A Man's Story in Fairy Tails City

25TH OF MARCH 2018, NO. 1 A man’s story in fairy tails city Author’s thoughts From time to time, people intent to connect memories, experiences, smells, thoughts or even feelings they had in specific time within a place they have been. Occasionally, it could be sad or happy emotions, which could conquer our minds over a place, but still, these are the memories and feelings, which resides in us until the end of our lives and we have to learn how to live with those. Once a wise man said: What matters is not the place but with who you are in that place. Over the years, I have come to re- alised that it is a combination of the place, experiences, and people that we meet, and unique curved memories into me and the desire to re- visit some areas again. For myself, this city is Saint-Peterburg, the Venice of the North! — Stefanos Georgiou What I was doing there? less, when people are asking me: nificent architecture and the beauty by STEFANOS GEORGIOU Why Saint Petersburg is your most of this city seeded in his mind. That favourite and lovely place? The only justifies the reason that the architects reply I can give: It doesn’t make of the city were most of them Ital- always sense why we love some- ians like Antonio Rinaldi, Giacomo thing...we just love it. There are var- Quarenghi and Carlo Rossi. A Venice ious things and facts, that I can take of the North was also the deam of During my MSc’s degree, I had the my time and talk about, which is why Peter the Great, which he decided unique opportunity to study in four most of the times it is difficult to ex- to locate it in North East of Rus- different countries for the last two press my emotions and thoughts; to sia on Neva river at the begging of years. Spending almost five months this end, the description I am giving the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea. in France, Finland, Sweden and Rus- in most case has the following out- The construction initially started on sia was, therefore, a life-changing line: history of the city; sightseeing; 27th of May year 1703, as an aim and unforgettable experience that I nightlife; city events; city facts; and to have a beautiful city, a cultural had. Although, the most memorable acknowledgements. center, that can provide easy access city I have been, which brings me in Europe from Russia. A complex of goosebumps and mixed emotions ev- 101 islands and 342 bridges is con- ery time I think of it, is Saint Pe- structing as a whole of the glamorous tersburg, the town of czar Peter the History of the city city. Once a formal capital of Russia, Great. Czar Peter the First visited the ro- Saint Petersburg also went through For my age, I have travelled mantic city of Venice in Italy, as an changes by having different names, a lot in different places. Neverthe- outcome, an impression of the mag- The North Venice – An story based on author’s experience m my_blog/index.com B [email protected] Page 1 as Petrograd till 1924, Leningrad till fall of USSR. People also refer to Saint ital, apart of that it is the second 1991, and Saint Petersburg with the Petersburg as Russia’s cultural cap- largest city in Russia after Moscow. Our Savior on Spilled Blood Cathedral. Sightseeing my mind and I feel a shiver running orated with different Saints from the down my spine, is the unique Cathe- outside and inside. Creators used mo- The magic of the city, a fact which dral of Our Savior on Spilled Blood. saic as original material, that is why makes it gorgeous and attracts a large It is one of my favorite sightseeing; the Cathedral is unique. number of tourists, lies in the nu- it was built in honor of Emperor merous and unique sightseeing; be- Alexander the Second near the place sides, there are impressive in matters where he was critically wounded by of architecture and size. The majority a bomb. An alliance between the Ot- of the architects, who were French, toman Empire, the United Kingdom, Italians and Russians, used an "Em- France and Sardinia brought a dev- It is considered to be one of pire Style" in architecture to emerge astating defeat towards the Russian the world largest and oldest muse- Saint Petersburg into a cultural cap- Empire, during the war fighting for ums. Hermitage, which is also known ital. In the city center, a specific ar- the Orthodox Christians rights in the as the Winter Palace, was the place chitectural rule was followed by the Crimean War (Oct. 1853 - Feb. 1856). where the czars used to live during constructors to keep the original his- After experiencing the defeat, from the winter times. The process of con- torical view of the city even nowa- the Crimean War, some major demo- struction started in 1754 during the days. The monuments and sightsee- cratic reforms were issued as univer- time of Elisabeth. It was built by Ras- ing of the city, the most attractive for sal military conscription, were all so- trelli and designed in Rococo style. the public and tourists, which purely cial classes requested to serve in the The construction is considered to be remind of Russia are enlisted as: Our army apart from the peasants. The the most famous building in Saint Savior on Spilled Blood Cathedral; meaning behind the name "Our Sav- Petersburg and it locates in Dvortso- Hermitage Museum (aka The Win- ior on Spilled Blood" was given to vaya ploshad which means Palace ter Palace); Peters and Paul Fortress; Alexander the II as a gratitude for the Square. Visitors can spend numerous Saint Isaac Cathedral; Kazan Cathe- reforms he issued. This marvellous of hours admiring unique pieces of dral (aka Kanzanski); and Petergof construction is located in the heart art from Russia, France, the Nether- (aka The Summer Palace). of the city close to Nevsky Prospect lands, Spain, Italy, Greece and Egypt Each time, I think of Saint Peters- (main street), and next to Griboedov such as paintings, statues, jewelry, burg, the first thing which emerged in Canal. This Orthodox church is dec- weapons, armors and so on. The North Venice – An story based on author’s experience m my_blog/index.com B [email protected] Page 2 years to provide this gorgeous and adorable cathedral. A large golden painted dome in Greek and Byzan- tium art style decorates the center of Isaac’s Cathedral; also four smaller domes in square form are sur- rounding the central one. An enor- mous bronze door could be found in the main entrance, and red granite columns with Corinthian foreheads Hermitage Museum style are placed around the cathedral. Kazan Cathedral (Kazanski) Saint Isaacs Cathedral is located close As the name says, Peter’s and to Adimirteskaya Metro Station (the Russian Versailles is known to be Paul’s fortress it’s a fortress which third deepest metro station in word), Petergof, where nature is ruling, and was founded by Peter the First and lo- a visitor has to pay an entrance fee with a combination of palaces, gar- cated on the shore of Petrogradskaya to get inside the church and another dens and fountains as a single se- island. Apart from being a fortress, fee for going to the top near the cen- quential piece of art used to be the this complex has one of the oldest tral dome. During the Second World summer palace of the Russian czars. church in Saint Petersburg, an ele- War, the domes were painted with a The sight of the fabulous fountains gant and smooth bell tower with gold darker color to avoid being a target and the golden statues with the lux- edge roof decorated by angel stat- for the enemy’s artillery. urious royal estates gives the feel- ues, also held the final rest place for ing and essence of the mighty Rus- the Russian czars. Political prisoners sian Empire and the way Czars used were also kept in the fortress, and an to live and control the country. Each execution platform was located in the Czar used to expand the Summer main square. A unique fact about the Palace according to their own taste fort is that Peter the Great requested without changing the image of the that none of the buildings could be place. During winter times, the foun- higher that Peter and Paul Cathedral. tains are out of use, and the summer A sandy beach is located around the palace is closed; usually it is opened fortress towards Neva river and of- during May and summer. Petergof is ten used by people for picnic and sun located outside the city on the shore tanning during summer times. Also, Saint Isaac’s cathedral of the Gulf of Finland; thus the Palace if you are passing by during midday could be reached by boats. don’t get scared because a cannon is Kazan Cathedral (Kazanski) is an firing that time as a tradition of this Orthodox church has an unusual city. shape which reminds a combination of Italian style for the dome and Greek form for the pillars, with Andrey Voronikhin as the architect. Nowadays some liturgies are held in Kazan Cathedral. The location of the cathedral is opposite to Our Savior on Spilled Blood in Nevsky Prospect. By entering the cathedral, Petergof (aka The Summer Palace) visitors can experience the unique atmosphere which is provided by the decoration of sculptures, icons Peter’s and Paul’s Fortress and mosaics with many Saints de- picted on it.

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