Petrograd side: attractions and photos

The oldest and, perhaps, the most diverse Petrograd side of St. Petersburg is the real center of the city. Although officially the center is the left bank of the Neva, today life is boiling more on Petrogradka. There are many attractions, museums, parks, unusual corners and monuments, but the main thing the region is proud of is one of the best modernist buildings in Europe.

The emergence of the settlement

The Petrograd side geographically unites several islands in the Neva Delta. The very first settlement appears on the Hare Island, where in 1703 the Peter and Paul Fortress was laid. A little later, the first buildings appear on Petrograd (then Fomin) island. Here, the first residence of Peter the Great is built, around which the center of the future capital is being formed. Here, the Senate building, customs, mint, diplomatic representations of foreign countries are being built, the wooden Trinity Cathedral is being erected.

Gradually, the city on the Petrograd side is expanding, the Academy and the university are being built. The Aptekarsky Island is also getting better. But the buildings on both islands are chaotic, reminiscent of medieval cities. In 1721 Peter the Great took the title of Emperor of Russia on Petrograd Island. However, already in 1717, Peter moved the center of the city to Vasilievsky Island, where he began to build a planned city, with straight streets and squares. Petrogradka gradually loses its significance, several fires and the people's taking away of buildings for firewood lead to the fact that the district is becoming less presentable. In the middle of the 18th century two main avenues are laid on the site of old buildings, thus setting a rectangular grid of new buildings. However, some of the old, twisted streets have survived. With the formation of the city center on the left bank, the Petrograd side comes to desolation, becomes the outskirts of the city.

The heyday of the Petrograd side

At the end of the 19th century, the Petrograd side was experiencing a second birth. Her lands were looked after by architects who built homes for the bourgeoisie, bohemians and aristocracy. This area was more environmentally attractive, here it was possible to build new houses with the desired scope. All this led to the fact that Petrogradka quickly became the most fashionable place to live. But it is built up by spectacular houses in the modernist style that was progressive at the time. Many apartment houses, shops, restaurants are also built here. The area becomes respectable, with lots of greenery. Since that time, the Petrograd side has not lost its importance as the most important region of St. Petersburg.

Modern structure of the district

Eighteen administrative regions form St. Petersburg, the Petrograd side is one of the most interesting historical parts of the city. Today, several administrative units are included in the Petrogradsky District, including a historically formed part, called the St. Petersburg and then the Petrograd Side. It is located on four islands: Petrograd, the largest and most populated, Aptekarsky, Zayachy and Petrovsky.

Rabbit Island

The Petrograd side is primarily famous for the Peter and Paul Fortress, which was built on the Hare Island. It is located at the widest point of the Neva, which is very successful from a strategic point of view. This was the reason for choosing a place to build a fortress. Initially, wooden defensive fortifications were erected here, the mint moved from Moscow. But the tree quickly began to deteriorate, and Peter decided to build a stone fortress.

Today on the island, except for the fortress, you can see a funny monument to the Hare, who once gave the name of this territory. Also here is a beautiful park, several interesting museums and a delightful embankment.

Peter-Pavel's Fortress

The Petrograd side is firmly associated with the first fortifications of the city. The Peter and Paul Fortress almost completely repeats the shape of the island with its contours. The French engineer de Guérin created the drawings of the first bastions. In the 30's and 40's of the 18th century the embankments were clothed in stone by the Trezzini project, at the same time a tradition appeared to mark the noon with a cannon shot. In 1713-1733, D. Trezzini erects on the island Peter and Paul Cathedral, whose spire is one of the main symbols of St. Petersburg. The cathedral is made in a new early Baroque style for Russia, it will become a model for the construction of many cathedrals throughout the country. In addition to the cathedral in the fortress, the interest is represented by the commandant's house, the monument to Peter I of the work of M. Shemyakin, the botnical house of Peter.

Today in the Peter and Paul Fortress, you can walk along the walls of the bastion, look at the prison, climb the bell tower and look at the city from a height, go to the Peter and Paul Cathedral to inspect the imperial tombs.

History of Petrogradsky Island

Aboriginal names of the island: Berezovy, Fomin, Troitsky, later Petersburg and finally Petrograd. Fomin Island began to build up in 1703, when Peter the First settled here to lead the construction of the Peter and Paul Fortress. For its placement was built a simple wooden hut, which today is called the house of Peter.

The main highways of the island - Bolshoi, Kamennoostrovsky and Maly Prospekt of the Petrograd Side - create a geometric layout of the area, which began to take shape at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. The island is rich in sights: here is a zoo, a planetarium, the famous cruiser Aurora is moored.

The main development of the island falls on the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, at this time the main attractions that make up its fame appear: the mansion Kshesinska, Witte, the spectacular cathedral mosque, the summer palace of Peter the Great, the Prince Vladimir Cathedral, built by A. Rinaldi and I. Stasov. The Big Petrograd side is one of the brightest parts of the city, its base is made up of two main avenues.

The first embankment of St. Petersburg, bearing the name of Peter, also contained many interesting buildings, Nakhimov School, built by Dmitriyev in 1910 in the style of the Petrine Baroque, belongs to them. Nearby, on the street Roentgen, stands one of the best structures of St. Petersburg in the Art Nouveau style - the house of Chaev. When descending to the river, one should also pay attention to the unusual figures of Chinese lions Shi-Tzu.

Kamennoostrovsky prospect: history and sights

Today, the avenue is a busy highway, built with magnificent buildings. And it all began in 1712, when the first versts of this street are laid. Gradually, the avenue lengthens, expands and becomes an important transport artery of the city. The reference point of the avenue can be considered the Trinity Square, which once stood one of the first churches of the city. Today there is a new Trinity chapel. The avenue is surrounded by many gardens and parks, which create such a pleasant atmosphere of this part of the island.

The highway is built with magnificent houses of the beginning of the 20th century. The most striking buildings include the so-called "House with Towers", built by the architect A. Belogrud in the style of retrospectivism. Another pearl is the House of Ida Lidval. He was erected at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries by the architect F. Lidval for his mother. The building is a masterpiece in Art Nouveau style. Historical value represents the mansion S. Witte in the style of mature eclecticism. However, almost every house on the avenue has a certain architectural value, they can be considered for hours.

A large avenue: buildings and attractions

The large avenue of the Petrograd side is also rich in remarkable buildings. These include Tuchkov Ryanaldi, Alexander Nevsky chapel, Putilova's apartment house, or "House with Owls", is a fine example of the Northern Art Nouveau. Almost every house on the avenue is of architectural value. The large avenue of the Petrograd side is a real architectural encyclopaedia of the beginning of the 20th century, all important currents and many famous architects are represented here.

Aptekarsky Island

The Petrograd side of Petersburg settled with Peter the Great, he gave a small island to the apothecary garden (hence the name was born), where medicinal plants were grown. A relatively small island today is for the most part given to the Botanical Garden, in which you can see a lot of interesting flora. Also the island is interesting because seven bridges connect it with other parts of the city land. The island is home to two large universities, several research institutes, the St. Petersburg Television Center, the F. Chaliapin House Museum, the History of Photography Museum, the Transfiguration Church built by the famous architect K. Ton in the Russian-Byzantine style.

Bridges of Petrogradka

The Petrograd side of St. Petersburg joins the other parts of the city with eight bridges: Tuchkov, Birzhev, Elagin, Ushakovsky, Kantemirovsky, Grenadier, Sampsonievsky and Troitsky.

There are also several "internal" bridges: Aptekarsky, Silin, Karpovsky, Barochny, numerous park bridges. Walking along bridges with research of their architectural and design features can become an exciting activity for free time.