Pompous palaces and cozy rooftop terraces are the undisputed leaders of St. Petersburg tourist photos. But the city also has unusual locations that will surprise your friends and subscribers. We have collected 10 interesting places for photos, charged with likes and comments.
Zone 1: Alexander Nevsky Square metro station
Before entering the Museum of the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra, look for graffiti depicting the main character of the film “Brother”.
Graffiti Memorial “Danila Bagrov”
Photo: vk .com/myhoodisgood
Ground transport stops “Prospekt Obukhovskoy Oborony” or “Alexandro-Nevskaya Lavra”
On the wall of the transformer booth in black and white there is a depiction of the national character Danila Bagrov and the catchphrase he uttered in the film is written: “What is strength, brother?.” This is how the artists from the HoodGraff group paid tribute to the actor Sergei Bodrov, who played this role. Hurry up to take a photo of this work! At the end of August 2020, it became known that soon all graffiti at technical facilities in St. Petersburg will be painted over according to the requirements of the state administrative and technical inspection.
Necropolis of the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra
Photo: Shutterstock.com
River embankment Monasteries, 1
It’s a little strange to say that a cemetery can be an interesting place for a photo. But this necropolis is a real museum where outstanding people of St. Petersburg are buried: statesmen, artists, composers, actors, writers. The complex consists of two cemeteries: Tikhvinsky (another name: “Necropolis of Art Masters”) and the oldest in the city, Lazarevsky (“Necropolis of the 18th century”). Marble Tombstones is a park of sculptural masterpieces. If you’re in a gothic mood, come here to meet the weeping angels. Entrance to the cemetery is open according to the museum’s schedule daily from 6:00 to 20:00.
Zone 2: north of the Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro station
Four interesting images await you in this area. Walk along Vosstaniya Street to the north, then turn onto Kirochnaya Street, exit onto Liteiny Prospekt and walk through the courtyards to Tchaikovsky Street. Through the embankment of the Fontanka River and Pestel Street, return to Liteiny Prospekt and move along it towards the center.
Graffiti Memorial to Viktor Tsoi
Photo: Anatoly Vartanov/Shutterstock.com
The yard between the street. Vosstaniya, 8 and st. Mayakovskogo, 5, metro station “Ploshchad Vosstaniya”
Another bright memorial created by the HoodGraff team. This hero of perestroika is one of the symbols of the city. It would be nice to say that black and white Viktor Tsoi will be here forever waiting for change. However, as you have already learned, the authorities intend to paint over this painting along with other city graffiti in the fall of 2020. The phrase from the song written next to the portrait will look all the more symbolic on Instagram: “I would like to stay with you…”
Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Anne (“Annekirche”)
Photo: Elena Bobrova/nat-geo .ru
st. Kirochnaya, 8v, metro station «Chernyshevskaya»
Black charred walls, a stage and a coffee shop inside the church – this is what St. Petersburgers’ favorite place for atmospheric photo shoots looks like. And this is not decoration, but a building with a difficult fate. The first Lutheran church in St. Petersburg became a cinema during the Soviet period. In the 1990s, services were resumed, but only on weekdays, and on weekends, townspeople still came here to watch movies. At the beginning of the 21st century, the church almost turned into a nightclub. A terrible fire interfered with the tenants’ plans, after which the interior was not restored.
The charred walls were liked by the creative St. Petersburg community. Today, art exhibitions and jazz concerts often take place here. The clergy plans to return services to the church, but for now this strange symbiosis of the spiritual and secular continues to exist within the same walls in the format of a cultural center. Keep in mind that a full-fledged photo shoot, like any other the event must be agreed upon with the rector of the temple.
Mosaic courtyard
Photo: Valeria Nikonova
st. Tchaikovskogo, 2, metro station “Chernyshevskaya”
Parallel worlds are hidden in some St. Petersburg courtyards. For example, in this courtyard there live dozens of strange mosaic characters, there is a fountain and benches that are reminiscent of Gaudi. The creative laboratory of Vladimir Lubenko is responsible for decorating this space. Take a photo against the backdrop of the bright walls of the workshop and write in the comments about your unusual find.
Bookstore “Subscription Editions”
Photo: vk.com/izdaniya
Liteiny Prospekt, 57, metro station «Mayakovskaya”
If you want pictures from the Harry Potter library, come here. The interior of one of the largest bookstores in St. Petersburg is inspiring. The small space has high shelving, and store employees use ladders to reach the top shelves. On the ground floor there are cozy armchairs and tables where guests can relax, leaf through books and drink coffee. Fans of non-standard photos will love the unusual angle from the second floor gallery.
Zone 3: south of the Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro station
It is most convenient to start the route from the Pushkinskaya station, walking towards Nevsky Prospekt. And start from the center from “Vosstaniya Square”.
Vitebsky Station
Photo: Shutterstock .com
Zagorodny Prospekt, 52, Pushkinskaya metro station)
The interior of the very first train station in Russia is made in the Art Nouveau style. A lot of iron was used in the construction of the building: some of the structures are even similar to elements of the Eiffel Tower. The platforms and railway tracks are located on the second floor. Against the backdrop of marble stairs, painted lampshades, wooden panels and openwork stairs, both fashionable and retro photo shoots work well.
The front door of the apartment building of the merchant Eliseev
Photo: skijumper Ivanov/fotokto.ru
Fontanka River Embankment, 64, metro station «Sennaya Square”
The residents of this house can say that their apartments are in a palace. There is a marble staircase in the front room, stained glass windows on the stairwells, and snow-white stucco on the ceiling. The “spine” of the front door is an openwork elevator shaft. They say that the city’s first steam elevator used to move along it. Hundreds of likes for a hidden treasure and an unusual location!
The courtyard of the Tolstoy house
Photo: Vasilisa Tarunova
Rubinshteina Street, 15-17; Fontanka River embankment, 54, Dostoevskaya metro station
The photogenic courtyard of St. Petersburg often serves as a movie set. The place has been well restored. Pointed arches, turrets and ocher-red walls will serve as an excellent backdrop for portrait shots. Bonus for history buffs: one of the facades faces Rubinshteina Street, where in the past there was a rock club, and today there are loud bars where the fun does not subside until the morning.
John Lennon Street
Photo: K13 ART/Shutterstock.com
Entrance from Ligovsky Prospekt, 53. Ploshchad Vossta metro stationniya »
Collector and creator of the country’s largest museum of The Beatles, Nikolai Vasin, wanted to rename one of the streets of St. Petersburg in honor of the musician John Lennon. The authorities did not like the idea. Then a loyal fan made a sign with the name of the street and hung it in the yard of his house. Later, a friendly sculptor decorated the entrance arch with bas-reliefs of the Fab Four, and then a yellow submarine floated along the wall. This is how a simple St. Petersburg courtyard turned into an art center and “Temple of Love, Peace and Music.” The photos here are as amazing as the story.
Preview photo: Denis Evstratov
