World Cup City Guide: Saint Petersburg
Name in Russian: Санкт-Петербýрг
Population: 5,323,300
Average June temperature: 15.7°C
History: The city was founded by Tsar Peter the Great in 1703 and is situated near the Finnish border at the head of the Gulf of Finland. It's name was changed to Petrograd in 1914 before becoming Leningrad ten years after that. From 1713 - 1918, excluding four years between 1728 and 1732, it was the capital city of Imperial Russia before all government institutions moved to Moscow. To this day it remains the cultural capital of Russia. The February revolution, led by Lenin, began in the city, and the city was named in his honour after he died. During the Second World War, after the Germans invaded the Soviet Union, the city was under siege for over two years. It was one of the longest and most deadly in modern history. The modern city centre has UNESCO designations, but since 1991 there has been some economic development.
What to do: As the old capital of Russia, there is no shortage of sightseeing options. The Winter Palace, the old royal residence, is a must see. It is a deeply impressive building that backs onto the Neva river, built in a baroque style. Additionally, the rest of the city is practically unchanged from how it looked in the 18th century. Another essential is a walk down Nevsky Prospect, the main street in the city, where you can find most of the main sights on offer before it finishes at the Moscow railway station. The city is home to a number of cathedrals, museums and theatres but there is also a surprising amount of green space. Numerous parks are spread round the city, including one of the largest English gardens in Europe in Pavlovsk.
Distance from Moscow: 394 miles
Stadium: Krestovsky Stadium (Capacity: 67,000)
One of the most expensive stadiums ever built, it was initially due to open in 2008. However, numerous complications pushed that date back to 2017, when it hosted Confederations Cup games. It is built on the side of the former Kirov Stadium, on an island in the river Neva, and its design which features a retractable roof was known as the 'Spaceship'. Since its opening, it has become the home stadium of Zenit St Petersburg, the four-time Russian champions and regular Champions League qualifiers.
Matches due to be played here:
15 June 2018 17:00 – Morocco vs Iran – Group B
19 June 2018 21:00 – Russia vs Egypt – Group A
22 June 2018 15:00 – Brazil vs Costa Rica – Group E
26 June 2018 21:00 – Nigeria vs Argentina – Group D
3 July 2018 17:00 – 1F vs 2E – Round of 16
10 July 2018 21:00 – W57 vs W58 – Semi Final
14 July 2018 17:00 – L61 vs L62 – Third Place
World Cup Host City Guides:
Saint Petersburg
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