Saint-Petersburg is the second main city of Russian Federation. It is located on the banks of Neva River, facing the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. During it's not so long history, the had changed it's name several times. From it's foundation in the year 1703 till year 1914, it's name was Saint-Petersburg. From 1914 till 1924 years, the citie's official name was Petrograd, and than, after the death of Communist leader Vladimir Lenin, it was renamed to Leningrad. The name was changed again in the end of Soviet Era, in 1991 - the city has got t's "birth name" - the Saint-Petersburg. Russians, in between, call it just "Peterburg", or, simply "Piter".
Saint-Petersburg was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years (1713–1728 and 1732–1918).It is the Russia's second largest city after Moscow, with nearly 5 millions inhabitants, and fourth in Europe after Istanbul, London and Moscow. Saint-Petersburg is an important European cultural centre, and a strategical Russian port on the Baltic Sea.
Saint Petersburg is oftenly described as the most European city of Russia. It is also the most Northern city in the world, among the cities with over one million people population.
The Historical Center of Saint Petersburg and monuments, located here, are claimed as the World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The most world-known city attraction is the Hermitage museum, which is provenly the largest art museum in the world. A significant number of foreign consulates, international corporations, banks and other different businesses are located in Saint Petersburg.
