The Spit of Vasilyevsky Island is one of the most beautiful architectural ensembles in St. Petersburg. It is the eastern tip of Vasilievsky Island, from which two embankments diverge - Universitetskaya and Makarova. From here you have a beautiful view of the Neva, the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Winter Palace, the Admiralty and the Trinity Bridge. It was created under Peter I, according to the design of the architect D. Trezzini, and was planned as a business and cultural center of the city.
There are magnificent architectural works here: the building of the Kunstkamera, the Academy of Arts, the Customs House (now the Literary Museum of the Pushkin House), the Twelve Collegiums, and now the main building of St. Petersburg University.
The dominant architectural ensemble of the Spit of Vasilievsky Island is the Exchange building, built in 1810 in the best traditions of classicism, designed by architect J.F. Thomas de Thomon. On both sides there are symmetrical warehouse buildings, one of which houses the Zoological Museum, the other the Central Museum of Soil Science. V.V. Dokuchaeva. The Exchange itself belongs to the State Hermitage Museum. Her image can be seen on the 50 ruble banknote.
In front of the Exchange building there are two Rostral columns, which in the 19th century served as lanterns. Their author was also the French architect J.F. Tom de Thomon. The columns, decorated with rostras of ships, personify the power and greatness of the state's navy. At their base there are four allegorical figures, according to one version, symbolizing the deities of the sea and commerce, according to another - the great rivers of Russia: the Volga, Dnieper, Neva and Volkhov. Currently, the Rostral columns are lit during state and city celebrations.
On the spit of Vasilievsky Island you can visit such museums as:
— Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography named after. Peter the Great (Kunstkamera)
- Zoo museum
— Literary Museum of the Pushkin House
— Central Museum of Soil Science named after. V.V. Dokuchaeva
The Spit of Vasilievsky Island is one of the main venues for mass celebrations, holidays and events, during which a stage is set up near the Exchange building, and the Spit itself is decorated in accordance with the event. Strelka is a favorite place for walks and photographs, both for city guests, newlyweds and local residents.
The nearest metro stations: “Vasileostrovskaya”, “Gorkovskaya”, “Admiralteyskaya”.
Why is the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island important:
- This is the most beautiful place in the city, from where you can see the maximum number of attractions.
Why is it called this:
here the Neva branches into two channels, turning the eastern tip of Vasilyevsky Island into an arrow-shaped cape.
Interesting Facts: For a century and a half, the main St. Petersburg port was located on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island. All the buildings here are in one way or another connected with the needs of the port. True, in the 19th century, English skippers swore: it was faster to get from London to Kronstadt than from Kronstadt to the port of St. Petersburg. The complex fairway of the Neva no longer corresponded to the displacement of sea vessels. Therefore, the port was moved to the Gulf of Finland, where it remains to this day.
Main attractions:
- ancient lighthouses decorated with rostras - sculptural images of ship bows.
-an empty building that has become hostage to the politics of the last decade.
State Hermitage Museum
- the largest museum in Russia and the fourth largest museum in the world. The Hermitage complex consists of 5 connected buildings, 4 of which are visible from the embankment. This:
- - the main residence of the Russian emperors.
- - it was this building that gave the name “Hermitage” to the museum complex.
- - here, in addition to other masterpieces of painting, are the only paintings in Russia by Leonardo da Vinci.
- - private theater of Catherine the Great.
- here, among numerous stuffed animals, Stirlitz loved to meet with his agents.
- “Chamber of Curiosities”, the first museum in Russia.
Spit of Vasilyevsky Island- cape in the eastern part of the island, washed by the river. Bolshaya Neva and Malaya Neva. At the end of the 16th century. on this territory there was a small village; in 1703 there was an artillery battery of Vasily Korchmin, an associate of Peter I. In the 1700s. on the N.E. o...
ARROW- 1) a narrow alluvial strip of land, a long spit of sand, shell rock, gravel, protruding towards the sea (for example, the Arabat Spit in the Crimea). 2) A piece of land, usually in the form of a sharp wedge between two merging rivers, or the end of an island at … … Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Islands- Islands. A significant part of Leningrad is located on the islands of the Neva delta. The city center is located on Admiralteysky Island. Islands close to each other form groups: islands of the Petrograd side (Petrogradsky Island, Aptekarsky Island, ... ... Encyclopedic reference book "St. Petersburg"
Islands- A significant part of Leningrad is located on the Neva delta. The city center is located on Admiralteysky Island. Islands close to each other form groups: islands on the Petrograd side (Petrogradsky Island, Aptekarsky Island, Petrovsky ... ... St. Petersburg (encyclopedia)
arrow- And; pl. genus. lok, dat. lkam; and. 1. Decrease to Arrow (1 2 digits). 2. A thin and narrow plate rotating on an axis with a pointed end, serving as an indicator of something. in various measuring instruments. Hour, minute, second. S. compass,... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
Petersburg Islands
St. Petersburg Islands- There is no clarity about how many islands there actually are in St. Petersburg. As of 2002, there are 33 islands with an official name. In addition, in the Gulf of Finland there is the so-called Kronstadt Archipelago ... Wikipedia
ARROW- 1. A cape or part of a territory that looks like an acute angle between 2 merging rivers. 2. Part of the island (for example, in Leningrad, the upper part of Vasilyevsky Island and the lower part of Kamenny Island), which has the appearance of an acute angle in plan. 3. Long narrow... ... Geological encyclopedia
ARROW- ARROW, and, female. 1. see arrow. 2. A thin and narrow plate rotating on an axis, serving as a pointer in various measuring instruments, watches. S. compass. Minute s. 3. A sign in the form of a line, two short ones extend from the end to the swarm at an acute angle... ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary
Arrow- Arrow: Arrow symbol "→". Arrow pointer, for example in a clock (clock hand), in dial gauges. Strelka is a dog cosmonaut who successfully returned from an orbital flight. The arrow is at the confluence of two or ... Wikipedia
Tell me, what could be more beautiful for a traveler than a wonderful summer day in a stunningly beautiful city?
I remember how, during my stay in Cyprus, one of our native acquaintances, showing some ruined piece of antiquity, repeated with a solemn smile: “This is nice!” (i.e. “That’s cute”!).
We looked at the fragments of the mosaic, the remains of the columns and nodded our heads in understanding. And then I thought that in St. Petersburg we have incomparably more similar and much more grandiose “Nices”! But do we look at them with the same unfeigned love and talk about them with the same delight as our dark friend? I would like you to have a meeting with one of the stunning places in our city on the Neva - the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island.
This is not just “nice”! And, as I think, that Cypriot would put it – “super nice”. I myself adore this place and will try to convey to you a piece of my admiration for it.
Story
Peter I was very fond of Vasilyevsky Island and prescribed its future role as a cultural, commercial and business center of St. Petersburg.
origin of name
How did this magnificent “nice” that I want to tell you about get its name?
If you look at the map, this is the Neva (2) has a division into the Greater (3) and Malaya (4) . Its embankments separate from here - Universitetskaya and Makarova (named after the famous scientist and naval commander). This is the name "Strelka" (1) and determines the location of the bifurcation of the Neva.
First transformations
This sector of Vasilyevsky Island is located on a hill. Immediately after the conquest of these lands from the Swedes, saw mills appeared here, where wooden blanks were produced for the construction of the Admiralty Shipyard.
I note that in 1707 Vasilyevsky Island was promised by Sovereign Peter to his comrade-in-arms, Prince Menshikov, but already in 1714 he returned to the city (Menshikov only received the estate).
And Strelka was divided into plots for the estates of those close to the imperial court, among whom were the Great’s sister Natalya, Tsarina Praskovya Fedorovna, the Stroganov princes and other “historical figures”... Soon, by 1716, palaces and mansions of some of them appeared here.
But all of them were erected without a specific unifying plan for the construction. The most representative were the houses of Stroganov and Demidov. Tsar Peter’s approval of the first project for the development of Vasilyevsky Island took place in January 1716. It belonged to Domenic Trezzini.
The architect Leblon, who came to Russia from France, made his own adjustments in 1717, but they did not satisfy the emperor. The case was again transferred to Trezzini. The approval of the final project took place in April 1722.
Previously, in 1718, a building was founded on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island.
After the Sovereign approved the Trezzini plan, the construction of the Mytny and Gostiny courtyards, as well as the building of the Twelve Colleges, began.
I know that this architect also intended to erect a cathedral on Strelka. But somehow it so happened that a suitable sketch for the temple was not found. As a result, the cathedral never appeared here. The installation of the monument to the founder of the city, Peter the Great, who created Rastrelli, also “didn’t work out.” Today it is located near the Mikhailovsky (Engineers) Castle.
After the sea trade port was transferred to Strelka in the 20s of the 18th century, in its northern part there appeared: a wooden building of the Exchange, Customs (today - the Museum of Russian Literature - Pushkin House).
Ships dock here, and on the square there is a lively trade in foreign wonders, including even rare animals - parrots, monkeys, reptiles.
Among the luxury items here it was possible, according to the writer N.I. Novikov, to purchase “French swords of various types, lace snuff boxes, fringes, cuffs, ribbons, and all sorts of haberdashery items; Dutch feathers in bundles, pins and other fashionable goods; and from St. Petersburg they were already loading hemp, iron, lard, candles, linens, etc. onto those ships.” Also, several buildings were allocated for port needs on Strelka.
After the fire that occurred in the Kunstkamera in the middle of the 18th century, a new small pavilion was built opposite the building of the Twelve Colleges for the recreated famous Gottorp Globe. Since 1753, the square formed on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island has been called Kollezhskaya on city plans.
New stages of transformation
The next development project for the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island was partially implemented by the architect Quarenghi. A young building of the Academy of Sciences appeared near the Kunstkamera.
By the end of the 18th century, the still insufficiently organized appearance of the area did not fit into the overall landscaped panorama of the capital. To eliminate this shortcoming, a joint architectural project by the Frenchman Thomas de Tolly and the Russian architect A.D. Zakharov was approved.
In addition, the “Commission for the construction of the exchange building and lining the banks of the Neva with stone” was formed. By 1810, this organization was modernizing Cape Strelki. Its newly artificially formed oval-shaped protrusion served as the main port pier. Rostral columns were installed on the sides of the resulting square - symbols of the maritime glory of St. Petersburg. The new Exchange building became the architectural center of Strelka.
To the west of it was Kollezhskaya Square, to the east - Birzhevaya. Here the Strelka was lined with granite with slopes to the Neva, decorated with large balls of stone resting on pedestals.
I read that their creator, stonemason Samson Sukhanov, did not use any measuring devices other than his eye.
Since by the middle of the 19th century ships with deep draft were no longer able to navigate the Neva, the port was moved to Gutuevsky Island in 1885.
Arrow at the dawn of the 20th century
Gostiny Dvor fell into disrepair and was dismantled. Now in the Petrovskaya Aquatoria Museum we can only see its model (you can find out more about the exhibition).
During the same period, Kollezhskaya Square also disappeared. It was replaced by the building of the Clinical Institute. A garden is being organized on Cape Strelki (sketch by I.P. Wiese). The sculptural compositions were performed by D. I. Jensen. And the fence and benches were made at the F.C. San Galli enterprise. A significant event also took place in 1916, when the left bank of the Neva was intertwined with the Strelka by the solid Palace Bridge.
In the pre-revolutionary years of the 20th century, Strelka saw and heard a lot of different propaganda and speeches. In April 1917, Stalin spoke in front of the Exchange (there was even a memorial plaque on it in honor of “this fragment from the life of the father of nations”).
Spit of Vasilievsky Island under the USSR
The Soviet period began for the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island with ... festivities and theatrical performances. The famous production of “Towards a World Commune” took place here on July 19, 1920. 4,000 actors and extras took part in it. At the same time, the central hall of the Exchange was allocated for dressing rooms and costume rooms. Other performances were “from the same opera.” For example, “The Mystery of Liberated Labor.”
After a wave of entertainment events on Strelka, a vegetable garden was developed. He helped the townspeople a lot in times of famine. But in 1924, this innovation, as well as the square, were destroyed by flooding. The modern small park on Strelka appeared already in 1926.
Powerful granite pedestals with chains now acted as a fence. After another 10 years, the cobblestone pavement on Birzhevaya Square was replaced with asphalt. During the same period, in 1937, Birzhevaya Square was renamed Pushkinskaya (to mark the 100th anniversary of the poet’s death and due to the immediate proximity of the Pushkin House).
I note that during the blockade of the city during the Great Patriotic War, several anti-aircraft batteries were located on Strelka: on the cape and at the Rostral Columns, which were heavily damaged by enemy shelling.
The modern appearance of Strelka was formed in 1960, when a brother identical to the Palace Bridge, Birzhevoy Bridge, was thrown across the Neva.
The original name of the square (Birzhevaya instead of Pushkinskaya) nevertheless returned in 1989.
Our days
I would like to list for you those “surprising” and “interesting” things that you can visit and simply inspect while walking in this area of St. Petersburg today.
Good traditions
I want to tell you about the interesting traditions that have developed around this wonderful place:
How to get to the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island
You can get here from several metro stations, which I mainly use myself. I really don’t like traffic jams and waiting for ground transport in bad weather in the wind. Therefore, I will offer various routes, and it’s up to you to choose:
Finally
So I told you about one of the “nice” of our city, or rather, about its precious gem. And we have them - it’s not like there’s enough for one magic necklace, but there’s a whole fabulous treasury!
So come and choose what you like best.
It is such unique places as the Spit of Vasilievsky Island that culturally enrich us and delight us with the diversity of their treasures. And so, truly, we take pride in our country and its heritage, which today people all over the world admire - our “supernays”.
It is from the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island that perhaps the most beautiful St. Petersburg panorama will open before you.
Just don’t forget about your umbrella, our weather is very capricious.
Spit of Vasilyevsky Island.
General information and attractions
One of the most inspiring and recognizable places in the Northern capital, where architecture and landscape harmoniously complement each other, is the Spit of Vasilievsky Island. This is the name of the eastern cape, which, cutting into the river, divides it into two branches: the Bolshaya and Malaya Neva. Vasilyevsky Island itself became a place of concentration of culture and science: institutions, museums, architectural masterpieces, and the cape facing the sunrise became its majestic facade.
Spit of Vasilyevsky Island (top view).
Vasilievsky Island began to be actively developed during the reign of Emperor Peter I. At first, workers and artisans settled here, windmills and sawmills were installed. Then, on the southern bank, they rose: the building of the Twelve Colleges, and the palace of the Dowager Empress Praskovya Fedorovna, which was later transferred to the Academy of Sciences. The Kunstkamera was built nearby. On the northern shore, Gostiny Dvor and the house of the Stroganov barons were built. The city port was also moved here in the 20s of the 18th century. Almost simultaneously, construction of the exchange and customs buildings began in the central part of the cape.
However, the construction of the exchange was delayed - the unfinished building did not decorate the city and it was dismantled. Swiss architect Thomas de Thomon took upon himself further care of the design of the cape.
The architect managed to subtly feel the austere beauty of St. Petersburg and, inspired by classical examples of Greek and Roman architecture, he set to work. By 1810, a majestic building rose above the most prominent place on the eastern cape, which some dubbed the “Russian Parthenon.”
Thomas de Thomon also supervised the arrangement of the entire architectural ensemble. According to his plan, the famous semicircular square was made. To do this, soil was poured and strengthened, extending the cape by 123 meters, and the embankment was dressed in granite. At first they planned to build a ceremonial port here, but later it was decided to build a small square with vases and benches along the paths in this place.
Spit of Vasilyevsky Island.
The scale and harmony of the architectural ensemble were given by two Rostral columns, which at that time served as massive lanterns. The opening of the exchange, planned for 1812, was postponed by the Patriotic War; it took place only in 1816. The architect did not live to see this.
Since the 30s of the 19th century, the final appearance of Strelka was formed: the southern and northern warehouses stood on both sides of the exchange building. A customs building was built next to the northern one (now the Pushkin House). The southern one is now the Zoological Museum.
Exchange Square is a great place to relax and take photographs. From here there is a breathtaking view of the widest part of the Neva, which carries its waters to the sea. The Hare Island is visible at a glance. On the right hand lies the Palace Embankment. There are two memorial signs on Birzhevaya Square: almost at the very tip of the cape - a round sign with an image and a brief description of the main attractions of the Strelka; on the opposite side is an anchor from Peter's times, installed here in the year of the 300th anniversary of the city.
Where the square ends, on both sides of it there are Rostral Columns, one of the symbols of St. Petersburg. They are decorated with rostras (Latin rostra - bow of a ship). Thus, following the ancient Roman custom, the architect Thomas de Thomon wanted to show the greatness of Russia as a maritime power. Inside each of the columns there is a spiral staircase. In the 19th century, ministers climbed it to light hemp oil in giant lamps. Now there is gas lighting installed there, which is lit on especially special occasions.
Arrow, Rostral Columns and Exchange Building.
From the Exchange Square park, a wide pedestrian crossing leads directly to the Exchange building - compositional center of the architectural ensemble. Impressive 40-meter wide staircases lead to the building from the east and west. The huge building is raised on a granite stylobate. According to the plan, this elevation was intended to protect the building from flooding. The perimeter of the Exchange Building is surrounded by an impressive colonnade. Inside the building there is a spacious hall, the floor and walls of which are lined with marble. At one time the Naval Museum was located here, now the building has been transferred to the Hermitage.
There are many museums on Vasilyevsky Island. Some of them are on Strelka itself. It is located on the University Embankment in the Kunstkamera building. It contains more than a million exhibits illustrating the formation, development and diversity of various ethnic groups on our planet. Sculptural compositions and busts of great Russian scientists are used in the interior design of the museum.
Next to the Kunstkamera stands the largest Russian museum of this type. More than 15 million representatives of the animal world are represented here, belonging to 30 thousand species: fish and amphibians, animals and reptiles, invertebrates and birds. The magnificent collection of butterflies, skeletons of extinct animals, and the mummy of a baby mammoth, found in 1977 in the Siberian permafrost layer, enjoy constant success. Many exhibitions are made in the form of dioramas, which creates the effect of presence.
On the other side of the Kunstkamera is the Central Museum of Soil Science, which bears the name of Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev, the great son of Russia, who created the doctrine of soil and developed the foundations of soil geography. The exhibition presents a collection of soil monoliths dating back to 1902. There are samples brought from different parts of the planet: from the Arctic to New Zealand.
On the Makarov embankment there is a Literary Museum, which is often called the Pushkin House. Its shelves display more than 300 thousand documents, works of art and household items that illustrate the development of Russian literature from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Separate exhibitions introduce visitors to the works of Pushkin, Derzhavin, Gogol, Zhukovsky, Turgenev, Dostoevsky...
Interactive tour of the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island
How to use the interactive tour window:
by briefly pressing the left mouse button on any of the white arrows in the tour window, you will move in the corresponding direction (left, right, forward, etc.), by pressing and holding down the left button - rotate the mouse in different directions: you can look around without moving from the spot. When you click on the black square in the upper right corner of the interactive tour window, you will be taken to full-screen viewing mode.
Another option, in our opinion more interesting: get to the Admiralteyskaya metro station, then walk through Palace Square, past the Hermitage, then cross the Palace Bridge - and you are there. There is also public transport from the Admiralteyskaya metro station to the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island.
