In the fall of 2021, I frequently came across news about the opening of an observation deck in the famous Duma Tower, located in the western part of Nevsky Prospect. To be honest, I was surprised that some sources presented this event as the launch of a new city attraction, even claiming it was the first time the tower had been opened in its two-century history.
However, those familiar with Saint Petersburg landmarks likely know that this space has hosted an exhibition before — the Museum of Savings was once located within the walls of this historic building. Despite the rainy weather, I decided to visit the updated exhibition and share a short account of my experience.
How to Visit the Observation Deck
The tower is adjacent to the City Duma building. The address of the complex is Nevsky Prospect, 33; Dumskaya Street, 1–3. The tower is right next to the exit of the Gostiny Dvor–Nevsky Prospect metro transfer station.
Visits are conducted in timed sessions, and as of spring 2022, the cost of an adult ticket is 500 rubles.
A Bit of History
The City Duma building with its tower was constructed between 1799 and 1804 by architect D. Ferrari. Before that, the site housed the Public Guildhall. Over time, the City Duma building underwent several reconstructions.
The tower was used as a fire watchtower, and its roof still features a structure for raising signal spheres. Interestingly, the building also served as one of the stations for an optical telegraph system, which I plan to discuss in more detail in future articles.
A few years ago, the building housed the Museum of Savings. Visitors to the exhibition could learn about the history of savings banks in Saint Petersburg. The tour concluded at the observation deck of the tower, which is accessed by climbing 233 steps. The open deck, 44 meters high, offers an excellent view of the city center. Notably, admission to the exhibition was free at the time.
Today, the tower’s exhibition space focuses not on finance but on music, as the building now belongs to the Tchaikovsky Music Culture Center. Having visited both the old and new exhibitions, I noticed that the current events in the tower are hardly full-fledged guided tours. A staff member provides a five-minute overview of the building’s history, after which visitors ascend to the observation deck on their own. Tchaikovsky is only mentioned in the informational materials displayed on the walls. Guests are allocated 45 minutes to explore the building and observation deck.
On the way up, visitors can see a fascinating object: the clock mechanism that drives the tower’s clock hands. The clock, installed in 1884, chimes over the city every 15 minutes.
The ascent concludes with a walk on the open observation deck, offering views of many famous landmarks in Saint Petersburg: Kazan, St. Isaac's, Peter and Paul, and Trinity Cathedrals; the Singer Building; Gostiny Dvor; and the Alexander Column on Palace Square.
Have a nice trip!
