Gaetano Ciniselli, an Italian circus performer, founded the first brick-built circus beside the Fontanka River in St. Petersburg, Russia, in December 1877. The building has a large stage, stables and the first circus museum in the world. The Russian State Ice Circus is also called Ciniselli Circus.
Tickets can be bought online for the 2.5-hour shows. These are from 10:00 am to 08:00 pm without a break.
There are snacks, souvenirs, toy-sellers and face-painting kiosks inside to keep children busy while waiting for the show to start.
Face-painting while waiting
Children upto 4 years can watch the show for free. All acrobats show off their skills while skating under the dazzling lights and colourful laser beams.
Circus acrobats and hula hooper under dazzling lights
The breathtaking and unbelievably difficult silk rope act leaves the spectators spellbound.
Breathtaking silk rope act
The arctic is brought alive through simulated killer whales and sea lions while the temperature is lowered in the theatre for the silvery white polar bears to arrive.
Simulated killer whale
Silvery white polar bears
Can there be a circus without clowns juggling clumsily to bring on peals of laughter from the clapping children?
Clowns juggling buckets
The clowns are the most talented of all as they can do most of the tricks. They can literally make music out of everything – pots, pans and even commode lids!
Clowns making music out of pots and pans
Where can you find cats and dogs on the same stage? The circus, of course!
These dogs will melt your hearts with their precise jumps and retrieving tricks.
Dogs performing retrieving tricks
The graceful cats jump through hoops and balance on balls, making the children want to train their pets the same way.
A trained cat balances on a ball
The vibrant parrots and macaws fly around the stage and perch on props to play music and do swinging acts. These social birds are given berries as treats.
Colourful Macaws perch on props
There are many fun acts in the circus, like balloon acts by super-flexible gymnasts;
Balloon acts while skating
acrobats on unicycles balancing to foot-tapping music;
Acrobats on unicycles
rolling acts by hoopers in fluorescent body suits and
Rolling acts by gymnasts
balancing acts high up in the air while the hoop rolls, keeping the spectators riveted to their seats.
Balancing on rolling hoops
There are some moments with Snow Princesses which will remind you of your favourite movie, Frozen.
The Frozen moment
Then the most-awaited act begins. The undaunted aerialists or trapeze artists always get the maximum attention and claps.
The Flying Cranes
They fly around like elegant white cranes. They land as lightly and perfectly on the safety nets, just like birds touching down on the delicate branches of trees.
Trapeze artist landing on safety net
The splendid show of colours and multi-talented circus artists comes to an end within the circle of light.
The circle of light