slothis · English

Dostoevsky's Footsteps in St. Petersburg

2016-10-06 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

I was excited to go to the St. Petersburg City Day festival at night, but I was at a loss for what to do during the day while the sun was up. At times like this, I should just eat first.

Chocolate bread wrapped in plastic, pizza bread wrapped in cling film, and a bottle of water.
Round bread drizzled with chocolate and white syrup, with a water bottle behind it.
One surprisingly delicious thing in St. Petersburg is the bread. I was a bit worried about endocrine disruptors since they microwaved it right in the plastic bag, but I forgot all about that after one bite. I bought pizza bread, super sweet chocolate bread, and water for 135 RUB. That's about 2,500 KRW.

While eating the bread and regretting not trying it sooner, I wondered where to go next, and Dostoevsky came to mind. He is a world-renowned author that St. Petersburg is proud of, with most of his works set right here in the city. I heard he maximized realism by using actual street names and buildings near where he lived for Crime and Punishment. My interest in him had really grown after chatting about Dostoevsky with Seung-jun (an older friend) while riding the Trans-Siberian Railway from Irkutsk to Moscow. Plus, my guidebook had a dedicated section neatly organizing Dostoevsky-related buildings, so I decided to immerse myself in Crime and Punishment for the afternoon.

A giant statue of a woman supported by several human figure sculptures.
Catherine II and her boyfriends on the way. She was an empress known for having many male lovers. The men's expressions look like they're saying, "Are you a boyfriend too!!!" which is pretty funny.
A giant statue erected in the center of a wide square, with a round flower bed in front of it.
A single fully bloomed pink tulip with a cluster of blooming tulips behind it.
A long flower bed of pink tulips planted along the lawn in front of a building.
You absolutely have to visit Russia in the summer.
A mint-colored classical building with an ornately decorated entrance and arched windows.
A May 2016 performance schedule in a wooden frame hanging on a green wall.
A gold plaque written in Russian hanging on a wall.
This building, which looks similar to the Winter Palace, is the Bolshoi Drama School. It has a long name, "Tovstonogov Russian State Academic Bolshoi Drama Theater," but I just want to call it the Bolshoi Drama School for short.
Many people walking around a wide square with a large building visible in the background.
Sennaya Square

I arrived at the area where Sennaya Square—the main stage of Crime and Punishment—and the houses of the pawnbroker old woman, Sonya, and the protagonist Raskolnikov are gathered. Looking at the map as I arrived, Sennaya Square already looked completely different from how it was described in the book. The chaotic, market-like vibe was similar, but the surrounding area had developed so much that it overshadowed the square itself. Feeling a bit disappointed, I headed toward where the houses were and came across Kokushkin Bridge.

An antique multi-story building standing next to a canal with people walking along the street.
A green iron bridge crossing over a canal and surrounding buildings.
Kokushkin Bridge, described as K Bridge in the book

I crossed the bridge as slowly as possible to feel Raskolnikov's changing heart with each crossing. Just as the guidebook said, the bridge in winter probably looks much more like the setting of Crime and Punishment. Strangely, crossing Kokushkin in the summer just makes you feel more relaxed and makes you want to sit down.

The exterior of a multi-story building with yellow outer walls.
A black sign written in Russian saying Griboyedov Canal attached to a yellow wall.
Sonya's house

Walking a bit further, I found Sonya's house at number 73. There were no signs or guides pointing to Sonya's house at all. Plus, the building looked more like a modern office building than an old house.

A gray stone plaque on a building wall stating that Dostoevsky lived there.
Stone plaque at Dostoevsky's house
The exterior of a multi-story building with pink outer walls on a street in St. Petersburg.
The apartment where Dostoevsky wrote (though I don't think it looks exactly as it did back then)
The overall view of a yellow multi-story building situated on a street corner.
A relief of Dostoevsky and a Russian plaque installed on the exterior wall of a building.
A black relief sculpture depicting a man standing on stairs.
Raskolnikov's house. There is a relief of Raskolnikov and an inscription that reads: 'Raskolnikov's house. The tragic fates of the people who lived in this house in Petersburg formed the foundation for Dostoevsky's preaching of goodness to all mankind.' Referenced from Easy Russia

Contrary to my expectations, Dostoevsky's house only had a small monument. Plus, it was being used as a private residence, so I couldn't even go inside. I had expected it to be used as a museum, but I was completely wrong. However, Raskolnikov's house had a relief and a stone plaque, making it a popular photo spot for people like me who were following Dostoevsky's footsteps with just a camera in hand.

A Russian plaque on a building wall marking the water level on November 7, 1824.
The corner of a multi-story building with beige outer walls and a shop on the first floor.
An address sign for 104 Griboyedov Canal attached to the exterior wall of a building.
The last stop was the very place where the murder happened: the pawnbroker old woman's house. I expected the street to be brutal and the building to look terrifying, but since everything has been redeveloped, there was no such feeling at all. Now, there is no pawnshop, just a 24-hour supermarket.

Because everything had been redeveloped, I couldn't quite get the feeling I had while reading the book. Still, I was satisfied to be able to share, even just a little, the breath of the great author who agonized over how humans should live right here in this place.

Expenses

Total Expenses: 645 RUB, 20 EUR

Total Travel Expenses: 525,936 KRW + 46,558 RUB + 312.26 USD + 40 EUR