Average Temperatures:
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
-10 |
-8.5 |
-4 |
4 |
10.5 |
15.5 |
17 |
16.5 |
12 |
6.5 |
0 |
-5.5 |
St Petersburg is the most European city in Russia> It was built by Peter the Great in 1703 and was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years, until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It is located on the Neva River at the east end of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The majestic appearance of St Petersburg is due to long, straight boulevards, vast spaces, gardens and parks, decorative wrought-iron fences, monuments and decorative sculptures. The Neva River together with its many canals and their granite embankments and bridges gives the city the name of "Venice of the North". Saint Petersburg also has many imperial palaces and the renowned Hermitage Museum. The city is a popular choice for conferences, with more than 300 large international events taking place there each year, partly due to its scientific and industrial links, but also due to its cultural and historical heritage. There are a wide variety of hotel and congress venues for exhibitions and meetings, as well as historical palaces and museums.