A former professor at the College of William & Mary, David Dessler has been widely cited in peer-reviewed academic journals and was the recipient of the school’s Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award in 1991. Outside of his professional pursuits, David Dessler enjoys international travel and has spent extended time in Russia, particularly St. Petersburg.
Although Moscow is Russia's capital and its most cosmopolitan city, St. Petersburg serves as its historical and cultural heart. The city features a wealth of historical landmarks and museums and is surrounded by majestic rivers and canals. One of the premier attractions in St. Petersburg is the Hermitage Museum. An art museum second in size only to the Louvre, it houses more than 3 million items in six buildings. The primary building is the 1,500-room Winter Palace, which was once the home of Russian emperors.
St. Petersburg's other historical landmarks include luxurious and grandiose structures like the Eliseyev Emporium, Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood, St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Peter and Paul Fortress, and the Peterhof Palace, which was constructed in the 18th century and features a 64-fountain “Grand Cascade” outside its main entrance. Other impressive destinations include the town of Tsarskoye Selo and the Dostoevsky Memorial Museum. Visitors can also explore the city by boat via its canal system, which extends more than 200 miles.
