Built across the marshlands of the
N e v a R i v e r d e l t a , 3 0 0 km o f
tributaries and canals crisscross St.
Petersburg. The best way to explore
the city’s canals is via a boat trip that
runs alongside grand buildings
perched on granite embankments.
The narrow, winding Griboedov
Canal flows through the city center past grand palaces, cathedrals
adorned with cupolas and bell towers, and humble tenements.
The pedestrian Bank Bridge and its iconic quartet of griffin
sculptures with gilded wings spans the canal. Running
perpendicular to the Griboedov Canal is the Kryukov Canal.
Originally dug in the early 18th century, the canal meanders past
many notable spots, including the man-made island Novaya
Gollandia (New Holland), the Mariinsky Theatre, and St.
Nicholas Naval Cathedral. Not to be missed is the tiny Zimnyaya
Kanavka (Winter Canal) that connects the Neva River and the
Moyka River near the Winter Palace. Sandwiched between the
Hermitage museum buildings, the Winter Canal is one of the
most picturesque and romantic spots in the city.
The Grand Canal runs along Mainland China
’
s eastern seaboard from
Beijing in the north to Hangzhou in the south.
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The Griboedov Canal snakes through the center of historic St. Peters-
berg, offering a spectacular view of the Church of the Savior on Blood
and other landmarks.
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PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES (CLAUDIA LINDNER/EYEEM, XUANG XIN)
4
ST. PETERSBURG
●
Russia
The Grand Canal, the world’s oldest
and longest canal system, runs from
Beijing to Zhejiang province. The
system was built to serve as a means
of communication and as a conduit to
t r an s po r t g r a i n , r i c e , and r aw
materials in the Sui dynasty (seventh
century) though construction began
in the fifth century. The 2,000km of artificial waterways work in
conjunction with natural rivers and lakes and are still used today
to transport goods through eight of China’s provinces. The canals
are a marvel of hydraulic engineering punctuated with
impressively engineered dykes, weirs, and bridges made of stone,
rammed earth, and clay. One of the best places to explore the
ancient canals is Suzhou, where boat tours take tourists through
the narrow waterways past the city’s famous lush gardens.
2
SUZHOU
●
Mainland China
29
enVoyage
