Thomas de Thomon J., Sukhanov S.

Rostral columns are an integral part of the ensemble of the Vasilevsky Island Spit. They were built according to the project of the architect Thomas de Thomon simultaneously with the Stock Exchange building in 1805-1810.

On the trunks of the columns, metal images of the rostra - the bows of the ships - are fixed. Hence their name, since the sailors called the bow of the ship the Latin word "rostrum", which translates as "beak". Such a metal-studded "beak" was used during naval battles to ram the enemy. Subsequently, back in ancient Rome, triumphal columns were decorated with rostra in honor of naval victories.

When working on architectural ensemble arrows Thomas de Thomon created several different options her image. The scale and decoration of the Rostral Columns varied from project to project. In search best solution the Russian architect A. D. Zakharov helped the Frenchman. He advised: " Rostral columns or beacons cannot be built according to a confirmed scale, because the stairs in them will be so cramped that even a person will not be able to climb them, and their walls will be thin and fragile; but if you want to build them, then by all means you need to do on a larger scale". [Quoted in: 3, pp. 22, 23]

To create the sculptural decoration of the Rostral Columns, the "Commission for the construction of an exchange building and the laying of stone on the Neva bank" turned to the Academy of Arts. Her council decided to entrust this order to the sculptors V.I. Demut-Malinovsky, S.S. Pimenov, A.S. Anisimov, I.A. Kashchenkov, I.I. Vorotilovau, I.I. Terebenev, P.P. , M.P. Aleksandrov and I.M. Moiseev. However, the Commission considered their asking price too high. The order was put up for auction. There were people who wanted to do the job for less money. According to the financial reports of the Commission, the authors of the allegorical figures at the Rostral Columns were I. Kamberlen and J. Thibaut. The production of anchors and rostra was carried out by blacksmiths Shapov, Vasiliev and Korolkov.

The brickwork of the Rostral Columns and the stonework were carried out by the artel of master S.K. Sukhanov.

Four figures at the foot of the Rostral Columns are carved from Pudost stone. Thomas de Thomon was originally supposed to place cast iron sculptures here, but for such hard work no performers found. In 1809, it was decided to create stone sculptures, which was done in 1809-1813. The figures are considered to be allegories of Russian rivers: the Volga and Dnieper near the northern Rostral column, the Volkhov and Neva near the southern one. However, two of the statues lack the attributes of rivers (vessels with flowing water), which makes it possible to argue about the actual interpretation of the sculptures. The figure of the Dnieper is made by the master from Antwerp Kamberlen. The remaining three - the Frenchman F. Thibaut.

It is believed that the original Rostral Columns, 32 meters high, served as beacons for ships going to the once nearby trading port. Resin was poured into a bowl at the top and set on fire. Some historians question this. After all, lighthouses are usually placed on the coast of the sea, ocean. By the river - very rare. And even more so, the need for lighthouses in the center is not obvious big city. Perhaps the Rostral Columns, as now, have always been only triumphal columns, and their torch burned only on holidays.

The ornaments of the Rostral Columns were significantly damaged during the Great Patriotic War. They were pierced by fragments of bombs and shells and completely rusted. In 1947-1948 they were replaced by duplicates made of patinated copper sheets. Then, among other things, the quadrangular platforms on which the bowls-lamps rest were replaced. The restoration of the sculptural groups at the Rostral Columns was led by the sculptor I. V. Krestovsky.

In 1957, gas was brought to the burners of the Rostral columns.

A rostral column is a free-standing column, which is decorated with the prows of ships (or rostra), or their sculptural images. The custom to use the rostra of enemy ships as elements of ceremonial structures has been known since the time of Ancient Rome. Again, it was revived in the era of the dominance of the Empire style. The most famous in Russia are the rostral columns located on the spit of Vasilyevsky Island in St. Petersburg.

In the 30s. 18th century. Petersburg port was moved to eastern part Vasilyevsky island. Then Birzhevaya Square appeared there. Its ensemble, decorating the spit of Vasilievsky Island, acquired its current form only at the beginning of the 19th century. According to the project of Thomas de Thomon, the building of the Stock Exchange was built here in 1804-1810, which was solemnly opened in 1816. According to the project of the architect J.F. Thomas de Thomon, the ensemble of the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island also included two rostral columns that act as lighthouses. For a long time and carefully, the architect worked on adjusting the proportions of these columns.

Columns appeared here in 1810. Since everything appearance Since the city port had to have the theme of Russia's naval victories, then any structures were erected like ancient buildings. Thus, the Stock Exchange building resembles an ancient temple, and the rostral columns recreate the forms of the triumphal structures of antiquity.

One of the columns served as a beacon for the vessels of the Malaya Neva, and the other column indicated the way to the Bolshaya Neva. Lighthouses served until 1885, they were lit in the fog and at night.

Rostral columns have a height of 32m and are made of Pudozh stone. Inside each column is a spiral staircase. On the upper platform of each of them there is a metal tripod-brazier, which is designed to light signal lights. At first, hemp oil was burned on braziers, but splashes of hot oil fell down and fell on the heads of passing people. In 1896 lighthouses were installed electric lamps, but this method was rejected after a while due to the high cost of electricity. In the 50s. 20th century on the rostral columns ah, powerful burners were installed and gas was supplied to the braziers. In 1957, when St. Petersburg belatedly celebrated its 250th anniversary, for the first time, seven-meter-high fiery torches shot up over the rostral columns. In modern times, bright orange torches flare on rostral columns in holidays and days of solemn events in the city on the Neva.

The main decoration of the Rostral columns are the rostra. The largest pair of rostra is located at the bottom of the column. It is fortified in such a way that one bow of the ship turns to the Exchange, and the other to the river. The rostra is decorated with the figure of a river deity - a naiad. Another pair of rostra is perpendicular to the first one, it is decorated with the image of the head of a crocodile, seahorses and fish. The third pair of rostra is adorned with the head of a merman, and the fourth - with images of seahorses. At the foot of each of the columns there are sculptural images of allegorical figures symbolizing the four main rivers of Russia: the Volga, the Dnieper, the Neva and the Volkhov. Initially, the sculptures were made of tinplate, and during the restoration work in 1946-1947. they were minted from sheet copper.

The allegorical statues were made according to models made by the French sculptors I. Cumberlain and J. Thibaut, with whom Thomas de Thomon was well acquainted. Thomas de Thomon originally suggested that the statues depicting the rivers would be cast iron, but then this idea had to be abandoned.

The triumphal lighthouse columns were created with the participation of the famous stonemason Sukhanov S.K., who came from poor Vologda peasants with famous St. Petersburg architects, but then died in obscurity.

Monumental structures of rostral columns were given great value. This is evidenced by the fact that all the work on their design and construction was controlled by the Council of the Academy of Arts, headed by Zakharov A.D. Everything was discussed, from artistic value columns to their practical purpose.

The rostral columns, which have an expressive silhouette, proportions, color and monumental volume, are clearly visible from afar against the sky and are a kind of symbol of the city on the Neva.

When:
Erected in 1810

By whom:
French architect Jean Thomas de Thomon

Interestingly:
the sculptural elements located at the foot of the Rostral Columns were designed by the architect J.F. Thomas de Thomon. The sculptures symbolize four rivers - the Dnieper, Volga, Neva and Volkhov.

Where:
spit of Vasilevsky Island (metro station "Vasileostrovskaya").

Far beyond the borders of Russia, it is known about the maritime glory of our legendary city. Many monuments of naval victories, triumphal columns, lighthouses adorn the coast of the Neva and Gulf of Finland.

A bit of history

Among the characters sea ​​power and the relics of the country, one of the first places belongs to the Rostral columns. Traditionally, the columns represent sea ​​power powers and their trunks must necessarily decorate the bows of the defeated ships (rostra) or their images. In 1810, according to the project of Thomas de Thomon, two 32-meter columns were erected in our city, which organically fit into the historical ensemble of the Strelka on Vasilyevsky Island. In order to give splendor and solemnity to the semicircular square, it was decided to install the columns in two directions. The base of the column is decorated with male and female figures symbolically depicting rivers. The structure is made of pudost stone, a popular local stone. building material, which was used in the construction of royal palaces. The stone was mined in a primitive way. It was easy to process and remained durable in any vagaries of northern weather.

The beacon is on

According to the project, the construction was to serve as port beacons for ships, so the columns inside are equipped with spiral staircases leading to the upper platforms. There are tripods-braziers for lighting signal fires. The braziers were lit with hemp oil, later with electricity, but now they are equipped with gas burners, the torches of which burn over the columns. Nowadays, symbolic signal lights on lighthouses are lit on days of special celebrations and holidays. The allegorical statues of the base of the columns shine with a special light, the pointed symbols of the sea power majestically aspire upward.

triumphal building

The sculptural ensemble on Vasilyevsky Island effectively complements the look of Birzhevaya Square. Ordinary port lighthouses are made in the form of antique triumphal structures, they voiced the theme of Russia's naval triumphs. Rosters of the columns are stylized, hollow inside and made of light metal, but this does not detract from their symbolic and allegorical significance.

Meet the triumph firsthand

The monumental strict silhouettes of the Rostral Columns on Vasilyevsky Island are best seen with your own eyes. To do this, you need to get to the Gostiny Dvor or Nevsky Prospekt metro station and, focusing on the Admiralty, cross the Palace Bridge to Vasilyevsky Island. From the same metro stations you can take bus number 7 or trolleybuses number 10, 7, 1. From the metro station "Sportivnaya" you can also get to the stop "Birzhevaya Ploshchad" by trolleybus number 7. The columns represent the historical and legendary heritage of the city. Every day this place is visited by thousands of citizens and guests of the city - sightseers, tourists, businessmen. They are attracted by the uniqueness of the exposition, the uniqueness and significance of the symbolic structure.

Address: St. Petersburg, Spit of Vasilievsky Island

How to get from the metro: from the Nevsky Prospekt metro station by bus No. 7 or trolleybus No. 10, 11 towards the Neva, get off at the first stop after the Palace Bridge, 15 minutes
From the metro station "Admiralteiskaya" - to Nevsky Prospekt, then to the left across the Palace Bridge. 10 minutes walk

Today, this fact is perceived with some difficulty, but it is worth recalling that the majestic ensemble of the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island is primarily a port. Yes, there are no cranes, docks and other port attributes familiar to us, but it is here, under the windows of the Winter Palace, that merchant and passenger ships have been arriving for more than 150 years. And all grandiose buildings, which together make up the Strelka ensemble, have a purely utilitarian purpose: Exchange, warehouses (the Zoological Museum and the Museum of Soil Science are now located there), customs (Pushkin House). Even the famous granite ramp descending to the water was arranged for quick and convenient unloading of goods. And of course, it is difficult to imagine a port without lighthouses, which the architect Thomas de Thomon stylized as Rostral columns.

For the first time, such columns appeared in Ancient Rome. They served as a symbol of naval triumph and were decorated with rostra (bow decorations) of enemy ships. The appearance of the Rostral columns in St. Petersburg emphasized the greatness of the Russian fleet of that time and maritime glory countries (later, rostral columns were installed in other cities of Russia from Tomsk to Vladivostok). This was especially true after the extremely unsuccessful for the Russians naval forces, Anglo-Russian war 1808.

The builder of the column was the French architect Thomas de Thomon, but apart from him, as we would say today, a large team of craftsmen participated in the project.

Initially, Thomas de Thomon sketched several options for the columns. They differed in scale and decoration. The well-known Russian sculptor Andrey Zakharov was very critical of one of these options: “Rostral columns or lighthouses cannot be built according to the confirmed scale, because the stairs in them will be so cramped that a person will not be able to climb them, and the walls they will be thin and fragile; but if you want to build them, then you must certainly make them on a larger scale ... "

In its final form, the trunk of each tower was decorated with overlaid anchors and four pairs of metal rostra. The height of the columns reached 32 meters. To the upper platforms, where the tripods for signal lights are located, there were spiral staircases located inside.

At the foot of the columns there are sitting monumental statues: two male and female figures each, personifying the four Russian rivers - the Dnieper, Volga, Neva, and Volkhov (at the southern column - "Volkhov" and "Neva", at the northern - "Dnepr" and "Volga "). The figure of the Dnieper was made by the architect from Antwerp I. Kamberlen. The remaining three - the Frenchman F. Thibault. By the way, the generally accepted "river" interpretation of these images appeared relatively recently. Thomas de Thomon himself wrote that "the base of each column is decorated with huge figures that symbolize the deities of the sea and commerce."

Initially, Thomas de Thomon intended to cast all the sculptures in bronze or cast iron, but due to the complexity of the work, this idea had to be abandoned. A calcareous tufa was chosen from the village of Pudost (near Gatchina), also known as Pudost stone. In its fresh, only mined form, the stone has a beautiful bright yellow color. Due to its porous structure, it was easy to process, for which it gained a special favor among sculptors. However, a pudost stone, alas, is incapable of resisting the St. Petersburg climate and polluted air. Today, the sculptures on the Rostral Columns have already lost their original color.

The columns themselves were made of bricks by S.K. Sukhanov. Anchors and Rosters were made by blacksmiths Vasiliev, Shapov and Korolkov.

Until now, there are disputes among historians and local historians whether the Rostral columns were used as beacons, or from the very beginning they had only a decorative purpose. But the fire at the top of the columns could always be lit. Initially, hemp oil was burned in the braziers, but in 1896 the columns were electrified. After the Revolution, lighthouses on columns for a long time did not function until in 1957, on the 250th anniversary of the city, gas was brought to the columns. Since then, on holidays and solemn days, seven-meter flames flare up on the tops of the Rostral columns.

Jean Francois Thomas de Thomon

There are discrepancies about the place and date of birth of this French architect. Some say that he was born in 1759 in Nancy, other sources say that Jean-Francois de Thomon was born in 1760 in Bern.

Thomas de Thomon graduated from the Paris Academy of Architecture, and how best student qualified for an internship in Italy. Then, the young architect was taken to the court of the Count d'Artois as a draftsman and architect, but the Great French revolution abruptly changed his fate.

Fleeing from the horrors of liberalism, Thomon decided to flee to a normal feudal country, and after several years of wandering around Poland and Hungary came to Russia.
Initially, the Frenchman worked for Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Golitsin.

The main creation of Tom de Thomon in Russia, of course, is the ensemble of the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, but the French architect also built other objects. He rebuilt the interiors of the Winter Palace, erected a new imperial residence on stone island, worked in Pavlovsk, Odessa and Tsarskoye Selo.

The life of the master ended tragically. On January 1, 1811, Thomas de Thomon examined the building of the Bolshoi Theater, which was damaged after the fire, fell off the scaffolding and seriously crashed. He could no longer recover from his injuries, and on August 23, 1813, Thomas de Thomon died. Initially, the architect was buried at the Smolensk cemetery, but in 1940, his ashes were transferred to the Masters of Arts Necropolis in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

In 1928, the first major restoration of the Rostral columns was carried out. Sculptor I.V. Krestovsky wrote: “Sculptures at the time of their restorations, carried out after October revolution, turned out to be painted with oil paint, and not once, but several, and each time with a new color<...>All the sculptures made of Pudozh limestone were ugly plastered with plaster, cement or plaster, not only in places of breakage, but also in completely intact places. During the restoration of the stone figures of the Rostral Columns, a cartload of two or three extraneous cement, gypsum and plaster coatings was removed from each of the figures.

During the Patriotic War, the Rostral Columns were badly damaged by bombs and shrapnel. This entailed new restoration work in 1948-1949. Last time the creation of Tom de Thomon was restored in 1998-1999.

Of course, there were funny moments in the history of the Rostral Columns. In the 1990s, one of the episodes of the legendary film "White Nights of St. Petersburg" was filmed on them. And in 2011, the Rostral Columns became the object of an invasion by fans of extreme entertainment. On June 7, 2011, roofing enthusiasts climbed the southern Rostral Column. And two months later, on August 23, an unknown person entered one of the rostral columns, where he lit a gas torch. None of these incidents resulted in any casualties or destruction.

He made a breakthrough in the architecture of Europe. He turned into a square body of water, thus closing the main St. Petersburg triangle, the apex of which was Peter-Pavel's Fortress, Winter Palace, rostral columns and stock exchange.

Start of development

Peter the Great, fearing an attack from the sea, early XVIII century ordered to lay sea ​​port for merchant ships on Vasilyevsky Island, and not on the coast of the Gulf of Finland. The royal decree was executed in 1710. However, by the end of the century it became obvious that the port needed to be expanded.

The rounded outlines of the cape of Vasilyevsky Island, the largest in the Neva delta, are called "arrows". AT early XIX for centuries there was nothing but a flood wasteland. In the place where the Exchange building is located today, there was a swamp, and in the place of the current rostral columns, the waters of the Neva splashed at all.

Thinking about trade

When the architect de Thomon started building the island, he raised the bank and pushed it forward by more than 100 meters. Thus, the entire architectural composition was completed. However, the French architect pursued not only an aesthetic goal.

His main concern was the construction of a convenient port on Vasilyevsky Island. For this reason, this entire territory was built up with purely functional buildings: warehouses where goods were stored, customs, Gostiny Dvor, and the Stock Exchange.

In the first third 19th century the arrival of foreign ships in the port was a real event. On the embankment, where the rostral columns towered, gathered great amount metropolitan residents who considered overseas goods. Vasilyevsky Island was the place where all trading operations were carried out, until in 1885 the port moved to Gutuevsky Island.

History of creation

During the work, the arrow was raised by adding soil to avoid flooding by the Neva waters. In addition, the river was “pushed back” by about 100 meters.

According to the project of de Thomon, lighthouse columns were included. The French architect carefully and for a long time worked on the perfection of their proportions. Rostral columns in St. Petersburg on Vasilyevsky Island were installed in 1810. One of them showed the way to the Bolshaya Neva, while the other served as a beacon for ships sailing along the Malaya Neva.

Everything related to rostral columns, construction and design work controlled by the Council of the Academy of Arts, headed by the famous architect Zakharov. Everything was discussed: both the practical purpose and the artistic appearance, which testified to the importance of these structures.

According to the original design of de Thomon, the lighthouse columns were small and located closer to the Stock Exchange building. This shortcoming was rightly pointed out to him by the architect Zakharov. Later, changes were made to the project, the lighthouses gained their current height and were installed further from the Stock Exchange.

Powerful columns with an expressive silhouette and clear proportions stood out well against the background of the northern sky and were visible from a distant perspective. Lighthouses were lit in foggy weather and at night, for this purpose they were used until 1885.

Why are the columns rostral?

Also in ancient times elements of enemy ships were used as parts of parade structures. Rostrum was the name given to the forward part of the prow of a ship. From Latin it is translated as "beak". It was used as a battering ram during an attack on an enemy ship.

Initially, the rostra was used to decorate the speaker's tribune, which was installed in the ancient Roman forum. Then they began to decorate the triumphal columns with which it was customary to celebrate naval victories. They were decorated with the noses of captured enemy ships.

Similarly, the rostral columns in St. Petersburg served as an allegory for the triumph of Russian maritime navigation, they symbolized the power of the country as a trading and military power.

general description

When creating lighthouses, de Thomon used pillars of the Doric order, the appearance of which is determined by restraint, rigor and lack of a base. Rostral columns in St. Petersburg are made of stone and reach a height of 32 meters. Inside them there is a spiral staircase, on the upper platform there is a metal tripod holding the bowl of the lamp, as was done in ancient altars.

Burning wicks of lamps served as beacons. Initially, these were tar torches, then they tried to burn hemp oil in the braziers, but hot splashes rained down on the heads of passers-by. connected to lamps in 1896, but this lighting method was also rejected due to high consumption. Finally, in 1957, powerful gas burners were installed in the lamp bowls.

Since then, on holidays, bright orange 7-meter torches are lit on the rostral columns in St. Petersburg. On ordinary days, these are just symbols known to the whole world. northern capital.

decorative design

At the foot of the columns are monumental sculptures. Seated two female and two male figures symbolize 4 rivers: Volkhov, Dnieper, Volga and Neva. The statues were modeled by Jacques Thibault and Joseph Cumberlain, French sculptors well known to the architect de Thomon. He originally wanted the statues to be cast in bronze. However, no one wanted to take on such a complex project.

As a result, they were made of Pudost stone - soft and pliable during processing, but with one drawback: it is very easily destroyed. Ultimately, this became the dignity of the sculptures. Although some of their parts crumble from time to time, but this is precisely what gives them a certain antiquity.

Samson Sukhanov, the legendary stonemason, took part in the creation of the triumphant lighthouse columns. He carved out of stone the figures sitting at the base of the columns. At that time, Sukhanov collaborated with the very capitals, but then went bankrupt and died in complete obscurity.

The columns are also decorated with rosters in memory of how Peter the Great came out to Baltic Sea waged war with Sweden for 20 years. At the bottom is the first pair, fortified in such a way that one ship's prow is facing the Birzha, and the other is facing the Neva. These rostra are decorated with figures of winged mermaids. Perpendicular to the first is the second pair, it is decorated with seahorses, a crocodile's head and fish. The third pair is decorated with the head of a merman, and the fourth, the top one, with images of seahorses.

Summarizing

Several interesting facts are connected with the lighthouse columns:

• Branson Deco, who visited Leningrad in 1931, captured them on color slides.

• The image of rostral columns in St. Petersburg can be seen today on a 50-ruble bill.
• The last reconstruction of the lighthouses was carried out in 1999.
• In the 1990s, an episode of the film "White Nights of St. Petersburg" was filmed here.

The panorama of Vasilyevsky Island with its invariable brick-colored lighthouses is often found on postcards of the Northern Capital. This is quite natural, since the history of the rostral columns is inseparable from the history of St. Petersburg.