The Saint Petersburg City Duma building stands on Nevsky Prospekt, with a tower that has been one of the avenue's visual markers since the early 19th century. The complex began in the late 18th century, then gained its Italianate tower and later Neo-Renaissance additions.
The observation deck, about 47 metres above the street, is the reason to seek it out. It gives a compact central view over Nevsky Prospekt, nearby churches, and the dense historic fabric around Gostiny Dvor.