Final answer:
Saint Petersburg is designed in the Baroque style, characterized by elaborate and dramatic designs with deep contrasts of light and dark.
Step-by-step explanation:
Saint Petersburg is designed in the Baroque style. Baroque architecture was characterized by elaborate and dramatic designs, with deep contrasts of light and dark. This style originated in Italy in the 1600s and spread throughout Europe, influencing art, music, and literature.
Saint Petersburg was founded by Tsar Peter the Great in 1703, during the period when Neoclassical architecture was highly influential. This style sought to emulate the classical art and architecture of ancient Rome and Greece, serving as a reaction to the previously dominant Baroque style. Influences from the Italian architect Andrea Palladio were prevalent, as well as inspirations from classical antiquity, especially following the archaeological excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Some of the most famous examples of this style within the city include The Kazan Cathedral and the General Staff Building. The emphasis of the Neoclassical style in Saint Petersburg was on symmetry, grandeur, and the use of classical orders and proportion, often incorporating large columns and pediments that create a sense of drama and order that reflects the era's taste and philosophies.