St. Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia and, with a metropolitan population of over 5 million as of 2018, the second largest city in Eastern Europe. The city was built on a site at the head of the Baltic Sea in the early 18th century by Tsar Peter the Great, who wanted Russia's capital to have a "window on Europe" and thus abandoned Moscow. After the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, the national capital was moved back to Moscow and St. Petersburg was renamed Leningrad in honor of the Communist leader. Under that name, the city's status as a historical site rose even further when it famously endured a 900 day seige by Nazi Germany during World War II during which a million civilians died of cold and hunger, the deadliest blockade of any city in history. After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the city regained its former name and became a thriving commercial and business center, serving its original purpose of being closely connected to the rest of Europe. As of 2018, it's even home to the tallest skyscraper in Europe. Here are the best drone videos from this magnificent city on the Neva River, the northernmost of the Great Cities of Europe as well as one of the most beautiful. Aerial photo: "Peter and Paul Fortress" by AirVuz contributor and drone pilot FlyCam24.
Click here to see all of the AirVuz Cities collections.