Saint Petersburg is relatively young, but its palaces, canals, and streets keep memories about its famous residents. Feel the tug of history in Peter and Paul Fortress, which establishment by Peter the Great is considered as a city birthday, and explore other must-see landmarks, as Kunstkamera, Bronze Horsman, and Church of the Savior on Blood.
Look at another side of the city while visiting its canals, where many buildings were sites of rather bloody events. Hear the legends about ghosts of Moyka, Griboedov Canal, and Fontanka Embankment. Listen to the darkest stories and best-kept secrets of the city past. Visit places, which become remarkable for Russian revolutionists.
Observe graves and learn about spooky tales and local lore from your guide. The city is a treasure for a true culture vulture and ghost-buster, so hunt down the main highlights on this fascinating tour, admiring architectural awesomeness on your way.Step back into history entering the Peter and Paul Fortress, which is not only the historical core of the city. It also was a prison, so most ghosts are concentrated here. Probably the most famous one is Princess Tarakanova, an impostor and pretender to the Russian throne. She was imprisoned, died of tuberculosis, and then became a popular painting and literature character, as many artists and writers tried to describe her adventures.
Another well-known fortress’s ghosts are Decembrists, who were participants of the Russian anti-government movement. According to myths, some of them were not buried properly, that’s why they could not rest in peace.Your private guide will take you on an eye-opening walk to Kunstkamera, another Peter the Great’s child, who considered it as a collection of "natural and human curiosities and rarities". It has a large assortment of human and animal fetuses with anatomical deficiencies, skeletons, items, including things used for rituals. No surprise, this museum was (and is) disliked by superstitious people, who believe it must be inhabited by vengeful spirits.Be sure to pack your sense of adventure, as we head to the Bronze Horseman, city founder’s monument, located on in the Senate Square. Its pedestal is made of granite stone, the largest stone ever moved by a human. Bronze Horseman is one of the main characters of Aleksandr Pushkin’s poem under the same name, in which monument leaves its pedestal and chases a poor lover. This story inspired other painters and artists too, who reinforced the image of the mad horseman and the mad city.Pay a visit to another Pushkin-related ghost, who lives on Malaya Morskaya. She is known as Queen of Spades, a gambling woman. In Pushkin’s novel, she died and then shared her secrets with a young man, so that he could win in card games. Trying to make a fortune he went broke, lost his mind, and end up in a mental hospital. The real woman, on whom Queen of Spades was based, lived in this houseTake a walk back in time at Moyka Embankment, Yusupov Palace, where Rasputin was killed. There are so many legends and theories about this friend of the last Russian royal family, that he deserves a separate tour. And his ghost probably too, as nobody knows for sure, where Rasputin was buried.Another evil woman presumably lived on Griboyedov Canal Embankment. She was an old pawnbroker from “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky and destroyed many lives before she was killed by Raskolnikov. Dostoevsky didn’t mention the exact address in his novel, but he gave a detailed description. This causes numerous discussions, and this building is considered as the most likely location, which was described by Dostoevsky.Rotunda is probably the most mysterious St Petersburg sight. According to legends, secret meetings of St. Petersburg Freemasons were held here. And Freemasons’ meeting is always a ritual and ceremony full of symbols and allegories. So this place did certainly see many events of a mystical nature.Explore the dark side of Saint Michael's Castle, which was built for Emperor Paul I. Paul I was afraid to live in the Winter Palace, the main royal residence, but 40 days after he moved to Saint Michael's Castle he was assassinated. According to legends, his ghost still lives here. Probably this myth was invented by senior cadets of the Nikolaev Engineering School, as students love such kind of stories, but who knows it for sure…The Field of Mars is loaded with intriguing and incredible stories. Hear some legends, which tell that there were pagan sanctuaries here before the city was established, and they were used for dark rituals and evil spirits summoning.
Then it was a site for different purposes, so the Field of Mars also became a grave for those who died during the Revolution in February 1917. Risky combination, don’t you think? Nevertheless, now it is a famous place for wedding photoshoots and graduation celebrations.Feast your eyes on the Church of the Savior on Blood as a finishing touch. Emperor Alexander II was deadly wounded after assassination nearby. Sophia Perovskaya helped to orchestrate this murder attempt, so after execution, her spirit settled here. It is such a beautiful spot, and such a bloody event happened here. But that can be said about many other city sites too.
