At Pirogovskaya Embankment 5/2; call 542-9411 or fax 248-8002. My favorite. For the best package tour arrangements, contact the hotel's assistant general manager, Olga Abramova. Cost: $85 double.
>> Grand Hotel Europe: 1/7 Mikhailovskaya St.; call 329-6000 or fax 329-6001; $208 double.
>> Astoria: 39 Bolshaya Morskaya St.; call 210-5757 or fax 315-9668; $261 double.
>> Nevskij Palace: 57 Nevskiy Prospekt; call 275-2001 or fax 275-2001; $200 double.
Restaurants
For Russian cuisine>> Admiralty: Nevsky Prospekt 57, Nevskij Palace Hotel; Metro Mayakovskaya; call 275-2001.
>> Count Suvorov: Ulitsa Lomonosova; 6 Metro Gostiny Dvor; call 315-43-28.
>> Kalinka: Syezdovskaya Liniya 9 (Vasilyevsky Island); Metro Vasileostrovskaya; call 213-37-18.
>> Staraya Derevnya: Ulitsa Savushkina; 72 Metro Chernaya Rechka; call 239-00-00.
>> St. Petersburg: Kanal Griboyedova; 5 Metro Nevsky Prospekt; call 314-49-47.
Web sites
>> www.times.spb.ru
>> www.hermitagemuseum.org
>> www.petersburg-russia.com
>> www.123russia.com
>> www.travel.spb.ru
>> www.hotels.spb.ru
>> www.classicalmusic.spb.ru
>> www.cityvision2000.com
>> www.geographia.com/russia
Dennis Callan is the president of the Hawaii Geographic Society and produces the "World Traveler" television series, shown at 8 p.m. Mondays on 'Olelo, channel 52. He leads frequent tours through Europe, and writes "Three Days in ..." the first Sunday each month explaining how to get the most out of three days in the world's great places.
