St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities in Russia and one of the main tourist destinations on Russia tour, which attracts millions of tourists every year. Many of the tourist attractions on the St. Petersburg tour are among the top and most important tourist attractions of Russia that no tourist should miss the opportunity to visit. For example, the Hermitage Museum is one of the most significant tourist attractions in Russia. The second-largest art museum in the world has enough artworks that it takes months only to see half of them. The architecture of St. Petersburg is also one of the beauties of this city and its attractions. Many great Italian, French, and Russian architects have tried to shape this beautiful and historic city. Watching them and enjoying the details used in their construction is just a small homage to these great architects. Every corner of St. Petersburg has a unique historical and beautiful background that tourists learn about during their tour to St. Petersburg. This historic city is more than three centuries old, during which many historical and cultural events that have changed the fate of Russia have taken place. One thing that can make you enjoy the tour to St. Petersburg is getting to know the history of this city and its landmarks. In the Star Travel Group blog, we have studied the St. Petersburg history during the reign of Empresses of All Russia that greatly impacted St. Petersburg development; Here, we want to explore the history of the emperors who reigned in St. Petersburg and improved the conditions of this beautiful city so that tourists can enjoy it today.
Peter the Great
Today's beauty and splendor of St. Petersburg is the result of the efforts and ideas of many emperors and empresses who have ruled the Russian Empire over the years and improved the conditions of St. Petersburg as the capital of the Russian Empire. Tourists visiting this beautiful and historic city during their tour to St. Petersburg should keep in mind that the idea of building a vast and magnificent capital for the Russian Empire was put forward and implemented by Peter the Great, the first Russian emperor. Although his successors made the city one of the most critical and most significant capitals in Europe over the years, an excellent platform for this development has been implemented by Peter the Great in northern Russia. One of the main reasons why St. Petersburg is considered one of the top tourist destinations in Russia today is the invitation of Peter the Great to a large number of expert architects from European countries to build St. Petersburg. In each part of St. Petersburg, you can see the works of these architects. Peter and Paul Fortress and its famous cathedral are just a few of the many things you can visit during your St. Petersburg tour. Vasilevsky Island and The Twelve Colleges are other examples. Inside St. Petersburg and its suburbs, there are countless palaces, buildings, structures, and monuments from the reign of Peter the Great, which you can visit our blog to get acquainted with them.
Peter II, Ivan IV, and Peter III
From the end of Peter the Great's reign to the succession of the next significant emperor, four empresses, and three other emperors ascended the throne of the Russian Empire. We have already studied the positive impact of the empire of these four empresses on Russia, which you can find out about by visiting the Star Travel Company blog. None of the other three emperors were able or had the opportunity to leave a significant monument for tourists on tour to Russia in St. Petersburg. Peter II, the grandson of Peter the Great, was the first emperor after Empress Catherine I, who had decided to relocate the capital to Moscow, and died of an illness only two years after he succeeded. Empress Anna's ten years of reign followed Peter II's reign. Then, six-year-old Ivan IV was presented as the successor of Empress Anne, who was imprisoned and finally killed due to the coup of Empress Elizabeth and the recapture of power. After Empress Elizabeth, Peter III was introduced as his successor, who also ruled the Russian Empire for only six months and was assassinated after the coup of his wife Catherine II.
Paul I
Paul I was the first Russian emperor after Peter the Great to significantly impact St. Petersburg and leave many monuments in St. Petersburg for tourists on Russia tour. Although he reigned for only six years, St. Petersburg visitors can see his impact on St. Petersburg's tourism industry today. One of the most striking surviving structures in St. Petersburg from Paul I's era is St. Michael's Castle, which is known as one of the strangest buildings in St. Petersburg. Paul I planned to relocate to live in this medieval castle in central St. Petersburg when it was completed. He was terrified of a coup and assassination at the Winter Palace, the royal family's primary residence in St. Petersburg. The interesting fact about Paul I is that just six months after living in St. Michael's Castle, he was assassinated by the Imperial Guard, which led to his son, Alexander I's succession.
Alexander I
The reign of Alexander I was a turning point in the history of the Russian Empire. Since he assigned particular importance to education, the Russian education system underwent many reforms. The Napoleonic Wars also took place during his reign, in which Russia's victory greatly influenced the popularity of Alexander I. For this reason, tourists can find many monuments related to the Napoleonic Wars and the triumph of Russia in St. Petersburg, which you can find out by visiting our blog and visiting them during the St. Petersburg tour program. The reign of Alexander I was the heyday of the famous Italian architect Carlo Rossi. For this reason, many famous monuments from his reign in St. Petersburg have been left for tourists on the Russia tour. We can name Yelagin Palace, MIkhailovsky Palace, which is now the headquarter of the State Russian Museum. and Kazan Cathedral as well.
Nicholas I
After Alexander I, the third son of Paul I, Nicholas I came to the throne. His reign began with a military uprising, but he succeeded in overcoming it. The reign of Nicholas I was a period of economic and industrial growth in Russia, and the territory of the Russian Empire increased significantly. Of course, the authoritarian views of Nicholas I and his reactionary belief have made his reign a little dark. Russian literature also flourished during this period. Alexander Pushkin is one of the most famous poets of this period. From the reign of Nicholas I, there have been significant tourist attractions left for tourists on Russia tour, including the Alexanderinsky Theater, the General Staff Building on Palace Square, and the establishment of the Hermitage Museum as a public museum.
Alexander II
After Nicholas I, his son Alexander II became the emperor. His reign has been dubbed the Reformation of the Russian Empire. His most significant influence was the reform and abolition of the surf law in the Russian Empire. Other notable reforms during the reign of Alexander II include the reform of the judiciary, the imposition of military service, the attention to the university education system, and promoting the system of local governments. During his reign, the privileges of aristocracy also declined sharply. Alexander II was the first Russian empire to be assassinated by revolutionaries. During his lifetime, there were three attempts on his life, which the last time the revolutionaries succeeded in assassinating him. The construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Mariinsky Theater are the most famous tourist attractions left over from the reign of Alexander II in St. Petersburg that tourists can visit during their travel to Russia.
Alexander III
Alexander III ascended the throne after the assassination of his father. Unlike his father, he had authoritarian ideas that nullified many of the reforms that had taken place during his father's reign. Of course, during the reign of Alexander III, the Russian Empire did not engage in any major wars, so the title of the peacemaker was attributed to Alexander III. The most important monument left from the reign of Alexander III is the Church of our Savior on the Spilled Blood, which was built by his order at the site of his father's assassination as a memorial to him. Tourists on tour to St. Petersburg can also visit the Museum of Applied Arts, which was completed during the reign of Alexander III. The statue of Alexander III in front of the Marble Palace is one of the most controversial statues of Russian emperors, which caused a great deal of controversy in various political and cultural circles when it was unveiled. You can visit the Star Travel Group blog to learn about all the statues and monuments in St. Petersburg that belong to the Russian rulers.
Nicholas II
Nicholas II was the last Russian emperor who abdicated the throne after the February Revolution and was executed by the Bolsheviks after the October Revolution. During the reign of Nicholas II, St. Petersburg became one of the most essential and most significant capitals in Europe. The Silver Age of Russian literature also took place during his reign. Many of St. Petersburg's famous shopping centers, which have become an essential part of travel to St. Petersburg plans today, were also established during the reign of Nicholas II in St. Petersburg. Of course, all of this went to waste after the October Revolution, mainly because of relocating the capital from St. Petersburg to Moscow. You can visit the Star Travel Group blog to learn more about the reigns of each of the Russian emperors and the tourist attractions that they left in St. Petersburg for curious tourists who visit Russia.
