Estate Living Magazine Precinct Living - Issue 33 | Page 64

capital. With Aztec temple ruins, the largest cathedral on the
continent (the Catedral Metropolitana), and boasting some
fabulous 19th- and 20th-century architecture, such as the Palacio
de las Bellas Artes, it was included in UNESCO’s list of world
heritage sites in 1987. www.visitmexico.com/en
ST PETERSBURG – RUSSIA
QUITO – ECUADOR
The historic centre of
Quito is one of the largest,
least-altered and best-
preserved historic centres
in the Americas, and was
one of the first world heritage
sites declared by UNESCO, in 1978.
The old town, known as Quiteños en  el
Centro Histórico, can be covered fairly comfortably on foot, but
don’t be tempted to take in the 40-odd churches and assorted
museums in one day as you’ll be exhausted. Rather select a
few highlights. Don’t miss the lookout terrace of the Basilica del
Voto Nacional for splendid views over the Old Town’s spires,
bell towers and ornate buildings; the Teatro Sucre, Quito’s most
ornate theatre, on the Plaza del Teatro; and, finally, La Compañía
de Jesús with its magnificent volcanic stone facade, Baroque
columns and gilded ceilings. The latter rivals San Francisco (the
Church and Monastery of St Francis) for the title of ‘loveliest
church in Equador’. www.quitotravel.ec/en
MEXICO CITY – MEXICO
Mexico City’s Centro Histórico is centred around the Plaza de
la Constitución (also known as the Zócalo). One of the largest
squares in the world, its colonial and European architecture and
narrow cobblestone streets set it apart from the rest of Mexico
City. This ‘old town’ was built by the Spanish in the 16th century
on the ruins of an even older one – Tenochtitlan, the old Aztec
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www.estate-living.co.za
St Petersburg, a relatively young city by European standards,
is the result of a vast urban project begun in 1703 by Peter the
Great. Sometimes referred to as the ‘Venice of the North’, with
its numerous canals and more than 400 bridges, it’s a city that
has shrugged off the thick layers of dust from its Leningrad era,
and is once again parading its colourful Romanov finery. Its
architectural heritage is a blend of Baroque and neoclassical
style as seen in the St Nicholas Cathedral, with its intricately
gilded interior, and the splendour of the Hermitage Museum
with its three million works of art. The multicoloured medieval-
style Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood was built in memory
of Tsar Alexander II, who was assassinated in 1881. Its magnificent
mosaic collection, covering a total area of 2,150 square metres, is
one of the largest in Europe. The exterior of St Isaac’s Cathedral,
Russia’s largest cathedral, is decorated with massive granite
columns and elaborate sculptures, topped off with a spectacular
gilded dome.
Then there’s the Peterhof Palace, a series of palaces and
gardens sometimes referred to as the ‘Russian Versailles’ – the
Summer Palace of Peter the Great, built between 1710 and
1714; the Winter Palace, which from 1732 to 1917 was the
official residence of the Russian monarchs; and Palace Square,
St Petersburg’s central square where the Alexander Column
marks Russia’s victory over Napoleon’s armies. Gazing upon
the opulence of this bygone era, it is easy to forget the dull, grey
years of the socialist USSR – but also not hard to see why it was
here that starving peasants and workers rebelled against such
outrageous conspicuous consumption and blatant inequality.
www.visit-petersburg.ru/en
Tessa Buhrmann
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