Unfortunately, during World War II and the Soviet Union, many orthodox churches, royal palaces, and Russian Cathedrals in St Petersburg were critically damaged. Palaces of St. Petersburg Many of Russia's noble families were reluctant to move their residences to Peter the Great's new northern capital, and the Tsar was forced to issue a decree banning building in stone elsewhere in the country to ensure that the nation's wealth and construction skills were transferred to St. Petersburg. To make it easier, we’ve made a guide to St Petersburg’s palaces. Below we've made a list of what we think are the most interesting and famous ones worth seeing. You can choose between the four elements: Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. the Admiralty, the Built for Peter I, and largely This list will point you to some unusual things to do in St Petersburg Russia that are missing from the touristic itineraries. With its distinctive Renaissance Revival facades of pink marble and gray granite, this extremely attractive small palace briefly belonged to Grand Duke Nikolay Konstantinovich, whose scandalous affair with an American dancer caused him to be exiled from St. Petersburg. It is open as a museum, and boasts unusually well preserved interiors. our list of the best ST PETERSBURG PALACES . Many of Russia's noble families were reluctant to move their residences to While many of St. Petersburg's palaces suffered cruelly during the We can help you make the right choice from hundreds of St. Petersburg hotels and hostels.Maximize your time in St. Petersburg with tours expertly tailored to your interests.Get around in comfort with a chauffeured car or van to suit your budget and requirements.Navigate St. Petersburg’s dining scene and find restaurants to remember.Need tickets for the Mariinsky, the Hermitage, a football game or any event? Well, you will be once you bite into the tastiest pyshki on earth.The concept of anti-cafes has caught on in St. Petersburg and Moscow very well, with dozens of them open throughout the city. You can buy tickets on the day however depending on the wind, there might be weather cancellations. Well, the anti-cafes are fantastic for winding down and taking a breather in between your explorations, especially if all you wanted was to sit down and just chill for an hour. This elegant palace in the style of the Florentine Renaissance was once the home of the immensely wealthy railway magnate Paul von Derviz, before being bought for the last grand duke of the Romanov dynasty. This model is the second largest in the whole world and takes up 800 m². So, that concludes our list of the best places to visit in St. Petersburg. I recommend you go on a tour because you will get to explore the insides of the trolleybuses and trams during the excursion. The home of Imperial Russia's greatest financier, the Baron von Stieglitz Mansion on the English Embankment was later bought by the treasury as the palace of Alexander II's youngest son. Its impressive restored interiors can be viewed on guided tours. Just so you get an idea, 15 rubles currently equals 0,21 U.S. dollars. Every 12 minutes or so the day changes into night, completing the illusion. In this guide, I’m sharing my top unusual things to do in St Petersburg Russia, as chosen by a born and raised St. Petersburg resident. Elizabeth Petrovna and erected on the embankment of Fontanka River near Located next to Anchikov Bridge on Nevsky Prospekt, the Beloselskiy-Belozerskiy Palace is a St. Petersburg landmark thanks to its unmistakable deep pink facades and intricate neo-baroque. Get Your Guide has a couple of tours that offer an unusual perspective on the city that I think you might like:St. Petersburg is one of the cities where visitors can use many different electric forms of transport: the metro, the bus, the tram and the trolleybus which looks somewhat similar to a caterpillar.