Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral

This is the main building within the Peter and Paul Fortress located on Hare Island in the Neva delta. Peter the Great chose this location for its strategic advantages and to be the nucleus of the future city.

The cathedral was the tallest building in Russia at 122.5 meters at the time. The design of the church combined the typical Ancient Russian church design and western religious architecture. It has both carved wooden icons of the Orthodoxtraditions and carved pulpit for a preacher, as in a Catholic Church.

 

Toms of Alexander ll and his wife Empress Maria Alexandrovna. The sarcophagi are made of colored jasper by the workers of the Ural's plants as a sign of gratitude for the abolition of serfdom.

Tombs of Emporers and Grand Dukes.  The furtherest tomb in this picture is of Peter the Great who conquered the Swedes in the Northern War (1700-1721).

In 1998 the remains of Nicholas ll, the last Rissian Emporer, and members so his family were brought to the church for burial. He and members of his family were shot to death in Ekaterinburg in June 1918. Anastasia was not among with the  family members. She and her brother were buried somewhere in the woods and found many years later. Thus the Anatasia mystic.

Streets of St Petersburg

On our way to The Hermatage. Typical streets off main shopping areas. Most people live in Apts. You cannot rent an apartment, you must buy it and you cannot rent it out. They are expensive and described by the number of rooms, one, two or three. We saw very few houses out in "the suburbs" and they were quite small and plain.

Graffiti here also.

St Petersburg - Peterhof Gardens

On our way to Peterhof to see the gardens, we saw many weddings. One of them was a Cossack wedding.

Peterhof was the favorite residence of Peter I. It officially opened Aug 15, 1723. The arrangement of the fountains on the terraces and in the lower park was developed and a gravity-fed water system installed in the Petrine era. All of the fountains are driven by gravity.

A view from the top looking out to the sea

It's difficult to see, but in the center of the fountain is Samson Tearing Open the jaws of the Lion. This was created in honor of the 25th anniversary of an important  Russian Victory. On June 27, 1709, St Samson's Day, the Poltava Battle took place in which the Russian army, led by Peter I, routed King Charles XII of Sweden's troops. This sculpture was to serve as an expression of Russia's triumph.

This is a beautiful cascading fountain 

Looking back at the palace and fountains from a bridge.

St Petersburg, Catherine The Great's Palace

What a wonderful two days! Our guide was a well spoken delightful young lady who really knew the history of her city. Keeping all the Monarchs straight is a feat in itself.

I did not realize that St Petersburg is a series of islands. One interesting fact is that at 1:00 am during shipping season (approximately April - Sept ) all the bridges are open and left open during the evening so the ships can navigate the waterways. So, as our guide put it, unfaithful men would use this as an excuse for not getting coming home. Once the bridges are open, you better be on the right side or you're stuck until morning.

Our first stop was the Palace of Catherine the Great. It was initially developed under Catherine I, Peter The Great's wife, who was given the land by the Emporer. It was during the  reign of her daughter, Elizabeth, and through the efforts of Francesco Rastrelli, who believe that palaces should be created "for the common glory of Russia", that this residence could be called Tsarskoye Selo - the Tsar's Village.

All the gold leaf on the statues was taken off because Catherine did not like it. It must have been spectacular.

Here's our traveling group. Front row Charlene Lulloff, Sharon Stangel, Ric Lulloff.

Diane Lambert, behind me is Paul, Judy Wood (my sister) and Don Stangel.

The rate of these pictures are of the inside of the Palace. Enjoy

Catherine The Great

The hall goes on forever. You think you're looking into a mirror, but you're not.

Stair case, including Paul.

Private gardens

Scandinavia Tour

Having a wonderful time. A bit rainy this morning for our tour In Helsinki and Porvoo, but now the sun is out and we're on our way to St. Petersburg 

Luthern Cathedral in Helsinki

Town of Porvoo about 45 mins from Helsinki

Lurhern church. Rebuilt several times. Bombed during WWII

As men would go to sea, they would make a replica of their ship so the congregation could pray for them.

People are encouraged to use their creativity. They would make things to put on the bridge.

They stay there until they disintegrate. They are keeping the bridge warm in winter.

Leaving Helsinki.

Judy, my sister, and Paul

The sun is out, Yea! Sisters.