St. Petersburg Historic Skyline
The Venice of the North
Often referred to as the “Venice of the North,” St. Petersburg is renowned for its canals, over 400 bridges, and its harmonious blend of Baroque and neoclassical architecture, exemplified in landmarks such as the Admiralty, the Winter Palace, and the Marble Palace. Established in 1703 under Peter the Great, the city became a showcase for leading European architects of the 18th and 19th centuries. Its historic center, characterized by a low skyline and architectural integrity, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990. However, this status was threatened in 2008 when Gazprom, Russia’s largest oil company, announced plans to construct the 400-meter-high Okhta Center skyscraper (formerly Gazprom City), which would drastically alter St. Petersburg’s skyline. Despite a local law limiting buildings in this area to a height of 48 meters, the project risked setting a dangerous precedent for inappropriate high-rise construction in historic towns and jeopardizing the city’s World Heritage designation.
Delays of the Skyscraper
By December 2008, the global economic crisis delayed construction of the Okhta Center, casting doubt on its future. In December 2010, Gazprom officially scrapped plans to build the skyscraper at its proposed location, opting to relocate the project elsewhere. St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko reinstated the city’s height restriction, which had been temporarily lifted for the Okhta Center project, ensuring the preservation of the historic skyline. The cancellation marked a significant victory for conservation efforts, safeguarding St. Petersburg’s architectural heritage and its UNESCO World Heritage status.
