Location:
- Eastern Europe, the Eastern shore of the Baltic Sea (Gulf of Finland)
Latitude:
- 59 degrees 57′ North
Longitude:
- 30 degrees 19′ East
Time Zone:
- UTC+3
Founded:
- 16 (27) May, 1703
City’s birthday:
- celebrated each year on May 27
Population:
- 5.2 million (as of 2015)
How does St. Petersburg compare?
- The most Northern city in the world with a population over 1 million
Area:
- 1400 square kilometers
Main river:
- Neva. The city is located in the delta of the Neva River on numerous islands, a fact which prompted some observers to call it “The City on 101 Islands”
Timetable of bridge openings:
- Here
Main natural phenomena:
- White Nights, Floods
Origin of the name:
- Named in honor of St. Peter and not Peter the Great, the founder of the city.
- The name can be translated as “The City of St. Peter”. St. Petersburg, FL was named in honor of St. Petersburg, Russia by Russian-born railroad builder Piotr Dementyev (Peter Demens)
Name changes:
-
May, 1703 – August, 1914
St. Petersburg
-
August, 1914 – February, 1924
Petrograd
-
February, 1924 – July, 1991
Leningrad
-
July, 1991 – Present
St. Petersburg
Nicknames:
- “The Venice of the North”(referring to St. Petersburg’s many rivers and canals)
- “The Palmyra of the North”
- “The Northern Capital of Russia” (referring to the centuries-old rivalry between St. Petersburg and Moscow)
Symbols:
- the Angel with a Cross (weather-vane on top of the Peter and Paul Cathedral)
- the Little Ship – Korablik (weather-vane on top of the Admiralty tower)
The Seal:
- A sea anchor and a river anchor with a scepter – a symbol of royal power – on a red field.
Local government:
- The Governor and the Governor’s Office, The Legislative Assembly
Zoning:
- 20 administrative districts, including satellite towns under St. Petersburg’s jurisdiction
Main cultural attractions:
- The Hermitage Museum
- The Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theater
- The Imperial palace and park ensemble at Peterhof
Airports:
- Pulkovo (Terminal 1)
Sea port:
- Passenger terminal on Vasilievsky Island
