Numerous travel agencies and excursion routes hundreds of tourists are brought every day to one of the most popular sights of the city - to Vasilyevsky Island, whose Arrow with Rostral columns and the Stock Exchange building we see on thousands of postcards. Regardless of the day of the week, at any time of the day, here you can meet newlyweds who celebrate the beginning of a new life in the center of their beloved city.
History reference
Since the founding of the city important part Vasilyevsky Island played in his life. The arrow (as its eastern tip is called) was originally supposed to be built up with houses according to the project of the architects. However, the plan was changed, as Peter the Great decided to make this site one of the centers of business and cultural life cities. At his behest, the architect designed a new ensemble, which included the buildings of the Kunstkamera, the Stock Exchange, and the Rostral Columns.
According to the idea of Peter the Great, the city began with a building that was supposed to become a center of trade. But since it was shallow enough, the site of the main actions was moved to Vasilyevsky Island. arrow played big role not only in business, but also in further development cities. The building of the Exchange, customs, warehouses were moved here, Gostiny Dvor was erected here.
Exchange
The Stock Exchange building flaunts at the head of everything. It is one of the business cards for which St. Petersburg is known all over the world. The Spit of Vasilevsky Island is one of the most important and beautiful sights of the city. It is pleasant to be here at any time of the year, it offers a beautiful view of Peter and Paul Fortress, and the Neva Delta.
The architectural style in which the Exchange building was built is classicism. The architect was J.F. Thomas de Thomon. The space in front of the building was divided into two squares - Kollezhskaya and Birzhevaya. After the construction of the Exchange building, according to the plan of the architects, the space in front of it was increased by 100 meters. Thus, a contrast was created between the architectural components and the space for the approach of ships was equipped. Gentle slopes, decorated with granite balls, lead to the water.
Rostral columns
Another symbol distinguishes Vasilyevsky Island. The arrow is decorated with two that were erected as beacons for ships. They were guided by their light when entering the port. The height of the columns is 32 meters. They were symbols of greatness sea power powers. Their decorations are the bows of the ships, and the figures, which are located at the foot, symbolize the great rivers - the Volga, Dnieper, Neva and Volkhov.
Currently, one of the most interesting places to visit in the city is Vasilyevsky Island. Arrow offers to visit such interesting museums like Zoological, Soil Science, Literary, Kunstkamera and Central Naval. See their exhibits and also enjoy great view invites Strelka Vasilievsky Island. The address of these museums is known to many, so do not forget to visit them.
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 located on the spit of Vasilevsky Island of St. Petersburg rostral columns.
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.
The columns appeared here in 1810. Since the whole appearance of the city port had to have a theme naval victories Russia, 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 powerful burners were installed on the rostral columns 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.
triumphal columns- lighthouses 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.
The monumental structures of the rostral columns were given great importance. 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.
The bronze sculpture of Peter I, commonly known as the "Carpenter Tsar", was a gift to St. Petersburg from the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was installed opposite the eastern pavilion of the Admiralty in 1996 for the 300th anniversary of the Russian fleet.
The gift of sculpture has a background in which it is not surprising to get confused. For the 200th anniversary of St. Petersburg, Nicholas II ordered the casting of two genre figures of Peter in bronze as a gift to the city. The author of "Peter Rescuing Fishermen near Lakhta" and "Peter the Carpenter" Leopold Bernshtam was considered the favorite master of Nikolai Alexandrovich.
These monuments were erected in 1909-1910, and a year later, Saardam, the city where the Russian Tsar mastered shipbuilding, was presented with a duplicate of the Carpenter Tsar by Nicholas II. The bronze statues in Petrograd somehow did not please the Bolsheviks and were dismantled in 1919. A hundred years after its first appearance in the city on the Neva, the Tsar-Carpenter, thanks to a Dutch copy, again took pride of place on the Admiralteyskaya embankment.
Sculpture "Dance"
In St. Petersburg, near the Stable Building on Elagin Island, a sculpture "Dance" was installed, created after a painting by Henri Matisse. The author of the sculptural work is Alexander Taratynov.
Sculpture "Elisey Kotovich St. Petersburg"
The sculpture of a charming cat is located in a place hidden from the eyes of passers-by - on the second floor of the Eliseevsky grocery store (in the House of the Eliseev Brothers trading partnership). Petersburgers called this cute animal Elisey Kotovich of St. Petersburg.
Many locals they joke that the cat ran away from the Good Dog and climbed so high. There is an interesting opinion about the monument - it is believed who created the cat, honoring the black cat of the famous Count Shuvalov - earlier, in mid-eighteenth century, on the site of the grocery store was the palace of Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov.
Dmitry Kokorinov, who worked on the project of the building, after construction discovered that in his drawings there are ridiculous mistakes. Elisey Kotovich, who lives on the second floor of the grocery store, seems to be mocking the miscalculations made by the chief architect. Of course, all these are legends that Petersburgers compose, but these stories make St. Petersburg only more interesting.
Sculpture "Neva" at the base of the Rostral Column
Rostral columns in St. Petersburg on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island were created in 1810 by the architect Thomas de Thomon as monuments to Russia's naval victories. They also served as beacons. The columns are decorated with bows of ships - rostra, as well as sculptures symbolizing the four great rivers - the Volkhov, Volga, Neva and Dnieper.
The sculpture, symbolizing the Neva, is located at the base of the southern column. It was created by the sculptor Samson Sukhanov from Pudost stone according to the model of J. Thibaut. The sculpture is a female figure seated on a throne.
In 1926-1928 and 1947-1949 the Rostral Columns were restored. During the restoration work in 1998-1999, the statues of the southern column "Neva" and "Volkhov" were revived and appeared in their original beauty.
Sculptures of gnomes in Sestroretsk
Sculptures of gnomes in Sestroretsk. Located at the address: Russia, Sestroretsk, in the park opposite the children's library on the street. Tokarev.
This composition is located at the central children's library. It was staged for the birthday of the city of Sestroretsk, a suburb of St. Petersburg.
The seven dwarfs express their love for reading and history.
The chief guardian dwarf is holding a book weighing half a ton - a travel journal of Peter I, where it is written how the first emperor of Russia visited the Sestra River.
Another dwarf sleeps sweetly on oak leaves - the symbol of Sestroretsk.
One of the dwarfs climbed up the ladder and shines a lantern over the camping book. The lantern shines at night, and is powered by a solar battery.
Also, four large benches made of natural stone were installed in the square, and the gnomes settled nearby. One, very funny, in a Viking hat, the other in a cocked hat of Peter the Great, the gnomes read the book with interest ...
All gnomes look like metal, but, in fact, they are made of strong and durable polymer concrete, painted to look like cast iron. Each is 1 m high and weighs about 200 kilograms.
Sculptors - Nikolai Ivanov, Vadim Sazonov, Timur Yusufov, Stepan Kovalenko and architectural and art workshop Masterprof
Sculpture "Have peace among yourselves"
Monument "Have peace among yourselves" is dedicated to the victims Soviet-Finnish war 1939 - 1940s. Because of the refusal to move the border north of Leningrad, in those days the USSR attacked Finland. Perhaps that is why the Finnish side did not support Zelenogorsk's proposal to jointly create a monument. Then the city authorities decided to install it only for Russian soldiers, but later abandoned this idea.
The bronze sculpture, more than three meters high and weighing 300 kilograms, represents two rifles stuck into the ground, from which trees grow, and the outlines of a cross can be traced between the branches. The cross symbolizes the reconciliation of the two nations. On holidays, candles are placed in the branches of trees.
The monument was erected in Zelenogorsk on July 31, 2004 on the initiative of the Society of Veterans of the Soviet-Finnish War. The author is a talented Armenian sculptor Arsen Avetisyan, known for his works in Russia and abroad, who lived and worked in St. Petersburg for many years.
Sculpture "Knight"Death and the Devil"
In the Alexander Park of Tsarskoye Selo, behind the White Tower, there is a mysterious and eerie sculpture "Knight, Death and the Devil", created according to the famous engraving the greatest master Northern Renaissance, German graphic artist and artist Albrecht Dürer. This engraving is one of the three Great engravings of the master, created in early XVI century. Against the background of the ruins, a complex four-figure composition looks very organic. An imperturbable knight in armor on a war horse, next to him on a bony nag - death in the crown and hourglass in hands, symbolizing the transience of earthly time. Behind is an ugly monster - the devil, a symbol of vices. The knight is accompanied by only one friend - his dog.
Sculpture "Saint Apostle Peter"
In one of the picturesque corners of the city, in the center of the Alexander Garden, a bronze figure of St. famous sculptor Mikhail Dronov. The apostle is depicted pensive, looking into the distance. With his left hand he props up his head, and in his right he holds the keys to Paradise. The height of the structure reaches about 2.5 meters, of which 0.5 meters is occupied by a granite pedestal. This place often attracts the attention of tourists, and locals believe that there is a mysterious energy here.
Speaking about the sights of St. Petersburg, it is impossible not to mention the wonderful "Mini-city". This is a unique project based on miniatures of the main architectural sights of the city, the originals of which we inherited from the great predecessors of imperial Russia. In this place, the continuity of eras reigns, here you can see and identify the most important temples of the city and determine with your own eyes how they differ from each other.
sphinxes
The sphinxes that adorn the granite descent to the Neva in front of the Academy of Arts are the most famous in St. Petersburg. The age of these statues is about three and a half thousand years. Once upon a time, these majestic sculptures, carved from syenite, adorned the entrance to the temple in Thebes, built for Pharaoh Amenhotep III.
Sphinxes were discovered in 1820 during archaeological sites, and the French government planned to acquire them. However, in 1831, by decision of Emperor Nicholas I and with the approval of the Academy of Arts, they were bought by the Russian traveler A.N. Muravyov for St. Petersburg. And already three years later, the sphinxes were transported to "permanent residence" on the University embankment.
Until 1910, the descent to the Neva next to the sphinxes was used to unload barges from building materials, then firewood was unloaded at this place. During the years of the blockade, in order to preserve the ancient statues, a special canopy was built over them. Only two years after the end of the war, the descent to the Neva was completely restored.
Nowadays Egyptian sphinxes in front of the building of the Academy of Arts became one of the unofficial symbols northern capital. And the descent to the Neva on Universitetskaya embankment is included in the list of must-see places for everyone who comes to enjoy St. Petersburg.
Sculpture "Dnepr" at the base of the Rostral Column
At the foot of the Rostral Columns sit majestic sculptures created in early XIX century, at the same time architectural ensemble Exchange Square. Four allegorical statues made of Pudozh stone (a limestone mined Leningrad region) symbolize the four great rivers: Volkhov, Neva, Volga and Dnieper. The sculptures were made according to the models of the French sculptors I. Kamberlen and J. Thibaut.
Until recently, there was almost no exact information about the authors of the sculptural decoration of the Stock Exchange building and the Rostral columns. It is known that when the Commission for the construction of the exchange building and facing the bank of the Neva with stone applied to the Academy of Arts, the Academy Council determined a team of the best sculptors of that time. However, academic sculptors requested such high price for their work that the Commission had to refuse, lower the price and hold an auction. As a result, the project was won by French sculptors who worked at that time in St. Petersburg.
In 1928, the sculptures of the Rostral Columns were restored. Restoration researchers found that in the years after October revolution, the sculptures survived difficult times- "pseudo-restorers" painted them with oil paint, smeared with plaster, cement and plaster. For a long time, the sculptures were in disrepair, and were fully restored only in the late 1990s.
Sculpture "Allegory of Beauty"
Sculpture "Allegory of Beauty", Italian master J. Zorzoni, (c. 1719). The sculpture is a decoration in the Summer Garden, in the city of St. Petersburg.
Sculpture "Gavryusha" - the dog of happiness
The sculpture was opened on October 8, 1999 and placed in the courtyard of the house number 3 on Malaya Sadovaya Street. Material: iron, forging. Blacksmith work done thin. A. G. Kuznetsov-Sergeev. The height of the sculpture is 60 cm, the height of the pedestal is 18 cm. On September 4, 2001, the "Mailbox of Gavryusha's dog" was opened nearby. On the box there is a steel plate with an engraving "To the kind dog of the city of St. Petersburg from the blacksmiths of the creative workshop of Yuri Krush. Grodno. Yuri Krush, Ales Vorobyov, Anton Vashkelevich." Material: iron, forging. June 1, 2007 "Kind Dog" was installed in a new place in the park near the house number 11 on Pravda Street.
On June 1, 2007, a monument to the dog Gavryusha, or, as it is often called, “a monument to a good dog,” was erected at house number 11 on Pravda Street. It was moved here from Malaya Sadovaya Street, where it was first opened on October 8, 1999 by sculptor V. A. Sivakov. Later, the “Gavryusha Dog Mailbox” was fortified near the monument, where those who came to visit left letters for Gavryusha
Sculpture of a polytechnic student
The monument to the student-polytechnic was solemnly opened in St. Petersburg in April 2010. It was installed at the First Educational Building Polytechnic University. The idea to create an image of a polytechnic student appeared in 2005. In order to bring it to life, Mikhail Radkevich, Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, studied in the archives the details of a student uniform, various overcoats and caps of the early 20th century, in which they attended classes the best students Petersburg Polytechnic Institute named after Peter the Great.
Initially, applicants and design students worked on the monument, and then a member of the Union of Artists, a professional sculptor Evelina Solovieva, joined them. The monument was cast from high-quality bronze at the Monumentskulptura factory. Currently, the monument is installed next to the fountain "We", which was opened in September 2009. In the near future, the composition should take on a finished look - benches and lanterns will appear near the fountain. The sponsors of this project are alumni who graduated from the university in 1975.
Sculpture "Organizer" ("Herald" or "Pomrezh")
Organizer (Herald or "Pomrezh"), st. Pravda, St. Petersburg
Modern Sculpture Park on Pravda Street: Pomrezh sculpture, sculptor D.D. Kaminker, 2005
in front of the Film and Television University
Opportunity to exhibit your work in the museum open sky Petersburg masters received monumental art: a modern sculpture park has been opened in the pedestrian zone of Pravda Street. The idea of allocating free space for the park in the city center belongs to the regional Architectural and Art Fund.
The bronze figures "Blind" and "Organizer" by Dmitry Kaminker were the first to appear on six concrete pedestals. The statues on the alley are as close as possible to passers-by. The authors of the works are not afraid of vandals - they are sure that the availability of communication with new city "residents" will become a habit, and they will not annoy the statues.
Sculpture "Volga" at the base of the Rostral Column
AT Ancient Rome there was a custom: in honor of naval victories, triumphal columns were erected, decorated with rostra (prows) of enemy ships. In St. Petersburg, the Rostral Columns were built in 1810 according to the design of the French architect Thomas de Thomon. Allegorical sculptures appeared at the base of the columns, personifying the four Russian rivers: the Neva and Volkhov, the Dnieper and the Volga.
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." However, such a rational explanation did not please the venerable St. Petersburg public. The comparison with the great Russian rivers looked much more romantic, and it was fixed in history.
The Volga is personified by a stately female figure. It is solid, massive, even somewhat heavy. Her face is serious, without a hint of any sign of frivolity. However, it is difficult to imagine the Volga in any other way: a full-flowing river-worker, a river-nurse - she should look strong and self-confident.
For reference: With the increase in the size of ships, the port on the spit of Vasilyevsky Island began to lose its significance. Large ships could not pass through the natural fairway to the port, and goods had to be transferred to smaller ships in Kronstadt. The English have a saying: the way from London to Kronstadt is shorter than from Kronstadt to Vasilyevsky Island. In 1885, a sea channel was dug, significantly deepening the shipping route to Gutuevsky Island, where the seaport was transferred.
Rostral columns (from Latin rostrum - the bow of a ship) appeared on the spit of Vasilievsky Island in 1810. The construction of the columns was envisaged in the Bourse project, developed by the French architect Jean-Francois Thomas de Thomon, and carried out in 1810. They were supposed to serve as beacons and at the same time emphasize the importance of the exchange building as the center of the St. Petersburg port.
One of them was a beacon for ships on the Malaya Neva,
the other one pointed the way to the Bolshaya Neva.
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The height of each column is 32 meters. The rostral columns are decorated with rostra. At the bottom of the column is the largest pair of rostra, fortified so that one bow of the ship faces the Neva, the other - the Birzha. 
The rostra is decorated with the figure of a naiad (river deity).
The second pair is located perpendicular to the first, they are decorated with a crocodile head, seahorses and fish. The rostra of the third pair is decorated with the head of a merman, and the fourth, the topmost pair, is decorated with images of seahorses.
To the upper platforms, where there are tripods with lamp bowls for signal lights, there are spiral staircases located inside.
These are the entrances to the inside of the column... They are closed with simple barn locks...
The door inside the column from the side of the Neva...
And the door inside the column from the side of the Stock Exchange...
The doors are located directly under the rostra, which also serve as visors over the doors...
Lighthouses were lit at night and in fog, and served until 1885. Hemp(!) oil was burned in the braziers, and red-hot splashes fell on the heads of passers-by.
In ancient Rome, there was a custom: in honor of naval victories, triumphal columns were erected, decorated with rostra (prows) of enemy ships. Triumphal columns are traditionally associated with power and strength. Rostral columns are one of the symbols of St. Petersburg, embodying sea power Russia.
The sculptures decorating the Rostral columns were created in 1810-1811, simultaneously with the entire ensemble. The author of sketches of sculptural groups is not known. However, in last years it was found that the French sculptors J. Kamberlen and F. Thibaut worked on the creation of sculptures. The first was the male figure on the northern column, and the rest of the sculptures belong to the hand of Thibaut. A closer examination of the sculpture reveals differences in the style of execution.
The executor of the colossal figures from the Pudost stone was the famous master stonemason Samson Sukhanov, who came from the poor peasants of the Vologda province. At that time he collaborated with the best architects of St. Petersburg, but then went bankrupt and died in obscurity.
For reference: Pudost stone has a small volumetric mass, porosity, frost resistance, and is also easily processed, therefore it was used for decorative works- wall cladding, sculptures. It has interesting properties, which other finishing materials do not have - changes color depending on the lighting and weather, taking on various shades of gray and yellowish gray. It has a porous structure, somewhat reminiscent of the structure of pumice, which is why, when used in cladding, it gives the building a noble “old” look.
The stocks of stone in the Pudost quarries were quite small, so late XIX century, its reserves were almost completely exhausted.
What do the sculptures represent?
The opinion that at the foot of the columns there are allegorical images personifying the four great Russian rivers (the Volkhov and Neva near the south, the Dnepr and Volga near the north) is not supported by documents and arose 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." The attributes of the sculptures are rather sparse, and none of them can confirm or completely refute the version that we have before us allegories of specific four rivers.
Neva
Volkhov
Volga
Dnieper
It is noteworthy that the design and construction works associated with rostral columns were constantly under the control of the Council of the Academy of Arts, headed by the great architect A.D. Zakharov. Everything was discussed - both the practical purpose and the artistic appearance. This speaks of great importance given to these structures. Rostral columns, powerful in volume and expressive in silhouette, color and proportions, stand out clearly against the sky and are clearly visible from distant perspectives.
In the course of work on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, it was raised by adding soil to avoid flooding with the waters of the Neva. In addition, the Neva was “pushed back” by about a hundred meters. AT winter time thousands of people gathered on the ice in front of the arrow, organized festivities, sledge races.
In 1957, gas pipes were connected to the bowls of lamps installed on the tops of the columns. Bright orange torches on the rostral columns are lit on holidays and celebrations in St. Petersburg.
O. MOZGOVAYA, art critic (St. Petersburg)
St. Petersburg is getting ready for its 300th anniversary. And as is customary, the city preens for the holiday. For several years now, restoration work has been underway on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island. In the 18th century it was one of the most significant places In Petersburg. It was convenient to moor ships here, so in 1733 the port moved here from Berezovy Island. The building of the Stock Exchange, Customs, warehouses and other port facilities were erected on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island. AT late XVIII century, more than a thousand ships came to Strelka every year.
Currently, the port is located on Gutuevsky Island, but the features of maritime grandeur are still preserved on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island. And among them - Rostral columns.
In ancient Rome, there was a custom: in honor of naval victories, triumphal columns were erected, decorated with rostra (prows) of enemy ships. In St. Petersburg, the Rostral Columns were built in 1810 according to the design of the French architect Jean-Francois Thomas de Thomon. There was a time when the columns served as beacons for ships coming to the port. The height of each column is 32 meters. To the upper platforms, where the tripods for signal lights are located, there are spiral staircases located inside. Upstairs, hemp oil was being burned in braziers, and red-hot spray fell on the heads of passers-by.
In 1896 electricity was brought to the lamps. But this method of illumination was not used for long "because of the great expense."
And only on the 250th anniversary of the city, in 1957 (the anniversary was celebrated with a delay), gas was supplied to the columns, and 7-meter fire torches blazed in powerful burners. The lights on the Rostral Columns are lit only on especially solemn occasions. They also lit up on November 30 last year, when the Rostral columns were inaugurated after restoration.
SCULPTURE NEEDS PROTECTION
Rostral columns are one of the symbols of St. Petersburg. Triumphal columns are traditionally associated with power and strength. These qualities are embodied monumental figures placed at the foot of the columns.
The sculpture decorating the Rostral columns was created in 1810-1811, simultaneously with the entire ensemble, in which the synthesis of arts, so characteristic of the era of classicism, was fully manifested. Architecture and sculpture are an inseparable unity here, complementing each other.
Initially, the author of the project, Thomas de Thomon, intended to cast all the sculptural decor in bronze, but due to the complexity of the work, the statues had to be made from Pudost limestone. This material was mined in quarries near St. Petersburg, not far from Gatchina, in the town of Bolshaya Pudost, from which it got its name. Easily workable immediately after extraction from the quarry - it can be cut with a knife, limestone quickly hardens to outdoors. The structure of the stone does not allow detailed elaboration of small volumes and polishing of the surface, so the master working with Pudost limestone is deprived of the opportunity to demonstrate the effect of texture transfer to the viewer various materials, fine ornamentation. At the same time, the Pudost stone has its own specific advantages: strength, a beautiful yellowish-grayish warm shade, which stands out especially effectively against the background of granite blocks and the reddish-ocher color of the columns.
In recent years, it has been established that French sculptors J. Camberlain and F. Thibaut worked on the creation of sculptures. The first was the male figure on the northern column, and the rest of the sculptures belong to the hand of Thibaut. A closer examination of the sculpture reveals differences in the style of performance: the work of J. Camberlain differs from the rest in greater dynamism and complexity of the silhouette.
What do the sculptures represent? The opinion that allegorical images representing four Russian rivers are presented at the foot of the columns (the Volkhov and the Neva near the south, the Dnepr and Volga near the north) is not supported by documents and arose 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." The attributes of the sculptures are rather sparse, and none of them can confirm or completely refute the version that we have before us allegories of specific four rivers.
Pudost limestone in more, than other rocks, is subject to the damaging effects of temperature changes, precipitation, industrial emissions, cold and damp climate. Therefore, a sculpture made of Pudost stone often has to be restored.
Before the restoration of the sculpture of the Rostral Columns, which was carried out in 1928, the largest specialist in the field of monumental and decorative sculpture I. V. Krestovsky wrote: "The sculptures by the time of their restoration, carried out after the October Revolution, turned out to be painted with oil paint, and not once, but several , and every time a new color<...>All 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, two or three extraneous cement, gypsum and plaster coatings were removed from each of the figures.
However, this critique did not affect the course of repair work, and Krestovsky repeatedly drew attention to the fact that the restoration was again being carried out incorrectly.
During subsequent repairs, which were usually carried out in a hurry on the eve of the celebration of anniversaries, iron pins and nails were driven into the stone in places of loss, which served as reinforcement for cement finishing. The destroyed parts of the figures were replaced with new ones, made of cement or cut out of another type of stone, and everything was covered with paint.
The state in which the sculpture of the columns was for decades is evidenced by the acts preserved in the archive State Museum urban sculpture. They were compiled on the basis of the results of inspections carried out before next stages restoration. However, unfortunately, in the course of the work carried out from 1928 to 1979, there were no fundamental changes in technology.
No measures were taken to strengthen the Pudost limestone, there was no hydrophobization, that is, protection of the stone surface from moisture. The monument continued to deteriorate to the point that the lack of structures for attaching protruding parts led to the fall of these parts. In some places, ferrous metal reinforcement with traces of deep corrosion was exposed.
AND AGAIN - RESTORATION
In 1996, the question arose of another restoration, as the sculpture was in disrepair.
In Russian art, the closest analogues to the stone images of the Rostral Columns are the figures of Alexander the Great, Achilles, Ajax and Pyrrhus, located at the base of the Admiralty Tower, by the sculptor F. Shchedrin. They are also made of Pudost stone. During the restoration of these sculptures in 1997-1998, the staff of the Hermitage first tested and applied the methodology developed by the research institute "Spetsproektrestavratsiya". This technique was also used in the restoration of the sculpture of the Rostral Columns, but here the specialists faced a much more difficult task.
First of all, the sculpture was washed, the persistent sooty pollution formed as a result of the influence of the city's atmosphere was removed, and then the biodamage that covered the surface in many places was neutralized with a special composition.
One of the most important measures taken by the restorers was the removal of late finishes. Distinguished in their physical properties from the Pudost stone, foreign materials contributed to the destruction of the sculpture. In addition, the Kolomna limestone (dolomite), which was used in numerous restorations, has a different color and surface texture than the Pudost stone. Therefore, parts of the sculptures made of dolomite were clearly out of place.
The cleaned stone was strengthened, and exact repetitions of the lost parts were installed in the damaged places. They were carried out according to the surviving drawings and photographs, fixing their original appearance. First, the missing details were made in plasticine, then in plaster, and when the Restoration Council approved the shape of the model, they were made in Pudost limestone.
Fastening missing parts, the elimination of small chips and cracks was carried out with a special composition of lime and marble chips. This mixture, in terms of its porosity and strength, is most consistent with natural Pudost stone. Used as early as the 4th century by architects Northern Black Sea for the treatment of architectural limestone details, the composition of lime and marble chips is still distinguished by its strength and good compatibility with the limestone surface.
To fix the lost elements, hollow corundum ceramic rods were used. The core manufacturing technology was developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Refractories. Employees of the Research Institute "Spetsproektrestavratsiya" suggested using corundum ceramics, commonly used in medicine, and in restoration practice. This ceramic is inert to atmospheric influences and has an expansion coefficient close to stone, has high strength and low thermal conductivity. All this excludes the processes of destruction in the thickness of the stone. Accessible areas of metal parts that cannot be removed and replaced were cleaned and painted with an anti-corrosion compound.
The last stage of sculpture restoration is tinting and hydrophobization. Toning of the limestone sculpture is carried out aqueous solution slaked lime. Application after this of the composition that protects the stone from moisture, allows the tinting to be firmly fixed on the stone. This method was developed specifically to protect the Pudost stone and has no analogues in world restoration practice.
To save the sculpture of the Rostral Columns, researchers, professional restorers, employees of the monument protection authorities and patrons have joined their efforts. The restoration work was financed by Baltonexim Bank. There was hope that patronage in Russia was being revived.
"Petersburg - the city of stone" - so named special program to save monumental sculpture. Next in line is the restoration of compositions on the pediment of the Stock Exchange building. The exchange celebrates its anniversary at the same time as St. Petersburg: in 1703, Peter I signed a decree on the creation of the Russian exchange.
