Walks on the rivers and channels of Petersburg, driving on boats in water areas of Neva and gulf of Finland, fascinating excursions!

Arrow of Vasilievsky island

The arrow is a small cape in a southeast part of the island Vasilevskogo, washed by the Big and Small Neva. The huge water space allows to see ensemble of an arrow in all magnificence.

On Peter's I plan, Petersburg should become simultaneously both a sea fortress and trading port. Originally the center of new capital has arisen on the Petrogradskaya side, but the port at the Peter and Paul Fortress could not develop because of shoaliness. Then Peter has decided to locate the center of Petersburg on island Vasilevsky, and, in particular, on its east extremity. Under the project of architect Domeniko Trezini in a southeast part of island creation of the area which have been built up on a coastal arch by apartment houses was planned. He even has made a wooden breadboard model of this area. From the West the area should be limited by a long building of Twelve collegien behind which the channel connecting the Big and Small Neva was provided.

Besides from the West on the east of island Vasilevsky, on plan of Trezini, passed the navigable Big channel. Thus, it divided an arrow on two unequal parts. In a southern part construction of the main area was planned. The big channel came to an end with harbour about which creation of majestic church was planned. From the north, on coast of Small Neva, were Mytny and Gostiny court yards with apartment houses. Myto - is a tax, the tax on import and export of the goods, and Mytny court yard, accordingly, - a place where were stored the imported goods and the tax was paid. Except for channels and church, all other constructions under D.Trezini's project have been constructed.

So, within two decades on an arrow of island Vasilevskogo there were buildings of Twelve collegies (1722 – 1742), Kunstkamera (1718 – 1734), Novobirgevoy Gostiny court yard (1722 – 1735) and a palace of tsarina Praskovi Fedorovny (the wife of brother Peter – Ivan), other constructions. The seaport has strongly located on an arrow: tens ships and boats transported on water areas of people and cargoes. In 1781 on an arrow of island Vasilevskogo under direction of J. Quarengi construction of a building of a stock exchange has begun. However the main facade it left on the Winter palace, and, thus, was not entered to the full in ensemble of the area. Therefore in four years a building have disassembled. The project of a new stock exchange was developed by French architect Zh.F. Tom de Tomon. A building executed as temples of the Ancient Greece, have constructed in 1804 – 1816. Facade attic was decorated by sculptural group "the Neptune with two rivers", and, from the opposite side of a stock exchange, – sculptural group "Navigation with Mercuryi and two rivers".

Since 1940 the Central naval museum – one of the oldest in Petersburg here settles down. In 1826 – 1832 under the project of architect I.F.Lukini on both parties of a building of the Stock exchange southern and northern warehouses – the closed warehouse are constructed. Now in a southern warehouse the Zoological museum is placed. Behind northern exchange warehouse to symmetrically building Kunstkamera (in relation to ensemble of an arrow) there is the building of Customs constructed also by architect I.F.Lukini in classical style. Since 1927 the Institute of the Russian literature – the Pushkin house here is placed. The ensemble of an arrow includes also the Main building of the Academy of sciences which is located between Kunstkamera and a building of Twelve collegies.

Under the project of Tom de Tomon in ensemble of an arrow of island Vasilevskogo two rostral columns-beacons also have been included. Columns have installed on an arrow in 1810. One of them served long time as a beacon for vessels on Small Neva, and another – specified a way to the Big Neva. Columns-beacons operated down to 1885. Columns are a monument of naval glory, a symbol of sea power of Russia. Columns are decorated by booms, and every rostr is decorated by a figure of a naiad (a river deity). At bottom of both columns – two man's and two female figures from pudozhsky stone, the symbolizing Russian rivers – Volga, Dnepr, Volkhov and Neva. Birgevaya place was formed after the arrow has been lifted by adding of ground, and Neva "is removed" on hundred meters. The arrow of island Vasilevsky was and remains a popular place of festivals. The ensemble of an arrow is organically connected with a spike of a belltower of the Peter and Paul cathedral, with buildings on quays of the Big and Small Neva.