Gay Guide St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, the cultural and gay capital of Russia, was founded on May 27, 1703 by emperor Peter the Great and has a current population of around 5 million inhabitants. Much effort was undertaken to revamp for the 300 year celebration, making the city even more attractive to foreign visitors. St. Petersburg drew a high level of media attention in the LGBT community in 2012 when the Legislative Assembly rushed through a new law that bans the "distribution of gay propaganda". This new law has meanwhile already led to first arrests. With it, St Petersburg is actively and deliberately opposing the Convention on Human Rights. St. Petersburg possesses not only the tourist treasures such as the Hermitage, Russian Museum and Imperial Palaces in the environs, but also home the scattered gay venues including night clubs, bars, saunas, seaside beaches and the officially registered in 1991 gay and lesbian Center "Krilija" - a first in Russian history.