Saint Petersburg, founded in 1703, has been surrounded by numerous legends since its inception. From the myths about its founder, Peter the Great, to stories of secret Masonic meetings, the city has always been shrouded in mysticism. In this article, we will uncover the secrets of the most interesting places in Petersburg, associated with fascinating, and sometimes eerie, legends.
Griffins’ Tower
In the mystical apothecaries’ quarter on the 7th Line of Vasilievsky Island, one of the oldest pharmacies in Saint Petersburg is still in operation. In the courtyard of the building, there is a mysterious brick tower without windows or doors. Built in 1730, the structure was originally a tenement house with a medicinal workshop, and the tower served as a chimney for the boiler room. In 1858, pharmacist Wilhelm Pel opened a pharmacy here, established his own medicine production, and became a supplier to the imperial court.
Contemporaries believed that Wilhelm Pel was involved not only in pharmaceuticals but also in alchemy. According to legend, his secret laboratory was located in that very tower, where he attempted to turn lead into gold. Rumor had it that Pel discovered the formula for happiness — a mysterious combination of numbers. To protect his magical discoveries, he allegedly created griffins — mythical creatures with the body of a lion, the head of an eagle, and sharp claws — to guard his secrets.
Smolensk Cemetery
In 1738, one of the most famous cemeteries in Russia appeared on Vasilievsky Island by the Black River. Initially, it was used to bury ordinary citizens, but over time, students and professors of the Academy of Arts began to live on the island. As a result, the cemetery became the resting place for scholars, poets, and other prominent figures. For example, Pushkin’s nanny, Arina Rodionovna, is buried here. Remarkably, in the 19th century, on the day of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, public gatherings with samovars, food, and alcohol were held at this cemetery.
In 1803, Blessed Xenia of Petersburg, canonized in 1988, was buried in Smolensk Cemetery. The grave of the saint was repeatedly vandalized as believers sought to take stones or soil, considering them to be protective charms. To safeguard this site, a small chapel was built. It is believed that if you walk around the chapel three times while making a wish, it will undoubtedly come true.
Smolensk Cemetery is also associated with a grim legend: at the beginning of the 20th century, it is said that 40 priests were forced to renounce their faith and were then buried alive. Also buried in this cemetery is Alexei Balabanov, a Russian director who created many iconic films in Russian cinema.
Gregory Rasputin’s Apartment
Another mystical place in Petersburg is the apartment where Gregory Rasputin lived with his daughters from 1914. This peasant-born figure was close to the imperial family and became famous as a court healer. Rasputin is a highly controversial personality: some considered him a prophet, a Mason, or even a saint who influenced the emperor’s decisions, while others saw him as a fraud and sectarian.
Rasputin is credited with prophesying that after his death, the royal family would not survive for two years, which is exactly what happened. His apartment, known as the “Star Chamber,” was often visited by nobles, ministers, and peasants seeking his help. It was from here in 1917 that Rasputin left for a meeting with Prince Felix Yusupov and never returned.
During the Soviet years, his five-room apartment became a communal flat, and now three rooms function as a museum. Residents have reported hearing strange noises in the corridors at night and have even seen Rasputin’s ghost.
Saint Petersburg Sphinxes
In Saint Petersburg, there is a unique attraction that is about 35,000 years old — the sphinxes, mythical creatures with the body of a lion and the head of a human. Initially, they stood at the temple of Pharaoh Amenhotep III in Thebes, and it is said that their faces captured the image of the young ruler.
In 1825, sculptures made of pink marble were discovered during excavations in Thebes and were subsequently sent to the antique market in Alexandria. They were spotted by officer and writer A.N. Muravyov, who proposed that the Russian Academy of Arts acquire these relics.
By that time, the sphinxes had already been purchased by the French government. However, the second French Revolution of 1830 shifted the country’s focus away from art. As a result, the statues were sold to Russia for 64,000 rubles and delivered to Saint Petersburg in 1832.
There is a belief that the expressions on the sphinxes’ faces change throughout the day — from calm to menacing. The townspeople claim that you should not look them in the eye, or you might go mad. According to legend, hieroglyphs carved on the pedestal, if read at a certain time, can lead the world into chaos.
Malo-Okhtinskoye Cemetery
In the northeast of Saint Petersburg, near the Okhta River, an Old Believers’ cemetery from the 18th century has been preserved. This area was home to the descendants of the carpenters who built the city, many of whom were Old Believers. Since they followed their own religious rites, they were not buried in Christian cemeteries.
Many of the tombstones have not survived the test of time, but the burial site of the Skryabin merchants remains well-preserved. Ivan Skryabin was considered a dark sorcerer, and interestingly, almost all the men in his family died in 1849 — during a cholera epidemic. According to legend, this was punishment for Ivan’s involvement in black magic.
Next to this cemetery is an unusual tombstone without any inscriptions but adorned with many symbols: winged hourglasses, a scythe and rake, two funerary urns, an Old Believers’ cross, a bowl of fire, as well as a broken anchor and oak. Local historians believe that these symbols indicate a man who died young, before fulfilling his dreams.
In the 1990s, Satanists gathered near the graves of the Pikeyev merchants. On one of the tombstones, you can see a Masonic symbol — an eight-pointed star.
The Rotunda on Gorokhovaya Street
In the center of Saint Petersburg, on Gorokhovaya Street, stands one of the city’s most mystical places — the rotunda. It is a grand staircase surrounded by six columns, with a forged spiral staircase. It was created in 1780 at the request of entrepreneur and patron S.Y. Yakovlev. It is believed that Yakovlev was a Freemason and held secret rituals in the rotunda. Numerous legends are connected with this place, including stories about Gregory Rasputin and a portal to other dimensions. In the 20th century, the rotunda became popular among the St. Petersburg underground, including Viktor Tsoi and Konstantin Kinchev.
The Queen of Spades House
In 1834, A.S. Pushkin published the mystical novella “The Queen of Spades,” which tells the story of an elderly countess who knew the secret combination of three cards that ensured victory in the popular card game “Stoss.” A young officer, Hermann, sought to uncover this secret. During a confrontation, he frightened the old woman so much that she died of a heart attack. The prototype for the countess was Princess N.P. Golitsyna, an influential lady in Saint Petersburg and a lady-in-waiting to Catherine the Great. According to her nephew, the princess was haunted by the ghost of an officer in her later years, which ultimately caused her death.
In 1890, P.I. Tchaikovsky lived across from Princess Golitsyna’s mansion, and inspired by her story, he created the opera “The Queen of Spades.” Interestingly, both Pushkin and Tchaikovsky died three years after releasing their works — coincidence or mysticism?
Golitsyna’s mansion is still called the “Queen of Spades House,” although it now houses a clinic. There are rumors that before dawn, the silhouette of Natalia Petrovna can be seen in the windows, menacingly raising a finger.
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