Vasilievsky Island is a historic district of Saint Petersburg, situated just across the river from the Winter Palace. Bridges connect the island with the mainland. The southern part of the island has some of the oldest buildings in the city dated from 18th century. The western part was developed much later, in the late Soviet times, and has mostly typical Soviet apartment blocks. A monument to Vasiliy, a legendary peasant after whom the island had been named, was opened in 2003.
