Russia · Sankt-Peterburg · Saint Petersburg
Staraya Derevnya, Saint Petersburg — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Staraya Derevnya is a district of Saint Petersburg facing Yelagin Island, an old right-bank quarter of dachas and the Datsan Gunzechoinei temple.
About Staraya Derevnya
Where to stay in Staraya Derevnya
Each area has its own feel; here's who each one suits.
Staraya Derevnya suits travellers who want the park island of Yelagin at the door rather than the museum crush of the centre. The district sits across the water from Yelagin Island and its Yelagin Palace, with the Elagin Bridges leading into the greenery and the Datsan Gunzechoinei standing among the streets. Parkland shapes the days.
If you would trade a central room for quiet dachas, riverside walks and the Annunciation Church on Primorsky prospect, this right-bank quarter gives you calm within reach of Saint Petersburg.
About Staraya Derevnya
What are the main landmarks in Staraya Derevnya?
Staraya Derevnya is defined by the palace island at its edge. Yelagin Island carries the Yelagin Palace at its heart, ringed by the Music Pavilion on Yelagin Island, the Orangerie on Yelagin Island and the Granite Pier Pavilion on Yelagin Island. Two faiths meet here.
The Datsan Gunzechoinei raises its Buddhist temple near the Annunciation Church on Primorsky prospect, while the Dacha Shishmareva, the Polovtsev Dacha and the Statzenko mansion survive from the district's dacha years.
What is the history of Staraya Derevnya?
Staraya Derevnya grew from an old village on the right bank of Saint Petersburg, the settlement its name still records. The imperial court laid out Yelagin Island as a summer retreat, the Yelagin Palace at its centre, and wealthy families raised dachas such as the Dacha Shishmareva and the Polovtsev Dacha along the shore. Then came an unusual guest.
The Datsan Gunzechoinei rose as a Buddhist temple among the streets, and the Annunciation Church and the Saint Seraphim of Sarov church served the older parishes. Gardens outlast the years.
Where is Staraya Derevnya?
Staraya Derevnya lies on the right bank of Saint Petersburg beside Yelagin Island, linked to its gardens by the 1st Elagin Bridge and the 3rd Elagin Bridge.
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Updated July 2026