St. Petersburg - The First Day of "Over the Top" Opulence!

This cruise offered a two-day stopover in St. Petersburg which, for me, was the real appeal of this voyage.  I had no idea if or when another opportunity would come up for me to see this renowned city with its colourful and often tragic history.

I had opted to purchase a private tour, in spite of the cruise company almost scaring you into buying one of their packages.  I went with a company called SPB and the price (better than Holland America’s by around $100) also included a Russian visa which purchased on its own is something like $150 CAD.  We arrived in St. Petersburg on May 6^th and, after a very slow Passport Control, made our way out to our tour van.  We were a group of only 15 with Olga as our guide and Valeri for our driver. 

As we headed into the city from the port, I was struck by the number of typical Communist-style apartment buildings, tall cement blocks with almost no aesthetic appeal.  The outskirts of the city seemed pretty grim – not a lot of colour, a few trees and run-down streets and sidewalks.  

At least this building had some grass!

Then, we reached the city – which is nicknamed “Venice of the North”.  The reason is that it sits on several rivers and canals and is actually made up of a number of small islands.  When we reached the old town, the architecture changed from the run down Soviet structures to one of gorgeous 18th and 19th century buildings, many of which are former palaces.  Visually, it was stunning, particularly given that the early morning fog had burned off and the sun caused the golden domes to sparkle brilliantly.  On our journey, Olga reminded us that this city has had many names in addition to its current one, including Stalingrad, Leningrad and Petersgrad. 

We started our visit with a quick photo op by the Neva River followed by a subway ride on one of the deepest undergrounds in the world.  We travelled from a station near a sports venue to Admiral Station.  Both stations were clean and very artfully decorated, mostly with mosaics honoring the seafaring history of the city. 

Our Guide, Olga

After that, we re-boarded our van for the short drive to the Hermitage, our first stop.  Palace Square, behind the Hermitage, was packed with people, soldiers and military materiel who were rehearsing for the ceremonies that would take place on May 9^th, the national holiday.  As we lined up at the museum entrance, some artillery was being tested with big loud booms, sounding like bombs, echoing across the city. 

The Hermitage, actually several separate buildings has one of the biggest art collections in the world.  Our timed visit, which made entry quick and easy, started in the Winter Palace which is the main complex of the museum.  The palace includes the museum’s most famous halls including major highlights such as the Jordan staircase, the Raphael Loggias, and the Pavilion Hall with the famous Peacock clock.  The sheer opulence of the rooms was mind-blowing before you even consider the millions and millions of dollars (Euros, rubles, etc.) of artwork which is owned by this museum.  Our guide told us only about 20% of the collection is displayed.  My cynical mind wondered how much of the collection was obtained by nefarious means, particularly during the war.  I lost track of the number of famous works of art we saw (both paintings and statues) by Leonardo di Vinci, El Greco, Canova, Rembrandt, and others.  I am not well versed in art so a lot of what I saw was lost on me.  One thing was clear to me, however, and that was we didn’t enough time to appreciate what we were seeing.  The sheer volume was serious stimulus overload!  How sad is it when you walk through a gallery and the guide is saying things like, “Oh, there’s another di Vinci on that wall and over there are several Rembrandts”!  The 1 ½ hours we had there didn’t come close to doing justice to this site.  You would need days!

Next we visited St. Isaac’s Cathedral which is the largest cathedral in the city and the fourth largest in the world.  It has the classic Russian Orthodox “onion domes” and is pretty impressive both inside and out.  Again, the opulence was simply over the top.

After a tasty lunch, our next stop was the Church of Our Savior the Spilled Blood.  This is the Orthodox cathedral where Alexander II was fatally wounded.  It is richly decorated both inside and out.  The mosaic interior is incredible and, once again, made me wonder how many people suffered to create this amazing display of extravagance.  It was around then that I started getting very weary of all the details – history, icons, art, family trees, etc.  I cannot keep it all straight!

Next on the agenda for this very full and almost overwhelming day was the Yusupov Palace where Rasputin was murdered.  Although not of royal lineage, the Yusupov family was exceptionally wealthy and had great influence in Russia.  Their residence, situated on the bank of the Moyka River, showcases ornately designed rooms, stairwells and a stunning private theatre.  A visit to the room where Rasputin was murdered was included which, I have to say, was a bit creepy with the wax figurines re-enacting the murder.  Of note is that unless you buy a permission sticker, photos are not permitted in the palace.  One American in another group asked a guy coming out of the palace for his sticker so he didn’t have to pay for one.  Several of us were surprised or maybe even shocked by his behaviour.  What nerve!

After our visit to the palace, we were given an opportunity to “shop”.  I find this really annoying as we are dropped at a store that is obviously associated either with the tour company or the cruise line.  I doubt there are any bargains – but I really wasn’t interested in shopping anyway.  There were Russian boxes that I used to covet in the early ‘80s and lots of amber.  Unfortunately, the lovely black and gold bracelet I priced was over €800 so that wasn’t on, and I ignored the fake Faberge eggs and Russian nesting dolls – including one “official” one of Putin and Trump.  Talk about tacky!

Our last stop of the day and, believe me, I was ready for it because I was tired and just wanted to get back to the ship, was the Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral.  First established in 1703, the original timber fortress was one of the first structures erected in the city.  This area has since played an important role in the history of the city and the country, not only for its military significance but also as a political prison, as well as the burial site of the Russian Tsars.  The Romanovs whose bodies were not definitively identified until this century with DNA technology have finally been given a resting place here.  The mystery about whether Anastasia had escaped and survived has been solved:  unfortunately, her remains were found with the others along with some servants’ and attendants’.  Outside the building, there is also a memorial to the thousands and thousands (maybe it was millions) of fighters who lost their lives standing up against the Nazis to save this city during the siege in World War II.

Final resting place of the Romanovs

After that, our very long day came to an end.  Back in the port, the lines for passport control to get back on the ship were very long and slow.  I think it took between ½ and ¾ hour to get through.  A number of Americans blamed the delay on the Russians being annoyed that the US Consulate here has been closed and extra visa requirements have been put on Russians wanting to visit the US.  Who knows but it was very bureaucratic!

I have to say that, while St. Petersburg is amazing and beautiful, it is also so opulent and extravagant in the old part that you have to wonder why there weren’t revolutions here sooner than there were! 

The following notes are from the information about St. Petersburg provided by Holland America:

Located at the tip of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea, St. Petersburg is Russia’s second largest city and serves as a major European cultural hotspot and a bustling port for the area.  Often described as the most “western” Russian city, St. Petersburg offers a gateway for trading along with an industrial focus on oil and gas grade.  With so many sites to see it will be hard to know where to start.  You’ll want to visit the Hermitage, which is the largest art museum in the world.

Founded in the 18^th century by Catherine the Great, the museum holds close to 3 million items, including the largest collection of paintings in the world.  Head to the Griboedova Canal and marvel at the Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood.  With its gold draping, intricate architecture, and haunting mosaics, this church has often been called an icon of St. Petersburg.  Prepare for long lines but plenty of photo opportunities abound inside and out.

Wander the historic city center, which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991, and peruse collections of Baroque and neoclassical buildings.

Head to the shore of the Neva near Trinity Square and visit the oldest remaining historical building, which was erected for Peter I in 1703.  Make your way to Peterhof Palace and Garden and wander the grounds that were built for Peter the Great.  See more than 80 original statues and sculptures and a two-story building that displays many historical artifacts.