The Palace square is the main square of St.Petersburg. It’s enormous, and anyone who comes here for the first time is impressed by its vastness, beauty and grandeur. On two sides of the square are two main masterpieces of St.Petersburg’s architecture – the Winter Palace and the General Staff building. They are creations of two most famous architects of our city Rastrelli and Rossi, and represent two architectural styles most significant for St.Petersburg. The Winter Palace is a masterpiece of Russian Baroque, and the General Staff building is a fine example of Neoclassicism.

In the center of the square stands the Alexander Comunn crowned by an angel with a cross. The column is a monument to Russia’s victory over Napoleon, and the angel soaring above the square is a symbol of peace which set in in Europe after the war was over. The column is the most successful project of French architect Auguste de Montferrand who created the famous St.Isaac’s Cathedral.

The name Palace Square appeared as late as 1766. Before that the expanse in front of the Winter Palace was called the Admiralty meadow and used as pastureland for cows. After the Revolution, the palace got a new revolutionary name the Square of Uritsky but the new name didn’t assimilate with the city’s culture, and the square soon reverted back to its original name.

Today, the Palace Square is really the city’s main square. It’s here that the Victory Parade is held on May 9 every year. A huge Christmas tree is installed in the center of the square in December. It’s a traditional locale for all kinds of festivals and public festivities. In the mornings it’s crowded with tourists, and in the evenings your musicians perform here collecting hordes of fans.