It takes about 16 hours to fly from Portland to Saint Petersburg , Russia.
For more than three centuries this city has surprised the world with its beautiful architecture, art, music, and history.
The city was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great as "a window to Europe ", and it was the capitol for a little over two centuries (1712-1918). St. Petersburg covers more than 1439 square kilometers and lies on the Eastern shores of the Baltic Sea . More than 10 percent of its area is covered by water in the form of rivers and canals. Early European visitors liked to call St. Petersburg "The Venice of the North". There are more than 580 bridges in the city today, 20 of them open over the Neva River every night to allow ship traffic to pass.
The city gave birth to its own literature, its own mythology, and of course, its own art. There are many theaters, museums, palaces, cathedrals and cultural centers in St. Petersburg .
To see some of my favorite places in my 'home city', click here.
Vera Grishina |
