“Do you know how much the Rostral columns on the spit of Vasilyevsky island?”
( From a conversation with my friend living in St. Petersburg)
Well, when a person has the ability to travel! It is so exciting, so informative!
But when a whole year to travel from the clinic to the clinic from the procedure in the operating room, even a respite from such routes seems to be a great celebration, akin to almost sail around the world!
So I took a trip,which is enough even my faltering strength. I suggest you join!
Now notice the phrase that formed the epigraph of my essay. Don’t think this is a stupid joke: well, who knows how many in St. Petersburg Rostral columns?! It is known to all ( except my friend). But do you know something more about them?
In 1733 Birch on Vasilevsky island of Petersburg moved the port. In the late 18th century here, almost under the Windows of the Winter Palace, already approached more than a thousand ships a year.Today it is perceived with some difficulty, but it is worth mentioning that the majestic ensemble of the spit of Vasilyevsky island is first of all port attributes. And all the Grand buildings that make up the ensemble of the Arrows have a purely utilitarian purpose: Exchange warehouses (there is now located the Zoological Museum and the Museum of soil science), custom (Pushkin house). Even the famous granite ramp leading down to the water, was arranged for quick and convenient unloading of the goods.
Figure X!X century.
In the course of work on the spit of Vasilyevsky island she was raised by adding ground to avoid the flooding waters of the Neva. In addition, the river is “pushed” around a hundred meters. In the winter time on the ice in front of the arrow has gathered thousands of people, celebrations were held, toboggan run.
Vasilievsky island today.
And of course, it’s hard to imagine the port without beacons, which the architect Thomas de Thomon stylized as the Rostral columns.
The first such column appeared in Ancient Rome. They served as a symbol of the sea the triumph and decorated with rostrums (translated from Latin – “beak”) – the nasal ornaments of the defeated enemy ships
On the spit of Vasilyevsky island they settled in 1810. One of them was a beacon for ships on the Malaya Neva, and the other showed the way to the Great Neva. Beacons were lit at night and in fog.
When working on an architectural ensemble of the Arrow Thomas de Thomon created a few different versions of her image. From project to project varied the scale and ornamentation of the Rostral columns. In finding the best solutions to the Frenchman helped the Russian architect A. D. Zakharov. He advised: “Rostral columns or lighthouses at the confirmed scope to be built can’t because of the stairs they are so close that people in add-on to climb will not be able to, and their walls are thin and fragile; if they want to build, that certainly ought to do a larger scale”.
Inside the column with a height of 32 metres – spiral staircases leading to the top platform, where are placed the tripods – brazier intended for signal lights.
First fryers tried to burn hemp oil, but the hot spray fell down on the heads of passers-by.However, in 1896 the construction brought electricity, but because of the large expense it was used very long. Only in 1957, the 250th anniversary of St. Petersburg (the anniversary of the city celebrated late), columns gasified, and powerful burners lit 7-foot torches. Now the lights of the Rostral columns are lit only in special occasions.
The initial project of decorating the columns assumed the tide of all sculptural compositions in bronze, but due to the complexity of this work, the statue had to run from Pudost limestone, which is mined in nearby quarries at the Northern capital, in the village of Pudost. This material was chosen: immediately after extraction from the quarry it is easily treatable, it can even be cut with a knife, and then quickly hardens in the open air. On a sculpture figures worked French master Thibault and Chamberlain. By the way, the conventional “riverine” interpretation of these images(Dnepr, Volga, Neva, Volkhov) appeared relatively recently. Himself Thomas de Thomon wrote that “the base of each column was decorated with huge figures that symbolize the deities of the sea and of Commerce.”
For many years the Rostral columns were in poor condition, until finally in 1997-98, they were not restored by the Hermitage. Then the statues were cleaned from soot pollution, bioporazheniyam and traces of previous work, which only contributed to the destruction of the sculptures, and the damaged areas were installed the exact copy of the lost parts, made of Pudost limestone. So the symbol of the sea grandeur of St. Petersburg was saved.
The appearance of the Rostral columns in St. Petersburg emphasized the greatness of the Russian fleet at the time and the naval glory of the country. Perhaps that is why the Rostral columns already in the twentieth century were built in other cities of the country. Here’s a look:
Tomsk
Chita. A very original design!
Vladivostok.
