Fontanka Embankment is one of the most beautiful and popular places in St. Petersburg. Located along the river of the same name, it is a great place for walking, enjoying the beauty of the city and visiting the main attractions.
Manors and castles were built along the embankment, monuments and gardens were erected. We have selected several locations that are definitely worth seeing if you went for a walk along the Fontanka River.
Chizhik-pyzhik
The most inconspicuous, but one of the popular attractions of the embankment is a miniature sculpture of a chizh at the Engineering Castle. The idea of creating the monument belonged to the writer Andrey Bitov, and it was embodied by the sculptor Rezo Gabriadze and architect Vyacheslav Bukhaev.
Since the installation of the Chizhik-pyzhik, a legend has appeared that if you make a wish and throw a coin so that it remains lying on a stone, then it will certainly come true.
Summer Palace of Peter the Great
The Summer Palace is one of the oldest buildings in the city, built in the style of Peter the Great Baroque. Unlike other palaces and the neighboring Mikhailovsky Castle, it looks modest and ascetic. The thing is that Peter I lived here every summer, who did not like excessive luxury. The Emperor occupied the entire first floor, and his Empress Catherine settled on the second.
During the blockade, the palace was seriously damaged, but by 1947 the restorers managed to restore its original appearance.
Mikhailovsky Castle
Mikhailovsky Castle is one of the symbols of St. Petersburg architecture of the 18th century. Built by order of Paul I, it became the place of his tragic death.
The palace got its name from the church of Michael the Archangel (patron saint of the Romanov house), and the use of the word “castle” instead of a palace or manor was a whim of Paul I.
The architects of the project were Vasily Bazhenov and Vincenzo Brenna, but the first drawings of the future castle were also drawn by Pavel.
Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace
The luxurious bright Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace stands out noticeably against the background of the other buildings of Nevsky Prospekt. The authorship of the project belongs to the architect Andrey Ivanovich Shtakenshneider.
The palace combines elements of neo-Baroque and classicism, creating an impressive architectural composition. The facade of the building is decorated with columns, pilasters and elegant decorative elements. The interior of the palace is in no way inferior to the exterior facade: it is just as luxurious and impressive.
Fontanka River Embankment is a free open–air museum that is available to you at any time of the day. Book a room at the Express Sadovaya Hotel to live near the Fontanka embankment and its canals, walk through the beautiful streets every day, enjoying the city. In addition to its convenient location, the hotel offers its guests comfortable rooms and caring service.
