Dvortsovaya Square, Alexandriysky Stolp (Alexander Column, Pillar), and General Staff building from a window of Hermitage museum. Saint Petersburg, Russia, 3:59 p.m. June 25, 2003
Church of Savior on Blood, Benois Building (lighted) and Griboedov Canal at night. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 7, 2004
Dvortsovaya Square, Alexandriysky Stolp (Alexander Column, Pillar), and General Staff building from a window of Hermitage museum. Saint Petersburg, Russia, 3:59 p.m. June 25, 2003
Model of a building in Pavlovsky Palace. Pavlovsk, a suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, February 5, 2013
Caryatids of the building of 4th Central Research Institute of the Russian Ministry of Defense on Fontanka Embankment. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 10, 2014
Neva River and red and white buildings of the Twelve Collegiums of Petersburg University, view from colonnade of Saint Isaac Cathedral at evening. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 19, 2005
Gate of General Staff building on Dvortsovaya Square. Saint Petersburg, Russia, February 5, 2018
Angels on a building at Fontanka River, near Gorokhovaya Street. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 27, 2011
Main building of Forestry University in Lesnoy Park (Lesotekhnicheskiy Universitet). Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 30, 2017
Modern buildings in area of former German camps in Sosnovka Park. Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 3, 2017
Zinger Building from Griboedova Canal at morning. Saint Petersburg, Russia, February 7, 2013
Sculpture damaged by war on the building of 4th Central Research Institute of the Russian Ministry of Defense on Fontanka Embankment. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 10, 2014
Christmas tree and General Staff Building on Dvortsovaya Square. Saint Petersburg, Russia, January 2, 2017
Kikiny Palaty Building at 9 Stavropolskaya Street. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 19, 2016
A.S. near a monument of Russian revolutioner Vladimir Lenin in front of Administration Building of Vasilyevsky Island. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 16, 2015
General Staff building from Dvortsovaya Square. Saint Petersburg, Russia, February 5, 2018
Herbarium, library, and botany lab building near main entrance of Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 29, 2009
Decoration of a building at 105 Fontanka River Embankment, near Gorokhovaya Street. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 27, 2011
Caryatides with a globe on a roof of Zinger Building on Nevsky Prospect. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 22, 2016
Church of Savior on Blood from Griboedova Canal near Benois Building. Saint Petersburg, Russia, February 7, 2013
Arches of General Staff building at Dvortsovaya Square. Saint Petersburg, Russia, February 5, 2018
Decaying plaster on a building of 4th Central Research Institute of the Russian Ministry of Defense facing Fontanka River opposite to Summer Garden. Saint Petersburg, Russia, April 13, 1999.
A building at Sredniy Prospekt of Vasilievsliy Island, opposite to a tram stop. Sankt Petersburg, Russia, October 9, 2000
View of Kresty prison from Robespyera Embankment of Neva River. Two buildings have a shape of crosses (kresty mean crosses in Russian). Saint Petersburg, Russia, April 21, 1999.
Balcony of herbarium and library building in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 29, 2016
Decoration over a window of the building of 4th Central Research Institute of the Russian Ministry of Defense on Fontanka Embankment. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 10, 2014
Museum of S. I. Vavilov State Optical Institute, decorations on the ceiling (the room has reach interior because the building was expropriated from a wealthy family after the Great October Socialist Revolution). Vasilyevsky Island, Saint Petersburg, Russia, April 14, 1999.
A doorway in Benois Building (Corpus Benua) in Russian Museum. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 28, 2005
Museum guard in Benois Building (Corpus Benua) in Russian Museum. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 28, 2005
A corridor in the building of Twelve Collegiums (administration of Petersburg University). Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 29, 2005
Buildings of Mine School of Baltic Fleet on Petrovskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013
Decorations of the building of 4th Central Research Institute of the Russian Ministry of Defense on Fontanka Embankment. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 10, 2014
Tourist guide Sergey Babushkin near a monument of Russian revolutioner Vladimir Lenin in front of Administration Building of Vasilyevsky Island. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 16, 2015
Friendship Temple building in Pavlovsk Park, suburb of Saint Petersburg. Russia, May 15, 2011
Museum of S. I. Vavilov State Optical Institute with an old artistically decorated chimney and a Soviet-era exposition. The museum was settled in a former typewriting office (the room has reach interior because the building was expropriated from a wealthy family after the Great October Socialist Revolution). Vasilyevsky Island, Saint Petersburg, Russia, April 14, 1999.
Bronze figures on the roof of Senate and Sinod Building on Senatskaya Square. Saint Petersburg, Russia, January 9, 2017
Scene from Bible at the top of a building, view from Inzhenernaya(?) Street. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 26, 2011
Statue at the top of a building on Griboedova Canal. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 26, 2011
Building of Chesma (Chesmenskaya) Church at evening. Saint Petersburg, Russia, January 1, 2016
Building of Academy of Sciences at 5 Universitetskaya Embankment. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 18, 2016
Christmas tree and General Staff Building on Dvortsovaya Square. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 27, 2016
Museum of S. I. Vavilov State Optical Institute with an old artistically decorated chimney and a Soviet-era exposition. (the room has reach interior because the building was expropriated from a wealthy family after the Great October Socialist Revolution). Vasilyevsky Island, Saint Petersburg, Russia, April 14, 1999.
Gulf of Finland in Sestroretsk, with Kotlin Island on the horizon. A tall building is Maritime Cathedral in Kronstadt. Near Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 1, 2001
A hall of modern art in Benois Building (Corpus Benua) in Russian Museum. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 28, 2005
Mont Blanc office building on Bolshoy Sampsonievsky Prospect. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 16, 2016
View of apartment buildings at Tikhoretsky Prospect from Sosnovka Park. There is an anti-Semitic inscription Russia is robbed by a gang of Judo-Bankers . Saint Petersburg, Russia, April 11, 1999.
A corridor in Benois Building (Corpus Benua) in Russian Museum. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 28, 2005
Buildings on Ruzovskaya Street in Sementsy area. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 8, 2012
Rusty buildings near Liteyny Prospect. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 14, 2012
Roof decoration of Senate and Sinod Building on Senatskaya Square. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 17, 2016
Group of horses on the arch of General Staff Building from Dvortsovaya Square. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 29, 2016
Pediment of Senate and Sinode Building on Senate Square. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 22, 2016
A new building of S. I. Vavilov State Optical Institute facing a restricted access extension of Bolshoi Prospect of Vasilyevsky Island. Saint Petersburg, Russia, April 14, 1999.
Bolshoi Dom (Russian secret police ChK-GPU-NKVD-KGB-FSK) at Liteynyi Prospect in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Compare its architecture with Federal Building in Dallas. April 21, 1999.
Brick buildings at Liteyny Prospekt. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 9, 2010
Arches of General Staff Building on Dvortsovaya Square. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 27, 2016
Transneft Administration Building from Voznesenskaya Embankment. Saint Petersburg, Russia, January 10, 2017
Wooden building of Train Station Marienburg. South from Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 6, 2014
Gothic building of capella in Alexandria Park in Peterhof, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, September 28, 2015
A monument to a Soviet academician S. I. Vavilov (a brother of a well-known biologist executed for political reasons) in front of a new building of S. I. Vavilov State Optical Institute. The monument faces barbed wire surrounding the institute at Vasilyevsky Island. Saint Petersburg, Russia, April 14, 1999.
Scene from Bible at the top of a building, near Griboedova Canal. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 26, 2011
Figures on the arch of General Staff Building from Dvortsovaya Square. Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 29, 2016
Decoration near a top of a building near Nevsky Prospect. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 27, 2011
Administration building of Kalininsky district from Voznesenskaya Embankment. Saint Petersburg, Russia, January 10, 2017
Grey building on Vereyskaya Street in Sementsy area. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 8, 2012
Corner building on Zagorodny Prospect in Sementsy area. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 8, 2012
Light well courtyard formed by buildings on Klinsky Prospect Street in Sementsy area. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 8, 2012
Building passage on Liteyny Prospect. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 14, 2012
Brick buildings on Vereyskaya Street in Sementsy area. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 8, 2012
Corner building on Serpukhovskaya Street in Sementsy area. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 8, 2012
Back entrance of building on Serpukhovskaya Street in Sementsy area. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 8, 2012
Administration building of Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 22, 2013
Maples near Kitchen Building in Alexander Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo), south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 24, 2015
Herbarium and library building in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 29, 2016
Back entrance of herbarium and library building in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 29, 2016
Lion s head on herbarium and library building in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 29, 2016
Mont Blanc office building from a crossing of Bolshoy Sampsonievsky and Finliandsky Prospect. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 16, 2016
Brown building in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 26, 2016
Herbarium Building in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 26, 2016
Entrance of Herbarium Building in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 26, 2016
Library and herbarium building in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, November 4, 2016
Deteriorated mushroom embossment on a museum building in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, March 2, 2017
Ornamental vase in front of the main building in Lesnoy Park (Lesotekhnicheskiy Universitet). Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 30, 2017
Building of institute of biology at 2 Litera P Oranienbaum Road in Sergievka Park. Old Peterhof, west from Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 17, 2019
Part of a building on some unclear painting in Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 6, 2021
Old monument of Russian communist revolutionary Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin) and educational building at Army Base No. 28287 in Morye, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, May 13, 2021
Old monument of Russian communist revolutionary Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin) in front of Stuff Building at Military Base No. 28287 in Morye, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, May 13, 2021
Kitchen Pond and Kitchen Building in Alexander Park in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg. Russia, May 18, 2021
Rotunda of library and herbarium building in Peter the Great Botanical Garden of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 26, 2021
Old building of Lanskaya train stop from a passenger platform. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 29, 2024
Buildings in Sestroretsk visible from Eco Trail Sestroretskoye Swamp near Saint Petersburg. Russia, August 11, 2024
Pale brittlestem mushrooms (Psathyrella candolleana) in a yard near residential buildings in Saint Petersburg. Russia, August 11, 2024
Underside of a pale brittlestem mushroom (Psathyrella candolleana) in a yard near residential buildings in Saint Petersburg. Russia, August 11, 2024
Small dark brown fibrecap (Inocybe) mushrooms on rich soil in a yard near residential buildings in Saint Petersburg. Russia, August 11, 2024
Collared parachute mushrooms (Marasmius rotula) in a yard near residential buildings in Saint Petersburg. Russia, August 11, 2024
Close-up of collared parachute mushrooms (Marasmius rotula) in a yard near residential buildings in Saint Petersburg. Russia, August 11, 2024
Mural on a building wall bordering Smolenskoe Lutheran Cemetery on Dekabristov Island. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 12, 2024
Animal s head on a mural on a building wall bordering Smolenskoe Lutheran Cemetery on Dekabristov Island. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 12, 2024
Street art on a building wall bordering Smolenskoe Lutheran Cemetery on Dekabristov Island. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 12, 2024
Graffiti on a building wall bordering Smolenskoe Lutheran Cemetery on Dekabristov Island. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 12, 2024
A distinctive Stalinist Neoclassical residential building located at Bolshoy Sampsonievsky Avenue, 108, from a platform of Lanskaya railway station. Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 26, 2025
Panoramic view from the Tarkhovka shoreline that looks north-west across the Sestroretsky Razliv (Lake Sestroretsk) toward the city of Sestroretsk. This view captures the dual nature of Sestroretsk: a historic resort town with natural beauty (the lake, reeds, and stones) juxtaposed with modern urban infrastructure (heating plant and high-rise housing). "Three Chimneys" (Center): The most prominent industrial feature is the cluster of three tall red-and-white striped chimneys. These belong to the Sestroretsk District Heating Plant (part of the city s thermal infrastructure). Residential Towers (Left of Chimneys): The tall, beige-and-orange brick apartment buildings are part of the modern residential developments in Sestroretsk, likely along Tokarevskaya Street or the Razliv microdistrict. Church of Peter and Paul (Far Right): On the far right horizon. This is a modern church (consecrated in 2009) built in memory of the Russian submariners. "Pyramid" Building (Far Left): On the far left, there is a distinctive white building with a stepped, pyramid-like shape. This is likely the "Eden" (Edem) residential complex or a similar luxury apartment block, which is known for its terraced architecture. Tarkhovka Park near Sestroretsk, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, October 3, 2025
The grave of Alexey Vladimirovich Suslov (1976-2024), a 47-year-old casualty whose age reflects Russia s reliance on older reservists and volunteers rather than just young conscripts. His polished black granite monument features a casual color portrait and the epitaph "We were left without you, You remained with us," asserting a continuing spiritual bond despite death. The background juxtaposes the solemn "Alley of Heroes" with modern commercial buildings, visually grounding the war s toll within the everyday urban landscape of St. Petersburg. Cemetery of the Victims of January 9, St. Petersburg, Russia, October 4, 2025
The ideological complexity of the war s memorialization, dominated by a large red Soviet flag flying prominently over fresh graves, invoking nostalgia for the USSR s military power alongside Russian tricolors and VDV (Airborne Forces) banners. In the foreground, the grave of Arkady Vasilyevich Kovalchuk (1974-2024), who died at age 50, exemplifies the demographic trend of older men bearing a significant share of casualties. The scene is one of dense, vibrant mourning, with mounds of artificial flowers covering the raw earth, set against a backdrop of modern commercial buildings that anchor the cemetery in the contemporary urban landscape. "Alley of Heroes" at Cemetery of the Victims of January 9, St. Petersburg, Russia, October 4, 2025
The dense concentration of recent casualties, with fresh earthen mounds tightly packed together and adorned with the ubiquitous Russian tricolor. In the foreground, the grave of Aleksandr Vladimirovich Dementyev (1962-2025) is marked by a wooden cross and a color portrait, identifying a 63-year-old soldier whose age highlights the heavy toll on older reservists and volunteers. The background reveals the integration of the cemetery into the urban fabric, with modern commercial buildings visible just beyond the sea of flags and wreaths, grounding the war[CloseCurlyQuote]s losses in the everyday reality of St. Petersburg. "Alley of Heroes" at Cemetery of the Victims of January 9, St. Petersburg, Russia, October 4, 2025
Rebuilding of the Forest Building (Russian: Lesnoy Korpus) in a major reconstruction project at the historic Sestroretsk Resort (Sestroretsky Kurort). The original Sestroretsk Resort was a famous health spa complex founded in 1898 by engineer Peter Avenarius. It featured several grand wooden structures, including a massive Kursaal (concert hall), a mud bath facility, and the Forest Building. The resort was a hub for St. Petersburg s elite and intelligentsia in the early 20th century. The original Forest Building was a beautiful wooden hotel and sanatorium building constructed in the early 1900s. It was a key part of the ensemble but was destroyed during World War II. The new structure faithfully replicates the "Northern Art Nouveau" style of the original resort architecture, characterized by its complex roofline, spires, towers, and wooden detailing that harmonizes with the surrounding pine forest and dunes. The exterior appears nearly complete, showing the elaborate wooden facade, the large central dome, and the corner towers with their needle-like spires. The scaffolding indicates that finishing work is still in progress. Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 9, 2025
An old transformer substation (or similar utility building) in Lanskoy Garden on Sampsonievsky Prospekt near Lanskaya train Station. Its brick walls have effectively become an unofficial community billboard, covered in layers of concert posters (e.g., for the singer Linda). Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 9, 2025
An old transformer substation in Lanskoy Garden on Sampsonievsky Prospekt near Lanskaya train Station. This corner can be described as a striking example of urban decay juxtaposed with natural harmony. The scene captures a raw, "wabi-sabi" beauty--an appreciation for things that are imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. The Wall: The brickwork is rough, weathered, and tactile. The peeling paint and chipped bricks tell a story of age and neglect. The layers of torn posters add a "trash collage" effect (reminiscent of decollage art), creating a chaotic, man-made texture that feels gritty and transient. The Ground: In stark contrast, the ground is covered in a soft, organic carpet of fallen maple leaves. This natural texture is random but harmonious, softening the harsh lines of the brick building. Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 9, 2025
Upper Bath Pavilion reflected perfectly in the Mirror Pond in Catherine Park. Built in 1777-1779 by the architects Ilya and Vasily Neelov, this pavilion is a fine example of Early Classicism. The building features a modest yet elegant yellow facade with a central arched entrance and circular windows (oculi) adorned with garlands. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025
Turkish Bath, a picturesque pavilion situated on a small peninsula in the Great Pond in Catherine Park. Commissioned by Emperor Nicholas I, this was the last structure built in the imperial park, completed between 1850 and 1852. It was designed by Ippolito Monighetti, who used the appearance of a Turkish mosque as his inspiration. The building features a central gilded dome, a tall minaret crowned with a crescent, and intricate relief ornaments on the white facade. The pavilion serves as a victory monument to the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025
Evening Hall (Vecherniy Zal) in Catherine Park. It was built between 1796 and 1810 under the supervision of architect P.V. Neyelov (and possibly Luigi Rusca). This pavilion was intended for evening gatherings, small concerts, and balls. The building is a simple, rectangular Classical structure with a low dome and large arched windows Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025
This view from the Small Chinese Bridge captures the northwestern stretch of the Krestovy Canal. The canal creates a straight, reflective corridor lined with golden maples, emphasizing the transition from the formal "New Garden" to the more naturalistic landscape park areas. Looking northwest, the canal leads toward the Alexander Palace and its kitchen buildings, which are situated to the right of this axis, hidden behind the dense tree line. The scene highlights the park s quiet, wooded character, contrasting with the architectural focus of the opposite view towards the Cross Bridge. Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025
The central alley leading to the Arsenal Pavilion, a red-brick neo-Gothic structure designed by Adam Menelaws. Completed in 1834, the Arsenal resembles a medieval castle with crenellated towers and massive arched windows. It was originally built to house Nicholas I s vast collection of medieval arms and armor. The straight alley is a remnant of the formal layout from the earlier "Monbijou" pavilion that stood here, now framed by the mature trees of the surrounding landscape park. After severe damage in WWII, the building was restored and reopened in 2016 as a museum displaying imperial weaponry. Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025
View of a late-Soviet brick residential quarter (kirpichnaya khrushchevka) deeply integrated with the mature nature of the Vyborgsky district, captured at the beautiful but fleeting peak of autumn. View from this window providing a glimpse into Soviet-era urban planning, specifically the residential design of the 1960s. The beige brick buildings visible in the frame are classic examples of "Khrushchevka" (Series 1-528). Unlike the cheaper concrete panel blocks (panelki), these are constructed from silicate brick, which was considered a "premium" material for mass housing at the time. They are easily identified by their 5-story height, hipped roofs (often replaced with metal sheeting), and specific balcony arrangements. Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 11, 2025
Neoclassical apartment building located at 108 Bolshoy Sampsonievsky Prospect (corner of Serdobolskaya Street), viewed across Serdobolsky Pond. The dominant structure is a residential complex known locally as the House of Specialists or sometimes nicknamed the "Bastille near Lanskaya". Designed by architects Viktor F. Belov, V.A. Potapov, and M.P. Savkevich. Built between 1953 and 1956, representing the late Stalinist "Empire" style. It was commissioned by the Klimov Plant (Zavod im. Klimova), a major manufacturer of aviation engines, to house its employees. Lesnoy Park (Lesotekhnicheskiy Universitet), Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 14, 2025
Saint Petersburg State Forestry University (often referred to historically as the Forestry Academy or Lesotekhnicheskaya Akademiya). Established in 1803 by decree of Emperor Alexander I as the Practical Forestry School in Tsarskoye Selo. In 1811, it was moved to its current location in the Vyborgsky District of Saint Petersburg, occupying the site of an old English dairy farm. The classical white building shown in the photo is the Main Educational Building. Originally constructed as four separate corps between 1826 and 1833 by architects I.F. Lucchini and A. Nellinger, these were later united into a single complex with a central courtyard in the late 1830s. Lesnoy Park (Lesotekhnicheskiy Universitet), Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 14, 2025
Monument of heroes of Great October Socialist Revolution. It is a mass grave monument dedicated to Red Guards who died during the 1917 October Revolution and the subsequent Civil War. The site originated in 1917 as a burial ground for workers and Red Guards from the nearby Novy Lessner Plant (now the Karl Marx Machine-Building Plant). These fighters were killed in battles against the troops of General Pyotr Krasnov near Pulkovo during the defense of Petrograd. In 1953, a wooden structure was replaced by the current grey granite obelisk seen today. It was designed by architect Yuri Wiesenthal. This monument is a solemn reminder of the intense revolutionary history of the Vyborg Side, a district historically populated by industrial workers who were pivotal to the Bolshevik cause. Lesnoy Park (Lesotekhnicheskiy Universitet), Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 14, 2025
Maple alley near a building of the Forestry Academy. Lesnoy Park (Lesotekhnicheskiy Universitet), Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 14, 2025
Decorative vase, located in the parterre of the park near the Main Building of the Forestry University, a concrete copy of a 19th-century original. The original vase was created in the 1860s by the famous sculptor David Jensen (1816-1902). The original work was carved from unpolished granite. Today s version is a concrete replica installed in the 1970s. The central motif depicts putti (cherubs), which are playful, chubby male children often found in classical art. The putti appear to be engaged in a playful struggle with a goat, a common allegorical theme in baroque and neoclassical art often representing the abundance of nature or Bacchic festivities. This theme fits well with the park s history as a place of botanical study and appreciation of nature. Lesnoy Park (Lesotekhnicheskiy Universitet), Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 14, 2025
A building at 5 lit. B Engelsa Prospect which is a surviving historical service corps of the Orlovo-Novosiltsevskaya Almshouse complex. This small brick structure was originally built as one of the auxiliary buildings (likely for staff or utility purposes) for the larger almshouse institution. The main complex, located at Engelsa 1-5, was a major philanthropic center established in the 1830s. The complex was designed by the renowned architect Iosif Charlemagne (Joseph-Maria Charlemagne-Baudet) in the late Classicist style. It was constructed between 1834 and 1841. Lesnoy Park (Lesotekhnicheskiy Universitet), Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 14, 2025
A view from a window near Svetlanovsky Prospekt that offers an intimate look into a typical residential courtyard (dvor) of the Vyborgsky District. The beige brick buildings framing the scene are classic examples of brick Khrushchev-era apartments (or early Brezhnev-era), likely built in the 1960s. The 5-story height was standard to avoid the mandatory installation of elevators, which was required for buildings of 6 stories or more. This layout reflects the Soviet microdistrict concept, where residential blocks were arranged around green, communal courtyards to provide light, air, and recreation space away from the main roads. Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 14, 2025
A view of the Pavlovsk Palace seen from the Triple Lime Avenue. Planted by Charles Cameron in the 1780s using linden trees imported from Lu"beck, this avenue was designed as the grand formal approach to the palace. The building at the end is the garden facade of the Great Palace. The dark figure standing in front of the palace is the statue of Paul I. Pavlovsk, a suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 15, 2025
Temple of Friendship in Pavlovsk Park. Built by Charles Cameron between 1780 and 1784, it was the very first building constructed in the park. It was officially dedicated to Empress Catherine the Great by her son Paul (the future Emperor) and his wife Maria Feodorovna as a gesture of thanks for gifting them the Pavlovsk lands. However, it was also a politically savvy move to rename it the "Temple of Friendship" to honor the visit of Joseph II, the Holy Roman Emperor, framing it as a symbol of enlightened European alliance. Pavlovsk, a suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 15, 2025
