13 Comments

It is interesting to see how many traces of Peter’s city could be found during our visits almost 30 years ago. When we toured the museum exhibit of life sized dioramas of the WW2 defense of the city I was realized that I had stood on the very spot in the city now recreated in the room I had just entered.

Expand full comment

It is so strange to read the russian words I grew up with in English. Thank you for sharing!

Expand full comment

The amount of toil and suffering it took to build that city was immense. I love the stark beauty of the last picture with the boat sailing on the gulf of Finland. Impressive collection!

Expand full comment

A glorious city. Thanks for sharing this magnificent collection.

Expand full comment
13 hrs agoLiked by M. E. Rothwell

A magical city….thanks!

Expand full comment

Right! It seems enchanting

Expand full comment

I got to spend a summer there years ago and it was great. Makes me sad that it might be a long time before Americans can travel to Russia like that again.

Expand full comment

Fascinating stuff. I visited St Petersburg 15 or so years ago while working on a Baltic guidebook. Sad to say it was the only city on the list with a Foreign Office advisory (with extra warnings for LGBTQ travellers) and the only one where I ever felt even the slightest bit uneasy wandering around with an expensive camera around my neck.

Expand full comment

Those malachite urns are gorgeous.

Expand full comment

Wonderful work.

Expand full comment

These are so gorgeous! The museum interiors are mesmerizing, and those churches!

Expand full comment

If the selection of the text is great, the selection of paintings makes them marvellous, becoming more and more alive! Thanks!

Expand full comment

Thank you for this post.

As Brodsky wrote in rhyming verse -

“I don’t want to choose

Neither country nor graveyard

It’s Vasilievsky Island

Where I’ll come back to die.”

Expand full comment