Rostral Columns

10. Rostral Columns

Arch. J.-F. Thomas de Thomon (1805-1816), Birzhevaya ploshchad

Early in the history of St. Petersburg the Strelka (spit) of Vasilevsky Island, the largest island of the Neva delta, was intended to become the heart of downtown St Petersburg. Some of the buildings, such as the Customs House, still remain from that time, although downtown shifted onto the left bank of the river. In the early 19th century one of St. Petersburg's most elegant architectural ensembles appeared on the eastern edge of the island. The imposing white colonnaded building of the Stock Exchange was its focal point, and was flanked by two Rostral Columns. The Stock Exchange, designed by the French architect Thomas de Tomon and built in 1805-10, was inspired by Ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The two Rostral Columns, studded with ships' prows, served as oil-fired navigation beacons in 1800s (on some public holidays gas torches are still lit today).

The excursion termination № 2, the bus 259 to the underground the Neva avenue.

Walking tour № 3. The excursion beginning M. Nevskiy Prospekt

37. The Duma Tower

Arch. D.Ferrari (1799-1804), Nevskiy prospekt, 33

The City Duma building was the center of local government 1786-1918.

The Duma Tower seen on the left, was built 1799-1804 as a watchtower for fires. Ironically the tower was severely damaged by fire itself in 1998, but has since been restored.

The adjacent building on the left of the tower is the Municipal Assembly or Duma itself with its numerous offices and the Grand Assembly Hall. The original 18th century building was redesigned in the neo Renaissance style by Nikolai Efimov and rebuilt between 1847 and 1852. Some additional reconstruction work was also done in 1913. Low fourth floor level was added in 1914.

33. The Zinger Company Building (House of Books)

Arch. P. Suzor (1902-1904), Nevskiy prospekt, 62

Singer building in St. Petersburg is a historical and architectural heritage building and owned by the federal government. Seven-storey building, built in modern style (1902-1904) for «Singer» manufacturing company, occupies about 7000 square meters. Management of «Singer» corporation wanted to build a skyscraper, similar to the «Singer» building in New York City, but it was not allowed to build houses more than 22 m tall in the center of St. Petersburg. The architect constructed a tower with a globe made of glass on the top that made an impression of a «Skyscraper», but didn't block the view on other important buildings of the city center.

Arch. С Rossi, art. V. Demut-Malinovskiy, S.Pimenov (1819- 1825)

Inzhenernaya ulitsa, 4

14. The State Russian Museum (Mikhaylovskiy Palace)

All the buildings surrounding this square accommodate museums or theaters of some kind. To orient yourself, stand facing the front of the sculpture to Pushkin. On your left stands the yellow Maly Opera and Ballet Theater, named after the Russian composer Musorgsky. Designed by Alexander Bryullov, it opened in 1833. The internationally renowned dance company performs to the music of the world's most beloved ballets during the regular season.

If you look ahead, you will see the Russian Museum. While the world-famous Hermitage houses Russia's greatest collection of international art, this gallery retains solely the great works of the country's own painters and sculptors. These were collected by the czars over the centuries of their rule. The architect Carlo Rossi originally designed the building for the brother of Czar Nicholas I, the Grand Duke Mikhail, and completed it in 1825. It opened as a museum in 1898 as the czar's gift to the Russian public.

The street onto which the museum fronts is known as Engineer's Street. Head east on it until you reach Sadovaya Street. You'll know you're there when you spot the tracks for the city trams which run its length. Turn left and head down Sadovaya. You'll soon come upon a park situated to your left. Continue along. Opposite the gated entry to the park lies the Mikhailovsky (Engineers') Castle, painted orange. Cross the street and make your way onto the castle grounds.

36. Monument of A. Pushkin

Art. M.Anikushin (1957)

17. The Russian Ethnographical Museum-lngenernaya ulitsa, 4/1

The Russian Museum of Ethnography is one of the largest and famous museums in the world. Its collection contains above half a million objects and creates a broad picture of traditional life and culture of more than 150 peoples of Russia from the 18th-20th centuries.

The Museum was founded as the Ethnographic Department of the Russian Museum in 1895. In 1934 it became an independent scientific and cultural institution - the State Museum of Ethnography of the peoples of Russia, and since 1991 it carries the title the Russian Museum of Ethnography

40. The Monument to Peter I

Arch. F. Volkov, A. Mikhaylov, art. K.-B. Rastrclli, I. Terebenev, V. Demut-Malinovskiy (1745-1747)

In 1716, emperor Peter the Great commissioned the Italian sculptor Carlo Bartolomeo Rastrelli, father of his favorite architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, to design an equestrian statue in commemoration of the Russian victories over Sweden in the Great Northern War. Rastrelli worked for eight years with a model of the monument before it was approved by the emperor in 1724. But as the emperor died the following year, work halted and the sculpture's casting was only completed after the sculptor's death, by 1747,only to remain in a local warehouse,and not to be erected until 53 years later. In the meantime, Catherine the Great had ordered another monument in memory of her predecessor Peter the Great - the Bronze Horseman, the most famous statue of Peter the Great in St Petersburg. At the base of the Bronze Horseman, Catherine even linked her name with Peter the Great, an expression of Catherine's attitude toward her predecessor and her view of her own place in the line of great Russian rulers. Catherine, who, having gained her position through a palace coup, had no legal claim to the throne, was anxious to appear as Peter's rightful heir.

Only in 1800, during the reign of emperor Paul I, was the Monument to Peter I finally erected. It was placed on a pedestal faced with green, red and white-shaded Finnish marble that is decorated with bas-reliefs depicting scenes of two Russian victories over Sweden during the Great Northern War, the Battle of Poltava and the Battle of Hangö, and also an allegorical composition with trophies. The Russian victories at Poltava and near Hangö, Finland helped Russia become the dominant power in the north of the continent. Peter the Great led his troops to both victories.

By order of emperor Paul I, the inscription "To Great Grandfather from Great Grandson" (Прадеду - правнук) was made on the pedestal, a subtle but obvious mockery of the Latin "Petro Primo Catherina Secunda", the pompous dedication by Catherine the Great on the Bronze Horseman.

During the World War II, the equestrian statue of Peter I was removed from its pedestal and sheltered from the 900-day German siege of the city. In 1945, the statue was restored and returned to its pedestal.

41. (16.) Mikhaylovskiy Castle (Engineer's Castle)

(The Branch of The State Russian Museum)

Arch. V. Bazhenov, V. Brenna (1797-1808)

MIKHAILOVSKY CASTLE (ENGINEERS' CASTLE)

This building was designed by the Russian architect Vasily Bazhenov and was used as the personal residence of Czar Paul I. The original layout reflected his great fear of being assassinated (see thumbnail sketch on page 8). In Paul's day, water surrounded the building on all four sides. Drawbridges offered access during the day, but they were raised at night to prevent entrance by would-be murderers. Twenty bronze cannon looked out onto the city from within the palace grounds to defend the czar.

Alas! His paranoia proved to be well-founded, but his preventive steps failed to measure up to the task. After living here only forty days, Paul was strangled as part of a court intrigue involving his son, the future Alexander I.

Paul's murder occurred in March 1801. The castle remained vacant after his death for nearly twenty years. In 1819, a school for military engineers opened here. Reportedly, young cadets occasionally saw the ghost of Paul prowling the corridors of the castle.

The cadets numbered among their ranks the young Feodor Dostoevsky. The future writer studied literature, history, drawing, and architecture here. Long into the night, he would remain awake reading in his second floor room, which looked out onto the Fontanka River. A year after his graduation in 1844, Dostoevsky left the engineers to concentrate on writing.

Before you move on, you may wish to walk around to the southern facade of the castle to see the first monument erected in the city to the memory of Peter the Great. Paul I ordered its construction. Sculpted by Carlo Rastrelli, the father of the architect who designed the Winter Palace, it bears the following inscription: "To Grandfather — from Grandson."

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