City Plate, St. Petersburg

Part of our third series of City Plates. The theme of this third collection is “Capital Migration.” Three of these cities were at one time seats of government; one became its nations capital in 1960. All remain centers of economic power, cultural leaders, and symbols of their countrys national identity. St. Petersburg – Peter the Great founded St. Petersburg in 1703 and made it the seat of government in 1712. The city served as Russias imperial capital for more than 200 years, until Vladimir Lenin moved his communist regime back to Moscow. Since its founding, St. Petersburg has been seen as the most Western European-style city in Russia, something which Peter the Great took immense pride in. The city stands upon an Amsterdam- and Venice-inspired maze of more than 100 creeks, rivers, ponds, and canals, all joined together by a network of 340-plus bridges and streets. The City Plates measure 12 across. Key buildings are represented with persimmon icons, while rivers and public spaces are shown in blue and green.