St. Petersburg is the most populous northern city in the world with a population of 5 million people. The city is located on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. It was the capital of Russia from 18 till the beginning of 20 century. St. Petersburg is the city of bridges — there are more than 300 of them here. The longest bridge in town, Alexandr Nevsky Bridge, is spanned over the Neva River. The silhouette of its two drawn parts with the thin spire of the Petropavlovsk Cathedral shining right in the middle has become the landmark of the city. St. Petersburg lies on 47 islands with the largest ones — Vasilievsky and Petrogradsky Islands. The main street of the city is the Nevsky Avenue. Numerous monuments were built in the former Russian capital composing gorgeous ensembles. The most renowned are the Palace Square with the Winter Palace and the Building of the Headquarters, Isaac and Kazan Cathedrals, Petropavlovsk Fortress, the Admiralty and the Strelka of Vasilievsky Island. In 1719 St. Petersburg opened the first public museum in Russia, the Cabinet of Curiosities. The city preserved the unique cultural and historical heritage; more than 80% of its monuments are the original constructions of 18-19 centuries. The city, often called the Northern Capital of Russia, is not just an open-air museum; it is the embodiment of the last 300 years of the Russian history. Having outlived 11 emperors, dozens of floods, the revolution, 3-year blockade and economic reform St. Petersburg can amaze even the most discerning traveler.