Архитектура Санкт-Петербурга

architecture of Saint Petersburg

The architecture of Saint Petersburg is an outstanding and unique architectural complex created in the 18th-20th centuries.On the territory of Russia, St. Petersburg became the first major modern city and the youngest capital in Europe.

Features of the city's architecture are a combination of religious and Metropolitan mindset, a variety of architectural styles, a combination of weather conditions with a Gothic freezing style. St. Petersburg is considered the best historical city in Russia because it still preserves the country's noble traditions.

Isaakievsky cathedral

St. Isaac's Cathedral is the largest Orthodox Church in the city. It is located on Issakievskaya square. Cathedral of the diocese of Saint Petersburg from 1858 to 1929. Since 1928, it has the status of a Museum. The modern building of the Cathedral is the fourth St. Petersburg Church in honor of Isaac of Dalmatia, built on the site of the Cathedral, designed by Antonio Rinaldi. The author of the project for the fourth Cathedral, which was intended to become the main Orthodox Shrine of the Empire, was the architect Auguste Montferrand. The construction was supervised by Nicholas I himself, and Karl Opperman was the Chairman of The Commission on the construction of the Cathedral.Construction of the building and work on its design continued from 1818 to 1858. St. Isaac's Cathedral is considered to be the latest building in the classicist style. More than 350 sculptures adorn the exterior of the Cathedral, the leading theme of the sculpture complex is the glorification of Jesus Christ, scenes from his earthly life and the Passion of the Lord. The creators of the monumental decoration (sculptors Vitali, Klodt, Lemer, Loganovsky) managed to achieve a harmonious unity with the scale and architectural forms of the building.

Petropavlovskaya fortress

The fortress in Saint Petersburg, located on Zayachy island, is the historical core of the city. The fortress was laid on may 16 (27), 1703, according to a joint plan of Peter I and the French engineer Lambert. The dominant architectural ensemble is the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which houses the memorial tombs of all Russian emperors. The defensive system from the West and East is closed by the Ioannovsky and Alexeyevsky ravelins. Two bridges — Ioannovsky and Kronverksky-connect Zayachy island with Petrogradsky. On October 1, 1703, the fortress was consecrated. The St. Andrew's flag was raised on the Sovereign's Bastion, and three hundred guns were mounted on the ramparts. On June 29, 1703, a small wooden Church named after the apostles Peter and Paul was laid in the center of the Peter and Paul fortress. A stone Cathedral was built on the site of this Church in 1712-1732. From 1731 to 1858, the Peter and Paul Cathedral had the status of the Cathedral Church of the capital, then it was ranked as a court Department. The Cathedral served as the tomb of the reigning house of Romanov. Russian emperors and empresses from Peter I to Nicholas II are buried there, with the exception of Peter II and John VI. The Grand Ducal tomb is connected to the Cathedral by a covered gallery. in the XVIII century, the fortress became a place of imprisonment of state criminals, in the XIX-the main political prison in Russia. During the reign of Emperor Alexander I in the early XIX century, the fortress was first opened to visitors. In the 1900s, tours of the Imperial necropolis were held in the Peter and Paul Cathedral. In 1924, the Trubetskoy Bastion prison became a Museum. In 1954, the complex of buildings of the Peter and Paul fortress was transferred to the State Museum of history of Leningrad (Saint Petersburg).

Palace square

The main square of St. Petersburg, an architectural ensemble that emerged in the second half of the XVIII — first half of the XIX century. The square is formed by historical and cultural monuments of Federal significance: the Winter Palace, the Guards corps headquarters Building, the General staff Building with the triumphal arch, and the Alexander column. As part of the historical development of the center of St. Petersburg, the square is included in the world heritage list and is a pedestrian zone.In 1819, on the instructions of the Emperor, architect K. I. Rossi developed a project of a single architectural ensemble that glorifies the victory of Russian weapons in the war of 1812. The idea of the architect was to combine the existing original interiors and new buildings into a single whole.

Along the southern border of the square, a semicircular extended facade of the General staff building was built, the length of which is 580 m (the longest facade of the building in the world). In the middle of the building is a grandiose Arch with images of flying geniuses of Glory, and a Chariot of Glory with figures of warriors and the chariot of the winged goddess of Victory – Niki, decorated with a sculptural composition. (sculptors N. Pimenov and V. Demut-Malinovsky). The height of the sculpture group is 10 meters, the height of the arch is 28 meters, and the width is 17 meters.

Bronze horseman

Monument of Peter I on the Senate square in St. Petersburg. It was opened on August 7 (18), 1782. The monument is made of bronze. The name " copper "was fixed for him thanks to the poem by A. S. Pushkin "the Copper horseman". The model of the equestrian statue of Peter was made by the sculptor Etienne Falcone in 1768-1770. The head of the statue was sculpted by a student of this sculptor, Marie Anne Collot. The snake was sculpted by Fyodor Gordeyev according to Falcone's plan. Casting of the statue was carried out under the direction of the foundry master Ekimov Vasily Petrovich and was completed in 1778.After 16 years of work, August 7, 1782 according to the old style, an equestrian statue of the young Tsar was solemnly installed on a huge pedestal. The monument was the first to be installed in the city square. Peter sits confidently on a rampant steed, covered with a bearskin. The animal represents a rebellious, ignorant people who submitted to the Emperor. The horse's hooves crushed a huge snake, symbolizing the opponents of reforms, as well as serving as an additional support structure. The figure of the king himself expresses strength, aspiration and steadfastness. On a granite block, by order of Catherine the great, a dedication is carved in two languages, Russian and Latin: "to Peter I Catherine II of the year 1782".

Peterhof

Peterhof was founded at the very beginning of the XVIII century by Emperor Peter I and became one of the most luxurious Royal residences and a symbol of Russia's conquest of the Baltic sea. Peterhof includes several Palace and Park ensembles that were formed over two centuries. Lower Park, Upper garden and English Park are ensembles that were developed in the XVIII century. It is located near the Gulf of Finland. The Central place in the composition is occupied by the Lower Park with fountains.With the Upper garden, it forms the oldest part of the ensemble. From the East, the Lower Park borders with Alexandria, which in turn continues to the South with Alexander Park.The Grand Peterhof Palace is the main building of the Lower Park and Upper garden ensemble. Originally a fairly modest Royal Palace, built in the style of "Peter's Baroque" in 1714-1725, designed by J. B. Leblon, and then by N. Michetti, was rebuilt in 1747-1752 by the architect F. B. Rastrelli for the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in the so-called Mature Baroque style. The length of the sea-facing facade is 268 m. Two one-story galleries extend from the Central building, ending on the West With the building under the coat of arms, and on the East with the Church building.

In the first days of the Nazi occupation in September 1941, the Palace was on fire, completely destroying the interiors. In 1944, when German troops were leaving Peterhof, the Central part of the Palace was blown up. After 8 years of restoration work, the exterior of the Palace was restored, and in 1964 the first halls were opened to tourists.

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