Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great on the delta of the Neva River and served as the imperial capital of Russia for two centuries, accumulating an extraordinary density of Baroque and Neoclassical architecture. The city's historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is threaded by canals and rivers reflecting the facades of the Winter Palace, the Kazan Cathedral, and dozens of ornate bridges. The Hermitage Museum, housed partly in the Winter Palace, holds one of the world's largest art collections, while the White Nights of June provide nearly twenty-four hours of light.