In the early 1700s, Peter commissioned the city's streets and architecture to resemble his favorite western cities.Īnd the results of the czar's great experiment? A grand European-style city, replete with long boulevards, narrow canals and grand public squares. Petersburg largely owes its dualistic nature to its founder, Peter the Great, an unabashed lover of all things European.
While the city's appearance was influenced by the intricate and ordered architecture of Western Europe, it is still infused with a vibrant and persevering Russian spirit. Petersburg stands at the geographic and cultural borders of the west and east.
