St. Petersburg, Vasilievsky Island: sights and history

One of the most famous historical areas insuch a megacity as St. Petersburg, - Vasilievsky Island. Its sights are located mainly along the embankment of the river. The Big Neva, which washes it on one side, while others splash the waters of the Baltic Sea (the Gulf of Finland), the Malaya Neva and Smolenka rivers.

History of Vasilievsky Island

This is the largest island on the Neva, occupyingan area of ​​1050 hectares. For many years he remained unoccupied until Peter I presented it to AD Menshikov, where he built his castle, now called Menshikov's palace.

Active development of the island began only in the 18thcentury, when the king decided to make there the center of the capital. Its eastern edge - Vasilievskaya arrow - was conceived as quarters for the aristocracy. The arrow is in fact an artificially filled part of the island. Designed by its architect Tom de Thomon during the reign of Tsar Alexander I, who also submitted the idea of ​​the entire architectural ensemble of the Neva embankment.

Tourists and guests who come to St. Petersburg, Vasilievsky Island, attractions and embankment visit it always, because this area is one of the oldest and most beautiful places in the city.

Exchange and rostral columns

The decoration of the Vasilyevskaya arrow was thein the XIX century the building of the Trade Exchange (1810). The white building, executed in Empire style, is decorated with a colonnade. The descent and stairs in front of the entrance to the Stock Exchange are located in a semicircle. The building itself looks like an ancient Greek temple, and groups of sculptures near the entrance complement this similarity.

On both sides of the square,two rostral columns. Their name they received on the bow of the ship (rostra). Initially, the columns performed the functions of beacons established for entering ships into a commercial port. Above there were bowls of luminaries, and each captain of the sailing ship knew: once the rostral columns were shining - St. Petersburg was waiting for the guests.

At the foot of the columns there are allegorical marine sculptures (authors J. Kemberlen, S. Sukhanov and F. Tibo), symbolizing four large Russian rivers.

Saint-Petersburg, Vasilievsky Island: Sights and museums

Now the island is the cultural and administrative center of the city. Right along the University embankment there are many interesting museums:

• Kunstkamera - a museum of rarities and curiosities, which began to collect more Tsar Peter I; interest in its exhibits is extremely large, and therefore the museum often carries its exhibitions on the cities of Russia.

• The Central Naval Museum collected about 2thousands of unique models of ships, which are truly masterpieces of art; collection of weapons and flags, naval equipment. It was founded by Peter I at the Admiralty in 1709.
• Zoological Museum - represents all the animals of the world (from birds to whales) natural areas from the equator to the Arctic Circle.
• Menshikov Palace - today represents the Museum of Russian Culture of the XVIII century.
• Museum of Soil Science.
• Museum of History of St. Petersburg University.
• Literary Museum, etc.
• Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Arts (built in 1757).

How to get to Vasilievsky Island

Tourists need to consider that in thisa peculiar city like St. Petersburg, Vasilievsky Island, its attractions can be seen only in the afternoon, since land transport moves through bridges over the Neva. Bridges are planted every night to ensure the passage of river and sea vessels along the Neva.

On Vasilievsky Island there is a large number of cafes and restaurants, river and sea stations, metro are located.