Explore the real places in St. Petersburg that appear in Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. 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 Pawnbroker's Building, Raskolnikov's Garret, Sennaya Square, Police Station, Sonya's Room and 7 more.
Stolyarny Lane — Alyona Ivanovna's apartment
Raskolnikov climbs the narrow, dark staircase to the fourth floor where the old pawnbroker Alyona Ivanovna lives. Here he commits the double murder that drives the novel's plot, killing both the elderly woman and her half-sister Lizaveta with an axe. He steals jewelry and money, but the guilt and psychological torment begin immediately.
This area of St. Petersburg was known for its cramped tenements housing the city's poor. Stolyarny Lane was typical of the narrow streets where the working class and destitute lived in squalid conditions during the 19th century.
The building that inspired Dostoevsky's description still stands, though renovated. It houses a small museum dedicated to Crime and Punishment, with exhibits about the novel and 19th-century St. Petersburg life.
Visit: Crime and Punishment Museum (museum)
Near Kokushkin Bridge — The student's tiny room
Raskolnikov's cramped attic room is described as a 'coffin' - so small he can barely stretch out. Here he broods over his theory about extraordinary people having the right to transgress moral laws. He hides the stolen goods under a stone in the courtyard below and burns his bloodstained clothes.
The Sennaya Square area was notorious for its poverty in Dostoevsky's time. Students and the destitute rented tiny rooms in multi-story buildings, often living in conditions similar to those described in the novel.
The area has been gentrified but maintains some of its historical character. Many buildings from Dostoevsky's era remain, though most have been converted to modern apartments and businesses.
Hay Market — Center of poverty and degradation
Raskolnikov wanders through this bustling marketplace, observing the poverty, drunkenness, and human misery that surrounds him. Here he encounters the drunken Marmeladov in a tavern, who tells him about his daughter Sonya's prostitution. The square represents the moral and social decay that haunts the novel.
Sennaya Square was St. Petersburg's main marketplace from the 18th century, known for its chaotic atmosphere, poverty, and crime. It was surrounded by taverns, cheap lodgings, and was frequented by the city's most desperate residents.
Now called Sennaya Ploshchad, it remains a major transportation hub and shopping area. While modernized, it still maintains its role as a central gathering place in St. Petersburg.
Visit: Sennaya Ploshchad Metro Station and Square (landmark)
Sadovaya Street — Porfiry Petrovich's domain
Raskolnikov is summoned here multiple times by the crafty investigator Porfiry Petrovich, who suspects him of the murders. Their psychological cat-and-mouse games unfold in the cramped office, with Porfiry using subtle interrogation techniques while Raskolnikov struggles to maintain his composure and innocence.
Police stations in 19th century St. Petersburg were notoriously corrupt and inefficient. The criminal investigation system relied heavily on psychological pressure and confession rather than forensic evidence.
The building still serves administrative functions for the city. While not specifically a police station anymore, it houses various municipal offices in the historical district.
Kapernaum House, Kanava — Where love meets redemption
Sonya Marmeladova lives in this miserable room where she receives clients as a prostitute to support her family. Here Raskolnikov confesses his crime to her, and she reads him the story of Lazarus from the Bible. Their love story and his path to redemption begin in this squalid but spiritually significant space.
The Kapernaum House was one of many tenements in this area that housed the desperately poor. Such buildings were overcrowded, unsanitary, and often served as both living spaces and places of prostitution.
The area has been redeveloped, but some period buildings remain. The exact location is now part of a residential neighborhood, though the street layout remains similar to Dostoevsky's time.
Over the Neva River — Contemplating suicide
Raskolnikov stands on this bridge contemplating suicide, overwhelmed by guilt and the meaninglessness of life after his crime. He watches the dark waters of the Neva below and considers throwing himself in, but ultimately cannot bring himself to do it. The bridge represents his internal struggle between death and redemption.
The Nikolaevsky Bridge (now Lieutenant Schmidt Bridge) was built in the 1840s and was one of the first permanent bridges across the Neva. It connected the central city with Vasilievsky Island and was a common site for suicides.
Now called Lieutenant Schmidt Bridge, it remains an important crossing point over the Neva. The bridge offers views of the Hermitage and is popular with tourists and locals alike.
Visit: Lieutenant Schmidt Bridge (landmark)
Nevsky Prospect — Spiritual awakening
Near the novel's end, Raskolnikov experiences a moment of spiritual awakening in the vicinity of this great cathedral. His encounter with faith and the possibility of redemption through suffering crystallizes here, influenced by Sonya's unwavering religious devotion and her reading of the Lazarus story.
Built between 1801-1811, the Kazan Cathedral was one of St. Petersburg's most important Orthodox churches. It was designed to rival St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and served as a symbol of Russian Orthodox faith in the imperial capital.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan remains an active Orthodox church and major tourist attraction. It houses the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Kazan and continues to be a center of religious life in St. Petersburg.
Visit: Kazan Cathedral (historic site)
Vassilievsky Island — Loyal friend's refuge
Dmitri Razumikhin, Raskolnikov's loyal friend and fellow student, lives here in slightly better conditions. He repeatedly tries to help the increasingly erratic Raskolnikov, offering money, food, and emotional support. Razumikhin also falls in love with Raskolnikov's sister Dunya and represents the possibility of normal, healthy relationships.
Vassilievsky Island housed many of St. Petersburg's educational institutions and was home to students and intellectuals. The area was considered more respectable than the slums around Sennaya Square.
The island remains home to St. Petersburg State University and various cultural institutions. Many of the 19th-century buildings have been preserved and the area maintains its intellectual character.
Near Kozel Bridge — Tragedy and sacrifice
The Marmeladov family lives in desperate poverty here. Semyon Marmeladov, the alcoholic former civil servant, dies here after being trampled by horses. His consumptive wife Katerina Ivanovna struggles to care for her children while dying of tuberculosis. Their misery represents the broader social problems that haunt the novel.
This area near the Fontanka River was filled with cheap lodgings for the working poor. Families often lived in single rooms in buildings that housed dozens of tenants in similar circumstances.
The area has been largely redeveloped, though some period architecture remains. It's now part of the central historic district with a mix of residential and commercial buildings.
Petrogradsky Island — Final redemption
In the epilogue, Raskolnikov experiences his final spiritual transformation in a park setting similar to this one, during his exile in Siberia. However, this St. Petersburg park represents the natural world that stands in contrast to the urban decay and moral corruption of the city where his crime took place.
Petrovsky Park was created in the early 19th century as one of St. Petersburg's first public parks. It provided green space and recreation for the growing urban population.
Petrovsky Park remains a popular recreational area with walking paths, gardens, and the Peter and Paul Fortress nearby. It offers a peaceful contrast to the bustling city center.
Visit: Petrovsky Park (park)
Sadovaya Street — Marmeladov's confession
In this dingy tavern, Raskolnikov first encounters the drunken Semyon Marmeladov, who pours out his heart about his family's poverty and his daughter Sonya's prostitution. This meeting introduces Raskolnikov to the Marmeladov family and provides crucial background about the social conditions that drive people to desperation.
Taverns like the Crystal Palace were common gathering places for St. Petersburg's poor and working class. They served cheap vodka and provided temporary escape from harsh living conditions.
The exact location is now occupied by modern businesses, but the Sadovaya Street area still contains many restaurants and cafes serving locals and tourists.
Kuznechny Lane — The author's final residence
While not directly featured in Crime and Punishment, this apartment represents Dostoevsky's deep connection to the St. Petersburg he portrayed so vividly in the novel. The author lived here during his final years and knew intimately the streets and neighborhoods where Raskolnikov wandered.
Dostoevsky lived in this apartment from 1878 until his death in 1881. He completed several major works here and was deeply embedded in the intellectual and social life of St. Petersburg.
The apartment has been preserved as a museum dedicated to Dostoevsky's life and work. It contains period furniture, manuscripts, and exhibits about his literary career and the St. Petersburg of his time.
Visit: Dostoevsky Museum (museum)
More by Fyodor Dostoevsky: The Brothers Karamazov locations map · All Fyodor Dostoevsky books