聖彼得堡，位於俄羅斯西北部，波羅的海沿岸，涅瓦河口，處於北緯59°~60° 、東經29°~30°之間，是俄羅斯的中央直轄市，列寧格勒州的首府，俄羅斯西北地區中心城市，全俄重要的水陸交通樞紐，是世界上人口超過百萬的城市中位置最北的一個，又被稱爲俄羅斯的“北方首都”。
St. Petersburg. The very name brings to mind some of Russia's greatest poets, writers and composers: Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky. The 19th century was a golden age for St. Petersburg's wealthy classes. It was a world of ballets and balls, of art and literature, of tea and caviar.
聖彼得堡，只要提到這個名字就讓人想起那些俄國最偉大的詩人、作家以及作曲家：普希金、杜斯妥也夫斯基、柴可夫斯基。十九世紀對聖彼得堡的富有階級來說是段黃金歲月。那是一個充滿了芭蕾舞和舞會、藝術和文學、茶和魚子醬的世界。
The golden age ended with the advent of World War 1. Working people were growing more and more discontented. In 1917, Communism came, promising peace and prosperity.
這段黃金歲月因爲第一次世界大戰的來臨而結束。工人階級的不滿愈來愈高漲。1917年時，共產黨來了並向人民保證和平與繁榮。
St. Petersburg had become Petrograd in 1914. People wanted a Russian name for their city. Ten years later, the city's name changed again, this time to Leningrad. Then in 1991, Leningraders voted to restore the city's original name. Some people opposed the name change altogether. Others thought it was just too soon. Old, run-down Soviet Leningrad, they said, was not the St. Petersburg of 19th-century literature.
聖彼得堡在1914年變成彼得格勒。人們想爲這個城市取個俄國名字。十年之後，這個城市的名字又改了，這一次叫做列寧格勒。然後在1991年，列寧格勒的.居民投票恢復了此城最初的名字。有些人徹底反對改名字，有些人認爲名字改得太快了。他們說老舊的蘇維埃列寧格勒已不再是十九世紀的聖彼得堡了。
What, then, is St. Petersburg? In the confusing post-Communist world, no one really knows. The quiet, if Soviet-style, dignity is gone. The Communist sayings are down, and gaudy advertising up. Candy bars and cigarettes are sold from boxy, tasteless kiosks. And clothing? Well, anything goes. Everyone wants to be a little different. But many people do not know the true meaning of freedom. Personal crime has gone up, up, up in the past few years.
那麼，到底聖彼得堡是什麼呢?在共產黨結束執政後的令人困惑的情形下，沒有人真正知道這個答案。那種安靜卻又無聊的蘇維埃式的尊嚴已經成爲過去了。共產黨的標語被換了下來，代之以俗氣的廣告。那些四方形、沒有品味的攤子出售糖果和香芋。至於穿着呢?嗯，任何樣式都有。每個人都想要有點與衆不同。但是許多人仍然不知道自由的真意爲何。在過去數年裏，個人犯罪率一直不斷地上升。
Yet in spite of this, you can still find some of the city's grand past. Stand at the western tip of Vasilievsky Island. To the right is the elegant Winter Palace, former home of the czars. Its light blue sides and white classical columns make it perhaps St. Petersburg's most graceful building. It houses one of the worlds most famous art museums: the Hermitage. Inside, 20 km of galleries house thousands of works of art. Look over your right shoulder. The massive golden dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral rises above the skyline. You'll see, too, why St. Petersburg is called a "floating city." Standing there, nearly surrounded by water, you can see four of the city's 42 islands.
但是，儘管如此，你還是可以找到一些這個城市輝煌的過去。站在維絲利瓦斯基島的西端，右邊是優雅的冬宮，是沙皇從前的住處。它那淺藍色的外牆和白色古典的園柱，使它成爲大概是聖彼得堡中最優雅的建築物。它裏面有世界上最有名的藝術博物館：赫米提巨博物館。在裏面，長達20公里的藝廊收藏了數千件的藝術作品。朝你右肩後方看去，聖以撒大教堂巨大的金制圓頂伸入了天空。你也會了解，爲什麼聖彼得堡又被稱爲「漂浮的城市」。站在那裏，幾乎完全被水環繞，你可以看見這城市四十二個島嶼中的四個。
Cross the bridge and turn behind the Winter Palace. In the middle of the huge Palace Square stands the Alexander Column. It commemorates Russia's victory over Napoleon. The 650-ton granite column is not attached to the base in any way. Its own weight keeps it upright. Hoisted into place in 1832, it has stood there ever since.
過了橋轉到冬宮的後面，巨大的冬宮廣場中間豎立着亞歷山大圓柱。它是爲了紀念俄國和拿破崙交戰的勝利。這個六百五十噸的花崗石圓柱底部並未以任何方式固定，底部也無任何支撐。自1832年被豎立起來之後，便一直站立在那裏。
Continue to Nevsky Prospekt, the heart of the old city. Let the crowds hurry by while you take your time. Admire the fine carving on bridges and columns, above doorways and windows. Cross over canals and pass by smaller palaces and other classical structures. Let your eyes drink in the light blues, greens, yellows and pinks.
繼續走到納瓦斯基街，這個老城市的中心。在你悠閒地漫步的時候，讓人羣從你身旁匆匆走過。欣賞那些在橋上和圓柱上，門口以及窗戶上面的精緻雕刻。穿過運河並經過較小的皇宮以及其他的古典建築物。讓你的眼睛飽享淡籃、青綠、黃色和粉紅色。
Take time to wander among Kazan Cathedral's semi circle of enormous brown columns. Or, if you prefer Russian-style architecture, cross the street and follow the canal a short distance. The Church of the Resurrection occupies the site where Czar Alexander 11 was assassinated in 1881.
花些時間漫步於喀山大教堂裏巨大的棕色圓柱所圍成的半圓形。或者，如果你喜歡俄國樣式的建築，穿過馬路並隨着運河走一段短距離的路。復活教會正好位於沙皇亞歷山大二世在1881年被暗殺的地方。
Travel outside the city to Petrodvorets Palace for a taste of old imperial grandeur. After a visit to France in the late 17th century, Peter the Great decided to build a palace for himself better than Versailles. His dream never came true in his lifetime. It took almost two centuries to complete the palace and park complex.
離開市區往彼得城方向遊覽，一嘗古老皇宮富麗堂皇的風味。彼得大帝於十七世紀末到法國遊覽了一趟後，他決定要爲自己蓋一座比凡爾賽宮還好的皇宮。在他有生之年，這個夢想一直沒有實現。皇宮和公園的複合建築幾乎花了兩個世紀才完成。
Seldom does any city have the chance to reinvent itself. That chance has now come to St. Petersburg. A few people might hope to return to the glory of the past, but most know that is impossible. They want to preserve the best of past eras and push ahead. You can bet the city won't be old St. Petersburg, but something altogether different.
很少有城市有機會再創造自己，這個機會現在降臨到了聖彼得堡。有些人可能希望回到過去的榮耀裏，但是大多數人知道那是不可能的。他們希望能將過去年代當中的精華保留住，並進步向前。你可以打賭這個城市將不再是老聖彼得堡，而是一個完全不同的城市。
