# Anthem of Saint Petersburg

The Anthem of Saint Petersburg (Russian: Гимн Санкт-Петербурга, romanized: Gimn Sankt-Peterburga) is the municipal anthem of the Russian federal city of Saint Petersburg since 2003. The music was composed in 1949 by Reinhold Glière, and the lyrics were written by poet Oleg Chuprov [ru] in 2002.
The anthem was fully recognized on May 13, 2002, when the initial version approved by the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg on April 23, edited and then signed into law by the Governor of Saint Petersburg.

## Lyrics

| Russian (Cyrillic) | Romanization | English translation |
| Державный град, возвышайся над Невою, Как дивный храм, ты сердцам открыт! Сияй в веках красотой живою, Дыханье твое Медный всадник хранит. Несокрушим - ты смог в года лихие Преодолеть все бури и ветра! С морской душой, Бессмертен, как Россия, Плыви, фрегат, под парусом Петра! Санкт-Петербург, оставайся вечно молод! Грядущий день озарен тобой. Так расцветай, наш прекрасный город! Высокая честь - жить единой судьбой! | Derzhavnyy grad, vozvyshaysya nad Nevoyu, Kak divnyy khram, ty serdtsam otkryt! Siyay v vekakh krasotoy zhivoyu, Dykhanʹye tvoye Mednyy vsadnik khranit.   Nesokrushim, ty smog v goda likhiye Preodoletʹ vse buri i vetra! S morskoy dushoy, Bessmerten kak Rossiya, Plyvi, fregat, pod parusom Petra!   Sankt-Pyetyerburg, ostavaysya vechno molod! Gryadushchiy denʹ ozaren toboy. Tak rastsvetay, nash prekrasnyy gorod! Vysokaya chestʹ — zhitʹ yedinoy sudʹboy! | Sovereign city, tower over the Neva, Like a wondrous temple, you are open to hearts! Shine with living beauty for centuries, The Bronze Horseman keeps your breath. Indestructible, you could in turbulent years Overcome all storms and winds! With a soul of the sea, Immortal like Russia, Sail, frigate, under the sail of Peter! Saint Petersburg, stay forever young! The day to come is illuminated by you. So blossom, our beloved city! It is a high honor to live a common destiny! |

## History

* In honor of the 250th anniversary of Saint Petersburg, Russian bard Alexander Gorodnitsky wrote an anthem along music by Soviet composer Reinhold Glière from the ballet Bronze Horseman, which was based on a poem by Alexander Pushkin.
* Until 2003 the anthem was reportedly performed at official events without lyrics.
* In 2002 the Legislative Assembly launched a competition for the lyrics of the new city anthem. On October 24, 2002, the jury (made out of Honorary Citizens of Saint Petersburg – Zhores Alferov, Alisa Freindlich, Kirill Lavrov and others), declared Oleg Chuprov the winner.
* In December the winning proposal was approved by a Administration committee, and a law on approving the anthem passed in the city legislature on April 23, 2003. The governor of the city signed the law on May 13, 2003.
* The anthem is currently regulated by Paragraph 6, Clause 4 of the Charter of Saint Petersburg.

## Authors of the anthem

* Lyrics – Oleg Chuprov
* Music – "Anthem to a Great City" from the ballet Bronze Horseman by Reinhold Glière, edited by Grigoriy Korchmar

## Unofficial city anthems

Other, unofficial city anthems reportedly include:
* Evening Song («Вечерняя песня») – lyrics by Alexander Churkin, music by Vasily Solovyov-Sedoi;
* Atlases («Атланты») – composed by Alexander Gorodnitsky in 1963;
* Then Live, My City, Live («Так живи, мой град, живи») – composed by Vladislav Irkhin in 2002;
* Saint Petersburg – the Proud White Bird («Санкт-Петербург — гордая белая птица») – composed by Oleg Kvashi as the official anthem of the 300rd anniversary of Saint Petersburg;
* Saint Petersburg («Санкт-Петербург») – composed by Timur Ibragimov in 2003 with lyrics by Eva Kondrashyova