Pulkovo Airport — St. Petersburg, Russia

Named for the nearby Pulkovo Observatory, a nineteenth-century astronomical institution once renowned across Europe for the precision of its instruments and star catalogs, LED serves St. Petersburg, Russia's cultural and former imperial capital on the Gulf of Finland. The airport occupies ground associated with fierce fighting during the World War II siege of Leningrad, when Pulkovo Heights formed part of the city's southern defensive line for nearly 900 days. A striking modern terminal, opened in the early 2010s and designed by the British firm Grimshaw Architects, replaced Soviet-era facilities and dramatically increased capacity for both domestic Russian routes and international connections. St. Petersburg's palaces, canals, and museums, including the Hermitage, draw millions of visitors annually, and LED functions as their primary point of arrival by air. The airport also serves as a base for Rossiya Airlines, handling substantial cargo alongside its passenger traffic.