Lighthouse, St. Petersburg, Russia

Lighthouse, St. Petersburg, Russia

Russia's traditional western outlet to the sea is the city of Saint Petersburg at the head of the Gulf of Finland. The easternmost extension of the Gulf is a shallow sound known as Neva Bay. A large number of lighthouses, many historic but some quite modern, have been built to guide vessels in this narrow and crowded waterway.

Metropolitan St. Petersburg surrounds Neva Bay. Like Moscow, it has the status of a federal city, that is, it is a full member of the Russian Federation.

In the Soviet Union, all lighthouses were closed to foreign visitors. Since the breakup of the Soviet empire, conditions have become much more free, but some of the lighthouses are still closed to casual visits because they are located in sensitive military areas. Better information on accessibility is needed, and photos and visitor reports would be welcome.

Russian lighthouses are owned and operated by the Russian Navy, although some of them have civilian keepers. The Russian word for a lighthouse is mayak (маяк); mys is a cape and ostrov is an island.

Special thanks to Michel Forand for sharing his research on these lighthouses.


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