Petersburg Panoramas

Description

This subcollection from the William C. Brumfield Collection -- Photographs of Russian Architecture contains panoramic views of St. Petersburg taken primarily from the dome of the Cathedral of St. Isaac and from the Neva River , which defined much of the cityscape. Founded in 1703, St. Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia and is considered the country's cultural center. The streetscape of St. Petersburg contains a rich array of primarily pre-revolutionary apartment buildings, business centers, grand ducal palaces, educational institutions and other secular structures, as well as churches. The architectural styles generally follow western models, but with local peculiarities and a distinctive urban plan.