Address: 1, Artilleriyskaya Ulitsa, St. Petersburg, 191014
Nearest metro: Chernishevskaya
The Hotel Russ is situated on a quite side street in the historic heart of St. Petersburg, a few minutes from the busy Liteiniy Prospetkt, and just a few blocks from the city's central thoroughfare, Nevsky Prospekt. The area surrounding the hotel is one of the smartest residential areas in the city, and there are numerous good cafes and restaurants nearby.
Chernishevskaya Metro Station is only five minutes' walk from the Russ. The Moscow Station can be reached in ten minutes by car, and the city's other mainline stations are all under half an hour's drive away. Saint Petersburg's Pulkovo airports are about 50 minutes away from the Hotel Russ.
Local sightseeing
Nevsky Prospekt, the main commercial and Business avenue of St. Petersburg, is just a few blocks from the hotel and is home to many of the city's major tourist attractions.
The delightful Spaso-Preobrazhensky (Transfiguration) Cathedral was the main church of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, the first and most famous regiment of the Imperial guard. The regiment took an active part in Catherine the Great's successful coup d'etat against her husband and many of its officers were richly rewarded by the court as a result of her victory. The regiment also participated in several wars with Turkey. The wrought iron fence of the Cathedral consists of Turkish canons, which were taken as trophies by the regiment.
The Mikhailovsky Castle is the former residence of the Russian Emperor Paul I, son of Catherine the Great. Paul I was constantly in fear of assassination attempts and ordered the fortified palace (castle) to be built for him. This unfortunate monarch was killed by officers of the Imperial guard shortly after he moved in to his new residence. Now the palace houses part of the collection of the Russian Museum.
The Tauride (or Tavrichesky) Palace was built for Prince Grigory Potiomkin, the prominent statesman and General and notorious favorite of Catherine the Great. The palace was once one of the most luxurious residences in the city and in the early 20th century it became the seat of Russia's first Parliament - the State Duma, which operated from 1906 to 1917. Now the palace is occupied by the legislative Assembly of the CIS countries and is not open to the public. The palace's park, however, is well worth a visit.