24-Hour Layover: St. Petersburg| NBC News

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A monument of military engineering and architecture, the Peter and Paul Fortress was founded by Peter I in 1703 and is the historical nucleus of St. Petersburg.

Explore a czar's city

Just as the Greek goddess Athena sprang fully formed from King of the God's Zeus head, so St. Petersburg was very much the brainchild of its founder, Czar Peter the Great. He looked west for his inspiration, jettisoning the labyrinthine streets of Moscow and other Russian towns for the grand, straight boulevards of western European capitals; and filling the city with palaces as opulent and ornate as Versailles. Full story

Evgeny Asmolov / AFP - Getty Images

Frommer's shopping areas in St. Petersburg, Russia

Parks and gardens in St. Petersburg, Russia

Family-friendly places to stay and eat

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A Czar's City
Explore this extraordinary city built by Peter the Great.

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