St Peterburg: The Spectacular Neva River
Story by Paul Hughes, 2019
One of the best experiences we had in St Petersburg was the boat cruise along the Neva River, because it gave us a quick overview of how the city developed and we were able to visually connect the palaces and other key architectural footprints.
The Peter and Paul Fortress (above), is one of the first major structures in St Petersburg, which was developed on a reclaimed hare-infested island named Zayachy Island, which when translated means Island of the Hares.
In 1703, Peter the Great recaptured the region in the Great Northern War against Sweden and immediately began developing the main Cathedral and fortress, with six bastions and a hexagon or star shaped design for great defence opportunities (see more below).
The fortress and cathedral are the second most visited attraction in the city, with the Cathedral being the burial site of many of the Czars of Imperial Russia, including Peter the Great and Nicholas II.
The Neva River is St Petersburg’s main river, with the city spreading out from its banks on both sides and across its many islands. It is one of Europe’s largest rivers by water volume and at only 74 kilometres long, is one of the shortest.
Although Peter the Great wanted his citizens to travel by river, today the river is criss-crossed by around 350 bridges of all different designs and eras, including 13 draw bridges. This means on average there is a bridge almost every 200 metres!
One of the best experiences we had in St Petersburg was the boat cruise along the Neva River, because it gave us a quick overview of how the city developed and we were able to visually connect the palaces and other key architectural footprints.
The Peter and Paul Fortress (above), is one of the first major structures in St Petersburg, which was developed on a reclaimed hare-infested island named Zayachy Island, which when translated means Island of the Hares.
In 1703, Peter the Great recaptured the region in the Great Northern War against Sweden and immediately began developing the main Cathedral and fortress, with six bastions and a hexagon or star shaped design for great defence opportunities (see more below).
The fortress and cathedral are the second most visited attraction in the city, with the Cathedral being the burial site of many of the Czars of Imperial Russia, including Peter the Great and Nicholas II.
The Neva River is St Petersburg’s main river, with the city spreading out from its banks on both sides and across its many islands. It is one of Europe’s largest rivers by water volume and at only 74 kilometres long, is one of the shortest.
Although Peter the Great wanted his citizens to travel by river, today the river is criss-crossed by around 350 bridges of all different designs and eras, including 13 draw bridges. This means on average there is a bridge almost every 200 metres!
The Neva River has always been - and still remains - the city’s lifeblood.
As boats race along the Kronverkskly River in the foreground (top), one can see the banks of buildings built by the Csars and aristrocrisy on the embankments opposite the island.
Our cruise along the Neva took us past many palaces, under many bridges and past many iconic parts of St Petersburg.
Lake Ladoga, the largest lake in Europe, flows along the Neva to the Baltic Sea and because most of the main attractions have been built on the river, during our cruise we passed many iconic landmarks.
They include the Cathedral and Fortress, the Spit of Vasilievsky Island, the Cruiser Aurora, the Winter Palace, the Bronze Horseman, the Summer Garden, the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, Smolny Cathedral, the Marble Palace, the Admiralty, the Academy of Arts, the Kunstkamera, the grim Kresty Prison, and many more.
The river itself is also a major attraction and I would strongly recommend that on your first day in St Petersburg you take one of the 500 (yes, 500) tour boats that cruise the river daily. It's no wonder St Petersburg is often referred to as the 'Venice of the North'.
As boats race along the Kronverkskly River in the foreground (top), one can see the banks of buildings built by the Csars and aristrocrisy on the embankments opposite the island.
Our cruise along the Neva took us past many palaces, under many bridges and past many iconic parts of St Petersburg.
Lake Ladoga, the largest lake in Europe, flows along the Neva to the Baltic Sea and because most of the main attractions have been built on the river, during our cruise we passed many iconic landmarks.
They include the Cathedral and Fortress, the Spit of Vasilievsky Island, the Cruiser Aurora, the Winter Palace, the Bronze Horseman, the Summer Garden, the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, Smolny Cathedral, the Marble Palace, the Admiralty, the Academy of Arts, the Kunstkamera, the grim Kresty Prison, and many more.
The river itself is also a major attraction and I would strongly recommend that on your first day in St Petersburg you take one of the 500 (yes, 500) tour boats that cruise the river daily. It's no wonder St Petersburg is often referred to as the 'Venice of the North'.
Watch for the young boys who run all the way there and back, stopping at each bridge to wave to you, then arrive back at your departure port just as you are disembarking, hoping for a donation!
The Neva River has been a hugely strategic waterway for transport, resulting in the Baltic nations such as Finland, Sweden and Russia fighting over rights for centuries, probably from time when tribes first sailed the oceans when such battles were not even recorded.
Beginning in the 8th Century, the Neva River was a vital part of the trade route between the Scandinavian countries and Mediterranean destinations such as Greece.
The Novgorod militia led by Prince Alexander Yaroslavich defeated Swedish army invaders on the banks of the Neva in 1240, leading to him being known as Alexander Nevsky, meaning “of the Neva”.
However, as mentioned the River really came into its own when St Petersburg was established at the new capital of Russia at its mouth in 1703.
Peter the Great loved boating and had a strategy to encourage residents to travel by boat. Architects quickly recognised the value of riverfront land, and began straightening the river and building timber embankments that were back-filled with earth. However, from the 1760s the timber embankments were replaced by granite cladding and the embankments quickly became a recognisable part of the St Petersburg landscape.
Over the following three centuries more and more embankments were built, edging further and further into the river. The Pirogovskyay embankment now extends up to 200 metres into the river; the Spit of Vasilievsky Island about 120 metres; the embankment near the Winter Palace is 90 metres wider and near the Summer Garden more than 50 metres of river have been reclaimed.
Residents naturally built on the new banks of the river as well as the islands in the river and soon there was a demand for bridges; the impact of the embankments can be seen in the two images below.
The Neva River has been a hugely strategic waterway for transport, resulting in the Baltic nations such as Finland, Sweden and Russia fighting over rights for centuries, probably from time when tribes first sailed the oceans when such battles were not even recorded.
Beginning in the 8th Century, the Neva River was a vital part of the trade route between the Scandinavian countries and Mediterranean destinations such as Greece.
The Novgorod militia led by Prince Alexander Yaroslavich defeated Swedish army invaders on the banks of the Neva in 1240, leading to him being known as Alexander Nevsky, meaning “of the Neva”.
However, as mentioned the River really came into its own when St Petersburg was established at the new capital of Russia at its mouth in 1703.
Peter the Great loved boating and had a strategy to encourage residents to travel by boat. Architects quickly recognised the value of riverfront land, and began straightening the river and building timber embankments that were back-filled with earth. However, from the 1760s the timber embankments were replaced by granite cladding and the embankments quickly became a recognisable part of the St Petersburg landscape.
Over the following three centuries more and more embankments were built, edging further and further into the river. The Pirogovskyay embankment now extends up to 200 metres into the river; the Spit of Vasilievsky Island about 120 metres; the embankment near the Winter Palace is 90 metres wider and near the Summer Garden more than 50 metres of river have been reclaimed.
Residents naturally built on the new banks of the river as well as the islands in the river and soon there was a demand for bridges; the impact of the embankments can be seen in the two images below.
A temporary floating bridge was built in 1727, but it wasn’t until 1850 that the first permanent stone bridge was built. Today there are more than 20 main bridges on the river and its inlets, many of which are bascule bridges which are opened at night during the summer navigational season to allow large boats to pass through.
Some of the most memorable are the Trinity, Palace and Bolshoy Okhtinskiy bridges, which we passed under during our tour.
Watching the raising of the bridges from either pleasure boats or the river banks is said to be one of the great St Petersburg experiences during the White Nights of June and July, for both residents and tourists who stay ashore. We were also told that during warm winters the Neva does not completely freeze over, so ships and pleasure boats still sail on the river and its channels.
The 500+ tourist boats on the river offer a multitude of different tours ranging from different types of excursions to dinner cruises, jazz cruises, night tours, or you can even arrange a private romantic night cruise for two.
Taking a tour on the Neva River is something that every visitor to St Petersburg should do, as the atmosphere and views are simply incredible.
Some of the most memorable are the Trinity, Palace and Bolshoy Okhtinskiy bridges, which we passed under during our tour.
Watching the raising of the bridges from either pleasure boats or the river banks is said to be one of the great St Petersburg experiences during the White Nights of June and July, for both residents and tourists who stay ashore. We were also told that during warm winters the Neva does not completely freeze over, so ships and pleasure boats still sail on the river and its channels.
The 500+ tourist boats on the river offer a multitude of different tours ranging from different types of excursions to dinner cruises, jazz cruises, night tours, or you can even arrange a private romantic night cruise for two.
Taking a tour on the Neva River is something that every visitor to St Petersburg should do, as the atmosphere and views are simply incredible.
See more stories on St Petersburg on other pages.
St Petersburg: Home of the Tsars
St Petersburg: The Winter Palace
Russia: St Petersburg
St Petersburg and Monplaisir Palace
St Petersburg: The Peterhof Gardens,
St Petersburg: Homes of the Tsars
The Spectacular Neva River, St Petersburg
St Petersburg: The Winter Palace (or Palaces)
St Petersburg: The Museum of Russia and Summer Palace
St Petersburg: Home of the Tsars
St Petersburg: The Winter Palace
Russia: St Petersburg
St Petersburg and Monplaisir Palace
St Petersburg: The Peterhof Gardens,
St Petersburg: Homes of the Tsars
The Spectacular Neva River, St Petersburg
St Petersburg: The Winter Palace (or Palaces)
St Petersburg: The Museum of Russia and Summer Palace