St. Petersburg is a mecca of cultural, historical and architectural monuments. Founded by Tsar Peter I (the Great) as Russia's "window to Europe", it has an unofficial status of being the cultural capital of Russia and the most European city, a status it strives to maintain in its eternal rivalry with Moscow.
Three distinctive features of St. Petersburg attract attention.
First, it is the harmonious combination of Western European and Russian architecture in the city.
Second, St. Petersburg lacks a clear city center, which in other Russian cities of medieval origin is defined by the Kremlin and its surroundings.
The third characteristic feature of the city is its many waterways. The short but full-flowing tributaries and canals of the Neva, stretching to the coast of the Baltic Sea, are inseparable from the St. Petersburg panorama. Many of the most famous architectural objects of the city stretch along the historic embankments of the Neva. Moreover, the bridges and natural canals of the river have earned St. Petersburg the nickname "Northern Venice".
Due to St. Petersburg's northern location, the city enjoys "white nights" from June 11 to July 2, when daylight lasts for almost 19 hours - another one of St. Petersburg's most famous characteristics. Among the cultural events dedicated to the celebration of the White Nights are festivals organized by the Mariinsky and Hermitage theaters, and by the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory. Every night during the white nights, bridges across the Neva river are raised to allow ships to pass.
Today, St. Petersburg is the second most important economic, scientific and cultural center of Russia after Moscow and one of the most beautiful cities in the world.