St. Petersburg and Russia's Westernization

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to show how Russia built St. Petersburg to be a western city, but how this city still maintained strong Russian traditions. By looking at court customs, architecture, and the construction of the city is evident that this city belongs in its own category. Overcoming tremendous obstacles in its construction the Russian czars and czarinas were dedicated to Westernization, as is evident with its construction. By looking at uniquely Western structures and comparing them to ones in Russia we can see how this balance was achieved and continued. This city is neither completely Russian nor Western in its past or its future.