Take a walk along Nevsky Prospekt with someone to keep you company. “There is nothing better than Nevsky Prospekt”: a walk along the main street of the city
Author's excursion with our guide Olga. She loves St. Petersburg and will show you its main thoroughfare. With Olga you will not miss a single attraction from Vosstaniya Square to the Admiralty. You will find out how Nevsky lived for three centuries, what happened to its inhabitants. You will see the Kazan Cathedral and Anichkov Palace - the oldest building on Nevsky Prospekt, find out where the headquarters of VKontakte is located in the Singer House, and look into the Eliseevsky department store. Olga will tell you where to drink coffee and help you take photos as souvenirs.
What awaits you?
- The Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace, where the owners held balls and musical evenings in luxurious interiors. Composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a frequent guest there.
- You will cross the Anichkov Bridge and learn the secrets of its four horses, on which the sculptor Pyotr Klodt spent 20 years of his life.
- You will see the oldest building on the main avenue of St. Petersburg - Anichkov Palace. It was built when the city ended beyond the Fontanka, and instead of the Nevsky there was a green clearing.
- The shop of the Eliseev merchants is the main gastronomic point of the city. The luxury of Art Nouveau in the decoration of the halls is in harmony with the products on the shelves. Chocolate from England, nougat from Italy, cheeses and sausages that you can’t buy anywhere else in St. Petersburg. And also crystal chandeliers, a grand piano and live display cases that delight children and adults.
- You will see the luxurious atriums, tower and attics of the Singer House. The 5 upper floors of the building are occupied by the VKontakte team, the 2 lower floors are occupied by the House of Books.
- Kazan Cathedral - according to the plan of Emperor Paul I, the Russian “brother” of St. Peter’s Cathedral in the Vatican. Commander Mikhail Kutuzov is buried here.
- The Stroganov Palace is a masterpiece of the architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli in the Russian Baroque style.
- Olga will take you through the courtyards, tell you about apartment buildings and how everything was arranged in pre-revolutionary apartments. You will feel like a resident of Nevsky, get to know it better and probably fall in love with it!
- You will walk from Vosstaniya Square to the Admiralty. At the end, you will find yourself at Palace Square and the Hermitage and will be able to explore them yourself, and from there take a walk to St. Isaac's Cathedral.
You will have time to take a photo for memory. If you want, stop at a coffee shop. There is no rush: the walk will take place at a pace that is comfortable for you.
Note:
Standard start of group excursions: 12:00, 15:00, 19:00.
You can book a private tour for 1 or 2 people. In this case, the cost of the excursion will be 1000 rubles, and you can choose not a standard start time for the excursion, but any one that is convenient for you.
- Type of excursion: individual walking
- Schedule: On days and times free in the schedule. Please confirm before booking.
- Duration: 2 hours
- Russian language
- Price: 550 ₽ per excursion
- Meeting point: At the entrance to the Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro station, near the monument. boards
- Included:
Guide services
- Not included:
Coffee (optional), from 100 rub.
Hello, dear residents and guests of St. Petersburg.
I invite you to walk along my favorite route: along and a little around Nevsky Prospekt. In this article I tried to show the most interesting sights that this unique city can boast of.
This video is voiced in English; a description of all places can be found in this article.
To gradually get acquainted with the beauties of the city, you should start your journey from Vosstaniya Square. The route will be especially interesting if you can get to this station of the same name by metro.
This metro station belongs to the very first metro line both in age (in St. Petersburg the first line was opened in 1955) and in beauty.
After leaving the station lobby, go down the stairs, turn left and walk to Nevsky Prospekt (a wide street that is impossible not to notice). Stand so as not to disturb pedestrians and start looking around. Turn around and look at the metro station - tall, beautiful, with a long dome and spire, reminiscent of a church. 
The reason for this similarity lies in history - previously there was a church on this site called Znamenskaya. Under Stalin it was demolished, and during the design of the metro station they decided to use it as an architectural model. The square itself (and the metro station) are called “Vosstaniya Square” in honor of the October Revolution (also called the “October Revolution” or “Great October Socialist Revolution”) - one of the largest political events of the 20th century, which occurred in Russia in October 1917. During the armed uprising on October 25-26 (November 7-8, new style), the main organizers of which were V.I. Lenin, L.D. Trotsky, the Provisional Government was overthrown. The government formed by the 2nd All-Russian Congress of Soviets, the absolute majority of the delegates of which were Bolsheviks, came to power.
Behind the metro building there is a document printing center (Vosstaniya Street 1), here you can not only print documents, but also take and print photographs.
Turn to the square. On the right you see a pink building - this is the Moscow Station (trains to Moscow departed from here. In the capital there is a station identical to this one). Behind it, if you walk along the wide Ligovsky Prospekt, you can see the popular shopping and entertainment complex Gallery, one of the largest in Europe. 
The information stand usually contains city maps and discount coupons for visiting the sights of St. Petersburg. Be sure to take it! On different floors you will find cafes and restaurants, a food court, on the ground floor there is an Okey supermarket, where products are sold at average prices in the city.
In the center of the square there is an obelisk; it was erected in 1985 for the fortieth anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Leningrad was given the title “Hero City” in 1945. On May 8, 1965, a decree was issued by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, according to which obelisks must be installed in all Hero cities of the country, confirming this high title.
This obelisk is monolithic, like the other obelisk on your way (the Alexander Column, which is located in front of the Hermitage). The base of the pentagonal trunk is decorated with a bronze wreath of Glory and high reliefs depicting the events of the war years. The obelisk is crowned with a golden star. Previously, a monument to Alexander 3, one of the Russian emperors, stood on this site. At the moment, the monument is publicly accessible for viewing, standing in front of the Marble Palace, located a short walk from the Hermitage. Nevsky Prospect continues behind the obelisk, but the part that goes to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra ensemble is called Staronevsky Prospekt.
To the left of the obelisk there is a small covered information pavilion for tourists - here, during the working hours of the pavilion, you can take information booklets, posters, maps, and get advice absolutely free. On your way, you will encounter a similar pavilion once again - on Palace Square. Next to the first information pavilion there is a large self-service cafe Nutcracker - if you are looking for something inexpensive and satisfying in the city center near the station, stop by to check out the selection.
We turn to Nevsky Prospekt, the main street of the city, which certainly appears in the literature about St. Petersburg. The most famous mention of the prospectus can be found in the story of the same name by N.V. Gogol: “There is nothing better than Nevsky Prospect, at least in St. Petersburg, for him it is everything that this street, the beauty of our capital, does not shine with!”
Nevsky Prospect was loved by many for its brilliant appearance and for the variety of leisure places located in the immediate vicinity of the prospect: theaters, palaces, museums, expensive restaurants, shops with rare goods. And now the avenue attracts the attention of residents and guests of the city, and especially on city holidays: it is here that ceremonial military parades and elegant processions in honor of the city day take place.
Let's start moving. If you do not cross the road, then continue to walk along this even side, which is the sunniest and, accordingly, popular for walking.
You cross the small street Vosstaniya. At Vosstaniya 6 there is a large Legal Center. At the corner of Nevsky Prospekt and this street rises another shopping center - Stockmann (the same complex is sometimes called Nevsky Center). Just like in the Gallery, here you can get a free map of the city and various coupons in Russian and English (if available ). 
On the -1st floor there is a large Stockmann grocery store with imported and domestic products. Large selection, but prices are above average. On different floors, as in the Gallery, there are cafes and restaurants.
Walking literally a few meters from this building, on your left you will see public transport stops: trolleybuses, regular and commercial buses. By ground transport, for the price of travel, you can easily take an independent sightseeing tour of the city. Trolleybuses No. 1, 5, 7, 10, 11, 22 are most suitable for this purpose; buses 3, 7, 22, 24. To successfully plan your route, I advise you to use the sites rusavtobus and wikiroutes.
On your way you will come across various chain establishments: souvenir shops,
houses of books, as well as cafes and restaurants. To your right is the “Teremok” sign, in front there will be a “Tea Spoon” sign - these are two chains offering dishes and drinks of Russian traditional cuisine at bistro prices, where most of the food will be prepared before your eyes (from pancakes with different fillings to salads). Also on the right you will see large elegant windows of the Sever-Metropol cafe and confectionery. This is one of the oldest confectionery chains in the city.
Marata Street branches off to your left. At the end of it is the Oceanarium. Part of the building on the corner of Marat and Nevsky Prospekt is occupied by the station of the 2nd metro line - here is the lobby of the Mayakovskaya station 
(above the lobby is the Nevsky Atrium shopping complex). Through the underground passage of this station you can go either to the lobby of Vosstaniya Square (the starting point of our route) or to the Moskovsky railway station. Anyone who knows about this saves time and effort.
Continuing along Nevsky Prospekt, you will see Mayakovsky Street on the right. Along it there are small grocery stores and cafe-restaurants. Crossing the street, on your right you will notice the large windows of one of the brand stores of the Imperial Porcelain Factory. 
This is not their only branded store on your way, you can visit any one. I highly recommend visiting.
After the store of the Imperial Porcelain Factory, on the right side you will notice the brightly decorated windows of the Trin Trava folklore tavern. On weekdays they offer the so-called “cart” - an unlimited offer of Russian traditional salads, appetizers and side dishes (some chain establishments also include hot dishes in the buffet).
On the other side of Nevsky, after the Nevsky Palace hotel (a noticeable building), a little further there is a sign “Soviet cafe apartment” - also one of the places with Russian / Soviet cuisine.
Next, your road will be blocked by a wide street, which, in fact, consists of two: Liteiny Prospect branches off to the right of Nevsky Prospect, and Vladimirsky Prospekt branches off to the left. Vladimirsky Avenue ends with Vladimirskaya Square, on which the cathedral of the same name is located (according to information on the official website of the cathedral, the 18th century iconostasis, moved in 1809-10 from the church of the Anichkov Palace, has been preserved in the upper church). 
In addition, on this square there are metro vestibules of two different lines: 1st station “Vladimirskaya”, 4th station – “Dostoevskaya”. On weekends and holidays, entrance to and exit from Dostoevskaya station is possible through the lobby of the Vladimirskaya station, be careful.
The next street branching off from Nevsky Prospekt on the left is Rubinshteina. It is considered one of the most restaurant streets in the city (almost every second building is either a cafe, a pub, or a restaurant). The street ends with the unique “Five Corners” square - the only place in St. Petersburg where five corners of buildings turn towards the square. 
Continuing to walk along Nevsky Prospect, on the left side you will see a pink building, this is the Grand Duke's Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace, the last private palace built on Nevsky Prospect. 
The palace of Count A.S. served as the architectural prototype for this building. Stroganov, also located on Nevsky Prospekt (you will see it on your way), built according to the design of F.B. Rastrelli in the mid-18th century. In accordance with the Baroque style, there are also numerous columns and figures of Atlanteans on the facade, and the facades are elegantly painted in three colors. Since the mid-19th century, the Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace became the venue for famous balls and other social events. Now the palace hosts performances and concerts. The state rooms on the 2nd floor have preserved decoration from the mid-to-late 19th century.
The bridge that is on your way is called Anichkov. According to one version, the etymology of the word is explained by the surname of lieutenant colonel engineer Mikhail Anichkov, whose battalion during the time of Peter the Great was located beyond the Fontanka in the so-called Anichkova Sloboda. 
On the bridge you see 4 sculptural groups, united by the common theme “Taming the Horse”. The sculptures reflect
four stages of conquering a horse by a person, each of which, of course, looks different. While walking around the city, be sure to consider each of them. Pay attention to the second pedestal as you move: on the stone you will see a mark left by a bomb during the Great Patriotic War. A young city with a considerable history carefully preserves the memory of all the events taking place in it.
The bridge was erected over the Fontanka River; the morphology of the word determines the connection between the name of the river and fountains: the river used to irrigate the fountains of the Summer Garden, which runs along the river. After one of the city's floods, it stopped functioning in this way, but did not change its name. Don't forget to stop and look at the grating of the bridge - St. Petersburg is famous for its original gratings, fences and even lanterns.
On the left side of Nevsky Prospekt, immediately after the bridge, a bright building in the early Baroque style rises - another palace, its name is the same as that of the bridge. The facade of the building faces not Nevsky Prospekt, but the river, since the entrance to it was supposed to be from the water. After its construction in 1753, the palace was an imperial palace, passed from one reigning family to another as a wedding gift. In Soviet times, the palace became the Palace of Youth Creativity and to this day serves as an institution of additional education. 
Children from 3 to 18 years old can find something to their liking from more than 200 clubs, visiting which can determine their further professional development. I myself attended several clubs, including an excursion club - the club was called Petropol (one of the literary names of St. Petersburg), we were taught take tours of the palace itself. Believe me, there is something to see there: the unique red glass invented by the genius Lomonosov, and the Winter Gardens, of which there were only two in Imperial Russia (the other is in the Winter Palace). Before the New Year, a festive tree is put up in the palace and festive events are held for children.
Continue along Nevsky Prospekt. The first street, which branches off from it on the right, is called Karavannaya; there are a large number of restaurants, including folklore ones. The street runs past the beautiful Circus building, as well as the House of Cinema - a place where film festivals are held and films are shown, including in the original language (subtitles must be included for them). Also on the right along Nevsky Prospekt you can see an arch with the word “Aurora” - in the courtyard there is another cinema, also showing films in foreign languages. The interior of the VIP hall of the cinema is very close to the theater: comfortable chairs, curtains, sculptures - all this is conducive to watching films. 
Walking past the palace and the adjacent garden, you will see a square with a monument to Catherine 2 in the center. 
Come closer to see the monument: the empress is surrounded by her associates, among whom is a woman - Princess Dashkova, known for helping Catherine 2 ascend the throne as a result of a coup d'etat, and also subsequently being the director of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Behind the monument you can see a beautiful two-color building in the Empire style, decorated with a chariot on top. 
This is the building of the Alexandrinsky Theater - the first Russian theater, which from its creation to this day offers some of the best performances in the city. Behind the theater lies one of the most beautiful streets of the city - the street of the architect Rossi
A must-see street from the right corner. (it is known for being symmetrical and proportional: its width is equal to the height of the buildings that form it (22 meters), and its length is exactly ten times greater - 220 meters). The square and theater are located on Ostrovsky Square (Ostrovsky is a Russian playwright), it is from here that the red double-decker City tour bus departs. Moreover, fairs and festivals are periodically held here.
To the right of the square rises another building with sculptures - this is the Russian National Library. 
Currently, in the library, in addition to the halls for reference services and electronic resources, several library halls, there is a Faust room or a Gothic hall. The office was built and equipped in medieval style in 1857. In the center of the room is a statue of Gutenberg, the first European printer. Also in this room are books published before 1501.
Turn back to Nevsky Prospekt. In front of you is an interesting building in Art Nouveau style, a store of the Eliseev merchants. Your attention will probably be attracted by large windows with moving rat figures (author M. Shemyakin)
inside and partially visible interior. The interior has been recreated, however, I advise you to go inside and feel like a member of the elite, caught up in the decor of a store from the early 20th century. 
Surprisingly, the prices for the products offered are not as high as one might expect. With the help of multilingual staff, you can choose a delicacy that will be a pleasure to eat in the luxurious atmosphere of the store.
Leaving the atmosphere of the 20th century, going around the building, you will find yourself on Malaya Sadovaya Street, full of sculptures that grant wishes. 
Right in the center there is a granite ball-fountain, a favorite place for photographing tourists and local residents, which rotates due to the pressure of water when the fountains are running. To make your wish come true, you just need to approach the fountain and touch it. There is no need to spin the ball itself - this spoils the internal mechanisms and harms the fountain. Among other original sculptures I can also mention the sculptures of the cat Elisha and the cat Vasilisa, 
located on different sides of the street at the second floor level opposite each other. To fulfill a wish, you need to throw a coin to the pedestal so that it stays on it. You can learn more about sculptures by reading this article. A little further into the street on the left side you will be pleased with a sculpture of a photographer with a dog. 
You can take a photo with the photographer, you can touch the bulldog’s tongue - plus two wishes come true!
Continuing along Nevsky Prospekt, you will cross an underground passage with a variety of souvenirs. Some souvenirs are cheaper than store-bought ones, some are more expensive, but the quality is about the same.
The crossing is located under Sadovaya Street, if you go along it to the left, you will see the Engineering Castle, the Moika River, and the Summer Garden.
Without turning into the underground passage, continue along the intended path along the avenue. 
To your left will be a long yellow building - this is Gostiny Dvor, a shopping complex created in the 18th century as the largest retail space in the Russian Empire. By the beginning of the twentieth century, Gostiny Dvor continued to be the largest center for trade in industrial goods in St. Petersburg. Nowadays, more than three thousand Russian and foreign companies present their products in its 2-kilometer-long trading floors; There are about 170 thousand varieties of goods in the assortment, and about two million units of goods are on sale (according to materials from the official website of Gostiny Dvor). This building also has a free public toilet, located in the Sadovaya Street part of the building (after the Lego store).
A little further from Gostiny Dvor you see the pinkish pointed tower of the Duma.
After construction, it was used for optical telegraph communication (a mirror telegraph connected the Winter Palace with Tsarskoye Selo) and as a fire tower. Now the building houses the Children's Philharmonic, the music school named after. N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, St. Petersburg Institute, and since 1998 – North-Western and St. Petersburg branches of Sberbank of Russia.
On Dumskaya Street (between Gostiny Dvor and the Duma Tower) there are excursion buses on which you can travel not only around St. Petersburg and its suburbs, but also other Russian cities. The ticket offices are located nearby and you can book excursions in a foreign language.
Let's return to the side of Nevsky on which we are. Turn your face to the buildings - one of them is decorated with the Passage sign. This is the real Passage - a covered street of boutiques and various shops.
I advise you to look into a slightly hidden store on the right side, called the “Chocolate Museum”. Here you can see and buy multi-colored chocolate busts of Lenin, trophies, souvenir gifts, and other handmade products. In the center of the Passage at the second floor level there is a bridge where in the evenings you can listen to music with a cup of aromatic drink from the cafe. The passage periodically becomes a venue for fairs with handmade goods. 
As a rule, this happens during holiday periods: New Year and Christmas fair, fair in honor of February 23 and March 8, fair on the occasion of City Day.
The building next to Passage houses the large 24-hour bookstore Bukvoed. Here you can find souvenirs, books in different languages, maps, guides; on the second floor, part of the store is reserved for DIY kits.
A little further on Nevsky Prospekt you will see a staircase leading to the Sever confectionery - one of the very first cafes of this confectionery chain in the city. In the back of the cafe they sell not only delicious signature desserts, but also hot dishes.
Further on your way, almost one after another, you will see several churches of St. Catherine - this is explained by the fact that they were approved and built during the reign of Catherine 2. The first church, the Armenian Church of St. Catherine, was built in the classicist style using blue and white tones. 
After its construction, the church became the center of Armenian culture in St. Petersburg: a printing house and an Armenian national school were opened with it, which is still in operation today.
The next street blocking your path on the right side is called Mikhailovskaya. Without crossing the road, look at the square with the park and the beautiful light building located behind it. 
The building is the Grand Duke's Mikhailovsky Palace, open to the public as the Russian Museum since 1898. It contains paintings and sculptures of world-famous Russian artists and sculptors; if you have free time, be sure to visit! On the square there is a monument to the great Russian poet and writer Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, widely known not only in Russia but also abroad. By the way, the same sculptor (Anikushin) created another monument to Pushkin, which stands at the station of the first line of the St. Petersburg metro - Pushkinskaya. 
Keep in mind that when you cross Mikhailovskaya Street, there is an underground passage under you that leads not only to the opposite side of Nevsky Prospect, but also straight to the Nevsky Prospekt station of the second metro line.
The second cathedral on the right side is the Catholic Church of St. Catherine. In front of it there is usually an exhibition and sale of paintings (artists start arriving after 10.30 and stay until late). 
Even if you don't plan to buy anything, be sure to look at contemporary works of art.
Go ahead. A grandiose building in the Art Nouveau style begins to rise right in front of you, ending with a composition in the shape of a globe. 
This building is definitely higher than those you have already seen. You probably noticed while walking that all the houses are approximately the same height. There is a historical explanation for this: by decree of Nicholas 1 it was not allowed to build houses higher than the Hermitage (22.5 meters to the cornice). This building fits into the required standards, since the decorative part with the globe is not a living space - surprisingly, the diameter of the globe is 2.8 meters, people can fit in it! The building was constructed for the Singer Joint Stock Company, a manufacturer of sewing machines. Now the first two floors are occupied by the House of Books, offering a wide range of various literature in different languages, including souvenir items. On the second floor there is a panoramic cafe - worth a visit if only for beautiful photos of the city! As far as I know, the upper floors of the building belong to the headquarters of the social network VKontakte. They say that the color of the globe's illumination (red, blue, green) is determined by the mood of the company's management!
Cross the small road that crosses your path and stop on the bridge. 
In front of you rises the pearl of cathedral-museums - the Savior on Spilled Blood.
Amazing Savior-on-Blood Alas, the creation of this festively decorated cathedral was prompted by a tragedy - on the spot where the cathedral was erected, Emperor Alexander 2, the same one who abolished serfdom, was killed. The cathedral was built with donations. During the Soviet era, when the authorities got rid of everything religious, there was a warehouse of costumes for the theater inside, which caused significant damage to the artistic and decorative decoration. In 1997, the restored cathedral was opened to the public. Be sure to take the time to walk up to the cathedral, explore the outside and explore the stunning interior.
Breathtaking view from one of the most fabulous Churches! You will be surprised to know that the mosaic exhibition of the Savior on Spilled Blood is one of the largest collections in Europe, covering an area of 7065 square meters! 
At the corner of Nevsky Prospekt from the Griboyedov Canal embankment there is the lobby of the Nevsky Prospekt metro station, which has a certain operating schedule. If you cross the avenue and continue along the Griboyedov Canal on the even side, you will reach the Bank Bridge, on which there are magical griffins. 
They look great in photos!
We continue walking along Nevsky Prospekt. On the opposite side of the House of Books is the current Cathedral of the Kazan Mother of God. 
This cathedral is a cathedral and contains a miraculous list (that is, a copy) of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God. The cathedral contains the burial place of the Russian commander M.I. Kutuzov, above it are captured banners of defeated French regiments, keys to fortresses and cities of Europe taken by the Russian army. On both sides of the cathedral there are commanders: on the right is Kutuzov, on the left is Barclay de Tolly. With their help, Russia defeated the French in the War of 1812.
By the way, about the bridge. Have you seen the bridge fence on the other side of Nevsky Prospekt? You have crossed one of the widest bridges in St. Petersburg - its width is already 95 meters ! Moreover, this is the lowest bridge in St. Petersburg.
Continue following the given route. The pedestrian Malaya Konyushennaya Street branches off to your right. There is a monument to N.V. on it. Gogol (one of the classics of Russian literature), at the end of the street there is a monument to the policeman.
Also on your right will be the Lutheran Church of Saints Peter and Paul. 
There are no original items left in the decoration of the church - under the Soviet regime, this church suffered no less than others: in addition to the fact that the decoration of the church, which was of artistic value, was confiscated and ended up in the storerooms of museums, a warehouse for theatrical scenery was set up in the church building, then a warehouse for vegetables, and later a swimming pool was built in the church! In the 1990s, the church was restored.
After the church, also on the right you will see the wide Bolshaya Konyushennaya Street, in the center of which there is a pedestrian park. On this street is the Finnish Church of St. Mary 
, as well as modern sculptural compositions of fountains with pegasuses.
Ahead to your left on Nevsky Prospekt there will be the building of the Stroganov Palace - a prototype of the Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace, which we passed earlier. This building was built in the Russian Baroque style and is currently a branch of the Russian Museum. Now the Great Hall is open to visitors - the only interior in St. Petersburg that has preserved the original decorative decoration of Rastrelli and the unique ceiling of G. Valeriani “The Triumph of the Hero”. Also in the palace, two enfilades of state halls on the second floor, designed by the most famous Russian architects of the 18th-19th centuries - F. Demertsov, A. Voronikhin, P. Sadovnikov, I. Kolodin, have been restored (information taken from the official website of the Russian Museum).
Behind the palace building you will see another river, the Moika. For Russian people, the building on the corner of Nevsky Prospect, 18 and Moika, is very symbolic - it was here that the poet Alexander Pushkin drank his last cup of coffee and went to the fatal duel. At the moment, the same restaurant “Wolf and Beranger” is located on this site, only it occupies a smaller area (part of the first floor is the “Orange” flower shop).
Continue walking, on the right, after 40-50 meters you will see a beautiful arch of the General Staff building, 
look at it, walk through it to the center of Palace Square. Now you can look around again. You are in the so-called “Golden Triangle” of the city, an architectural ensemble included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. 
Ahead you see the Winter Palace - the residence of the emperors, the palace in which part of the museum is located, containing more than 2 million exhibits.
In the center of the square is the Alexander triumphal column, erected in honor of the victory in the Russian-French war of 1812. This is a monolithic column, supported by its own weight, it is completed by an angel with the face of Alexander 1, the emperor under whom the war was won. Turn to the side through which you entered: on your right side of the General Staff building is the command of the Western Military District, on the left side is part of the Hermitage Museum (this is where the creations of the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists, which were previously located on the third floor of the Winter Palace, are now located) . On the arch connecting the eastern and western wings of the building stands a chariot with the goddess of victory Nike.
Next, I suggest walking along the Winter Palace to the right. On your way you will meet Atlanteans who courageously hold part of the palace. One of the Atlanteans grants wishes - to fulfill them, it is enough to touch the little finger of one of them. 
Continue walking to the Winter Canal (this is the name of the canal in the Central district of St. Petersburg, connecting the Bolshaya Neva and the Moika in the area of the Winter Palace). Above it you will see a passage arch connecting two buildings of the palace: the Hermitage Theater and the building of the Great (Old) Hermitage. Behind the arched passage you can see the Hermitage Bridge, and behind it the main river of the city - the Neva.
From the Hermitage Bridge you can see an extraordinary view of Hare Island with the Peter and Paul Fortress on it. 
The first stone of the city was laid on this site, intended to protect the Russian border from the Swedes (Russia had been fighting the Swedes since 1700 and eventually emerged victorious from the war). To the right you see the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island (the eastern tip of Vasilievsky Island in St. Petersburg) with the majestic Exchange building located between two rostral columns. 
Rostral columns (the name comes from rostras - parts of boats that decorate the columns) served as beacons; fire was lit on them. Now the fire can only be seen on holidays: Day of the complete lifting of the Siege (pictured) and Victory Day.
The Palace Bridge, which is located on your left, is the most recognizable among travelers coming to St. Petersburg - it is on it that both spans are raised during navigation (other bridges have only one span raised).
Next, I would advise you to go from the left side of the Promenade des Anglais (you are on it) to the right and look around. On the other side of the Neva you see the bluish-turquoise building of the Kunstkamera (this is the first building that was built specifically for the museum. Unusual exhibits were shown here: rarities and anomalies of nature. Also in the museum there was and is a large collection of antiquities that reveal the history and life of many peoples), yellow building of the Zoological Museum.
On this side of the Neva you will see a yellow building - the Admiralty, here, at one time, shipyards were built, now the Main Command of the Russian Navy is located here. The building is crowned with a spire with a boat - a weather vane, firmly included in the list of recognizable symbols of the city on the Neva.
If you stand facing the Admiralty, then to the right you can see an interesting monument to Peter the Great, absorbed in the work of a carpenter. The monument is called “The Tsar Carpenter”. 
The fact is that Peter the Great was an extraordinary person: he knew more than 20 crafts of his time, was fluent in several foreign languages, was very energetic and active, and preferred to actively participate in the construction of the city. You can also make wishes at this monument.
Return to Nevsky Prospekt, which goes around Palace Square. To your right will be the Alexander Garden, 
which houses a fountain with an original arrangement of pipes, a monument to the Russian traveler and naturalist N.M. Przhevalsky (at the foot of the bronze bust of the traveler there is a camel) 
,monument to M.Yu. Lermontov, M.I. Glinka (world-famous Russian composer), A.M. Gorchakov (head of the Russian foreign policy department under Alexander II, comrade of A.S. Pushkin), N. V. Gogol, V.A. Zhukovsky (Russian poet, academician), sculpture “Flora of Farnese”, “Hercules of Farnese”, memorial plate on the site of the first line of the St. Petersburg tram.
To the left of the park you will see the huge St. Isaac's Cathedral - the largest Orthodox cathedral in St. Petersburg. 
This is the creation of the hands of the architect Montferrand, for whom the creation of the cathedral became the work of his life and lasted for 40 years! The cathedral is surrounded by 112 monolithic columns, each of which could be erected in place by 19th century engineers in less than 10 minutes. How? You can find out about this in the museum itself. The cathedral colonnade for a bird's eye view of the city is available for an additional fee.
If you want to continue your route along Nevsky Prospekt on foot, continue walking along its even side until the beginning of our route. If you want to use public transport to return to a certain point on the route, I advise you to go to the bus and trolleybus stop located next to houses 7-9, or walk to Malaya Morskaya Street (the first street branching to the right), turn onto it, walk to complex "Admiral" and go around it on the left side - you will see a metro sign. Here is the station of the 5th metro line "Admiralteyskaya".
*You probably noticed that on Nevsky Prospekt the duration of the green light for pedestrians to cross can be 3-5 seconds. By default, pedestrians can complete their movement and walk to the opposite side. gate, Blue bridge and St. Isaac's Cathedral – a wonderful mix!
in St. Petersburg and the world - 97.3 meters. This bridge is called Sinim (visible in the photograph), is located in the Admiralteysky district of St. Petersburg, spans the Moika River and connects the Kazan and 2nd Admiralteysky islands.
This spectacle is accessible both from the embankments and from excursion boats and ships.
Nevsky Prospect is good in any weather and time of day. “Breathing” Nevsky means immersing yourself in its atmosphere of a leisurely walking rhythm or getting into the stream of directed business movement, from which it is not so easy to get out. Nevsky is always different. However, in one thing it remains indescribably unambiguous: it is endowed with some kind of unique fifth dimension, unique to this city. This dimension is the depth and richness of St. Petersburg culture. Proof of this is the numerous evidence of the history of St. Petersburg, traditionally referred to as “attractions”.
Let's get acquainted only with the most iconic of them, those that are encountered on the way from the Fontanka River to the Neva, Senate Pier. It is enough to see them while walking, they are so picturesque and speak for themselves. These are living ideas, embodied in stone, bronze and dissolving in the unique spirit of the humid St. Petersburg climate.
The meeting with St. Petersburg begins already at a depth of more than 50 meters underground at the exit from the Mayakovskaya metro station. Movement to the surface takes forever! This is another feature of the city - the depth of the metro, another proof of infinity in all dimensions of this city on the Neva. 
Anichkov Bridge
Let's take a walk along Nevsky in the opposite direction from the visible stele of Vosstaniya Square. Let's feel the rhythm of the city. After a twenty-minute leisurely walk, a panorama of the Anichkov Bridge opens up to us. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Nameless Erik River served as the natural border of the city. During the construction of Nevsky Prospekt, a crossing was required. Thus, by decree of Peter I, the first wooden bridge was built on the “fountain river”. 
The famous sculptures of Peter Claude, cast in bronze and symbolizing the strength and power of two principles - Nature and Man, appeared on the renovated stone bridge in 1841. First, sculptural structures were installed on the western side and ten years later - on the eastern side. All together they are read compositionally, differing in interpretation depending on the angle of view. Regardless of the “reading” options, Pyotr Karlovich immortalized the idea of conquered nature in the silhouette of a powerful horse, which gives this figure a dominant meaning. 
Catherine's Garden
To the left of the bridge, on the odd side of Nevsky, is the Anichkov Palace with a vast park area. The Catherine Garden occupies part of this territory and was created according to the design of the great Carlo Rossi, a Russian architect of Italian blood. The first organizer of the park area was gardener Yakov Fedorov. Later, the square in front of the Alexandrinsky Theater was renovated more than once and to this day it remains a favorite walking place for citizens and a decoration of Nevsky. 
The central sculpture, more than 15 meters high, is a monument to the Great Catherine II. The majestic empress with the attributes of power, at whose feet the bas-relief depicts iconic historical figures of that era, personifies the inviolability of power. The monument was made by sculptor Matvey Chizhov according to the design of artist Mikhail Mikeshin. The opening took place in 1873 simultaneously with the opening of Catherine Square. 
Eliseevsky store
Opposite the Alexandrinsky Theater stands the house of the Eliseev Brothers trading partnership, a pompous building built at the very beginning of the last century by the architect Gavriil Vasilyevich Baranovsky. The building belongs to the so-called “merchant modernism”. This style was born from an eclectic combination of new trends in architecture and was distinguished by a special lordly luxury of interior decoration and facade design. 
The building violated all the norms accepted at that time - in terms of height, design solutions and the combination of incongruous elements. The stained glass facade and sculptural images are striking, symbolizing the pillars of society - trade, science, art and industry.
Despite the difficult periods in the history of the city, the Eliseevsky store retained its name and appearance. Since 2010, the cultural significance of the historical site has been recorded in the status of a protected federal architectural monument. 
The history of St. Petersburg is not only the history of the capital of the Russian Empire, but also the hero city of Leningrad, which survived the terrible years of the siege. A reminder of this, among other things, are commemorative plaques that can be found throughout the city. 
Kazan Cathedral
The Kazan Cathedral is called an architectural monument-temple with full right to do so. It is inextricably linked with epoch-making events in Russian history. The year of completion of the construction of the majestic temple was 1811. By the royal decree of Paul I, on the site of the church - the keeper of the Icon of the Kazan Mother of God, the current baroque style temple was erected, significantly different from the Orthodox traditions of cathedral construction.
The author of the project was a former serf of Count Stroganov, a young architect Andrei Voronikhin. Construction was carried out by artels of Russian sculptors under the leadership of Count Stroganov. A grandiose project with a spectacular external colonnade (96 columns) today has become the decoration of Nevsky Prospect and the center of the architectural ensemble of the entire square. 
The entire decoration of the Cathedral was made with natural materials delivered from different parts of Russia: Olonets marble was used for the interior decoration, granite was brought from Karelia, and Gatchina Pudozh stone was used for the exterior cladding. The interior is impressive with its palace appearance, the icons were painted by the great Russian artists O. Kiprensky, A. Ivanov, V. Borovikovsky.
From the Kazan Cathedral, after a solemn prayer service, Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov departs for the active army, and in 1813 his ashes will be buried in this cathedral, trophy banners and symbolic keys to the cities conquered by the field marshal are also preserved here. A monumental composition in the park near the Kazan Cathedral immortalized two commanders - M.I. Kutuzov and M.B. Barclay de Tolly, personifying historical milestones in the history of the Russian state.
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
A walk along Nevsky is impressive with panoramic views opening from its bridges. We will stop along the way at the Kuznetsky Bridge across the Griboyedov Canal. If you look towards the luxurious Church of the Resurrection of Christ, which opens in all its splendor in the perspective of the embankment, then on the left you will see the pompous building of the House of Books. Behind you will be the architectural complex of the Kazan Cathedral, from which the name of the bridge across the Catherine II canal comes. The canal was renamed Griboyedovsky in 1931 in honor of the writer who lived in one of the houses on the canal embankment. 
The nine-domed Church of the Resurrection of Christ or the Savior on Spilled Blood is a monument of Russian architecture of the 19th century. The idea of the Temple immortalized the site of the assassination attempt on Emperor Alexander II, hence the name “on the blood.” The temple was built using public donations. Construction took 24 long years, but even after its opening, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood was restored and reconstructed more than once. This was after the October upheavals, and later as an elimination of the consequences of the tragic period of the Great Patriotic War. Now it is open to visitors, both as a museum of architecture, Cathedral decoration with a magnificent mosaic exhibition, and as a functioning parish of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. 
House of Books on Nevsky
The building on Nevsky Prospect, where it intersects with the Griboyedov Canal, stands out from the general façade design and is the famous House of Books in the city. This is the second building in the “merchant modern” series, as mentioned above. Architecturally, it combines elements of Art Nouveau and neo-Borocco. Like the Eliseev trading house, it violates the ban on the height of buildings, which should not exceed the height of the Winter Palace. 
The historical building, recognized as a federal architectural monument and known today as the House of Books, is the result of the work of architect Pavel Syuzor. The building was commissioned by the Singer Corporation, a manufacturer of sewing equipment. The history of the house as a “book house” began in 1919, when the Petrogosizdat organization was located in it. The building still causes controversy among architecture connoisseurs due to the overload of the façade with an abundance of decorative elements. 
Senate square
The beginning of the city's central avenue on the Neva is symbolic. It starts from the building of the former Senate and the former Senate Square. This is the oldest place in the city, the emergence of which coincides with the birth of St. Petersburg. Officially, the square received the name “Petrovskaya” simultaneously with the opening of the monument to Peter I in 1782. The horseman is cast from a bronze alloy containing copper, but the origin of the name is attributed to the poem by A.S. Pushkin’s “The Bronze Horseman”, the brilliant poet uses in his work the plot with the monument to Peter I. 
The model of the statue was proposed by the sculptor Etienne Falconet, the figure was cast after the Frenchman left Russia, and the monument was completed by the architect Yuri Matveevich Felten. A giant horseman on his hind legs symbolizes the victory of civilization over barbarism, associatively personifying the transformations of Great Peter. The sculpture serves as one of the calling cards of the northern capital. The idea of the victory of civilization is so picturesquely presented. It should be said that no less great thinkers Diderot and Voltaire took part in the discussion of the embodiment of the idea along with the empress. 
Alexander Garden
The beginning of the Alexander Garden was laid back in the times of Peter the Great. The flat open space in front of the Admiralty Fortress - shipyard had a fortification purpose. This square became the Alexander Garden later, already during the reign of Tsar Alexander II. Its official opening took place on July 8, 1874, and was timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Peter I. 
Today, the Alexander Garden is a walking park area with an area of 10 hectares of land in the historical center of St. Petersburg. The park area includes two squares - Dekabristov and Admiralteyskaya. The metro station of the same name, located near the garden, is also unique of its kind. This is the deepest metro station in St. Petersburg - it goes underground to a depth of 86 meters and ranks third in the world after Arsenalnaya in Kyiv (105.5 m) and Puhung station in Pyongyang (100 m). 
Admiralteyskaya metro station is a convenient place to start exploring the historical center of the city and Nevsky Prospekt. For a real excursion, it would be rational to complete a short walk here and meet with an unusually colorful area of the city on the Neva. The walk from Fontanka to Senateskaya is just a guide for a general acquaintance with the sights of the historical center. St. Petersburg is not only colorful in appearance, it is in every sense a deep and rich city in five or more dimensions, depending on the position from which we get acquainted with the masterpieces of the Northern capital.
On the way back from Vitebsk to Petrozavodsk we drove through St. Petersburg; we had free time before our “Swallow”, so we went for a walk on Nevsky Prospekt. I love this street, I’ve walked it all the way from beginning to end many times; it’s about five kilometers. Nevsky Prospect received its name from the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. We begin our walk from the laurel.
To the left and right, behind the yellow walls, is an ancient noble cemetery - the Necropolis of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
1st Lavra Bridge and entrance to the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra
Embankment of the Monastyrka River
Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Right in front of us is the Spiritual Church
Nevsky Avenue. Early morning, few passersby yet
Feodorovsky Cathedral
A little away from Nevsky (Poltavskaya Street) we discovered the Feodorovsky Cathedral, built in 1913 in honor of the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov. During Soviet times, the cathedral was closed, the building was converted for the needs of a dairy plant. Exactly 100 years after its construction, the cathedral was restored and reconsecrated in 2013.
Vosstaniya Square. In the center of the obelisk is the hero city of Leningrad.
There is pandemonium near the Moskovsky railway station. For many years, trains to the north (including to Petrozavodsk) left from this station. Now a new Ladozhsky station has been built for us on the outskirts of the city.
ligovsky Avenue
Vosstaniya Square
The second half of Nevsky Prospect begins from Vosstaniya Square to Palace Square
Caryatids, men and women
Anichkov Bridge
A man dressed as a captain invites passers-by to take a tour of the Neva on river buses
Eliseevsky store
The famous Eliseevsky store. Here only for an excursion, the prices in the store are clearly not designed for a Russian pensioner
Artists near Catherine Square. For as long as I have known this place, artists have always sat here.
Monument to Catherine II
Gostiny Dvor
Another place on Nevsky where artists sell their paintings
Photo: Volha Kavalenkava/Rusmediabank.ru
Gogol also wrote: “There is nothing better than Nevsky Prospect, at least in St. Petersburg; for him he is everything.” Indeed, the first thing to do when arriving in St. Petersburg is to take a walk along Nevsky. You will immediately feel the spirit of this beautiful city!main part
Nevsky Prospekt is 4.6 km long. But its main part stretches from Vosstaniya Square, where the Moscow Station stands, to Palace Square. The length of this part is 3 km, it is the most interesting to explore.Nevsky Prospekt is relatively narrow. It was created at a time when not cars, but horse-drawn carriages drove through the streets. By the way, the central streets of most old European cities are also not wide, in this Nevsky is similar to them.
St. Petersburg is Europe
The first impression you will get is that St. Petersburg is not like other Russian cities. This is a European city. It was founded in 1703 and was created as the capital of the powerful Russian Empire. The best architects of the time, mainly from Italy and England, were brought in for its construction. Therefore, it is not surprising that St. Petersburg bears the features of European architecture of that era.Every house on Nevsky Prospekt is architectural and... Before the revolution, the court nobility, the elite, and representatives of the best families lived in these houses.
Palace of Beloselsky-Belozersky
George Shuklin Wikimedia Common
Starting your walk from the Moskovsky railway station, you will soon see on the left a majestic building of a dark red color, with rich decor, stucco moldings, and sculptures of Atlanteans. This is the famous palace of the Beloselsky-Belozersky princes, one of the richest and most influential families in Russia.
The interiors of the palace are also impressive. There are excursions around them.
Anichkov Bridge, Klodt's horses
Immediately behind this palace you will see the Anichkov Bridge over the Fontanka River. It is famous for its four sculptures of horses being tamed by an athletic youth. Their author is a famous sculptor. Tsar Nicholas I, who admired the exceptional skill of the sculptor, once joked: “Klodt, you make horses better than a stallion!”Klodt's horses
Eliseevsky store
After walking a little more, you will see the building of the famous Eliseevsky store. It is made in Art Nouveau style and is distinguished by architectural and decorative luxury. The trading floor is flooded with the light of thousands of lamps, its decoration amazes with its beauty and richness. In Soviet times, it was the famous “Gastronom No. 1”, even then you could buy scarce products there. The store is still open. Eliseevsky store
Alex Florstein Fedorov, Wikimedia Commons
Catherine Garden, monument to Catherine II
Directly opposite the Eliseevsky store is the Catherine Garden, in the center of which stands the majestic monument to Catherine the Second. The Empress in an ermine robe stands on a pedestal, and below are prominent statesmen of that era: Grigory Potemkin, Alexander Suvorov, Gabriel Derzhavin, Ekaterina Dashkova and others.
Catherine's Garden is a pleasant place to relax. If you get tired, you can relax there, sitting on a bench under large shady trees.
Passage, Gostiny Dvor
A little further away are the Passage and Gostiny Dvor department stores. They stand on both sides of Nevsky, opposite each other. Previously, they were a favorite place for Leningrad fashionistas, where you could buy scarce boots, sheepskin coats, etc., after standing in a long line.Now these department stores are targeting foreign tourists. They contain branded boutiques of famous companies, and they also sell expensive souvenirs.
Petersburgers almost never go there. They buy clothes, shoes, cosmetics, etc. in modern multi-story shopping centers, of which there are many in the city. On Nevsky and nearby are located: “Stockmann”, “Nevsky Atrium”, “Gallery”.
Department store Passage
Book House
Next you will see the magnificent building of the House of Books. Before the revolution, it was called the Singer House and belonged to the world famous sewing machine company. Now books are sold there.Book House
Alex 'Florstein' Fedorov, Wikimedia Commons
The house is richly decorated in Art Nouveau style, the facades are decorated with sculptures. The corner of the building is crowned with a glass dome, on which a huge glass globe is visible. At night, the ball is illuminated from the inside and sparkles beautifully.
The Book House also looks impressive inside: marble, mosaics, wood trim. It's worth stopping by and taking a look.
Kazan Cathedral
Directly opposite the House of Books is a majestic one with a huge gallery of columns extending on both sides of the central part. The cathedral stands a little further from Nevsky, and in front of it is a square with a fountain, well known to all townspeople. This is also a wonderful place to relax. In the summer, many St. Petersburg residents sit on benches in this park, eat ice cream, flirt, and take photographs. Kazan Cathedral
Mkrtchyan Karen, Wikimedia Common