St. Petersburg stands as Russia's magnificent former imperial capital, where one of history's greatest art mysteries began. This UNESCO World Heritage city was the starting point for Josh Gates' investigation into the missing Amber Panels - priceless Nazi-looted artwork that vanished during WWII. Visitors can walk through the same historic streets and palaces where this incredible treasure hunt story unfolded.
St. Petersburg is Russia's second-largest city, situated on the River Neva at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city covers an area of 1,439 square kilometers and had a population of approximately 5.6 million residents as of 2021, making it the fourth-most populous city in Europe. As the former imperial capital of Russia, St. Petersburg was home to the Catherine Palace, where the legendary Amber Room stood before its looting by Nazi forces during World War II. Gates traveled to this historically strategic city to begin his investigation into one of the war's most enduring mysteries: the fate of the missing Amber Panels, often called the "Eighth Wonder of the World."
St. Petersburg founded by Tsar Peter the Great as Russia's new capital
Amber Room installed in Catherine Palace outside St. Petersburg as gift from Prussia
Nazi Germany occupies the region during World War II; Amber Room panels dismantled and looted
City renamed Petrograd at the outbreak of World War I
City renamed Leningrad following Lenin's death
Original name St. Petersburg restored after Soviet collapse
Gates investigates the missing Amber Panels for Expedition Unknown
St. Petersburg served as Russia's imperial capital for more than two centuries, and the Catherine Palace in nearby Tsarskoye Selo housed one of the world's most spectacular treasures: the Amber Room. Historians estimate the original room contained approximately six tons of amber panels backed with gold leaf, a gift from King Frederick William I of Prussia to Peter the Great in 1716. The room was later installed in Catherine Palace by Peter's daughter, Empress Elizabeth, where it became known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World."
During World War II, Nazi forces occupying the region carefully dismantled the Amber Room panels in 1941 and transported them to Königsberg (modern-day Kaliningrad). The panels were displayed there until 1944, after which they vanished amid the chaos of the war's final year. Mainstream historians and art recovery experts agree the panels were either destroyed during Allied bombing raids, deliberately hidden by retreating Nazi officers, or lost in transit. Numerous theories have emerged over the decades, with searches conducted across Europe from Austrian salt mines to German bunkers, but no conclusive evidence has surfaced.
Gates' investigation in St. Petersburg provided historical grounding for understanding the magnitude of the loss and the complexity of the search. The episode explored various theories about the panels' fate while consulting with experts who have studied the case. A reconstruction of the Amber Room, completed in 2003 using new amber, now stands in Catherine Palace, offering visitors a glimpse of what was lost. The original panels remain one of World War II's most tantalizing unsolved mysteries.
The search for the Amber Room represents a broader effort to recover an estimated 600,000 artworks looted by Nazi forces during the war. While some treasures have been recovered from salt mines, tunnels, and private collections, many—including the Amber Panels—remain missing. Gates' investigation highlighted both the historical significance of these losses and the ongoing work of researchers and recovery specialists who continue the search decades later.
St. Petersburg is the world's northernmost city with more than 1 million residents
The city was known as Petrograd from 1914 to 1924, then Leningrad from 1924 to 1991
With a metropolitan population exceeding 6.4 million, St. Petersburg is the most populous city on the Baltic Sea
Despite covering only 1,439 square kilometers, St. Petersburg is the smallest federal subject of Russia by area
St. Petersburg is highly accessible to visitors, with a well-developed tourism infrastructure including international airport connections and extensive metro and bus systems. The reconstructed Amber Room at Catherine Palace in nearby Pushkin (Tsarskoye Selo) is open to tourists, though advance booking is recommended during peak season. The city itself offers numerous museums, palaces, and cultural sites related to Russia's imperial history.
St. Petersburg is itself a major metropolitan center; Moscow, Russia's capital, lies approximately 700 kilometers to the southeast.
Late May through early September offers the most pleasant weather and the famous "White Nights" phenomenon when the sun barely sets, though this is also peak tourist season. Spring (April-May) and early fall (September-October) provide fewer crowds and moderate temperatures for exploring the city's outdoor sites.
The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Best time to visit: Visit during late spring through early fall (May-September) when the weather is mild and the famous White Nights illuminate the city's golden architecture.
Travel tip: Book Catherine Palace tickets well in advance online, as the Amber Room draws massive crowds and same-day entry is often impossible during peak season.
Historical data sourced from Wikipedia