Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
205
New Holland
It's covered in cobwebs and is not on most tourists' itineraries, but this island is
unlike anything you'll find elsewhere, and provides a fascinating way to
immerse yourself in St. Petersburg's history. Peter the Great named it after his
sojourn in Holland, where he learned shipbuilding and was inspired to found
Russia's navy. Formed by the creation of two canals on the city's western edge,
the island became a key naval training and testing ground, and has housed a
submarine testing pool, a prison, an arsenal, timber storehouses, and a printing
press.
New Holland (Novaya Gollandiya in Russian) was closed to the public for
most of its history, until the military abandoned it in 2003 and ceded its
real estate to the city. Its banks are long overgrown, and its stately brick
warehouses stand largely empty amid a network of artificial pools and canals,
giving it a mystical, “lost city” feel. Many of the buildings are protected architec-
tural monuments, but the city has done little to renovate or maintain them
amid heated debate about what to do with the island. Some want to make it a
tourist complex, with hotels, restaurants, and entertainment spaces; others
want to make a cultural center with theaters and galleries; others propose a
commercial center, or conference center, or elite residential zone. So far, only a
few businesses have moved in, and it has staged exhibits by Russian and for-
eign artists intrigued by the space and its history. The easiest way to enter now
is via Konnogvardeisky Bulvar. Guards may ask where you're headed, so just
explain that you're a tourist (tu- reest in Russian). Even if you don't go in, walk
or drive around the island and take a moment to look through the strikingly
elegant New Holland Arch, designed by French architect Vallin de la Mothe
in 1779.
The triangular island is between the Moika Canal, Kryukov Canal, and
Admiral Canal. The nearest metro stations are Nevsky Prospekt and Sadovaya
Ploshchad.
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Heading east toward the bend in the Neva River takes you to the Taurida Gardens
and Smolny Cathedral and Convent. This quiet neighborhood, generally termed North
of Nevsky, is ideal for casual strolling and admiring the city's lesser-known architectural
wonders. It has a strong selection of private hotels, with reasonable prices and eager ser-
vice, though some are rather far from the metro and Nevsky. Continuing south brings
you to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery and Nevsky Prospekt's eastern end.
South of Nevsky, the neighborhoods become defined by a series of canals, the chief ones
being the Moika Canal, Griboyedov Canal, and Fontanka River. The area includes such
landmarks as the Mariinsky (formerly Kirov) Theater, the St. Petersburg Conservatory,
Dostoyevsky's House Museum, and several picturesque bridges and embankments perfect
for a romantic or introspective evening. Less chic and touristy than the area north of
Nevsky, this area is more innovative in dining and entertainment, with several restaurants
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