Visiting Kronstadt and Exploring the City

Admittedly, today was the best day I've had so far in St. Petersburg. My day began with another bowl of kasha, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite meals! After breakfast, I went on a field trip to Kronstadt, a town within the St. Petersburg on the island of Kotlin. Almost immediately I noticed that the Russian navy has an extremely large presence within the town. Seeing that the town gives direct access to the Gulf of Finland. 

One of the famous Kronstadt docks.

Historically, Kronstadt is an amazing place. In 1921, a large group of sailors and soldiers rebelled against the Soviet government. This event is known as the Kronstadt Rebellion. In addition to it's docks, the city contains a series of canals and is prone to flooding due to it being built on level ground. Because of the Russian naval presence in the area, there are a large number of memorials dedicated to Russian sailors during different times in history. One of the most beautiful memorials/buildings I saw, was the the Naval Cathedral. When looking on the outside of the cathedral, there are various anchor designs on the doors. 

Notice the naval influence.

The Naval Cathedral

Inside the cathedral.

Upon finishing the trip to Kronstadt, a small group and myself decided to head out into the city. I saw a lot of incredible things. Particularly, the Winter Palace; which serves as a symbol of tsarist power. Also, the palace was stormed by the Bolsheviks in 1917 officially ending the reign of the Provisional Government. Truly, the palace's beauty stopped me completely dead in my tracks. All I could do was stand in complete awe. After seeing the palace, our group also visited the Bronze Horseman; a monument dedicated to Peter the Great's founding of St. Petersburg. It was during this time that the sunset filled the clouds, casting a spectacular light over the city. I'll never forget the experience of looking across the canal at the other historical buildings.

The Bronze Horseman 

The Winter Palace

Finally, our group visited St. Isaac's Cathedral, yet another gorgeous building in the city. Normally, you can climb to the top of the cathedral to get an overhead view of the city. Unfortunately, it was too late. One thing I haven't gotten used to is the fact that there is still a large amount of light outside late in the evening. 10 PM feels more like 6 PM. When outside the cathedral, a small firework show began across the canal. Not a bad way to finish off the evening!

St. Isaac's Cathedral

Gazing at the sunset across the canal.

I can't wait to see what new adventures and sights tomorrow holds! Until next time. Once again, thank you for reading!