Parks and Squares, Saint Petersburg

Palace Square is an empty large square with tall red granite column. Alexander monument stands alone in the middle of the square. Historically it is important monument as it was erected to commemorate the victory of Russia against Napoleon. At the top of the column is an angel holding a cross and on the bottom is also decorated.

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The huge Palace Square forms the heart of historical St. Petersburg. Probably remembered by Russians for the massacre of 'Bloody Sunday' on January 22, 1905, when Tsarist troops fired on unarmed strikers, sparking the revolution of 1905. It also played an important part in the 1917 revolution, when a group of Bolshevik militants massacre of 'Bloody Sunday' on January 22, 1905, when Tsarist troops fired on unarmed strikers sparked the revolution of 1905. It also played an important part in the 1917 revolution, when a group of Bolshevik militants stormed the Winter Palace following a shot fired from the Aurora cruiser.

The square was laid out between 1819 -1829, by Carlo Rossi, who had designed the "General Staff" building in the square, and many other buildings etc in St. Petersburg.

Political rallies and official ceremonies still take place here.

Arts Square was drawn up by Italian architect, Carlo Rossi, who spent most of his life working in Russia and is considered by many to be a native Russian architect.
He was responsible for all the most prominent buildings built on the square, most of them in the same architectural design.

Arts Square derives its name from the cluster of museums, theaters and concert halls that surround it. These include the Russian Museum, one of the country's two largest collections of Russian art, Ethnographic Museum, representing all the ethnic cultures of the former USSR, Maly Opera and Ballet Theater (also known as the Mussorgsky Theater), often referred to as "the city's second fiddle to the Mariinsky for opera and ballet," Concert Hall (Bolshoi Zal) of the St. Petersburg Philarmonia – the city’s prime classical music venue.

Standing in the middle of the square stands a Statue of Alexander Pushkin (1799-1836).
He was Russia’s most famous and most beloved poet, writing some of the most beautiful poetry about St. Petersburg.

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Palace Square (in Russian Dvortsovaja Ploschadj) includes:

-Winter Palace, also known as Hermitage (1754-1762)
-Empire-style Building of the General Staff (1819 - 1829)
-Alexander Column (1830-1834)

Must SEE in St.Petersburg!!
The famous place in the city!
As regards Hermitage, so huge queuse!! Even at morning!

Ploshchad Iskusstv (Arts Square) is a leafy square located just across the road from the Russian Museum.

It is so named as it is surrounded by such buildings as the Mussorgsky Theatre, home to opera & ballet; the Russian Museum with it’s paintings; and the music from the Shostakovich Philharmonia.

Keeping up the art theme, in the middle of the square is a statue of Pushkin, reciting a poem.

It is a nice quiet place to take some time out from the hustle and bustle of the nearby Nevsky Prospekt.

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This large square is at the interchange of Nevskiy Prospekt and Ligousky Ave. is surrounded by the Vosstaniya metro station, the Oktayabrskaya hotel and the Moskovsky railway station . In the centre is giant granite pillar with the communist star on top. The square is also known as Uprising Square.

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The huge Palace square (Dvortsovaya Ploshchad) is probably the most important square in St. Petersburg.

It is surrounded by the Baroque Winter Palace and the Imperial Army General Staff building. In the middle of the square stands the 47,50 m tall Alexander Column which was built between 1830 and 1834.

Directions:
The Palace Square and the Alexander Column are located next to the western end of Nevsky Prospekt (Metro: Nevsky Prospekt).

We had our lunch sandwiches in this beautiful place in the picture. If you'd like to go for a walk in this park, take the metro to the Chernysevskaya and walk towards east about 5 min. It's a nice park and a beautiful area with several embassies.

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The Summer Garden (Letny Sad), St. Petersburg's first garden, was laid out for Peter the Great in 1704. It has a series of long straight paths, lined with tall trees. Even though it was relatively crowded on the Sunday evening we were there, the place felt very calm. There are also a series of statues in the park, including one of Ivan Krylov, the famous Russian fabulist.

Tucked away in the northeast corner of the Summer Garden is the Summer Palace (Letny Dvorets), the city's first "palace" (interestingly simple and minuscule compared to its successors). You can visit the interior, which we didn't do because it was too late in the day.

Keeping with their "Summer" names, both the garden and the palace are open from May to October. The Summer Garden is open every day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., while the palace, which has an entry fee, is open Wednesday to Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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In December, 2007, the first time, outdoor ice skating ring was opened on Palace Square around Alexander's column on Palce Square.
Old soviet recreation music is played and it is fun just to watch.
It cost around $15.

A short clip on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMYANKRa0Z8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRdtcvRiznw