This picture is taken by smartphone’s camera
Come and get your best shot of St.Petersburg!
This place
Tsarskoye Selo (Tsars’ Village) is the most famous of all of the summer residences of the Russian Emperors. Since the time of Peter the Great, the Russian imperial family have enjoyed spending their summers here amidst centuries-old old trees and scenic ponds. The grounds of Tsarskoe Selo were the perfect place for hunting, holding masquerades, watching fireworks displays, receiving distinguished guests and simply relaxing away from the stress of city life. The jewel in the crown of the Tsar’s Village, the Catherine Palace, is a unique monument to Russian Baroque architecture. The palace was built by the great Italian architect, Rastrelli, who also designed many similarly beautiful and striking monuments and palaces in the centre of St Petersburg. During the Second World War this imperial suburb was occupied by the German army. In the course of the occupation the palace was seriously damaged and it took over 25 years to complete the full restoration of the main residence, its pavilions and the surrounding parks.
Interesting fact: The name Tsarskoye Selo, in Russian, obviously draws links with the royals who lived there. However the name of Tsars’ Village doesn’t actually derive from the Russian word Tsar, but rather from the area’s original Finnish name of “Saarimoisa”, which has been translated as “Village on Higher Ground” or “Island Village”.
This day
On January 8th 1937, the Russian State Arctic and Antarctic Museum was officially opened in the former building of the Nicholas Old Ritualist (Edinoverie) Church on Ulitsa Marata. Initially established in 1930 as part of the Soviet Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, the museum was the first of its kind in the world. The church in which it was housed was built in the 19thcentury and had to be completely remodelled to fit the needs of the museum. The museum’s first exhibition showcased the work of the Soviet Union’s first manned drifting station, North Pole-1 (in operation from May 1937 to February 1938). Visitors were able to see the tents, personal effects, instruments and equipment used by the team of polar explorers, led by Ivan Papanin, who manned the station.
Today the museum contains a unique collection featuring memorabilia and archaeological samples connected with the discovery of the Northeast Passage as well as photographs of significant events in the history of polar exploration (e.g. the activities of the Arctic Ocean Hydrographic Expedition (1910-1915), and the icebreaker “Krasin’s” rescue of members of an Italian expedition from the dirigible “Italia” in 1928). The museum also houses the personal archives of the Soviet Union’s most famous polar captains and of the creators of the first nuclear icebreaker “Lenin” and the nuclear icebreaker “Arktika”.
