St. Petersburg—the very name brings to mind some of Russia’s greatest poets， writers and composers： Pushkin， Dostoevsky， and Tchaikovsky. The 19th century was a golden age for St. Petersburg’s wealthy classes. It was a world of ballets① and balls， of art and literature， of tea and caviar.
The golden age ended with the advent② of World War Ⅰ. Working people were growing more and more discontented. In 1917， Communism came， promising peace and prosperity.
St. Petersburg had become Petrograd in 1914. People wanted a Russian name for their city. Ten years later， the city’s name changed again， this time to Leningrad. Then in 1991， Leningraders voted to restore the city’s original name. Some people opposed the name change altogether. Others thought it was just too soon. Old， run-down Soviet Leningrad， they said， was not the St. Petersburg of 19th-century literature.
What， then， is St. Petersburg？ In the confusing post-Communist world， no one really knows. The quiet， if Soviet-style， dignity is gone. The Communist sayings are down， and gaudy③ advertising up. Candy bars and cigarettes are sold from boxy， tasteless kiosks. And clothing？ Well， anything goes. Everyone wants to be a little different. But many people do not know the true meaning of freedom. Personal crime has gone up， up， up in the past few years.
Yet in spite of this， you can still find some of the city’s grand past. Stand at the western tip of Vasilievsky Island. To the right is the elegant Winter Palace， former home of the czars. Its light blue sides and white classical columns make it perhaps St. Petersburg’s most graceful building. It houses one of the world’s most famous art museums： the Hermitage. Inside， 20 km of galleries house thousands of works of art. Look over your right shoulder. The massive golden dome④ of St. Isaac’s Cathedral rises above the skyline. You’ll see， too， why St. Petersburg is called a “floating city.” Standing there， nearly surrounded by water， you can see four of the city’s forty-two islands.
Cross the bridge and turn behind the Winter Palace. In the middle of the huge Palace Square stands the Alexander Column. It commemorates Russia’s victory over Napoleon. The 650-ton granite column is not attached to the base in any way. Its own weight keeps it upright. Hoisted into place in 1832， it has stood there ever since.
Continue to Nevsky Prospekt， the heart of the old city. Let the crowds hurry by while you take your time. Admire the fine carving on bridges and columns， above doorways and windows. Cross over canals⑤ and pass by smaller palaces and other classical structures. Let your eyes drink in the light blues， greens， yellows and pinks.
Take time to wander among Kazan Cathedral’s semi circle of enormous brown columns. Or， if you prefer Russian-style architecture， cross the street and follow the canal a short distance. The Church of the Resurrection occupies the site where Czar Alexander Ⅱ was assassinated⑥ in 1881.
Travel outside the city to Petrodvorets Palace for a taste of old imperial grandeur. After a visit to France in the late 17th century， Peter the Great decided to build a palace for himself better than Versailles. His dream never came true in his lifetime. It took almost two centuries to complete the palace and park complex.
Seldom does any city have the chance to reinvent itself. That chance has now come to St. Petersburg. A few people might hope to return to the glory of the past， but most know that is impossible. They want to preserve⑦ the best of past eras and push ahead. You can bet the city won’t be old St. Petersburg， but something altogether different.
① balletn. 芭蕾舞
② adventv. 出现，到来
③ gaudyadj. 华丽而俗气的
④ domen. 圆屋顶，圆盖，穹窿
⑤ canaln. 运河，河道
⑥ assassinatev. 暗杀，行刺
⑦ preserveadj. 保存，保藏
圣彼得堡特写
圣彼得堡，只要提到这个名字就让人想起那些俄国最伟大的诗人、作家以及作曲家：普希金、杜斯妥也夫斯基、柴可夫斯基。19世纪对圣彼得堡的富有阶级来说是段黄金岁月。那是一个充满了芭蕾舞和舞会、艺术和文学、茶和鱼子酱的世界。
这段黄金岁月因为第一次世界大战的来临而结束。工人阶级的不满愈来愈高涨。1917年时，共产党来了并向人民保证和平与繁荣。
圣彼得堡在1914年变成彼得格勒。人们想为这个城市取个俄国名字。十年之后，这个城市的名字又改了，这一次叫做列宁格勒。然后在1991年，列宁格勒的居民投票恢复了此城最初的名字。有些人彻底反对改名字，有些人认为名字改得太快了。他们说老旧的苏维埃列宁格勒已不再是19世纪的圣彼得堡了。
那么，到底圣彼得堡是什么呢？在共产党结束执政后的令人困惑的情形下，没有人真正知道这个答案。那种安静却又无聊的苏维埃式的尊严已经成为过去了。共产党的标语被换了下来，代之以俗气的广告。那些四方形、没有品味的摊子出售糖果和香芋。至于穿着呢？嗯，任何样式都有。每个人都想要有点与众不同。但是许多人仍然不知道自由的真意为何。在过去数年里，个人犯罪率一直不断地上升。
但是，尽管如此，你还是可以找到一些这个城市辉煌的过去。站在维丝利瓦斯基岛的西端，右边是优雅的冬宫，是沙皇从前的住处。它那浅蓝色的外墙和白色古典的园柱，使它成为大概是圣彼得堡中最优雅的建筑物。它里面有世界上最有名的艺术博物馆：赫米提巨博物馆。在里面，长达20公里的艺廊收藏了数千件的艺术作品。朝你右肩后方看去，圣以撒大教堂巨大的金制圆顶伸入了天空。你也会了解，为什么圣彼得堡又被称为“漂浮的城市”。站在那里，几乎完全被水环绕，你可以看见这城市42个岛屿中的4个。
过了桥转到冬宫的后面，巨大的冬宫广场中间竖立着亚历山大圆柱。它是为了纪念俄国和拿破仑交战的胜利。这个650吨的花岗石圆柱底部并未以任何方式固定，底部也无任何支撑。自1832年被竖立起来之后，便一直站立在那里。
继续走到纳瓦斯基街，这个老城市的中心。在你悠闲地漫步的时候，让人群从你身旁匆匆走过。欣赏那些在桥上和圆柱上，门口以及窗户上面的精致雕刻。穿过运河并经过较小的皇宫以及其他的古典建筑物。让你的眼睛饱享淡篮、青绿、黄色和粉红色。
花些时间漫步于喀山大教堂里巨大的棕色圆柱所围成的半圆形。或者，如果你喜欢俄国样式的建筑，穿过马路并随着运河走一段短距离的路。复活教会正好位于沙皇亚历山大二世在1881年被暗杀的地方。
离开市区往彼得城方向游览，一尝古老皇宫富丽堂皇的风味。彼得大帝于17世纪末到法国游览了一趟后，他决定要为自己盖一座比凡尔赛宫还好的皇宫。在他有生之年，这个梦想一直没有实现。皇宫和公园的复合建筑几乎花了两个世纪才完成。
很少有城市有机会再创造自己，这个机会现在降临到了圣彼得堡。有些人可能希望回到过去的荣耀里，但是大多数人知道那是不可能的。他们希望能将过去年代当中的精华保留住，并进步向前。你可以打赌这个城市将不再是老圣彼得堡，而是一个完全不同的城市。