The sculptors in Vladimir proved the scope of their talent in the 1,300 reliefs on the exterior walls of the splendid St Demetrius Cathedral. They show a series of mythological and historical figures, prophets and animals. Inspired by scenes from the..

A gem of medieval Russian religious art! Andrei Bogolyubsky had the charming Church of the Intercession on the Nerl River built in 1165 as a tribute to his son, Iziaslavl, killed in a battle against the Bulgars. It is immaculately white, with lovely ..

The waterside Church of St Dmitri on the Blood can be seen from afar due to its forest of starry onion domes. Is the bright red of its outer walls meant to evoke the blood of the Tsarevich Dmitri? The fact remains that it was built on the spot where ..

Within the walls of St Ipatiev Monastery, set on the banks of the Kostroma River, lie architectural wonders that were generously financed by the Godunov and Romanov families. These include the radiant Trinity Cathedral and its gilded onion domes, t..

Built over sixteen years (from 1671 to 1687) by rich tanners who lived in the area, this church is the town’s signature piece with its fifteen domes and luxuriant décor highlighted by polished tiles - to the point of featuring on the new 1,000 ruble ..

The Church of Elijah the Prophet escaped Stalin’s fury – to the delight of visitors, who come here to admire the remarkable frescoes covering its walls and galleries. Recounting the life of the prophet Elijah, they are the work of famous artists Guri..

Founded in 1397 by Cyril Belozersky, a disciple of the highly venerated Sergius of Radonezh, St. Cyril of the White Lake was one of the largest and most influential monasteries in Russia. Enjoying the support of princes and tsars, it prospered until ..

The Archimandrite’s Palace, where the Superior lived, contains the icons from Dormition Cathedral and those of the Nativity of the Virgin from Ferapontov Monastery. The former were made by artists from the Moscow and Novgorod Schools. The latter are ..

There is a distinctive atmosphere on this little island, measuring several square kilometres, in Lake Onega in northern Russia. All its secrets will be revealed to you – after a very long boat ride – at the Museum of Architecture and Ethnology , an ..

This historic preserve founded in 1966 was one of the first open-air museums. The architectural complex, on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1990, includes two wonderful wooden churches and their bell towers protected by a wooden palisade on a st..

Nevsky Prospekt, a long 4.5 km straight line laid out in 1710s, is the city’s most beautiful avenue and Petersburgers are very fond of its cafés, shops, theatres and cinemas. It is lined with architectural treasures of all styles, from aristocratic p..

The imperial quarter is majestic and formal with its lavish residences, and Palace Square in the centre like a huge lake stretching between the enchanted island of the Winter Palace and the huge wave of the General Staff Building. The enormous space ..

Palace Square, a focal point in the history of St. Petersburg, notably in the bloody revolutions of 1905 and 1917, is now the city’s cultural centre boasting the prestigious Hermitage Museum . Designed by Carlo Rossi like a stage set, it affords a g..

The Winter Palace, seat of the Hermitage Museum since the October Revolution, is very impressive with its long pistachio green façade dotted with 400 immaculately white columns. It was built by the Italian Bartolomeo Rastrelli between 1754 and 1762..

It was Carlo Rossi who gave Palace Square its current look when he built this grandiose edifice across from the imperial residence. The General Staff Building occupies the entire southern side of the square, its curved façade stretching out for 580..

The Alexander Column, topped by a gilded angel, is 47.5m high, making it the tallest in the world. It was built between 1830 and 1834 by Auguste de Montferrand to commemorate Alexander I’s victory over Napoleon in 1812. It therefore had to surpass th..

The Arts Square Quarter, the heart of the city’s artistic life, is truly enchanting with its numerous museums ( Russian Museum , Russian Museum of Ethnography , Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts ), theatres and concert halls, magnificent resid..

Standing on an island in the Neva, Peter and Paul Fortress was designed to protect the entrance to the delta against the Swedes. Its inauguration on 16 May 1703 marked the birth of Russia’s new capital, St. Petersburg. Alas, it was never used to defe..

You can see it from far off with its impressive (123m high) spindly bell tower, topped by a gilded angel and chimes that play the hymn of the tsars. Peter and Paul Cathedral, built between 1714 and 1733 by Domenico Trezzini, is the Romanov’s necropol..

Symbol of the “capital of the North”, the Hermitage Museum is at once a huge temple devoted to Art, a series of magnificent palaces and an ensemble of historic buildings that is alone worth the trip to St. Petersburg. This gigantic museum boasting ne..