St. Petersburg, Russia – Day 2
We attended a symphony last night featuring Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Royal St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra.
All of tonight’s attendees were transported from the ship to attend the unique symphony; I think all 699 passengers were in attendance. This was an event put on by the Azamara Cruise line free of charge.
The Conductor and the Captain of the Azamara Cruise Ship.
This morning we took a ride on a train on the Moskovsky Railway Station line; I’ve never seen anything like it. Russia has undoubtedly one of the most beautiful metros (subway, underground, tube – whatever you call it) in the world.
Admiralteyskaya is one of the deepest metro stations in the world (the second deepest to be precise – it’s located 102 meters below the ground level) and it has not one, but two escalators. I like the decoration of the station in the purple tones as well as the vestibule at the ground level. Admiralteyskaya metro station is located just a few steps away from the Hermitage museum, so you can go and look at the foyer of the station before heading to the Hermitage Museum.
Because of the Neva river and swampy ground in St. Petersburg, constructors had to dig subway tunnels under the rivers. Very long escalators – I think 300 feet down. Photo provided by Russian Rail.com
We traveled to see The Peterhof Summer Estate of Peter the Great in the 18th Century. The Peterhof Palace was the summer estate of the Russia’s Peter the Great. This estate encompasses complex and intricate gardens, buildings, fountains, and galleries.
Overlooking the Baltic Sea, Peterhof underwent many modifications, changing dramatically from Peter the Great’s more modest original design. The highlight of Peterhof is that it features the largest network of gravity-fed water fountains. World War II wreaked havoc on the grounds, but was rebuilt and restored and is now designated as a World Heritage Site, and is a popular tourist site!
The Peterhof summer estate is a complex of palaces, gardens, fountains, and waterfalls. These palaces and gardens are sometimes referred to as the “Russian Versailles.” Enjoying the view from the Veranda
We visited St. Peter’s & Paul’s Cathedral. Nicolas II of Russia was the last Emperor of Russia, ruling from November 1, 1894, until his forced abdication on March 15, 1917. The Russian Imperial Family 1913. Czar Nicholas II and his family are executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918, bringing an end to the three-century-old Romanov dynasty.
