Explore the real places in Saint Petersburg that appear in City of Thieves by David Benioff. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include Palace Square, Nevsky Prospekt, Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery, Neva River, Kirov Ballet Academy and 10 more.
Nevsky Prospekt — Heart of Leningrad
The vast central square where Lev and Kolya navigate the frozen, starving streets of Leningrad during the 900-day siege. The Winter Palace looms as a symbol of power and history. Kolya and Lev move through crowds here, Lev searching for food while Kolya spins elaborate lies to survive. The square represents the grand city being devoured by hunger and war.
Palace Square was the political and cultural heart of Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union. The Winter Palace, residence of the tsars and stormed during the 1917 Revolution, overlooks the square. During the Siege of Leningrad (1941-1944), the square was a frozen wasteland where thousands died of starvation.
Palace Square is now a major tourist destination and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Winter Palace is part of the Hermitage Museum complex, one of the world's greatest art museums. The square hosts concerts, festivals, and is a vibrant gathering place.
Visit: Winter Palace / Hermitage Museum (museum)
Main Avenue — Spine of the city
The legendary avenue where Lev and Kolya encounter the brutal realities of siege survival. They move through crowds of desperate people, past shuttered shops and starving citizens. Kolya's charm is tested on Nevsky as he attempts to find food, shelter, and passage out of the dying city. The street is a tableau of death and desperation.
Nevsky Prospekt was St. Petersburg's grandest avenue since its founding in the early 18th century. By the siege, it was lined with elegant buildings, palaces, and shops—all now monuments to a vanished world. During the blockade, bodies were left in the streets, and residents ate leather, wallpaper, and corpses to survive.
Nevsky Prospekt remains St. Petersburg's main commercial and cultural thoroughfare. It is lined with shops, cafes, restaurants, and historic buildings, now fully restored. Visitors can walk the entire 4.5-kilometer length and experience the grandeur that Benioff's characters moved through as ghosts.
Visit: Nevsky Prospekt (landmark)
Piskaryovsky Avenue — Mass grave of the siege
The vast cemetery where over 470,000 victims of the Siege of Leningrad were buried in mass graves. Though not directly visited in the novel, this place haunts the narrative—it represents the scale of death that Lev and Kolya witness around them. Every starving person they pass might end here. The cemetery is the physical manifestation of the siege's horrors.
Piskaryovskoye Cemetery was used as a mass grave throughout the 900-day siege when there were too many bodies to bury individually. People died faster than they could be buried. The site contains approximately 186,000 victims buried in long trenches. After the war, it was transformed into a solemn memorial.
Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery is now a major historical site and pilgrimage destination. Visitors walk among long grass-covered mounds marking mass graves. There is a museum, monument, and eternal flame. It is one of the most moving sites in St. Petersburg.
Visit: Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery (historic site)
The frozen artery — Escape route
The Neva freezes solid during the brutal winters, and Lev witnesses both the hope and horror of the ice. People attempt to cross it to escape the city. Bodies are dumped through holes in the ice. The river becomes both a barrier and a potential path to survival, representing the dual nature of their escape attempts.
The Neva River has been the lifeblood of St. Petersburg since Peter the Great founded the city. During the siege, the frozen Neva was used as an escape route—the so-called 'Road of Life' across Lake Ladoga began from here. But it was also a mass grave; thousands perished crossing it.
The Neva River remains central to St. Petersburg's geography and beauty. It is now bordered by restored palaces, museums, and parks. In winter it still freezes, though not as thoroughly as in the 1940s. Boat tours operate in summer along the scenic waterway.
Visit: Neva River Embankments (landmark)
Theater Street — World of grace amid horror
The Academy represents the cultural world that survives even amid starvation. Lev and Kolya encounter remnants of Leningrad's grand artistic past. The search for a virgin (required for a mysterious wedding in Kolya's schemes) brings them near cultural institutions where beauty stubbornly persists. The ballet world symbolizes civilization's fragile persistence during barbarism.
The Kirov Ballet Academy (now the Vaganova Academy) was founded in 1738 and trained dancers of world renown. During the siege, performances continued sporadically as an act of cultural resistance. The building itself was damaged but survived. The ballet remained a symbol of Russian cultural superiority and defiance.
The Vaganova Academy is still one of the world's premier ballet schools. The historic building on Theater Street is beautifully preserved. Visitors can view the exterior and learn about the school's legendary history. Performances are occasionally held.
Visit: Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet (historic site)
Residential blocks — Sites of starvation
Lev and Kolya move through countless apartment blocks where families are freezing and starving. They break into homes searching for food, encountering the dead and dying. These buildings are the true battleground of the siege—not a military front but the intimate horrors of hunger. Kolya schemes to acquire resources while stepping over corpses and decay.
Pre-revolutionary St. Petersburg housing was dense and often decrepit. During the siege, apartment buildings became tombs. Families died in their beds as fuel and food ran out. Cannibalism, infanticide, and madness took hold in these spaces. After the war, many buildings were rebuilt.
Residential blocks still characterize much of St. Petersburg's landscape. Many buildings from the siege era have been restored and modernized. Some buildings retain plaques marking siege survivors or deaths. The architectural style reflects the pre-war period.
Monastery Street — Spiritual refuge
The monastery represents the spiritual life that persists amid chaos. Though not central to the plot, it exemplifies the religious and cultural heritage of Leningrad that the siege threatens to destroy. Lev and Kolya's world is one where even sacred places cannot guarantee safety or sustenance.
Alexander Nevsky Monastery (Lavra) was founded in 1713 by Peter the Great. It was one of Russia's most important religious sites and contains the relics of Alexander Nevsky. During the Soviet period it was partially closed, but it remained a place of worship. During the siege, it offered limited refuge.
The Alexander Nevsky Lavra is now an active monastery and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The grounds include churches, cemeteries, and museums. Visitors can tour the cathedral, see the reliquaries, and experience one of Russia's holiest sites.
Visit: Alexander Nevsky Lavra (historic site)
Outside the city — Lost grandeur
The legendary palace outside Leningrad represents the world of pre-siege splendor and beauty that has been annihilated. During the novel's timeframe, the palace was destroyed during fighting. It symbolizes everything the siege takes—culture, beauty, history, and hope. The mere mention of Peterhof evokes loss.
Peterhof Palace was Peter the Great's extravagant summer residence, built in the early 18th century with magnificent fountains, gardens, and gilded halls. It was ransacked and largely destroyed during German occupation (1941-1944). After the war, it was painstakingly restored to its former glory.
Peterhof Palace is now a major museum and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The restored palace, gardens, and fountains are stunning. Visitors can tour the opulent rooms, see the famous golden fountains, and walk the expansive grounds. It is one of Russia's most popular tourist destinations.
Visit: Peterhof Palace and Gardens (museum)
Northeast of Leningrad — Road of Life
The legendary lake represents hope and escape for Leningrad's starving residents. The 'Road of Life'—the ice road across Ladoga—was the only supply route into the city. Lev and Kolya's journey is partly motivated by the possibility of reaching this route. The lake is both savior and graveyard; thousands died crossing it.
Lake Ladoga is Europe's largest lake. During the Siege of Leningrad, the 'Road of Life' (Doroga Zhizni) was an ice route established in winter and a water route in summer. It was the only way to supply the dying city and evacuate the most vulnerable. Over 1 million people were evacuated across Ladoga; hundreds of thousands died in transit.
Lake Ladoga remains beautiful and remote. The northern shore is largely undeveloped forest. A memorial complex at Osinovets marks the Road of Life terminus. Visitors can see preserved supply depots and monuments. The lake is accessible by car from St. Petersburg.
Visit: Road of Life Memorial (Osinovets) (historic site)
Northern residential area — Ordinary horror
A typical Leningrad street where Lev and Kolya encounter the quotidian horrors of the siege—bodies in streets, starving faces, desperate barter. The street represents the scale of suffering beyond the grand historical narrative. Every block contains stories of individual tragedy.
Northern Leningrad was densely populated working-class residential neighborhoods. During the siege, these areas were hit hardest as supply lines failed. Many residents died in their homes or on the streets with no one to bury them.
These neighborhoods have been largely rebuilt and modernized. Some buildings retain siege plaques. The area is still primarily residential, though now fully functioning and developed.
Vyborg Side — Departure point
The station represents possible escape from the dying city. Trains no longer run regularly, but the station is where desperate people gather hoping for transport out. Kolya's schemes often revolve around acquiring passage—train tickets are more valuable than food. The station embodies the collapse of normal life.
Finland Station (Finlyandsky Vokzal) was built in 1870 and is famous as the site where Lenin arrived in April 1917 to spark the Revolution. During the siege, it was damaged but occasionally used for evacuating the sick and starving to other Soviet cities.
Finland Station is still an active railway terminal. The original building has been restored and maintains its historic character. A statue of Lenin stands at the station. It is a functional transport hub and historic landmark.
Visit: Finland Station (landmark)
Nevsky Prospekt — Monument to faith
The magnificent cathedral stands as a symbol of pre-revolutionary Russia and enduring spiritual hope. Lev and Kolya pass the cathedral on their movements through the city. It represents the cultural and religious heritage being destroyed by the siege, and the stubborn persistence of beauty and faith amid barbarism.
Kazan Cathedral was built in the early 19th century and is one of St. Petersburg's most important Orthodox churches. Designed to rival St. Peter's in Rome, it was converted into a museum of atheism during the Soviet period. It was rededicated as a functioning church in 1992.
Kazan Cathedral is now an active Orthodox cathedral and museum. Visitors can view the stunning interior with its soaring colonnade and religious iconography. It is one of St. Petersburg's most photographed landmarks.
Visit: Kazan Cathedral (historic site)
Winter Palace — Repository of civilization
The Hermitage and Winter Palace represent the grandeur and culture of imperial Russia now under siege. The museum's treasures and the palace's empty rooms haunt Lev and Kolya's world—all this beauty and history starving alongside the people. Art survives even as people perish.
The Winter Palace was the residence of Russian tsars and is one of the world's greatest architectural achievements. After the Revolution, it became the Hermitage Museum. During the siege, the museum stayed open sporadically and staff members literally starved while protecting the art.
The Hermitage is one of the world's greatest art museums with over 3 million works. The Winter Palace is the centerpiece of the complex. Visitors can tour the opulent state rooms, see masterpieces by Rembrandt, Da Vinci, and others, and experience the grandeur that Benioff's characters moved through.
Visit: The Hermitage Museum (museum)
Crossing the Neva — Between worlds
One of many bridges crossing the Neva that Lev and Kolya must navigate. The bridges represent the divisions of the city—safe zones and dangerous zones, areas with rumors of food and areas of certain starvation. Crossing a bridge is never simple; it means passing checkpoints and risking arrest.
Liteiny Bridge (Literaturny Bridge) was built in 1879 and designed by the famous engineer Gustav Eiffel. During the siege, bridges were controlled checkpoints where people were checked for permission to pass. Many people died on the bridges in extreme cold.
Liteiny Bridge is a functioning bridge with pedestrian and vehicle traffic. It offers beautiful views of the Neva and connects the main part of the city to the Vyborg Side. It is a popular spot for tourists to view the city and river.
Visit: Liteiny Bridge (landmark)
Nevsky Prospekt — Jewish heritage
The synagogue represents the diversity and complexity of pre-siege Leningrad. Though Jewish life is not central to the narrative, the synagogue exists as a reminder of the communities destroyed by the war. During the siege, Jewish residents faced the same horrors as others, with added layers of historical terror.
The Grand Choral Synagogue was built in 1893 and served St. Petersburg's Jewish community. During the Soviet period, it remained one of the few functioning synagogues. During the siege and Nazi occupation, Jews faced extermination. The building survived and continues to serve the community.
The Grand Choral Synagogue is an active Jewish religious and cultural center. The ornate building, with its distinctive copper dome, is open to visitors. It hosts services, cultural events, and maintains a museum dedicated to local Jewish history.
Visit: Grand Choral Synagogue of St. Petersburg (historic site)
More by David Benioff: All David Benioff books