St. Petersburg is the Crossroad of tourist routes

Being the capital of Russian Empire for 200 years, St. Petersburg has connected Russia and Europe during its history. Today the interests of world politics, business and culture meet on the banks of the Neva river.

St. Petersburg is the only megapolis in the world which was included in the UNESCO List of the World cultural legacy as the monument of architecture and culture, city construction and landscape art of the 18-19th centuries.

European and world cultures are reflected in its more than 4000 ensembles and monuments, in 250 museums, 50 theatres, 80 art galleries.

In 2003 St. Petersburg will celebrate its 300 anniversary. It is preparing to become the cultural capital of Europe.

It's necessary to note that annually more than 40 international festivals take place in the streets, squares, rivers and canals of St. Petersburg.

According to the UNESCO data St. Petersburg occupies the 8th place in the world among most attractive destinations for the tourists. In 2001 St. Petersburg has become the city of the World congress of American Association of Travel Agencies (ASTA), which unites 27000 companies and organizations of 168 countries of the world. The Board of the directors of this organization has decided that the city hotels meet the demands for the arranging the Congress work.

St. Petersburg is the largest city in the North-West of Russia, and one of the largest cities in the world, the crossroad of air routes, rail roads, water-ways and highways. There are river and sea ports international airport, 14 external radial roads 5 European railway stations.

The city has got experience in arranging important sport events and forums. Among them football matches of the Olympic Games of 1980, Good Will Games, Sport and athlete competitions of CIS, Grand Prix of "Formula-1".

On water, regatta "Katti Sark", tennis tournaments St. Petersburg Open, figure skating competition "Centenary on ice" European teem judo championship of 1996, numerous tournaments of European and world class. In 2000 the world hockey championship took place in St. Petersburg. The environment of St. Petersburg has improved greatly in last years. More than 100 different ecological organizations (15% of citizens) are working for environmental protection.

City medical service is made up of 100 hospitals, 400 policlinics, 32 scientific research institutes, 5 medical academies and universities, 181 ambulance teams.

In St. Petersburg the anti criminal program is at work.

The process of reconstruction and renovation of the center is going on. The approved complex city projects Museum St. Petersburg and Theatrical St. Petersburg as well as two pilot projects of the World Bank - Cappella Courtyards and Nevsky Prospect improvement - are being realized. The release of the former Paul's regiment's barracks will open the perspective for the alteration of the Field of Mars.

The pilot project of the World Bank - Cappella Courtyards is realized by the city administration within the framework of the Project of reconstruction of St. Petersburg center using the loans of the World Bank against the securities of the government of Russia.

Print this document