PETERSBURG, ST., the capital of the Russian empire, is situated in 59° 56' N. lat., 30° 20' E. long., at the eastern extremity of the Gulf of Finland, and at the mouth of the river Neva, and had 473,437 inhabitants in 1348. St. Petersburg has at first eight a striking appearance : the breadth and cleanliness of the streets, the elegauce of the buildings, the noble canals which traverse the city, and the regularity of the edifices on their banks, make altogether a most impressive spectacle. All is grand, extensive, large, and open; the streets seem to consist entirely of palaces; the edifices are lofty and elegant. The public structures, quays, piers, and ramparts, are com posed of masses of solid granite. In 1703 Peter the Great chose this spot, then just taken from the Swedes, for the site of a fortified sea port. In some respects the position wits unfavourable as the site of a capital. It was a low marshy island, in summer covered with mud, and in winter a frozen pool. The adjacent country was covered with marshes and impenetrable forests, the haunts of bears and wolves. But it was important to have a strong position like this as a check upon the Swede.: besides, this was the only place through which an intercourse could be established with civilised Europe, an object which Peter had much at heart When Peter the Great died in 1725 the city contained 75,000 inhabitants ; in 1762, when Catherine 11. ascended the throne, the population was 110,000; it is now about 600,000, of whom nearly two-thirds are males. • The Neva, on the banks and islands of which the city is built, runs first towards the north, and then turning to the west, sends out towards the north an arm called the Nevka, which again divides into two branches called the Great and the Little Nevka. The main river, after throwing out the Nevka, divides iuto two branches—the Little Neva, which runs north-west ; and the Great Neva, which runs south west. Thus the Gulf of Cronstadt receives the Neva by four great arms, which form several islands. On the island to which the name of St. Petersburg was first given Peter laid the foundations of a fortress. In the spring of 1703 he collected a number of Russian, Tartar, Cossack, Calmuck, Finnish, and other peasants, and workmen were seat for from all parts of the empire. At this period, in conse quence of the state of war, soldiers were encamped on both sides of the Neva. The great difficulty was to find subsistence for so many persons. The eurroundiug country was desolated by a long war, and provisions were very scarce and dear. The workmen, exposed to cold and damp, perished from fatigue and want, and the foundation of St. Petersburg cost the lives of 100,000 men.
The city, in its present state, is of a circular form, but rather irre gular. The circuit is nearly twenty miles, but the smaller portion of the area is covered with buildings. Fires frequently occur, in conse quence of many houses being built of wood; but wooden houses are not allowed to ho built now, except in the suburbs. The most considerable and the handsomest portion is the southern, on the left bank of tho Neva, including the four Admiralty quarters; between this and the northern or right bank of the Great Nevka lie, from south to north, 1, Wassily-Oatrov; 2, St. Peter's Island, the Island of Petroveky, and the Apothecaries Island ; 3, Kammenoi-Ostrov, Krestovsky, and Yelagin, a group of islands covered with gardens, groves, avenues of trees, and country-houses, which in summer are the resort of the rich. The city is divided into 12 district; and these again into quarters. Few cities have such long and broad streets as St. Petersburg. They are from 60 to 120 feet broad ; and the Nersky Perspective is 14,350 feet long, the Great Perspective 10,220 feet, and eight others 6000 feet. The stone pavement is in general bad, and requires to be laid down afresh every year: a pavement of hexagonal blocks of wood, covered with tar, has been found to be more durable and cheaper, and is used in many of the principal etreeta, which have broad flag-pavements for the foot-passengers. There are no well; but the water of the Neva is held in high estimation by the inhabitants. A bridge of granite has been receutly constructed across the Neva. There are two bridges of boats over the Neva, and three over its arms ; one of them, near the citadel, is 2730 feet long. These bridgea are removed whenever danger is apprehended from the ice, both at the beginning of the winter and in the sprine. There are about 130 bridges over the canals, many of
which are of granite ; several of cast-irou, two of which are handsome suspension bridges; and many of wood. The Great or Southern Neva is here from 900 to 1200 feet wide, and its south or left bank, to the extent of 10,000 feet, exclusive of the Admiralty, which divides it into two parts, is furnished with a quay of granite; a work which for utility and magnificence will remain a lasting monument of the reign of Catherine IL The part of the quay to the east of the Admiralty is celled the Imperial Quay, or the Quay of the Court; that on the west was, till the present war broke out, denominated the English Quay, being lined with a row of spleodid mansions originally built or occnpied by English merchants. The Quay of Wamily-Ostrov, on the opposite bank, which was completed in 1384, is still finer, but not so extensive. It is adorned with two colossal sphinxes brought from Egypt. which are placed in front of the Academy of Arts. Among ether buildings here are the Custom Howse, the Academy of Sciences, and the Hotel des-11 luea There are 140 Russian-Greek churches, 40 of other Christian communities, 2 Greek convents, a synagogue, and a mosque. Divine service Is performed in 15 languages. Of the Greek churches the most remarkable are-1, the Isaac's chords, a magnificent edifice built of marble ; 2, the beautiful cathedral of the Mother of God of Cagan; 3, the church of St. Nicholas; 4, the church of Alexander Nevelt., in the convent of the same name, containing the body of the saint in a silver sarcophagus; 6, the church of St. Peter and St. Pen], In the citadel, which contains the tombs of the imperial family. The number of magnificent palaces and pnblio buildings is so great that we can do little more than barely enumerate the most 1. The Imperial Winter Palace has been described as the most con spicuous by all travellers; it was entirely destroyed by fire in 1837, but was rebuilt in all its magnificence in the space of twelve mouths. Two of the apartments deserve especial notice—the Salle Blanche, or White Hall, a beautiful ball-room, the decorations of which-are in pure white relieved with gilding ; and St. George's Hall, which is fitted up with great magnificence, and is used for the reception of ambassa dors and on other state occasions. By the great exertion of the Imperial guard, the fire was prevented from extending to the Hermitage, built by Catherine, which contains a costly library, a valuable collection of paint ings, and other treasures. The Hermitage communicates with the Winter Palace by covered galleries. 2. The Marble Palace, an elegant but gloomy-looking building. 3. The Taurida Palace, with its fine gardens; so called in b000tir of the conquest of the Crimes, the ancient Taurida. This palace was presented to Prince Potemkin by Catherine IL, but subsequently became the !property of the crown by purchase. 4. The Anitchkov Palace, the residence of the late emperor Nicholas while he was grand-duke. 5. The Old Michallov Palace, where the emperor Paul resided and died. 6. The New Michailov Palace was built between the years 1819 and 1825, and ie one of the finest palaces In Europe. The number of what are called crown-building, is very great. Among them are—I, the Admiralty, surrounded on three sides by the dockyards; 2, the splendid building belonging to the general staff; 3, in the very extensive Isaacs Square, the Senate House, the General Synod, the Palace of the War Department, the large and handsome riding-school of the guard; 4, the Alexander Theatre, In the Nevsky Perspective; 5, the fine palace of the Imperial Anidgeat Bank ; 6, the New Arsenal ; 7, the Oastinol-Dvor, or Merchants' Inn, a great bazaar, two stories high ; 8, the Academy of the Fine Arta, btu The Field of Mara, adorned with • endue of Suwaroff, is extensive enough to admit 40,000 or 50,000 men to be reviewed In it The Field of Mare is boubded on two sides by the Imperial gardens, on the third by the Winter Palace, and on the fourth by • row of massive buildings. The most recant of the public monuments is the Alexander Column, about 150 feet In height, erected in hononr of Alexander L There are also a celebrated equestrian statue of Peter the Great, and a granite olelak, 82 feet high, In honour of Romanzov.