5. Здание Двенадцати Здание Двенадцати Коллегий (Санкт-Петербургский Государственный Университет/The Twelve Collegia Building (The Saint-Petersburg State University), 1721-1742

Authors: architects — D. Trezzini and M. Zemtsov (1721 - 1742), G. Trezzini (since 1734), A. Shchedrin (1834 - 1838)Address: Universitetskaya naberezhnaya, 7 In 1711 Peter I established the supreme legislative body - the Senate. In 1718 Collegia (the central authority) submitted to the Senate were established. The Collegia replaced the prikaz - the authorities that had existed in Moscow Rus^’ in 16^th – 17^th cent. The Collegia dealt with different tasks: one was responsible for the Army and the Fleet, the other for trade, etc. At first there were 9 Collegia but then the number increased to 12 (in 18^lh century the collegia were replaced with the ministries). Such famous politicians of Petrine epoch as A. Menshikov, G. Golovkin, F. Apraksin, Ya. Dolgorukiy headed the Collegia. All important cases were discussed at the Collegia that first were situated in the clay-walled building.Peter I announced the competition for the best design of the Twelve Collegia Building, but no architect could suggest a suitable variant, so the Emperor commissioned D. Trezzini with the erection of the building. D. Trezzini was responsible for the first floor, the upper floors were built to the design by T. Schwertfeger. The work was completed by G. Zemtsov and G. Trezzini in 1742.The Twelve Collegia Building was constructed according to a plan that suggested the formation of the capital's civic centre on the Vasilyevskiy Island (The origin of this name comes from the name of the Island's owner the Novgorod head Vasiliy Selezrn'). An elongated building (about 400 m long), consisted of 12 three-storey sections equal in size and architectural design, each having a separate entrance. The grandiose building had one huge roof and a corridor 400 m long. The facades of the sections were decorated with a figured finish casing, and the attic was ornamented with modeling¹⁹ (According lo the city legend Peter I ordered his close associate A. Menshikov to supervise the construction of the Twelve Collegia Building having added that the territory left after the erection of the edifice could be used by A. Menshikov as the plot for building his residence. Being quick in the uptake A. Menshikov changed the design of the Twelve Collegia Building having turned the facade of the building from the Neva and thus having taken more land for his own residence. When the Emperor found out what his favourite had done he punished him with his cudgel).The design was very symbolic: on the one hand each Collegium was independent, on the other all the 12 Collegia were closely connected to one another when dealing with national tasks. The idea was to have the building's lengthy eastern facade give shape to the state ground on the Spit of the Vasilyevskiy Island. A two-story gallery was added to the west side along the building's full length by G. Trezzini; the ornamental interior decoration was executed in 1736 by the Rossi Brothers (stoneworkers and sculptors), С. van Boles (cabinetmaker), and G. Musikiysky (painter). The Building was used not only for housing the state bodies but also for trade. On the first floor there were different shops forming a single unit called gostinv dvor.At that time there were no permanent bridges over the Neva, and because of a bad weather the Twelve Collegia Building was often cut off the land, and soon some of the state bodies were removed to the left bank of the Neva. In 1804 the Pedagogical Institute was established, and part of the Building was assigned to it. In 1819 the University was founded and the building was given to a new educational establishment. In 1835 the Twelve Collegia Building came under the control of the Saint- Petersburg University and was partially rebuilt (1834 - 1838, architect A. Shchedrin). The open arcade of the central facade was glazed, the front staircase and a white-columned assembly hall were constructed in the building.Nowadays a visitor can admire only some elements of the original interior decoration preserved in the Petrine Hall: the sculpture, the decorated ceiling, the painting on the upper parts of the walls and two corner fireplaces ornamented with the sculpture decoration.Since 1830s the Twelve Collegia Building has been accommodating the University - the entrance examination body and some faculties that can boast a long history connected with the famous scientists that once worked there: D. Mendeleyev, I. Pavlov, A. Popov, 1. Sechenov; A. Block and N. Chernyshevskiy were the University graduates.