St Petersburg - Cathedrals and the underground

Last night our visit to Catherine's Palace at Pushkin, just outside of the city, was a memorable experience. We had a tour of the palace and then went in to the great ballroom where we had a glass of champagne while we listened to a chamber recital, including a few opera arias sung by the most amazing soprano, followed by some ballet. The palace is quite spectacular, with many gold rooms and of course the famous amber room -   the whole evening was a wonderful experience. I have added a photo of the palace (taken at 8.30pm) and the chamber group. Coming home in the coach we saw many of the Soviet buildings built by Stalin which were very impressive, large and solid but beautiful in their own way. The white nights mean that it is light all night and we could still see the sights despite the sun having officially set.

Today it was beautifully sunny and we met our guide for our last morning with her to visit some of the magnificent cathedrals. During the Soviet years when religion was banned these cathedrals were used for the most unbelievable things - some were used as swimming pols, skating rinks, storage rooms for vegetables and the main cathedral was even used as a museum of Atheism! We started off at the cathedral of St Peter and Paul, which is where all the Tsars and rulers are buried, including the Romanov family (except for two members who are still awaiting burial). The cathedrals are like nothing I have ever seen before, very decorated with much gold - and no pews! The congregation have to stand, regardless of age or ability. We then went to the Church on Spilled Blood, which I decided to blip as it is such an unusual building. It was built as a memorial to Alexander II by his son, on the exact spot where he was assassinated and his blood was spilled - hence the name. The interior is jaw dropping, every surface of the walls are covered in tiny mosaics which are in rich colours and sparkle in the light. I have added an extra of the interior. The bright midday sunlight does not do justice to the colours of this cathedral.

We then visited the main cathedral of the city, St Isaac - extra image added. This is an enormous church, it holds about 6000 people (all standing as no pews) and again, the gold, and decorations are almost too much to believe. These cathedrals are a work of art, inside and out, and all have been beautifully restored after the war and from the effects of the harsh weather.

We also visited a few underground stations. These were built in 1944 after the Siege of Leningrad as bomb shelters, and then later developed into an underground train system. Stalin called them the Palaces for the People and they are beautifully decorated, with mosaic walls and art deco finishes. We went to one station which at 97m below ground is the second deepest in the world (the deepest is in Korea!)

It was another amazing day in this incredible city. We boarded the boat in time for a late lunch and then we set sail about an hour ago, with tugs leading us down the River Neva out to sea with very interesting views as we went.

St Petersburg has been a wonderful experience and ranks as one of the best cities I have ever visited. I definitely would like to return here to explore more of the culture, arts and museums that this amazing city offers.

Tomorrow morning we will wake up in Helsinki!