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Nevsky Prospect 88-72, St. Petersburg, 191025, Russia
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Elizabeth I (in front) and Peter III (in back)
Mariinsky theater
Aurora theater entrance off Nevsky in courtyard
What is the history and the meaning of the odd looking columns at The Spit of Vasilyevsky Island.
Thanks,
Bobby Eastridge
TO Lev Nikolaievich
Thanks for your answer to my question.
I was in St.Petersburg in June of 2000. There was a tower or column there similiar to The Spit of Vasilyevsky Island column. Our guide described the tower as the tower of misery, misery tower or something like this. Do you know what it is or where I could find a picture?
Again thanks for your help. I appreciate your answer to my first question.
Regards,
Bobby Eastridge
Columns were built in 1810 by French architect Toma De Tomon. These columns are one of the symbols of our city. There are 4 statues at the bottoms of the columns. There is the opinion that these statues are the symbols of 4 Russian rivers – Volchov, Neva, Dnepr and Volga. But it’s only one of the opinions.
The architect himself wrote that these statues are the symbols of Sea God and Commerce God.
The decorations of the statues are very restrained and no one of them can prove or disprove the version that these statues are allegories of Russian rivers.
Rostral columns were built in 1810 by Russian stonemason Sukhanov who worked with the best architectors of Spb. The idea of Swiss architector Thomas de Thomon to construct them as a part of architectural ensemble of exchange building, square, and mentioned columns. (design of columns: French sculptors Thibault and Kamberlen) and Lev is absolutely right about sense and purposes of the columns, but idea of rostral columns were taken by author from the history of antique Rome(lat. rostrum-foreship );-))). 4 figures on the columns usually interpreted as allegorias of main Russian rivers: Neva, Volga, Volkhov, Dnepr.
Maybe the "Tower or Misery" was the monument to the defenders of St. Petersburg recognizing the courage and suffering of the people of Leningrad in WWII and the 900-day blockade.
http://www.cityvision2000.com/hotels_guide/pulkovskaya/area.htm
Another feature to note in Russian Orthodox churches are the many many rows of icosn.
When you look at the altar at the east end of the church, you will see 4 rows or 4 tiers of icons. The top row contains the Old Testament Prophets and at th top is the Holy Cross.
When you are inside museums it is difficult to setup a tripod, it is in the way of the people walking by and you really would need to make arrangements and pay a big fee for some special professional access. There are banned in the major museums for regular tourists.
Better to find some ways to get a sharp picture with other availalbel light techiniques like holding camera against an architectural element.
A person with a tripod really draws attention to themselves in these days of digital photography. While you are concentrating through the viewfinder a pickpocket may be concettrating on your valuables.
I find the little pocket tripods handy sometimes, especially for self-timer shots. On word of warning, don't wander far fromyour camera with the self-timer set, as you walk back to position you may find your camera no longer there!
The hotel is situated near of Isakievsky Cathedral, to the left if you leave cathedral behind you and look at Isakievskaya Square. On the wall of the hotel you can see a memorial desk that here the famous Russian poet Sergey Esenin committed suicide.
One of St. Petersburg's (Leningrad's/Petrograd's) claims to fame is that the city has never fallen into enemy hands. One of the defining events in the city's history was the Blockade of Leningrad, which lasted from September 1941 through January 1944. During this period, known as "The 900 Days" (although if you do the math, it wasn't actually quite that long), the heroic citizens of Leningrad defended their city from the invading Germans. Although not as famous as the Siege of Stalingrad (today Volgograd), the story of this blockade is incredible, and a trip to St. Petersburg would not be complete without a visit to one of the many sites memorializing this historic event.
There are two Lomonosov Monument statues.
One full body statue is at the Academy of Sciences where he taught.
This bust is on Lomonosov square along the Fontanka River a few blocks west from Nevsky Prospect.
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