A cover from Russia, depicting the EUROPA 2017 stamp on topic "Castles". This stamps depicts the St. Michael's Castle (Mikhailovski Castle), a former royal residence in the historic centre of Saint Petersburg. It was built as a residence for Emperor Paul I by architects Vincenzo Brenna and Vasili Bazhenov in 1797-1801. This monument is part of the UNESCO site "Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Minuments". The 'Venice of the North', with its numerous canals and more than 400 bridges, is the result of a vast urban project begun in 1703 under Peter the Great. Later known as Leningrad (in the former USSR), the city is closely associated with the October Revolution. Its architectural heritage reconciles the very different Baroque and pure neoclassical styles, as can be seen in the Admiralty, the Winter Palace, the Marble Palace and the Hermitage. All this group of monuments were recognized by UNESCO as an World Heritage Site in 1990.
