( CNN ) -- Several thousand of the world 's most powerful people are in St. Petersburg this month for the city 's annual International Economic Forum . The only problem ? While we at CNN Travel would be the last to deny that macroeconomics can be a thrilling subject for discussion , there also happens to be a bulbous onion-shaped dome 's worth of once-in-a-lifetime type touristic distractions in Russia 's spectacular `` Paris of the East . '' St. Petersburg showcases a vivid history from czarist Russia , through Communism ( it was long called `` Leningrad '' ) to the present day . Established in 1703 by Czar Peter the Great , Russia 's second-largest city lives up to its reputation as the country 's cultural capital , with astounding palaces , churches and museums . Scroll through the gallery for highlights -- if you can keep your mind off neoclassical theory , that is . Tourist information : www.saint-petersburg.com .
International Economic Forum attendees will have plenty of distractions in `` Paris of the East '' Massive dome of St. Isaac 's Cathedral is made of 100 kilos of gold . Church on Spilled Blood was built on spot where Czar Alexander II was fatally wounded in 1881 .