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There are many palaces in St Petersburg including the Winter Palace with 1500 rooms and 117 staircases and used as the main residence of the Russian royal family for 155 years. Each room is full of the most magnificent objects and art works with its Hermitage Museum being the second largest in the world. Including the other large opulent buildings nearby, the contrast of life with their inhabitants with that of the poor enslaved surfs must have been great. It’s no wonder there was a revolution in 1917.
The three main streets radiate from the Admiralty which is a dominant landmark in St Petersburg with its golden spire. Now it houses the largest naval college but was began by Peter the Great as a fortified shipyard with 242 warships built during his reign and shipbuilding continuing until 1844. The tower and spire were added in 1711 and in 1730 the stone building replaced a wooden structure with reconstructions in the early 19th century.  It has many beautifully carved sculptures and statues adorning the tower whose spire is actually made of wood then gilded.
On the opposite bank of the river there are two lighthouses which were built as “rostal columns”- victory columns on which the rosta (prows) of captured ships were mounted. Unfortunately scaffolding obscured the sculptures of figures representing the four main rivers of Russia on the base. It must be a spectacular sight when the tops of the columns are lit with seven meter high tongues of gas flames on special days.