Perhaps you’ve heard St. Petersburg is built on islands. It is a city of waterways. It is often called the Venice of the North. But how many islands make up this city?
Welcome to Turukhtannye Islands. We are standing at one of the many islands that form St. Petersburg. Today St. Petersburg has 33 islands. At the beginning of the 19th century, there were 101 islands. Some canals were filled. Smaller islands merged into bigger ones.
St. Petersburg’s geography has always been a duel between man and water. The city sits on marshland. Its location allowed it to control the Gulf of Finland and the Neva estuary. This included the river’s channels. The river sometimes took revenge. The city experienced terrible floods.
To manage the water, new channels and canals were dug in the 18th century. These efforts diverted the river’s channels. They also drained the ground.
The islands are not perceived as separate entities. An elaborate system of bridges connects them. The Blue Bridge is an example. It reaches 97.3 meters in width. It is considered part of Saint Isaac’s Square.
Hare Island is the historic core of the city. The Peter and Paul Fortress was founded here on May 27, 1703. This date is considered the foundation of St. Petersburg. Vasilyevsky Island is another famous island. Locals lovingly call it ‘Vaska’. Its easternmost tip, Strelka, features two rostral columns. During city festivals, these columns serve as lighthouses.
Bezymyanny Island is the largest. It covers 16.2 square kilometers. This translates to 6.3 square miles. It is linked to other islands by 47 bridges. Serny Island is the smallest. Its area is just 0.03 sq. km. Only one bridge leads to it.
The “Venice of the North” wouldn’t be complete without the “White Nights”. From June 11 to July 2, daylight lasts nearly 19 hours. The Mariinsky and Hermitage theaters organize festivals. The bridges spanning the Neva are raised each night. This allows boat traffic to pass through.
From Turukhtannye Islands you can experience a harmonious mix of Western European and Russian architecture. The waterways shape the city. They offer unique views of the city’s famed architectural sites. St. Petersburg’s history is interwoven with its islands. They contribute to its unique character.