As Peter the Great's "Window onto Europe", St. Petersburg was conceived as a city unlike any other in Russia, taking its cues from the latest architectural and technical advances in Europe. To implement his vision, Tsar Peter employed hundreds of foreign experts in the construction and administration of his new city. Many rose to prominence in the Russian armed services and government, while others brought knowledge and expertise in the arts, crafts and sciences that boosted Russia into the forefront of the Enlightenment. Before the October Revolution, St. Petersburg was one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities, and individuals and communities from all over Europe have left their indelible mark on the culture, customs, and built environment of the city.
The contemporaneous rise to global prominence of Russia and America at the expense of the old powers of Europe meant that there was always a sympathy between the two countries, and St. Petersburg welcomed many prominent visitors to the Imperial court. The polarisation of the two countries during the Cold War also threw up a number of interesting cultural encounters.
It's not for nothing that St. Petersburg is known as the "Venice of the North". Great swathes of the historic centre, including most of the grand Imperial palaces, were built by Italian architects, many of whom spend most of their lives in St. Petersburg. The Italian contribution to music and visual art in the city was only slightly less significant.
Germans migrated to Russia, and especially St. Petersburg, in huge numbers during the 18th and 19th centuries. Many were skilled craftsmen and scholars, others architects, musicians, entrepreneurs, and educators. The Germanic influence on the city began with the name "Sankt-Petersburg" and went on to touch almost every aspect of life in St. Petersburg.
For Russia's ruling classes, France was always considered the pinnacle of fashion and refinement, and most spoke French as well or even better than their native language. French artists and musicians were always welcome at the Russian court, but it was in the field of ballet that they really excelled, creating one of world's greatest schools of dance around the Imperial Ballet Theatre.
