Audio tour of facades and courtyards of Petrogradsky Island in St. Petersburg

Get ready to explore Petrogradsky Island! You'll be surprised by the provincial intimacy of its streets and by its catchy metropolitan architecture. The island is at the same time the oldest and the newest district of pre-revolutionary St. Petersburg. As you walk through the back streets of Petrogradsky Island, you will see the magnificent facades of pre-revolutionary houses and their wonderful courtyards.

Thanks to a detailed audio commentary, you will learn about the structure of tenement houses, discover the life of ordinary Petersburgers and the fate of homeowners. You will appreciate the contrasts of facades and courtyards and see some record-breaking courtyards: a tiny courtyard-well and the longest passage courtyard in St. Petersburg. Discover why firewalls are so important for the city and how Petersburgers are trying to ennoble them.

And since this area was built right on the eve of the revolution, you will be able to see the architectural achievements of the Russian Empire before sunset: the best examples of Neo-Gothic, Neoclassical, Neo-Baroque, Neo-Russian and, finally, Modern. You will agree that these buildings really look like haute couture architectural marvels!