St Petersburg: In the Beginning

In late March, I departed for the vast country to the East that has been a subject of fascination for many. Russia is unlike any other place that I've visited; it is a country that is still evolving and facing various challenges. The current president is rumoured to have gotten his position illegally which has caused civic uproar and tension between the citizens and the establishment. Needless to say, I definitely visited Russia during a very interesting time in its history. 

The first stop on my study tour was St Petersburg - a location that has always fascinated me since I watched 'Anastasia' when I was young and learned about the Romanov family. I will definitely be watching Anastasia in the next few days to see if it is even slightly historically accurate! Since the Romanov family was on my mind from the start, it was great that we visited the Peter and Paul Fortress on day one. The remains of the Romanov family rests at the Fortress in a ornate room that is characteristic of many Russian interiors.

{gate to the cathedral}

{love the blue and crystal}

{Romanovs}

{the cathedral grounds}

Then we visited the Cathedral on Spilled Blood, one of the many breathtaking cathedrals I'd visit during my stay in Russia. But even after visiting plenty of cathedrals, I'm still captivated by regal chandeliers (you'll notice a recurring chandelier theme throughout my Russia posts!) 

{a very detailed cathedral}

{more details}

{chandeliers are a welcome addition to any room}

{details}

{all the images on the walls are mosaics}

{other cathedral visitors}

{floral gate}

{market by the cathedral}

On the itinerary for the following day was the two excursions that I had been looking forward to the most: Catherine's Palace and the Hermitage Theatre production of Swan Lake. 

{Catherine's Palace - a gift from the Prussian king to Russia's imperial family}

{raven perched on the balcony}

{room of mirrors}

{mirrors and gold}

{looking into the amber room. Photography was not permitted inside the amber room but we were able to take photos from the other room}

{rounded tree on the palace property}

{pathway}

Love Locks in St Petersburg

I have made an effort to search for Love Locks in every city that I visited. I luckily ended up finding some in St Petersburg

{first love lock adorned with lace}

{closer}