As St. Petersburg prepares to celebrate its 300th anniversary in May 2003, this fully illustrated volume reveals the essence of Russia's most beautiful city through new photographs and a unique collaboration between Russian and non-Russian writers. The city's architectural splendor and present day life is superbly captured by Yury Molodkovets, official photographer of the State Hermitage Museum. Contributions by eight leading writers on Russian history and society, including acclaimed historian Orlando Figes and Russia's most famous poet, Alexander Kushner, offer new insights into the city's past and present. This is a superb portrait of one of the world's most beautiful cities.

About the Author:
Alexander Kushner is a world-famous St. Petersburg poet. Yury Arabov is a philosopher, poet, and one of Russia's leading screenwriters. Orlando Figes is the author of the award-winning A People's Tragedy and Natasha's Dance. Charlotte Hobson is the author of Black Earth City, a description of life in a Russian provincial city in the last days of Communism. Yury Molodkovets is an official photographer at the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, whose work has been widely published.