33. Ростральные Колонны – часть архитектурного ансамбля стрелки Васильевского острова/The Rostral Columns – as part of the Spit of the Vasilyevskiy Island Ensemble, 1805-1810

Authors: architect – Th. De Thomon (1805 – 1810), sculptures made By the craftsman S.K.SukhanovAddress: Strelka Vasilyevskogo ostrovaRostrum - a Latin word that means a heak, is used to indicate a prow of a ship. In ancient Rome there was a tradition to celebrate sea victories by putting columns decorated with ihc rostrums of enemies* ships.

The Rostral Columns designed by Th. de Thomon were placed on the Spit of the Vasilyevskiy Island in 1810 and were intended to stress the dominant role of [he Exchange in ihe life of Saint-Petersburg's port. One of the Columns served as a beacon for ships on the Malaya Neva, the other showed way to the Bol'shaya Neva. The lighthouses were kindled at night and in a foggy weather and served up 10 1K85.

Two monumental columns of the Doric order (32 m high) were set up on the very edge of the embankment as it slopes down to the Neva. The bases of the columns are made of grey granite, the columns themselves arc pieces of blocks of Pudosi stone and are ornamented with ships" prows. Giant figures (two masculine figures and two female ones) at the bases of the columns symbolize four great Russian rivers: the Volga, the Dnieper, ihe Neva and the Volkhov, designed by French sculptors I. Camberlaine and J. Tibo. and carved out of stone by S. Sukhanov. Originally Th. dc Thomon planned to make them of cast iron.

The columns arc decorated with the rostrums. The lower pair (ornamented with ihe figure of a river deity) is the largest one: one rostrum faces the Neva and the other - the Slock Exchange. The second pair is placed perpendicularly to the first one and is adorned with the head of a crocodile, seahorses and fish. The third pair is ornamented with the head of a water-sprite, while the forth one is decorated with seahorses. The construction of the Rostral Columns was supervised by the Academy of Arts and a famous architect A. Zakharov.

Inside every column there was a spiral stairs thai lead to a cup-like burner resting on a metallic tripod placed on the very top of the column. The Rostral Columns became a very popular place of a meeting, especially in winter when the townspeople came to the Spit to skate. Since 1957 the burners arc lit with gas on festive days.

34. Нарвские Триумфальные Ворота – памятник победы русских войск в Отечественной войне 1812 года/The Narva Triumphal Arch – the monument to the glorious victory of the Russian Army in the Russo-French War of 1812, 1814

Authors: architects - G. Quarenghi (1814), V.P. Stasov (1827 - 1834), sculptors – P.K.Klodt, S.S.Pimenov, V.I. Demuth-^;Malinovskiy, N.A.- Tokarev, :M.G.Krylov, I. Leppe (1827-1834)

Address: ploshchad’ stachekThe Narva Triumphal Arch was constructed by G. Quurenghi in 1814 to commemorate the victory in the Russo-French War and was intended for a ceremonial welcome of the Guards Regiments returning from Paris in the summer of 1814. The Narva Triumphal Arch was built of wood and was decorated with plaster sculptures by I. Terebenev. In 20 years the Arch decayed.Thc Emperor ordered to creel a new Arch on ihe bank of the Tarakanovka River, to the south of the former Arch. On 26 August 1K27 at the anniversary of the Borodino Battle ihc foundation stone was laid. Since 1N27 up to 1X34 V. Stasov together with sculptors P. Klodl. S. Pimenov. V. Demulh-MaHnovskiy and others had been working under a stone variant of the Arch. At first V. Siasov planned to build ihe Arch of brick planked with brass plates. Soon the copper was covered with corrosion, and the brass plates were replaced with ihc iron ones. As a result the corrosion only increased, and a new restoration work was undertaken in 1925. The reconstruction was not completed because of the Second World War when the Narva Triumphal Arch suffered from an artillery bombardment and bombing. After the War ihe Arch was restored three times: in 1949 - 1951, 1979 -1980 and 2002-2003.Erecting the Arch V. Siasov followed G. Quarcnghi's design amplifying ii with some new expressive details. The Narva Triumphal Arch is 30 m high and 28 m wide; the arch itself is S m wide and 15 m high. The Arch is ornamented with the Corinthian columns and crowned with a winged goddess ,\'ike in the triumphal chariot, with a palm branch and a laurel wreath in her hands, the symbols of peace and glory (to the design by S. Pimenov, V. Dcmuth-Malinovskiy). The chariot is harnessed with six bronze horses made by P.K. Klodl. On low pedestals in the niches between the columns there are four figures of warriors in ancient Russian armour holding laurel wreaths (S. Pimenov and V. Demuih-Malinovskiy). On the cornice there are eight figures of the genii of Glory. Peace and Victory with spears, wreaths, palm branches and trumpets designed by M. Krylov and N. Tokarev. In tympans there are flying figures of ihe winged Glories by 1. Lcppe. In ihe centre of the attic there is an inscription in gilt letters: To the victorious Russian Imperial Army. The grateful Fatherland on 17 August 1X34, On the eastern facade there is a list of the main battles fought by the Guards regiments: Borodino. Tarulino, M. Yaroslaveis, Krasnoye: on ihc v\ estem wing one can see a list of the settlements the Russian Army passed by on ihe way from Moscow lo Paris: Kulm. Leipzig. F. Shampenoise, Paris. The inscriptions above the warriors contain ihc names of ihc regiments of the Russian Army that had taken part in the battles: ihe Dragunskiy. the Ciusarskiy, the Ulaiiskiy, the Kazaehiy. the Kavalergardskiy. the Konny, the Kirasirskiy, the Liiovskiy. ihe Grenaderskiy, the Pavlovskiy, the Finlyandskiy. the Morskoy crew, ihe Prcobrazhcnskiy. the Semyonovskiy. the l/maylovskiy, the Ycgerskiy and ihe artillery subdivision.Inside the Narva Triumphal Arch there are three stories and the basement that is used lor keeping ihc cit\ archive. In 1987 the exhibition of the Museum of the City Sculpture that contained the materials on the history of the Patriotic War of 1812 and the history of the Narva Triumphal Arch construction was opened.