St. Petersburg revisited 2003

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Catherine the Great's summer palace is also a marvel.

Hare Island boasts the first buildings erected at the direction of Peter I. It served as a fortress against incursions by Swedish invaders (The Peter and Paul Fortress). It is most famous as the resting place of the Romanov Tsars. There you'll find a mint museum, notorious jail, beautiful church and exquisite music to offer visitors.

Perhaps the most educated Tsar was the most tragic of the Romanovs. Paul, son of Catherine the Great, built a magnificent palace in the classical style, and his widow made the grounds a memorial to her martyred husband. Walk the gardens in summer or ride a troika in the winter at Pavlosk.

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In the evening there is live music with belly dancing of varying quality. The quality of the food rivals any meal I have enjoyed at an Indian restaurant in New York or London. It is always one of many favorites of the groups I have led to St. Petersburg.

The "Venice of the North" is built on no less than thirty three rivers and canals. It boasts a vibrant academic life with multiple universities and the most prestigious Academy of Arts in all of Eastern Europe. I know the latter is true as I am the only American to ever earn a high diploma there from 1758 until the present. I can attest to the standards of academic excellence still maintained at this marvelous University.

I feel safer in St. Petersburg than in my home city of Savannah, GA. Americans are no longer a matter of curiosity to the locals and most will attempt to speak to you in English if you appear to be lost or in some kind of difficulty. English is far more common than you might think. A major downer is the presence of Gypsy beggars who have become more aggressive and who will pick your pocket at the earliest opportunity unless you are careful around them and avoid them whenever possible.

Hotels range from modest to 5 star quality and the prices are no longer as cheap as they once were. If you eat like a native in a café, food prices are still extremely inexpensive. If you eat in the five star restaurants I recommend, you will experience excellent service, great ambiance, well stocked wine cellars, and very versatile menus. The prices are not so high as New York and the enjoyment factor so high that I recommend you not stint on food prices. After all it is primarily in the finer restaurants that you experience the flavor of life under the Russia of the Tsars and not the Russia ruled by the former Communist regime.

In the following pages I will comment on the better known tourist attractions and try to convince as many of you as possible to make a trip to St. Petersburg as soon as you can. It will not be a trip you will ever regret or forget. I will update some of the entries from a previous journal written several years ago and try to add a few more watering holes and superb dining spots.

The Russian Museum of Art would be well worth seeing even it were completely empty. The original architect, Carlo Rossi, built the palace for a younger son of Paul I. The building was one of St. Petersburg’s most outstanding until it fell into a state of disrepair in the late 1800s. Nicholas II insisted that it be purchased from the neglectful heirs and that it be restored into an edifice worthy of holding a collection of Russian Art. The new architect, Svinin, replaced many of Rossi’s original designs but by the time he had finished his results were regaled throughout Russia.

The museum is famous for its many icons and displays of ancient Russian Applied Art, its portrait art of the 18th Century, the patriotic art movement of the first half of the 19th Century, the immortal works of the fabulous "Itinerant" painters of the second half of the 19th Century, the onset of the World of Art Movement of the beginning of the 20th Century, the works of the great Russian Abstract artists, Russian avant-garde works and finally the large collection of totalitarian art.

The names of Russian immortal painters and sculptors is far too large to name here but any Western art patron owes it to himself to familiarize himself with the major art movements of Russian history and immerse himself in the high quality art to be found is this marvelous museum. I personally recommend all of the Itinerant painters and other notables such as Schedrin, Serov, Wruble, Kadinsky, Malevich, Petrov Vodkin, Baskt, Golovin, Kustodiev, and countless others that are little known in the West.

The Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful privately built palaces in the world. It boasts a life span of 250 years. It is not only beautiful; its history is forever linked to the assassination of the mad monk, Rasputin. It was here that Prince Felix Yusupov and a small group of elitists determined to stop Rasputin’s outrageous conduct that was seen by the royalists as so harmful to the cause of Tsar Nicholas II. One of the most popular stops in the palace is a special room where wax figures are arranged to show the main characters in this drama.

When you enter the palace which is built along the banks of the romantic Moika River you are immediately presented with a wide, beautiful staircase which leads to the second floor of the palace where you cannot help but be amazed by the opulent appointments and furniture in place there. Rooms include the music hall, a jewel of a private theater, the oriental bath, living apartments, picture galleries, drawing rooms, the library, and the fabulous restaurant where you may order a meal from a set menu in advance of your visit.

The palace is filled with fantastic art and objects of art. The Yusupovs were one of the richest families in the Empire and owned all sorts of manufacturing plants that created many of the fine pieces on display in the palace. The Yusupov line produced many beautiful women, and the men were noted as great collectors of art and all things beautiful. As the palace was used to entertaining the Romanovs on frequent occasions, the owners spared no expense in making sure the palace was a place where even the Tsar of all Russia would be quite at home! This is a must see for visitors that come to St. Petersburg.

In closing it must be stated that the gift shops in the palace sell very high quality objects of Russian applied art and other souvenirs that represent all areas of Russia. Credit cards are accepted but cash buyers may ask for and get special discounts. The various chess sets there are very historical in nature and would be a credit to anyone’s collection. I splurged on a set that pits the Russians against the forces of Napoleon at Austerlitz.

Frederick the Great gave Peter I of Russia about 40,000 pounds of pure amber embossed with the Hohenzollern crest as a gift after Peter had captured the world’s imagination through his efforts to bring Russia kicking and screaming into the modern world. Peter never got around to using this gift but at least had it properly stored.

When Elizabeth, Peter the Great’s daughter, hired Rastrelli to upgrade the existing palace located in the quiet royal community of Pushkin, she directed that he take the amber panels and turn one entire room in the palace into an amber treasure. This room was unique and insured that her summer palace would be one of the most splendid royal residences in the world.

When the Germans captured the palace during the siege of Leningrad they devastated the palace and the grounds. They took everything the Russians had not been able to evacuate and ruined the rest. The amber room was stripped from the palace walls and evacuated to Germany where it became lost. The Russians spent millions looking for it before they decided they would have to painstakingly restore the room centimeter by centimeter. In May of 2003 the room was officially opened to the public and it is a stunner! A trip to see the amber room is enough justification to go Russia by itself not withstanding all of the other treasures to be found in St. Petersburg.

The gift shops in the basement have been moved outside and the entire palace has had a wonderful facelift to help celebrate St. Petersburg’s 300th birthday in 2003. The grounds continue to be beautiful as well as the many outbuildings.

Neglected as a child and shunted aside by Catherine in favor of Paul’s son, Alexander I, Paul was very anxious to assume the title of Tsar. Finally in his forties Catherine died and he became Tsar. As a result of having waited so long, Paul was in a hurry to make up for lost time and made many mistakes while trying to reshape Russia more in his own image. As a result Paul I only lasted three years before he was assassinated to make room for Alexander I to become Tsar.

Pavlosk was built for Paul I and his consort Maria Fiordorovna. It was started in 1780 by the famous architect Charles Cameron. He worked on the central building until 1785. The final improvements were made by other noted builders to include Voronikhin, Quarenghi, and Thomas de Thomon.

From the onset the building was a marvelous example of classical style architecture which constituted a departure from the Russian Baroque or Rococo style of Tarskoye Selo and Peterhof. The interior was filled with art that Paul and his beautiful wife had purchased while on a trip to Paris where Paul was known simply as the Russian Count of the North. Without question Paul was one of the highest educated Tsars and his tastes were very refined. If I were to become the next Tsar of Russia, Pavlosk is the place where I would find myself the most comfortable. It is elegant, beautiful, and extravagant beyond words, but somehow still livable.

The grounds are simply marvelous. If you go in the winter you can ride in the snow in a troika for only twenty American dollars. In the fall, spring, or summer, you can walk the approximately six hundred acres and spend an idyllic day surrounded by the colors of the season. Pavlosk Park is marked by a series of pavilions bridges, and outlying buildings which are almost too much to describe. Sculptor lovers will find so many treasures that they will want to cover all the grounds so as not to miss a thing. The sculptural decorations are tied into a thematic plan with the Twelve Walks area with its bronze muses and the statue of Apollo serving as the centerpiece of the grounds. There are several wonderful bridges where time appears to have stood still over the centuries, and if you close your eyes you hear the clop of horses and sounds of laughter echoing through the woods.

It was here that Peter I decided to build the military fortification that would protect his new “Window to the West” and prevent the Swedish Navy from carrying out further raids on the interior of Russia. The fortress walls are well maintained and the Sword Gate entrance to the inside of the fortress is well worth examination. Be aware that on the appointed hour of noon everyday the salute cannon is fired, and if you are anywhere near the gun the boom is over whelming.

Attractions inside include the statue of Peter I presented by the Russian émigré and sculptor, Shemiakin. This out of proportion bronze was hated at first but has come to be quite accepted by the population of the city. It is a popular spot on the island to have your photo taken. The mint museum is very interesting, as well as the jail where Lenin’s brother was held prior to his execution before the revolution. You may ride an MI-8 helicopter if you have a clever guide. The air frame takes off from outside the fortress walls and takes you for a magnificent ride over the entire historical portion of the city.

The real treasure is the Peter and Paul Cathedral where you may see a beautiful church interior with a fantastic iconostasis fronted by the coffins of the Romanov Tsars. I will never forget the day my wife and I sadly watched the military procession which escorted the tragic figures of the late Tsar Nicolas II and his family and loyal retainers into the church for internment. The coffins were so small because only bone remnants could be found. At the rear of the church you will often be able to listen to an all male monk choir chanting Gregorian chants and creating the most beautiful religious music I have ever experienced.

The island has quite a few outdoor vendors of many things of interest to tourists. It is sometimes possible to buy mint coin sets inside the mint museum gift shops. There is a little boat house which purports to have an original small boat built by Peter himself which has marvelous jewelry, amber, and other remembrances of St. Petersburg. This is an official government store and the quality is excellent.

You may purchase cokes and ice cream in the summer and vodka from the kiosks on a cold winter day. There are many excellent restaurants nearby that cater to both native and tourist alike where a good meal can be had for as little as ten American dollars.

The St. Petersburg Academy boasts one of the finest museums of art of any academic institution in the world. The early Tsars, from Peter I to Catherine II, had to rely on foreign born artisans to create their great palaces. After Catherine’s time the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts produced graduates that would become the immortal artists, architects, and sculptors that built and sustained Tsarist Russia. These outstanding students created wonderful pieces of art as part of their curriculum that have survived to this day. You may only view this very special museum by making prior arrangements. The paintings, statues, and miniature models of some of the principal buildings of St. Petersburg that you will see are well worth the trouble.

In May the Academy opens to the general public and for one glorious week the graduate works of the senior class are put on display. You cannot help but be in awe of the talent that passes through the academy year in and year out. If you are not fortunate enough to secure a guide with enough clout to get you into the Academy, at least have them take you by the exterior of the building as it is a very impressive sight!

Of course you can always sign up for a St. Petersburg tour with M&M Art Travel at www.mmarttravel.com and get a private tour of the academy. ;)