Through Shpalernaya street to Smolny

What can you expect?

The route starts from the Chernyshevskaya metro station. On the avenue of the same name you will go towards Voskresenskaya embankment. On your way you will meet several interesting historical buildings: the palace of Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna on Tchaikovsky Street (today the Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and two monuments of the St. Petersburg Art Nouveau on Zakharyevskaya: the mansion of Dmitry Neidgart and the amazing Egyptian house with Masonic symbols.

Going to Shpalernaya Street, pay attention to a small but elegant temple in the style of classicism - this is the Sorrow Church. The church was erected by the project of Luigi Ruska in 1817, but its history goes back to the first years of the construction of St. Petersburg.

Ahead, on the Voskresenskaya embankment, a modern monument to Petrovsky sailing vessel Poltava is visible. And once upon a time in this place the Neva was crossed by the floating Resurrection Bridge. Built in 1786, it lasted almost 100 years, until the opening of the Liteiny Bridge.

Your path lies in the direction of Smolny, but do not restrict yourself from the pleasure of taking a walk along the alleys of the Tauride Garden, relaxing on a bench by the pond, and admiring the tropical plants in the Palm Greenhouse.

The Tauride Palace is one of the most outstanding architectural monuments of the era of classicism, history and culture of St. Petersburg. Once the State Duma of the Russian Empire met in it, but today it houses the Center for the History of Parliamentarism.

Opposite the palace is a very interesting museum “The Universe of Water”, located in the water tower of the 19th century and the premises of the former reservoir of the Main Water Station. At the entrance to the museum there is a monument to the St. Petersburg water carrier.

Immediately behind Tavricheskaya Street there is another modern monument - to the hero of the First World War, General Brusilov. And if you walk along Taurida one quarter, you will see the famous "Tower" of Vyacheslav Ivanov - the center of attraction of writers, artists and theater figures of the Silver Age.

Returning to Shpalernaya Street, you are moving towards Smolny. On the left side, your attention will be drawn to the square with the monument of architecture of Peter's Baroque - Kikina Chambers. In the years 1719-1727 there was a collection of Peter the Great’s Kunstkamera and the personal library of Peter I, and now - a musical lyceum.

Not far from here, on Odessa Street, you can see another unusual monument - the St. Petersburg lamplighter, and next to it is a real open-air street lamp museum.

And finally, in front of you is the final point of your route - Smolny Cathedral, a magnificent creation of architects Rastrelli and Stasov. The cathedral was founded in 1748 by the will of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, and it was completed and consecrated only 87 years later.

Today, the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ (Smolny) is an active Orthodox church, but on weekends for a small donation, it organizes excursions for everyone.

And most importantly - every day from seven in the morning until eight in the evening the entrance to the belfry of Smolny Cathedral is open. From here, from a height of about 50 meters, a stunning view of the entire center of St. Petersburg opens.