London, UK
The Soviet TV series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (1979) is one of the reasons the famous detective is loved so deeply in Russia. Looking for perfect Victorian London vibes, filmmakers scouted numerous cities, settling on Riga, Tallinn, and of course, St. Petersburg.
In St. Petersburg, several iconic spots doubled as London. For example, the Art Nouveau Gausvald Dacha on Kamenny Island became the home of Irene Adler. Other locations included the Tolstoy House courtyards and Apraksin Dvor, which convincingly portrayed London’s backstreets. A dramatic chase along the Thames was filmed near the Bolsheokhtinsky Bridge, while Vladimirsky Palace briefly stood in for a gentlemen’s club, a place where Sherlock's brother Mycroft would spend his time.
Bristol, UK
For the Soviet adventure film Treasure Island (1982), based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, St. Petersburg used its naval background to enhance its performance as Bristol. The honor of recreating the 18th-century port city fell to the Peter and Paul Fortress – the oldest landmark in the city and closely tied to its naval history. The fortress and its surroundings, including the Neva Gate and the Sovereign’s Bastion, provided the perfect setting and easily transformed into a lively port complete with quay, tavern, and bustling square.
Berlin, Germany
For Downfall (2004), a historical war drama about the final days of Adolf Hitler, St. Petersburg was turned into Berlin at the end of World War II. To recreate the gloom of Nazi Germany on the verge of defeat, the creators turned to one of the city’s spookiest landmarks, Obvodny Canal. Some scenes were shot on Shkapina Street, where soon-to-be-demolished buildings provided a backdrop for the devastated German capital. This area has since been filled with modern multi-story structures, but the somber ambience still lingers in the air.
Moscow, Russia
No doubt that St. Petersburg can easily become Russia’s capital again (at least on screen)! For filming of Heart of a Dog (1988), based on the Mikhail Bulgakov book set in Moscow, the director deliberately chose Professor Preobrazhensky’s apartment to be in St. Petersburg, on Mokhovaya St. 27-29.
The same director used this approach again while working on the TV adaptation of The Master and Margarita (2005). Although the story is set mostly in Moscow, some iconic scenes, such as Annushka spilling oil on the tram tracks, were filmed in St. Petersburg, on Troitskaya Square.
