# Griboyedov Canal, St Petersburg

> The Griboyedov Canal is a winding, granite-lined waterway that runs about 5 km through central St Petersburg, crossing Nevsky Prospekt by Kazan Cathedral. It’s free and open around the clock. The stretch worth your time — Spilled Blood to the gilded Bank Bridge — is about 1 km, a 30-minute walk with photo stops. Nearest metro: Nevsky Prospekt.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/griboyedov-canal

- City: [St Petersburg](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg), Russia
- YesGo score: 48/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 30 min
- Opening hours: Open 24/7 — it’s a public embankment; churches, museums and boats keep their own hours
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Entry: Free
- Open: 24/7
- Route: From the Moika by the Field of Mars to the Fontanka at Malo-Kalinkin Bridge
- Length: About 5 km; the best part is the 1 km from Spilled Blood to Bank Bridge
- Bridges: 21, including Bank Bridge (griffins) and Lion Bridge
- Metro: Nevsky Prospekt (Line 2, blue) and Gostiny Dvor (Line 3, green); for the southern end, Sennaya Ploshchad / Spasskaya / Sadovaya
- Canal exit: Nevsky Prospekt’s second entrance opens right onto the canal embankment
- Boat tours: During the navigation season, usually May to October; fares vary by operator
- Time needed: 30 minutes for the highlights, 1–1.5 hours to walk on to St Nicholas Cathedral
- Coordinates: 59.93270, 30.32510
- Facts checked: 29.10.2026

## Key facts

- **≈ 5 km** — length of the canal, from the Moika to the Fontanka (Russian Wikipedia gives 5.1 km) (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, Griboyedov Canal)
- **21 bridges** — cross the canal along its length (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, Griboyedov Canal)
- **1881** — Tsar Alexander II was assassinated on the canal embankment — the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood marks the spot (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood)
- **1764–1790** — the old Krivusha river bed was deepened and lined with granite (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, Griboyedov Canal)
- **1923** — the Catherine Canal was renamed after the playwright and diplomat Alexander Griboyedov (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, Griboyedov Canal)
- **1826** — Bank Bridge and Lion Bridge opened, both with sculptures by Pavel Sokolov (source: Russian Wikipedia, Bank Bridge and Lion Bridge)
- **32 m** — width of the canal; depth up to 3.5 m (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, Griboyedov Canal)
- **95 m** — width of Kazansky Bridge on Nevsky — the city’s third-widest bridge (source: Russian Wikipedia, Kazansky Bridge)
- **1739** — the Krivusha was linked to the Moika, turning it into a canal (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, Griboyedov Canal)
- **No. 540** — the canal is part of the UNESCO site Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg (source: UNESCO World Heritage List, 1990; Russian Wikipedia)

> **Walk it from Spilled Blood towards Nevsky** Start at the church and walk south: the onion domes stay behind you, and every bridge is a chance to turn round for the postcard view. Coming from Nevsky instead? Stop on Kazansky Bridge and look left — that’s the shot. Mornings are best: sun on the church, fewer people.

## Is the Griboyedov Canal worth it?

Yes — and it costs nothing. **The canal is the most photogenic walk in central St Petersburg** and also the most useful shortcut: it links the [Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/church-of-the-savior-on-spilled-blood), [Nevsky Prospekt](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/nevsky-prospect) and [Kazan Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/kazan-cathedral) in a 10-minute stroll, with granite embankments and cast-iron railings all the way.

Don’t plan a whole morning around it, though. There’s no ticket office or single sight — the canal is the setting. Thirty minutes from Spilled Blood to Bank Bridge gives you the best of it. Carry on south past Sennaya Square only if you like quiet, lived-in streets: that’s Dostoevsky’s Petersburg, with fewer tourists and more courtyards.

Unlike straight Nevsky, the canal curves. It follows the bed of a small marshy river, the Krivusha, linked to the Moika in 1739 and lined with granite between 1764 and 1790 — so a new view opens at every bend.

## What to see along the Griboyedov Canal

- **Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood** — built right on the embankment where Alexander II was mortally wounded in 1881. Your starting point.
- **Italian Bridge** — a footbridge between the church and Nevsky; from the middle you get the classic frame of railings, water and coloured domes.
- **Kazansky Bridge on Nevsky** — 95 m wide, so it feels like part of the street. Look left for Spilled Blood, right for Kazan Cathedral’s colonnade.
- **Singer House** — the glass-domed corner building with a globe on top, now the Dom Knigi bookshop.
- **Kazan Cathedral** — its colonnade sweeps down to the canal; entry is free.
- **Bank Bridge** — a narrow footbridge guarded by four winged lions everyone calls griffins, with wings of copper covered in gold leaf. Five minutes from Nevsky and worth the detour even on a short visit.
- **Sennaya Square** — around Sennoy Bridge starts the neighbourhood of Crime and Punishment: tenement blocks, courtyards and stairwells.
- **Lion Bridge** — four cast-iron lions by Pavel Sokolov hold the bridge’s chains in their mouths.
- **The seven-bridges spot** — at Pikalov Bridge, where the Griboyedov meets the Kryukov Canal, you can see seven bridges at once, with blue-and-white St Nicholas Naval Cathedral beside you.

## Where is the best photo spot of Spilled Blood?

**The postcard shot is from Kazansky Bridge on Nevsky Prospekt**, looking north up the canal with the church framed by houses at the end. For a closer, bigger church, walk halfway to the Italian Bridge and shoot from its centre. Both are free and open all night.

Bank Bridge is the second photo: golden wings against the former Assignation Bank. Get there early — by midday there’s often a small queue of people posing. For the seven bridges, stand by Pikalov Bridge with the cathedral on your left.

Night lighting puts the church in floodlights while the houses go dark, so the best evening light is the blue hour just after sunset. During the White Nights, from late May to mid-July, it stays light almost all night and the embankment is calmer than in the day.

## Griboyedov Canal boat tours

**Canal boats run only during the navigation season, usually May to October**, when the water is free of ice. Boats board by Kazansky Bridge, just off Nevsky. Most “rivers and canals” cruises loop through the Moika, the Griboyedov and the Fontanka before coming out onto the Neva.

A typical trip takes 1–1.5 hours. Fares differ between operators and change with the season, so check at the pier on the day. Some bridges are very low — on an open deck, duck when the crew tells you to.

Paying: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards haven’t worked in Russia since March 2022, so bring roubles in cash for pier kiosks, or book with a service that clearly accepts foreign cards before you travel.

YesGo’s take: on a first visit in summer, an hour on a canal boat is time well spent — the city looks different from the water and your feet get a break. Short on time? Walk the highlights instead: 30 minutes, free, and you get all the best views. There are no boats in winter.

## How to get to the Griboyedov Canal

1. Take the metro to **Nevsky Prospekt** (Line 2, blue) or **Gostiny Dvor** (Line 3, green) — one interchange. Nevsky Prospekt’s second entrance opens straight onto the canal embankment, a minute from Kazansky Bridge.
2. From [Palace Square](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/palace-square) and Admiralteyskaya station (Line 5), walk down Nevsky to Kazan Cathedral — about 15 minutes.
3. To start at Spilled Blood, walk north from Nevsky Prospekt station along the canal, 6–7 minutes; the church is in view the whole way.
4. For Sennoy Bridge and Lion Bridge, use Sennaya Ploshchad (Line 2), Spasskaya (Line 4) or Sadovaya (Line 5) — a three-station interchange 3–5 minutes from the water.
5. In Russian the canal is Канал Грибоедова (Kanal Griboyedova) — handy for taxi apps and street signs.

## Before you go: checklist

- [ ] Starting at Spilled Blood and walking towards Nevsky, church behind me
- [ ] Bank Bridge on the plan — 5 minutes past Nevsky
- [ ] Comfortable shoes if I’m going on to Lion Bridge and St Nicholas
- [ ] Umbrella or rain jacket — there’s no shelter on the embankment
- [ ] For a boat trip: navigation season is open, and I have roubles in cash
- [ ] Spilled Blood is closed on Wednesdays — outside views only

## Griboyedov Canal vs Summer Garden vs New Holland

|  | Griboyedov Canal | Summer Garden | New Holland |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| What it is | Embankment walk with bridges and the Spilled Blood view | The city’s oldest formal garden with statues | Island park with cafés and exhibitions |
| Entry | Free, 24/7 | Free, garden hours | Free, island hours |
| Time | 30 min – 1.5 h | 1 h | 1–2 h |
| Water | Canal, bridges, boats | Fountains and the Swan Canal | Pond and canals around the island |
| Best time | Morning and blue hour | Daytime in the warm months | Weekend evenings |

Do the Griboyedov Canal on day one — it ties the big churches together and costs you almost no extra time. The Summer Garden is a calm hour nearby; New Holland deserves its own evening.

## St Petersburg by the water, compared

Every waterside place in St Petersburg YesGo has scored.

- [Cruiser Aurora](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/cruiser-aurora) — YesGo score 67/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · 1,000 ₽ for foreign visitors
- [Palace Bridge and the bridge openings](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/palace-bridge) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free from the embankment
- [Peterhof](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/peterhof) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 4 h · Lower Park from 2,000 ₽ for foreign visitors
- [Kronstadt](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/kronstadt) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free, museums extra
- [Griboyedov Canal](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/griboyedov-canal) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free
- [New Holland Island](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/new-holland) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free
- [Summer Garden](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/summer-garden) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free
- [Sevkabel Port](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/sevkabel-port) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free
- [Yelagin Island](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/yelagin-island) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free weekdays, 200 ₽ at weekends
- [Krestovsky Island](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/krestovsky-island) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free

## The canal and the centre in half a day

Start at Spilled Blood, follow the canal past Kazan Cathedral to Bank Bridge and Sennaya, and finish at the Mariinsky Theatre and New Holland. Add the stops to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and walks.

1. [Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/church-of-the-savior-on-spilled-blood) — YesGo score 75/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · 700 ₽, under 7 free
2. [Griboyedov Canal](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/griboyedov-canal) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free
3. [Kazan Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/kazan-cathedral) — YesGo score 72/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free
4. [Mariinsky Theatre](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/mariinsky-theatre) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Price depends on the show
5. [New Holland Island](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/new-holland) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free

## Good to know

There is no metro station called Griboyedov Canal — locals use the name for Nevsky Prospekt station’s canal-side exit. In 19th-century books, including Dostoevsky, the canal appears under its old name, the Catherine (Yekaterininsky) Canal.

## Tips

- In 30 minutes: Spilled Blood → Italian Bridge → Kazansky Bridge on Nevsky → Bank Bridge.
- In 1.5 hours: keep going past Sennaya to Lion Bridge and the seven-bridges spot at St Nicholas, then it’s 5 minutes to the [Mariinsky Theatre](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/mariinsky-theatre).
- Want it quiet? Turn south off Nevsky — beyond Bank Bridge the crowds thin out fast.
- Head back by metro from Sennaya Ploshchad or Sadovaya.
- The churches keep different hours: Spilled Blood closes on Wednesdays, Kazan Cathedral opens daily.
- Don’t push coins into the griffins’ mouths on Bank Bridge — it damages the sculptures.

## Questions

### Is the Griboyedov Canal worth visiting?

Yes. It’s free, open 24/7 and gives you the city’s most famous view of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. Thirty minutes from the church to Bank Bridge is enough.

### How long is the Griboyedov Canal?

About 5 km, from the Moika near the Field of Mars to the Fontanka. The section most visitors walk, Spilled Blood to Bank Bridge, is about 1 km.

### What metro station is closest to the Griboyedov Canal?

Nevsky Prospekt (Line 2) — its second entrance opens onto the canal embankment. Gostiny Dvor (Line 3) is the same interchange. For the southern end, use Sennaya Ploshchad, Spasskaya or Sadovaya.

### Why is it called the Griboyedov Canal?

It was renamed in 1923 after Alexander Griboyedov, the playwright of Woe from Wit and a diplomat. Before that it was the Catherine Canal.

### Can you take a boat tour on the Griboyedov Canal?

Yes, during the navigation season, usually May to October. Boats board by Kazansky Bridge on Nevsky; most trips last 1–1.5 hours.

### Where is the best view of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood?

From Kazansky Bridge on Nevsky Prospekt, looking up the canal, or from the middle of the Italian Bridge for a closer shot.

### What is Bank Bridge?

A narrow footbridge from 1826 with four gilded winged lions, usually called griffins, by sculptor Pavel Sokolov. It’s five minutes south of Nevsky.

### Where is the seven-bridges viewpoint?

At Pikalov Bridge, where the Griboyedov meets the Kryukov Canal next to St Nicholas Naval Cathedral. Seven bridges are visible from one spot.

### How many bridges cross the Griboyedov Canal?

Twenty-one, from Theatre Bridge by Spilled Blood to Malo-Kalinkin Bridge at the Fontanka.

## How we checked

Sources disagree on the length: Russian Wikipedia says 5.1 km, English Wikipedia 5 km in the text and 4.8 km in the infobox — so we say “about 5 km”. Both agree on 21 bridges. Lists of the “seven bridges” seen from Pikalov Bridge differ between guides, so we don’t name them. Russian Wikipedia notes the Bank Bridge figures are technically winged lions, though everyone calls them griffins. Nevsky Prospekt’s canal-side entrance was working according to July 2026 news but is sometimes closed, so that row is marked “verifying”. There is no official fare for canal boats and operators announce the season each year, so we give no prices. Walking times are our estimate from the map.

## Sources

- English and Russian Wikipedia: Griboyedov Canal; Wikidata Q1137992
- Russian Wikipedia: Bank Bridge, Lion Bridge, Kazansky Bridge and Pikalov Bridge articles
- English and Russian Wikipedia: Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
- UNESCO World Heritage List: Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments, No. 540, 1990
- Delovoy Peterburg and Fontanka.ru news on the Nevsky Prospekt metro entrance on the canal, 29.07.2026
- Visa and Mastercard statements on suspending operations in Russia, March 2022

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