ST. Petersburg tercentenary rally arrives at Palace Square

On Monday Petersburg governor Vladimir Yakovlev greeted participants in the St. Petersburg Tercentenary Rally led by Prince Michael of Kent in the Palace Square, the city's centre.

Prince Michael showed Vladimir Yakovlev the rarity cars, which made their way from Yekaterinburg (the Urals) to St. Petersburg.

Vladimir Yakovlev thanked Prince Michael of Kent for fulfilling his promise and coming to St. Petersburg's 300th anniversary celebrations. "Prince Michael of Kent and his friends are courageous people, who found strength and time to make such a long journey," Yakovlev said.

A participant in the rally, the wife of the famous watch brand owner Anna Bulgari told a RIA Novosti correspondent that they received cordial welcome in all cities. "I have never seen such hospitality before," she noted.

After congratulation speeches Prince Michael of Kent and Vladimir Yakovlev made a tour on the rarity Bentley over the Palace Square and then the governor took all participants in the rally on an excursion to the State Hermitage, one of the world's largest art and historic-cultural museums. The Hermitage is situated in the Winter Palace, the former residence of Russian tsars, which gave its name to the Palace Square.