Architectural Sites to Check Out in Russia

Russia has many wonderful sites and places to visit, both natural wonders and architectural feats. If you are fortunate enough to visit this vast country, then you need to see few of these places for sure!

Peterhof Grand Palace

One such example of amazing architecture is the Peterhof Grand Palace. This locale includes a group of palaces and various gardens and is a popular tourist attraction. The structure was built and designed for Peter the Great. The Peterhof Grand Palace consists of some amazing structures, including the grand cascade and Samson fountain. The Grand Palace is the largest of the palaces and consists of almost 30 rooms; some of these rooms also contain amazing paintings from the 1700s. The palace is truly incredible and is certainly worth a visit if you are in Saint Petersburg. The Peterhof Grand Palace is also a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Winter Palace of Peter I

This is another marvelous site to visit. This palace was constructed in the 18^th century and attracts plenty of visitors. It can be found in Saint Petersburg and was where the Russian monarchs actually lived. The palace is absolutely massive and has over 1500 rooms. The idea behind making it so large was to symbolize the might and power of the Russian Empire. The palace is very opulent and impressive both inside and outside. There was a fire at the palace and thus it was redecorated in the late Baroque style of architecture which encompassed a great deal of ornamentation and decoration. These decorations are very impressive and ornate.

St. Sophia Cathedral

St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod is another great architectural site that you should visit if you have the chance. This is a stone cathedral which is 38 meters high and has five domes. It was constructed in 1050 and is thus one of the oldest stone buildings to be found in Russia. This is a Russian Orthodox Church that has beautiful frescoes inside dating back to the 11^th century. During the 15^th century the church was a site of many spiritual ceremonies. This cathedral is a beautiful building in both interior and exterior, and should be on your list of sites to check out in Russia.

St. Basils Cathedral

Another excellent and impressive cathedral you should visit if you are able to. This cathedral is located in Moscow and is near the red square. St. Basils Cathedral was constructed in the 1550s by Ivan the Terrible. The building has 9 domes, with each dome sitting on top of a separate chapel. Each dome is elaborately decorated using different colors and shapes. It is an amazing and fantastic building that you should definitely plan to see if you happen to be in Moscow. Granovitaya Palata, or the Palace of Facets is also located in the city of Moscow. It is part of the Kremlin and is made of limestone. It is one of the few buildings to showcase the Gothic style of architecture.

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