Jewish Heritage, Major City Highlights & Peterhof

Built at the end of the 19th century and richly decorated in Moorish style, the Grand Choral Synagogue is now the second largest synagogue in Europe and definitely a very impressive one. It was consecrated in 1893 and was completely restored to its former glory in 2005. The area of the synagogue is approximately 3,200 sq m and its domed tower stands 47m high. The majestic Grand Hall can accommodate 1,200 worshippers. The Synagogue's territory also contains the Small Synagogue, a kosher restaurant, and even a gift shop where one can buy Rabbi matryoshkas.

Peterhof was founded by Peter the Great as Russia's answer to Versailles. Peter the Great is famous for the westernization of the country, and the main purpose of this particular residence was to impress foreign guests and to show that Russia was able to compete with Europe in architecture and park design. The Peterhof Upper Gardens and Lower Park are genuine masterpieces of landscape design. They include over 150 fountains and 4 monumental cascades. What differentiates Peterhof's fountains from those of Versailles is that the water runs using its natural pressure without any pumps - the idea belonged to Peter the Great and it still works! The Grand Palace dominates on the park. This truly impressive building was the official summer residence of several Russian Tsars. This is one reason why the interiors are made up of different architectural styles deriving from different époques.

The fortress was founded by Peter the Great in 1703. Besides the ancient fortifications, the fortress includes the Peter and Paul Cathedral, built in the early XVIII century. The cathedral includes the burial vault of Peter the Great and other Russian Tsars, the museum of Trubetskoy Bastion prison and the expositions: The History of St. Petersburg, History of the Imperial Mint as well as a printing workshop and the museum of space exploration and missilery. It is also possible to walk along the walls of the fortress and observe the fabulous architecture of the surrounding areas. Any tour to St. Petersburg is not complete without a visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Kolomna is one of the oldest districts of St. Petersburg which lies between the Moika and the Fontanka rivers. The district is traditionally associated with classic Russian literature. Characters of novels by Pushkin, Dostoevsky and Gogol all lived here. In the 19th century, the district also became the center of St. Petersburg's Jewish life. The Grand Choral Synagogue of St. Petersburg is located in this district.

In 2007, a permanent exhibition entitled 'History and culture of the Jewish people on the territory of Russia' opened in the St. Petersburg Museum of Ethnography. This exhibition is considered the first step to the formation of an independent Jewish museum in St. Petersburg. The exhibition consists of 2 sections, the Historical and Ethnographic. The Historical section demonstrates and informs of the formation and development of the Jewish community. It contains exhibits such as Torah scrolls, Torah crowns and shields, a seven-lamped menorah as well as old religious books and portraits of well-known Jewish cultural figures. The Ethnographic section consists of objects associated with Jewish culture. Of special interest, are different types of amulets that were supposed to protect the owner from evil spirits as well as traditional Jewish clothing made using local materials. Special attention is paid to Jewish festivals and religious rituals. This part of the exhibit includes festive costumes, musical instruments, a rich variety of Chanukah lamps and ritual utensils and games.

The Hermitage is one of the greatest museums in the world. The museum consists of five historical buildings including the Winter Palace - the residence of the Russian Tsars. The museum contains over 3 million pieces of art with dates ranging from high antiquity to the present day. Among the Hermitage's treasures are artworks by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Rubens and many others.

St. Petersburg's most Russian looking building, the cathedral would seem at home on Moscow's Red Square with its onion shaped domes and multi colored facade. The cathedral is built on the ground where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated by terrorists. It is notable for its extremely beautiful mosaics and icons.

Anton Rubinstein, was a famous 19th-century Russian composer of Jewish origin. He was also an outstanding pianist, conductor, and the founder of Russia's first musical Conservatoire in St. Petersburg. The composer spent many years in Peterhof giving charity concerts here. His Peterhof dacha turned into a center of local cultural life and he was even given the title of 'Honorable Citizen of Peterhof' for his many achievements. It is only fair that the composer's statue was erected here in 2005!