The school is located in the building of the Admiralty. History of the Admiralty

Main Admiralty
St. Petersburg:	2nd Admiralteisky Island, 1 Dvortsovy Proezd; Admiralteyskiy proezd, 1; Admiralteyskaya emb., 2
Architectural style:
	Ivan Korobov (1738), Andreyan Zakharov (1823)
First mention:
Construction:	1704-1706 years
	Object of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation No. 7810001000
State:	Satisfactory

Model-camera

Building of 1711

Ship

Building of 1738

Building of 1823

Main Admiralty building- a complex of Admiralty buildings in St. Petersburg on the 2nd Admiralty Island, located on the banks of the Neva River, a significant monument of Russian Empire architecture. Originally built as a shipyard, it was rebuilt in the 18th-19th centuries.

Since 1718, the Admiralty Board was located here (since 1827 - the Admiralty Council), in 1709-1939 - the Model Chamber (since 1805 - the Maritime Museum). Since 2012, the Main Command of the Russian Navy has been located here.

The ship on the spire of the building is regarded as one of the symbols of the city, along with the Bronze Horseman and the contours of the raised Palace Bridge against the backdrop of the Peter and Paul Cathedral. The admiralty needle is depicted on the medal "For the Defense of Leningrad".

Admiralty fortress, built according to the drawings of Peter I

Initially, the St. Petersburg Admiralty was built as a shipyard according to drawings signed personally by Peter I. It was laid on November 5 (16), 1704, about which the following record has been preserved:

The preparatory work was completed in record time: at the beginning of 1705, the main buildings were erected at the shipyard and the first ships were laid on the slipways.

Since in the conditions of the Northern War it was necessary to protect the shipyard, in 1706 the Admiralty was a fortress: the buildings were fenced with an earthen rampart with five earthen bastions, ditches were dug along the perimeter filled with water and a glacis embankment was made. Esplanade - a vast meadow free from buildings for viewing the area of ​​shelling in the event of a surprise attack by the enemy, extended to the modern Malaya Morskaya Street.

On May 10 (April 29), 1706, after the completion of the construction of a shed with 18 cannons, the first launch of the ship took place.

By 1715, about ten thousand people worked in this subdivision of the Admiralty Order. At that time, the Admiralty was a one-story hut building, located in the form of a strongly stretched letter "P", opened towards the Neva. The building housed warehouses, workshops, forges, as well as services of the Admiralty department. The yard was occupied by boathouses for the construction of sailing ships, along its perimeter there was an inner canal (filled up in 1817). The Admiralty Canal had both defensive and transport functions: being connected to the Admiralty Canal, it was integrated into the network of city canals, and timber from New Holland and other building materials were delivered through it.

Model-camera

In 1709, by order of Peter I, a model camera was founded in the Admiralty (Netherlands. model-kammer- model room, sample pantry), where the ship's drawings and models were kept. According to the "Regulations on the management of the Admiralty and the shipyard" of 1722, the models of all the ships built here were preserved in the model-chamber: drawing for the descent of the ship, give it to the Admiralty College. In 1805, the model-chamber was transformed into the Maritime Museum (since 1908 - named after Peter the Great), which existed here until 1939.

Architecture

Building of 1711

In 1711, the first restructuring of the Admiralty was carried out. In 1719, the idea of ​​a vertical dominant was realized: a metal spire with a boat was installed above the gate, erected by the Dutch master Harman van Bolos:

Ship

It is possible that the ship of the Admiralty repeats the silhouette of the first ship that entered the newly built port of St. Petersburg. There is also an opinion that the frigate "Oryol" became the prototype of the ship - the first Russian warship, built in 1667-1669 by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (this statement is based on the fact that none of the ships built by Peter until 1719 had nothing in common with a boat on a spire).

According to legend, the three flags on the masts of the ship were made of pure pure gold, and the personal compass of Peter I was kept in the bow.

The original boat stood on the spire until 1815, when during the repair it was replaced with a new one, while the original van Bolos boat was lost. The second boat stood for 71 years: in 1886, during the next repair of the spire, it was removed and replaced with an exact copy; the original, weighing 65 kg, length - 192 cm and height - 158 cm, was put on display at the Maritime Museum located here.

The Admiralty building made an impression on the people of that era:

Building of 1738

In 1732-1738, the architect IK Korobov built the stone building of the Admiralty. The architect succeeded, while retaining the previous plan, to give the structure a monumentality that corresponded to its city-forming function. In the center, above the gate, a slender central tower was built with a gilded spire, sometimes called the "Admiralty Needle" (according to some testimonies, gold ducats received by Peter I as a gift from the United Provinces were put on the gilding of the spire). A weathervane boat was raised to a height of 72 meters, and it remains here to this day.

In the 1740s, the area around the Admiralty was used for military exercises and as pasture for livestock. On holidays, the Admiralty Meadow became a place for city-wide festivities and fairs; carousels, booths, and roller coasters were installed here.

The space around the Admiralty was also streamlined: in the 1760s, the architect Andrei Kvasov defined the boundaries of the central squares surrounding the Admiralty building.

The area to the south of the Admiralty was called the Admiralty Meadow until the middle of the 18th century. Soldiers' exercises and festivities were held on the Admiralty Meadow.

In the second half of the 18th century, the fortress canal became heavily polluted and began to accumulate dirty waste water. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna in the middle of the 18th century ordered the canal to be regularly cleaned and the meadow to be paved. The Admiralty meadow was completely paved only towards the end of the reign of Catherine II (in the last quarter of the 18th century).

By this time, the southern part of the meadow was built up, and the boundaries of the Admiralty Square in front of the main facade of the Admiralty were determined.

Building of 1823

By the beginning of the 19th century, the utilitarian architecture of the Admiralty no longer corresponded to its position as a "central" building in the city: three main thoroughfares (Nevsky Prospect, Gorokhovaya Street and Voznesensky Prospect) converge towards it. To the east of the Admiralty, the undeveloped space reached the Moika River, along which Bolshaya Lugovaya Street ran. It became necessary to change the appearance of the building so that it would be in harmony with the nearby Winter Palace and other majestic architectural ensembles located next to the Admiralty.

In 1806-1823, the architect Andreyan Zakharov brilliantly solved this problem. The idea of ​​the building's new look was the theme of Russia's naval glory and the power of the Russian fleet. Zakharov rebuilt the Admiralty almost completely, leaving only an elegant tower with a spire. The fortifications near the shipyard were destroyed, and a boulevard was laid out in their place (now the Aleksandrovsky Garden is located on this place). Preserving the configuration of the plan of an already existing building, Zakharov created a new, grandiose (the length of the main facade is 407 m), giving it a majestic architectural appearance and emphasizing its central position in the city (as mentioned above, the main thoroughfares converge to it in three rays).

The architectural ensemble of the Admiralty consists of two U-shaped buildings (external and internal). The Admiralty Moat passed between them. The outer building was occupied by the administrative offices of the sea and river fleet of Russia, while the inner building was still occupied by production workshops.

In the center of the building there is a monumental tower with a spire (architect Ivan Korobov), surrounded by a colonnade in the middle part, which has become the symbol of the city. The base of the tower is cut through by an arch, and 12 and 6-column porticos are installed on the flanks of the middle part. They are repeated on the side facades. The pavilions facing the Neva echo the base of the central tower and are crowned with flagpoles with statues of dolphins. The strict rhythm of articulations gives the composition of the Admiralty a special wholeness. The composition of the two wings of the facade, symmetrically located on the sides of the tower, is built on a complex rhythmic alternation of simple and clear volumes (smooth walls, strongly protruding porticos, deep loggias).

Sculpture occupies a special place in the architectural solution of the Admiralty. In the pediments of the side porticos there are reliefs depicting the Greek goddess of justice, Themis, rewarding soldiers and artisans. Stepan Pimenov, Vasily Demut-Malinovsky, Artemy Anisimov took part in the creation of the sculptures. The central arch is flanked by statues of nymphs carrying globes standing on high pedestals (sculptor Feodosiy Shchedrin). Above the arch there are soaring Glories and an allegorical bas-relief "Establishment of the Fleet in Russia" by Ivan Terebenev. At the corners of the first tier there are figures of ancient heroes: Alexander the Great, Achilles, Ajax and Pyrrhus. Above the colonnade there are 28 sculptural allegories: fire, water, earth, air, four seasons, four cardinal points, the muse of astronomy - Urania and the patroness of shipbuilders, the Egyptian goddess Isis, etc.

Decorative reliefs organically correlate with large architectural volumes, wall sculptural groups emphasize living human measure in grandiosely expanded facades. The sculptures of the Admiralty do not just indicate the functional purpose of the building, they affirm the image of Russia as a maritime power.

From the interiors of the Admiralty, a lobby with a grand staircase, a meeting room and a library have been preserved. The austere austerity of monumental architectural forms is softened by an abundance of light and exceptional elegance of decoration.

Operation history

The construction of sailing ships at the Admiralty shipyard continued until 1844. Later, only the institutions of the fleet remained in the building: the Naval Ministry, the Main Naval Headquarters, the Main Hydrographic Directorate, the Admiralty Cathedral. In 1709-1939, it housed the Naval Museum.

Since June 1917, the Centroflot, the central democratic body of the fleet, which supports the Provisional Government, was located here. During the October Revolution, it was disbanded, and on October 26, on the initiative of V.I.Lenin, the Naval Revolutionary Committee (VMRK) was created, which mobilized the forces of the fleet to create and consolidate the Soviet state. VMRK was located in the wing of the Admiralty, facing the Bronze Horseman.

In 1932-1933, the building housed the Gas Dynamic Laboratory - the first design bureau in the USSR for the development of rocket engines.

Since 1925, the building houses the F.E.Dzerzhinsky Higher Naval Engineering School. Until the end of 2008, the headquarters of the Red Banner Leningrad Naval Base was also located there.

Preservation and restoration

During the blockade of Leningrad, the spire of the Admiralty was covered; the shelter was removed on April 30, 1945. Restoration work in the building was carried out in 1928, 1977 and 1997-1998. In 1977, when the spire was gilded, a special box was installed in the ball under the boat, where the draft of the Constitution of the USSR was placed.

Modernity

In the post-Soviet era, various projects for the new use of the premises of the Admiralty have repeatedly appeared. So, in 2006, a proposal was put forward to move here, to a limited area, the Central Naval Museum, in the building of which the government of St. Petersburg planned to open an oil exchange. In the fall of 2007, there was a proposal to place the command of the Navy in the Admiralty. Meanwhile, residents of the city noticed that the Admiralty tower had cracked. The situation is being investigated by KGIOP

In 2009, the Naval School and the headquarters of the Leningrad Naval Base left the building. On October 31, 2012, the official move of the General Staff of the Navy to the Admiralty building took place, on the same day the St. Andrew's flag was raised on the building, officially symbolizing the presence of the high naval command here.

On December 25, 2013, in the Admiralty, in a tower with a spire at the intersection of the Admiralteyskaya embankment and the Palace passage, the church of St. Spyridonius of Trimifutsky was opened (the cross of the temple will be the St. Andrew's banner, developing over the turret). The opening of the temple was attended by the command of the Russian Navy, headed by Viktor Chirkov, who believed that this event was timed to coincide with the launch of the second missile carrier of the Borey project.

At the end of January 2014, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu approved the concept of adapting the complex of buildings of the Admiralty for the needs of the Navy: the courtyards of the building, in violation of the legislation on the protection of monuments, are proposed to be covered with a transparent dome, and glass passages be thrown between the historical buildings.

The Admiralty, along with the Peter and Paul Cathedral and St. Isaac's Cathedral, is the dominant feature of the Northern capital and the center of the three-beam layout that emerged back in the Peter the Great era. The "Admiralty Needle", which "stitched centuries of history", is one of the symbols of St. Petersburg, without which it is impossible to imagine the panorama of the Neva banks.

The first building of the Admiralty was laid according to the plan of Peter the Great in 1704. He erected St. Petersburg as the main center of Russian shipbuilding and navigation, and therefore the Admiralty was built both as a shipyard and as a fortress - the Great Northern War was going on. Buildings located "rest", i.e. in the form of the letter "P", opened to the Neva; in a vast courtyard, ships were assembled on stocks and launched on planks oiled with lard. In the central building - in the tower under the spire - the Admiralty Board worked, which controlled the Russian fleet.

All buildings of the first Admiralty were wooden and by the 1720s. pretty dilapidated. Erection of new, stone buildings in the 1730s. headed by the architect I.K. Korobov, one of the "chicks of Petrov's nest". He re-created the entire production complex, keeping the general outline of the previous building. It was outstanding for its time, but by the beginning of the 19th century. looked already old-fashioned and too utilitarian against the background of the new ceremonial buildings of St. Petersburg.

The currently existing building of the Admiralty is the third in a row - in 1806-1823. erected by Andreyan Dmitrievich Zakharov (1761-1811), chief architect of the Admiralty Department. He was a graduate of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, studied in Paris and devoted his whole life to serving architecture. The architect showed respect for the works of his predecessors, partially preserving the walls of old buildings, window openings and the Korobov spire. By the beginning of the 19th century. The Admiralty lost its significance as a shipyard and a fortress, and therefore the new buildings had to acquire a completely different artistic image. Facing the city and its main thoroughfares, the Admiralty began to be perceived as a symbol of the sea. With its other side, it "looks" at the Neva - it is a symbol of the power of St. Petersburg over the water element, a part of the city's sea façade.

The Admiralty is an outstanding monument of classicism, in the form of which some researchers see the features of the French Empire style. The architect Zakharov skillfully avoided the monotony of the 407-meter long façade by decorating it with porticoes creating a play of light and shadow. The central multi-tiered tower with a triumphal arch resembles the gate towers of ancient Russian monasteries. Its spire more than 70 m high is completed by the famous three-masted weathervane ship with loose sails - the symbol of St. Petersburg (it weighs 65 kg and is covered with 2 kg of pure gold). The giant building does not overwhelm; in everything it is proportionate to man and in some incomprehensible way combines monumentality and gentleness.

The sculpture, according to Zakharov's plan, does not decorate the building, but forms a single whole with it, turning the Admiralty into a monument of Russian naval glory. The architect's co-authors were the best sculptors of that time: F.F. Shchedrin, S.S. Pimenov, I.I. Terebenev, V.I. Demut-Malinovsky. They sculpted the generals and heroes of antiquity, installed at the corners of the tower's base, allegorical statues of natural elements that crowned its columns, groups of sea nymphs on the sides of the triumphal arch, masks of sea deities on the key stones of the first floor. The plot of the 22-meter high relief on the attic of the "Establishment of the Fleet in Russia" tower makes the Admiralty building a kind of encyclopedia of the Russian fleet.

The Admiralty is part of the ensemble of the central Petersburg squares: its walls are in good harmony with the facades of the Winter Palace on Palace Square, as well as with the buildings located on the Decembrists and Isaakievskaya squares.

Yu.K. Balenko, I.Z. Kopp, Ya. I. Fields

Main Admiralty
(based on the book "The Main Admiralty", the book is published in January 2000)

Among the architectural ensembles of St. Petersburg, a special place is occupied by the ensemble of the central squares - Dvortsovaya, Dekabristov and Isaakievskaya. The center of this unique urban planning ensemble, formed as a result of the successive creative activity of several generations of architects, is the Main Admiralty. The Admiralty was founded on November 5, 1704 and built according to the drawings of Peter I, as the main shipyard of Russia on the Baltic Sea. It became the basis for the emergence of the fleet in Russia, the development of shipbuilding and the sea power of the state.

For almost three centuries, the Main Admiralty has played an important role in the formation and development of the city on the banks of the Neva. Nevsky Prospect starts from the building of the Main Admiralty. The continuation of the center line of the central tower with a spire is Gorokhovaya Street; through Isaakievskaya Square, a view of the Admiralty opens from Voznesensky Prospect.

Foundation of the Main Admiralty

The historical situation at the beginning of the 18th century, the laws of economic and political development brought Russia to water communications, the development of which required the creation of shipyards and a fleet.

There are quite contradictory versions regarding the choice of the location for the Main Admiralty. According to a popular legend, Peter I, together with Alexander Menshikov, chose a place for the Admiralty immediately after the foundation of the fortified city on May 16 (27), 1703.

Having passed the winding strip of the Neva from Oreshk to the exit to the Gulf of Finland along all the branches of the Neva delta and having examined the shores of all the islands here, after a week's search, Peter and Menshikov moored near the left bank of the Neva just below Zayachiy Island, where the place for the shipyard was chosen.

Even when it was not known where the new shipyard would be located, Peter I already called it the Admiralty. And this part of the city, bounded by the Neva and the Moika, was immediately named the Admiralty Island. After the canals were dug around the shipyard, the name Admiralty Island was sometimes attributed to the land area where the Admiralty was located.

The historical date of birth of the Main Admiralty is considered November 5, 1704, when Peter I made the entry: "They laid the foundation of the Admiralty House and were in the osteria and had fun, length 200 yards, width 100 yards."

The first drawing of the Admiralty Shipyard was executed personally by Peter.

The personal drawing of Peter I - the first plan of the Admiralty Shipyard - is kept in the Central Naval Archives. According to Peter's plan, the "Admiralty House" was a group of different buildings, of which the main ones were combined into one giant U-shaped structure. On the site itself there were sheds, forges, and near the Neva - slipways and slipways for the construction of rowing and sailing wooden vessels of various sizes.

In the eastern part of the U-shaped structure, there was a rope shed, and in the western wing there were mast, sailing, and caulk workshops.

By the autumn of 1705, work on the construction of the U-shaped courtyard, open to the Neva, was basically completed. Numerous structures are located inside the courtyard.

The central structures were slipways and slipways for the construction of ships ranging in length from 60 to 70 feet and small vessels from 20 to 50 feet.

The Admiralty quickly took the form of an operating shipyard and fortress. Trees were cut down around it throughout the Admiralty Island, which made it possible to see the surroundings well. (This place was called the Admiralty Meadow). All structures were surrounded by a high earthen rampart with five bastions, under which piles up to three and a half fathoms long were driven. A ditch was dug in front of the ramparts, the slopes of which were reinforced with fascines, tied with bundles of brushwood (their reliability was tested when strengthening the trenches), and along all the walls there were slingshots. A drawbridge was thrown across the moat in front of the central bastion, and a wooden "spitz" upholstered in tin was erected on its gates. By the end of 1705, the Admiralty Fortress could accommodate a flotilla of ships for the winter. The ships removed 100 cannons with 3-, 6- and 12-pound cannonballs, which were installed on the rampart around the fortress; the sailors of these ships made up the first garrison of the fortress.

The original appearance of the Main Admiralty

With the development of the city, the first appearance of the Main Admiralty is gradually formed as a single complex, in which various functions are combined: shipbuilding, defense and fleet management.

By order of Peter I, in the spring of 1719, the expansion and stone construction of the "workshops of the chambers" was carried out.

Already in this period in the center of the buildings appeared a hut with a wooden top tower with a pointed spire. (To date, no plans have been found for this tower and its exact location has not been established.)

In 1717, to the west of the Main Admiralty, a canal was dug, connecting the shipyard with New Holland by water, where the warehouses of the naval department and rope yards were located (now the Admiralty Canal is filled up - this is the place where Konnogvardeisky Boulevard runs).

Since 1727, part of the dilapidated hut buildings of the Main Admiralty has been reconstructed, stone buildings have been erected. The work is supervised by the Dutchman Van Zwitin, the Italian Gaetano Chiaveri and others who combine work in the Admiralty with various responsibilities.

Therefore, on October 30, 1727, the Admiralty Board decides to appoint the architect Ivan Kuzmich Korobov to supervise the work.

Ivan Kuzmich Korobov was born in 1700, and his childhood and youth passed during the period of the most energetic activity of Peter I.

The Central State Archives of the Navy contains the journals of the Admiralty Collegium, the entries in which reveal the great work carried out over the years by Ivan Korobov in the Main Admiralty.

In January 1730, the entry reads: "In the next summer of this year, the Admiralty stone shops, according to the drawing made by the architect Korobov, with stone vaults to build one quarter."

Judging by this and subsequent records, the work was divided into four parts, covering the entire development of the Main Admiralty, which was primarily due to financial considerations.

The main construction work on the construction of a stone two-storey U-shaped building with a single facade extended parallel to the Neva, in front of which a wide banked canal passed, was completed in 1732.

The tower of the Main Admiralty, or, as it was also called, the "Admiralty Tower", was not erected by Ivan Korobov immediately, but was reworked many times. But more thoroughly Korobov took up the tower after the completion of the main work.

The surviving design of the tower was made by Ivan Korobov in two versions. In both, the base is a stone cube, but they end in different ways: in one case, the tower did not have a spire. Justifying this option, Korobov pointed out the difficulties in constructing the spire, as well as the danger in the wind. In the version with a spire, the first and second tiers of the tower were the same in height. The cornice of the second tier divides the entire height of the tower in half. The pilasters were distributed on the tiers of the tower in the traditional sequence of orders from bottom to top: Tuscan, Ionic, and Corinthian on a lantern.

In the solution of the gate tower found by Korobov, ideas for the construction of the Main Admiralty were synthesized, corresponding to both its own and state purposes, as well as the composition traditional for that time, which was used in the construction of churches and bell towers. The project is based on the Admiralty-Collegium Hall located in the upper part of the tower, which housed the trophies of Russia's naval glory.

On May 24, 1732, the Admiralty Board reviewed the projects presented by Korobov "with an architectural opinion and after listening to the order ... making the extract, report it to the Empress." Two weeks later, on June 8, the question of rebuilding the tower of the Main Admiralty according to the version with a spire was resolved. Empress Anna Ioanovna "ordered that spitz to build against what it used to be and to upholster the spitz and dome with copper and gilded with good skill."

Already in the fall of 1732, under the leadership of Ivan Korobov, the "master craftsman" Van Boles began dismantling the old tower and preparing for the construction of a new one.

The main work on the construction of the tower was completed in 1734-1735. The modern look of the base of the tower with an expressive arched passage, with small openings for windows in the corners, preserves the ideas of Ivan Korobov.

In 1737, according to the project and under the direction of Korobov, a spire was erected on the tower. For the construction of the spire, a mast wood of 11 fathoms was used. The wooden frame of the spire was buried in the volume of the stone tower into two upper tiers (about 12 m). All carpentry works were carried out by the artel of the contractor "Artemiy Filippov of olonchanin". All work on the construction of the Korobovsky Main Admiralty was completed in 1738.

For the gilding of the dome and the spire with the boat, they used 5081 gold pieces with a total weight of about 16 kg, which at that time was estimated at 11,076 rubles 38 kopecks.

The tower under the spire housed "chambers for the Admiralty presence." And on the open terrace of the third tier in the pre-lunch time, the bands of the guards regiments were displayed, and from eleven to noon trumpets and timpani sounded.

Another great architect who gave many years of his life to the Main Admiralty was Adrian Dmitrievich Zakharov. He was born in August 1761 into the family of Dmitry Zakharov, a poor official of the Admiralty Collegium, who lived in the vicinity of St. Petersburg.

In an effort to understand the origins of the path that led Adrian Dmitrievich Zakharov to the creation of the pearl of the great city on the Neva, we see that the golden sailing ship at the top of the spire, the spire itself, slender like a ship's mast, the whole appearance of the Admiralty is associated with the naval theme ... Zakharov was born on Admiralty Island, in the family of an Admiralty employee. All the best in Adrian Zakharov's life, and even life itself, were given to the Main Admiralty.

The pinnacle of creativity of the academician of architecture Zakharov

By the beginning of the 19th century, the center of gravity in the construction of the new capital was shifting more and more thoroughly from the Petrograd side and from Vasilievsky Island to Admiralteysky. The emerging architectural and planning ensembles, the expansion of the business life of the capital, the development of communications more and more definitely created a harmonious appearance of the center of the great city. For his perception, the central location of the Main Admiralty with a pyramidal gilded spire crowned with a sailing ship has become familiar. Despite attempts to improve Korobov's creation over the past three quarters of a century, his appearance did not harmonize with the developing environment in the center of St. Petersburg.

The wide courtyard of the Main Admiralty open towards the Neva, where the construction of ships continued, hindered the development of transport communications along the banks of the Neva and the formation of a single look for the embankments. The coastline was cut by ten locks, as well as channels for the passage of ships between and around the Admiralty hulls. The rampart that surrounded the shipyard was also not in harmony with the new buildings. For decades, palaces and cathedrals were built and renovated around the Admiralty, absorbing the dynamics of architecture, urban planning, artistic sculpture, granite embankments and multi-colored palaces that changed all lines, planes of space and colors. At the same time, the ensemble around the Main Admiralty was formed in compliance with the requirements of fortification science of that time, when the area around the fortress shipyard was supposed to be free and visible at least 300 yards. No buildings were allowed on this explanaad.

Starting the creation of the Main Admiralty, Academician Adrian Zakharov, in solving architectural and planning problems, was limited by very difficult conditions.

First, by the beginning of the 18th century, the Main Admiralty became the center of development not only for the Admiralty Island, but also for the entire central part of the city, where palaces, government buildings, cathedrals and monuments shone with luxury.

Secondly, the shipyard of the Main Admiralty at that time remained among the main shipbuilding enterprises of the Russian Empire with a widespread cooperation, ensuring the supply of all the necessary materials for the construction of ships.

Thirdly, the gilded spire of the Main Admiralty with a golden ship, on which the axes of the central highways of the city were oriented, became familiar to the appearance of the city and its perception.

Fourth, the important communications of the shipyard were the channels between the outer and inner U-shaped hulls, as well as the outer channel around the building and other channels through which the delivery of goods was carried out.

Thus, Zakharov had to preserve the idea of ​​Peter I of a large shipyard on the Neva, the basic principles of the architectural and planning solution of Ivan Korobov, the prevailing idea of ​​the central urban planning ensemble and at the same time, within the existing boundaries and conditions, create a fundamentally new architectural and artistic work, in keeping with the emerging splendor of the center of Northern Palmyra. At the same time, he set the goal of embodying in the appearance of the Main Admiralty the characteristic features of high Russian classicism and reflecting the main milestones in the development of shipbuilding and navigation in Russia, the formation of its sea power.

On the general plan of the Admiralty Island in 1738, one can see that the side wings of the inner building appeared in the Main Admiralty, parallel to the side facades along the inner banks of the canal.

Thus, already in the 30s of the 18th century, the general plan of the Main Admiralty was formed in the form of two U-shaped buildings (one inside the other), which was used by Zakharov and has survived to the present day.

Arches were erected over the inner channel, where it connected with the Neva. On the inner side of the first floor of the outer building, along the entire canal, there was an open gallery-arcade.

Zakharov managed to withstand the original idea of ​​decorating the facades of the Main Admiralty, which was included in the project. Some changes, which are inevitable in the presence of the above restrictions and problems, did not affect the principles of planning and composition.

The southern, or main, facade facing Admiralteisky Prospekt has a length of 405.9 m and is very well combined with a relatively low height (from 16.0 to 16.5 m excluding the central tower), due to the great ingenuity in breaking down the front line into five parts. On both sides of the central tower there are long calm walls that emphasize the grandeur of the tower and its relationship with the protruding parts of the facade. Each protrusion, in turn, has five parts. In the center of the ledge there is a twelve-column portico in the form of a loggia, on both sides of which, behind relatively smooth intervals, there are six-column porticos.

The side facades - the Eastern one, facing the Palace Square and the Winter Palace, and the Western one, facing the Decembrists' Square and the Bronze Horseman monument, are solved in the same way. Each of them is compositionally divided into five parts: the central part - a twelve-column portico - is connected by smooth walls with six-column corner porticos. At the same time, the shapes and volumes of the porticos of the side facades, walls, windows, horizontal rods and the crowning cornice of the first floor repeat similar elements of the southern facade. This "standardization" of architectural elements of the building creates an impression of integrity, completeness and solidity.

The descriptions of the first wooden tower, built on a hut base in the center of the southern facade, are very contradictory; the figures also do not provide an unambiguous representation.

In Korobov's project, the architecture of the tower was decided on the principle of a tiered increase in volumes decreasing upward, completed with a sharp pyramidal spire.

Zakharov strove to make the most of the Korobov tower, rearranging it in such a way that it would be in harmony with the appearance of the building's facades, retain its slenderness, and meet the style of the entire structure. To achieve these goals, in the final version, Zakharov narrows the central tower within the colonnade, which facilitates the entire silhouette of the tower with a spire. According to Zakharov's project, instead of a multi-window center with a small entrance, a powerful cubic volume was laid in the base of the tower. Outside, the vault is decorated with two arches hanging one above the other.

Figures of mythical and legendary heroes of antiquity - Achilles, Ajax, Pyrrhus, Alexander the Great - installed on the parapet of the central tower soften the transition from a massive base to a light second tier. In turn, twenty-eight statues installed above the columns soften the transition from the colonnades up to the spire. The towers are harmoniously combined with the architecture and the sculptural groups of nymphs standing on high pedestals supporting the earthly spheres.

Between the tower and the colonnade, at the level of the base of the columns, a gallery is formed from which a panorama can be seen in all directions. Above the colonnade there is a drum with semicircular niches and a gilded dome. In plan, the drum has the shape of a square with beveled corners.

In the niches of the drum there are watch dials.

The composition of the central tower is completed by a pointed gilded spire.

The spire on the central tower of the southern facade of the Main Admiralty is a slender octahedral pyramid. The spire's frame is made of wood, made of bundles of ship pine logs. The sides of the spire are formed by copper sheets in such a way that each sheet, having a strictly defined shape, is installed at a given point of the pyramid.

At the top of the spire is a weather vane in the form of an almost flat three-masted sailboat made of gilded sheet copper. Its predecessor, a wind vane, a sailing ship, located on the spire until 1886, and now decorating the staircase of the Central Naval Museum, had a slightly different look.

The archival sources have not yet found the name of the creator of the golden ship on the spire of the central tower of the Main Admiralty, although it has been reliably established that the first warship of Peter I served as a prototype for it. which gravitates functions of a weather vane, or with two masts - to provide a larger area. But the creators of the very first weather vane ship, which stood in the Baltic winds for a century and a half, chose a three-masted profile with dimensions in its diametrical plane very close to the shape of the frigate of Peter I.

Symbol of the Great City

Creating a project for the restructuring of the Main Admiralty, Adrian Zakharov solved a complex of complex urban planning, architectural and artistic problems. In every element - in the form and facades, in the porticoes and pavilions, in the central tower and in all the details of the artistic decoration - we see the desire to glorify the most important historical stage in strengthening the state: the formation of the fleet in Russia and the first victories of the fleet on the seas. The sailing ship, sailing at the very top of the pointed spire, symbolizes not only Russia's access to the sea, not only the "window to Europe", but also the continuity and infinity of human searches ...

The mystery and inevitability of adventure, the heroism and dedication of "walking on the sea", as well as the joy of victory over the enemy, are allegorically expressed in the sculptural decoration of the Main Admiralty.

We see the symbolic designation of facades, a spire or a sailboat at the top of the spire of the Main Admiralty on all books published in St. Petersburg, on products of factories and factories, on business cards and mail, on signboards and city newspapers, on everything we come across every day or we use it occasionally, which is associated with the great city on the Neva.

But the significance of the Main Admiralty as a symbol of the sea glory of our country is not limited to the architectural and artistic embodiment of the maritime theme in its appearance and decoration. It is composed both from the history of the shipyard, which for a century and a half was the center of the domestic shipbuilding and fleet, and from the traditions of the naval engineering school ...

Admiralty

The Admiralty (the building of the Chief Admiralty) is a complex of buildings that used to house the Main Admiralty of the Russian Empire. Located on the 2nd Admiralty Island in St. Petersburg, it is considered one of the masterpieces of architecture, a monument of Russian classicism.

The ship on the spire of the building is regarded as one of the symbols of the city, along with the Bronze Horseman and the contours of the raised Palace Bridge against the backdrop of the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

Admiralty fortress, built according to the drawings of Peter I

Initially, the St. Petersburg Admiralty was built as a shipyard according to drawings signed by Peter I.

The St. Petersburg Admiralty was founded on November 16 (5), 1704, the following record has been preserved about this:

They laid the foundation of the Admiralty House and had fun in the osteria and had fun, length 200 yards, width 10 yards

Travel journal of Peter I

The preparatory work was completed in record time and at the beginning of 1705 the main buildings were built at the shipyard and the first ships were laid on the boathouses.

In a war, it was necessary to defend the shipyard, so in 1706 the Admiralty was a fortress. It was fenced with an earthen rampart with five earthen bastions. Along the perimeter, ditches were dug, filled with water, an embankment of glacis and an exploration - a vast meadow for viewing the area of ​​fire in the event of a sudden enemy attack. In the first building, a vertical dominant with a metal spire was implemented. The building-free space extended to the modern Malaya Morskaya Street.

On May 10 (April 29), 1706, the first launch of the ship took place - a pram with 18 guns was built. By 1715, about ten thousand people worked in this subdivision of the Admiralty Order. At that time, the Admiralty was a one-story hut building, located in the form of a strongly stretched letter "P", opened towards the Neva River. The building housed warehouses, workshops, forges, as well as services of the Admiralty department. The courtyard was occupied by boathouses for the construction of sailing ships; there was an inner canal along the perimeter of the courtyard.

The canal around the Admiralty had not only a defensive function, but also a transport one - it was used to deliver timber from New Holland and other building materials. It was integrated into the city's canal network, connecting with the Admiralty Canal. The canal was filled up in 1817.

Architecture

Building of 1711

In 1711, the first restructuring of the Admiralty was carried out. In the course of work on the gate, a spire with a boat was installed, erected by the Dutch craftsman H. van Bolos. Under the boat, on the spire, there is a gilded ball, inside which there is a round capsule made of pure gold. It contains all the samples of gold coins minted in St. Petersburg since its foundation. This ball has never been opened, since the secret of turning one of its halves in the right direction has been irretrievably lost.

The original boat stood on the spire until 1815, and during the renovation it was replaced with a second boat. At the same time, the original boat of Von Bolos was lost. The second boat stood for 71 years, and in 1886, during the next repair, the spire was removed and replaced with an exact copy. The second boat is on display at the Naval Museum. The weight of the boat is 65 kg, the length is 192 cm, and the height is 158 cm.

The Admiralty building made a serious impression on the inhabitants of that era. A description of this alley of the chamberlain in the retinue of Duke Karl-Friedrich Holstein-Gottorp has survived:

On the Admiralty, a beautiful and huge building at the end of this road, there is a beautiful and rather tall spitz, which goes directly opposite the avenue

It is believed that the prototype of the Admiralty ship was the first Russian warship - the frigate "Eagle", built in 1667-1669 by order of Alexei Mikhailovich. This statement is based on the fact that none of the ships built by Peter before 1719 had anything to do with the ship on the spire of the Admiralty.

There is a legend that the three flags on the ship's masts were made of pure pure red gold, and the personal compass of Peter I was kept in the bow. There is also a legend that the ship repeats the silhouette of the first ship that entered the newly built port of St. Petersburg.

Building of 1738

In 1732-1738, the architect IK Korobov built the stone building of the Admiralty. The architect succeeded, while retaining the previous plan, to give the structure a monumentality that corresponded to its city-forming function. In the center, above the gate, was built a slender central tower with a gilded spire, sometimes called the "Admiralty Needle". A weathervane ship was raised to a height of 72 meters, and it remains in this position to this day.

In the 1740s, this area around the Admiralty was used for military exercises and as a pasture for livestock. On holidays, the Admiralty Meadow became a place for city-wide festivities and fairs; carousels, booths, and roller coasters were installed here.

The space around the Admiralty was also streamlined: in the 1760s, the architect A.V. Kvasov defined the boundaries of the central squares surrounding the Admiralty building.

Until the middle of the 18th century, the area south of the Admiralty was called the Admiralty Meadow. On the Admiralty meadow, soldiers' exercises were held and folk festivals were organized.

In the second half of the 18th century, the fortress canal became heavily polluted and began to accumulate dirty waste water. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna in the middle of the 18th century ordered the canal to be regularly cleaned and the meadow to be paved. The Admiralty meadow was completely paved only towards the end of the reign of Catherine II (in the last quarter of the 18th century).

By this time, the southern part of the meadow was built up, and the boundaries of the Admiralty Square in front of the main facade of the Admiralty were determined.

Building of 1823

By the beginning of the 19th century, the utilitarian architecture of the Admiralty no longer corresponded to its position as a "central" building in the city: three main thoroughfares (Nevsky Prospect, Gorokhovaya Street and Voznesensky Prospect) converge towards it. To the east of the Admiralty, the undeveloped space reached the Moika River, along which Bolshaya Lugovaya Street ran. It became necessary to change the appearance of the building so that it would be in harmony with the nearby Winter Palace and other majestic architectural ensembles located next to the Admiralty.

In 1806-1823, the architect A.D. Zakharov brilliantly solved this problem. The idea of ​​the building's new look was the theme of Russia's naval glory and the power of the Russian fleet. Zakharov rebuilt the Admiralty almost completely, leaving only an elegant tower with a spire. The fortifications near the shipyard were destroyed, and a boulevard was laid out in their place (now the Aleksandrovsky Garden is located on this place). Preserving the configuration of the plan of an already existing building, Zakharov created a new, grandiose (the length of the main facade is 407 m), giving it a majestic architectural appearance and emphasizing its central position in the city (as mentioned above, the main thoroughfares converge to it in three rays).

The architectural ensemble of the Admiralty consists of two U-shaped buildings (external and internal). the Admiralty Moat passed between them. The outer building was occupied by the administrative offices of the sea and river fleet of Russia, while the inner building was still occupied by production workshops.

In the center of the building there is a monumental tower with a spire (architect I. K. Korobov), surrounded by a colonnade in the middle part, which has become the symbol of the city. The base of the tower is cut through by an arch, and 12 and 6-column porticos are installed on the flanks of the middle part. They are repeated on the side facades. The pavilions facing the Neva echo the base of the central tower and are crowned with flagpoles with statues of dolphins. The strict rhythm of articulations gives the composition of the Admiralty a special wholeness. The composition of the two wings of the facade, symmetrically located on the sides of the tower, is built on a complex rhythmic alternation of simple and clear volumes (smooth walls, strongly protruding porticos, deep loggias).

Sculpture occupies a special place in the architectural solution of the Admiralty. In the pediments of the side porticos there are reliefs depicting the Greek goddess of justice, Themis, rewarding soldiers and artisans. S. S. Pimenov, V. I. Demut-Malinovsky, A. A. Anisimov took part in the creation of the sculptures. The central arch is flanked by statues of nymphs carrying globes standing on high pedestals (sculptor - F.F.Schedrin). Above the arch there are soaring Glories and an allegorical bas-relief "Establishment of the Fleet in Russia" (sk. I. I. Terebenev). At the corners of the first tier there are figures of ancient heroes: Alexander the Great, Achilles, Ajax and Pyrrhus. Above the colonnade there are 28 sculptural allegories: fire, water, earth, air, four seasons, four cardinal points, the muse of astronomy - Urania and the patroness of shipbuilders, the Egyptian goddess Isis, etc. Decorative reliefs organically correlate with large architectural volumes, wall sculptural groups emphasize in the grandiosely deployed facades, a living human measure. The sculptures of the Admiralty do not just indicate the functional purpose of the building, they affirm the image of Russia as a maritime power.

Inside, in the interiors of the Admiralty (a vestibule with a grand staircase, a meeting room, a library have been preserved), the austere severity of monumental architectural forms is softened by an abundance of light and exceptional elegance of decoration.

History

The construction of sailing ships at the Admiralty shipyard continued until 1844. Later, only the institutions of the fleet remained in the building: the Naval Ministry, the Main Naval Headquarters, the Main Hydrographic Directorate. In 1709-1939, it housed the Naval Museum.

Since June 1917, the Centroflot, the central democratic body of the fleet, which supports the Provisional Government, was located here. During the Great October Revolution, it was disbanded, and on October 26, on the initiative of V.I.Lenin, the Naval Revolutionary Committee (VMRK) was created, which mobilized the forces of the fleet to create and consolidate the Soviet state. VMRK was located in the wing of the Admiralty, facing the Bronze Horseman.

Since 1925, the building houses the V.I. F.E.Dzerzhinsky. Until the end of 2008, the headquarters of the Red Banner Leningrad Naval Base was also located there.

Preservation and restoration

During the blockade of Leningrad, the spire of the Admiralty was covered; the shelter was removed on April 30, 1945. Restoration work in the building was carried out in 1928, 1977 and in 1997-1998.

Modernity

In the post-Soviet era, various projects for the new use of the premises of the Admiralty have repeatedly appeared. So in 2006, a proposal was put forward to move here, to a limited area, the Central Naval Museum, in the building of which the government of St. Petersburg planned to open an oil exchange. In the fall of 2007, there was a proposal to place the command of the Navy in the Admiralty. Meanwhile, residents of the city noticed that the Admiralty tower had cracked. The situation is being investigated by KGIOP

According to Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov (September 2010), the move of the General Staff of the Navy and the main structures to St. Petersburg will begin after the completion of the repairs in the Admiralty. In 2009, the Naval School and the headquarters of the Leningrad Naval Base left there. At the same time, the head of the Ministry of Defense noted that the command post will not be moved over the next year or two.

Interesting Facts

In 1932-1933, the building housed the Gas Dynamic Laboratory - the first design bureau in the USSR for the development of rocket engines.

The admiralty needle is depicted on the medal "For the Defense of Leningrad" and on the badge awarded to graduates of the Leningrad Mechanical Institute.

During the gilding of the Admiralty spire in 1977, a draft of the Constitution of the USSR was placed in a ball under the boat, where a special casket was installed.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

One of the main architectural decorations of the cultural capital of Russia is the Admiralty. This complex of buildings in the Empire style was built in the 18th century. The first mention of it dates back to the beginning of the named century.

It should be noted that initially its purpose and appearance were different than at present: the buildings were erected for the repair and construction of ships. The buildings were later rebuilt. Today, the famous building complex houses command of the Russian Navy.

The silhouette of a ship, crowning one of the majestic buildings of the complex, is currently a symbol of the northern Russian capital.

The beginning of the story

In a hiking log Peter the Great there is a record of the foundation stone of the "Admiralty House", the length of which was two hundred fathoms, and the width - ten fathoms. The same entry mentions that after the building was laid, this event was cheerfully celebrated in a drinking establishment.

Construction work progressed very quickly. Already two years after the recording was made, the project "Admiralty House" was brought to life. "House", built according to the drawings of the emperor, was a real fortress(it was necessary to protect the shipyard). It was surrounded by ditches with water, the building was also protected by an earthen rampart.

The structure itself was low (consisted of only one floor) and very long. The premises of this building were used as warehouses and forges, some rooms were given to the Admiralty department, more precisely, its services. In the courtyard of the building was dug channel(it was filled up at the beginning of the 19th century). It was necessary for the delivery of building materials, and also had a defensive function.

A few years after the building was completed, a special room was equipped in it for storing drawings and ship models. Here you could see a model of each ship built at the shipyard, and familiarize yourself with its blueprints. At the beginning of the 19th century, this room was turned into a museum. It existed here until the end of the 30s of the XX century.

Silhouette of a boat

The history of the famous ship, which is currently one of the symbols of the city, begins at the end of the 10s of the 18th century. It was then that the silhouette of a boat appeared over the gates of the Admiralty. He was hoisted there Harman van Bolos- Dutch carpenter. The silhouette of the ship was attached to a long metal spire.

What kind of ship became the prototype of this decorative element? Historians have not yet been able to establish this. Some adhere to the following version: the model was the silhouette of the ship that was the first to enter the newly completed St. Petersburg port. According to another version, the spire is crowned with a reduced silhouette of a completely different ship, built in the 60s of the 17th century; it was the first Russian ship intended for military purposes. Which of the two versions is correct? The answer to this question has not yet been found.

There is a legend that the flags on the masts of the famous ship were made of gold... It is impossible to confirm or deny this legend at the present time, since the original silhouette of the ship, crowning the spire, was lost at the beginning of the 19th century and was replaced by a new one.

This new boat was also replaced after about seventy years. The silhouette that currently adorns the spire is an exact copy of the second replaced boat.

Building in the 18th century

The stone building was erected in 30s of the 18th century... His project was developed Ivan Korobov... The architect was faced with the task of creating a truly monumental, majestic structure, and this goal was achieved.

The most striking detail of the building was the tall gate tower... Its spire was gilded. According to some historical documents, the gold to cover the spire was obtained by melting down ducats, which the Dutch government presented to the Russian emperor as a gift. However, this information raises doubts among historians. One way or another, the bright spire, sparkling in the sun, makes a great impression on the guests of the capital to this day. Its tip ends in a weather vane - the famous silhouette of a boat. This silhouette is at a height of seventy-two meters (the tower is forty-nine meters high, the spire is twenty-three meters high).

In the 40s of the 18th century, the vast area around the building was used as pasture. Also, military exercises were held here. On holidays, fair festivities were held on this field, everything around became motley from brightly painted merry-go-rounds and booths.

At Elizaveta Petrovna serious problems arose with the fortress canal: dirty water began to accumulate in it (drains were discharged there). The Empress ordered the systematic cleaning of the channel. During the same time period, a large area near the building was paved.

Admiralty in the XIX-XX centuries

At the beginning of the 19th century, the need arose for restructuring Admiralty. Now it was located in the central part of the city, not far from it there were majestic palaces, and therefore it should have looked less utilitarian, more bright and elegant. The building reconstruction project was developed by Andrey Zakharov... The changes he made to the appearance of the Admiralty were very significant, but they did not touch the most striking and recognizable detail of the building - an elegant tower over the gate and a gilded spire with a weather vane. Experts find that the task facing the architect was brilliantly solved by him.

The new main facade of the building in the 19th century looked very impressive (and still makes a great impression): its length is four hundred and seven meters... Let's talk briefly about other architectural features of the majestic structure and the entire architectural ensemble, which plays such an important role in shaping the appearance of the cultural capital of Russia.

The architectural ensemble includes two U-shaped cases... They were once separated by a moat. In the 19th century, one of the buildings was occupied by workshops, and the other by the institutions of the country's river and sea fleet.

The central element of the ensemble is spire-crowned tower, which has already been described above. At its base there is an arch; the middle part of the tower is decorated with a colonnade.

Pay attention to the fact that the overall composition of the architectural complex is notable for its rigor, amazing integrity and clear rhythm.

Separately, a few words must be said about sculptures, which are an important part of the architectural ensemble. Among them are the image of the goddess of justice, rewarding artisans and warriors, nearby - figures of nymphs holding globes, sculptures of four famous heroes of the ancient world ... One cannot but mention twenty-eight sculptural allegories. They symbolize the elements, seasons, cardinal points; one of the statues depicts the muse of astronomy; part of the architectural ensemble is also the figure of the Egyptian goddess who patronizes seafarers; the complex of buildings is decorated with other allegorical sculptures. Please note that all of the above images are united by one theme: they affirm the image of our state as a maritime power. Many other sculptures that are not listed here, but which are part of the famous architectural ensemble, are devoted to the same theme.

Until now, not only the architectural appearance of the Admiralty has survived, but also part of vintage interiors... This is the main staircase located in the lobby, as well as the library and meeting room. The interiors are distinguished by austerity, but it is softened by the grace of decoration. The windows are positioned so that all rooms are perfectly lit; this bright light also softens the aforementioned austerity of the interiors.

In the siege years, a bright gilded spire with a boat, which was a very noticeable target for the enemy, was covered with a cover. Shortly before the Victory, this cover was removed.

The building that adorns this spire restored several times throughout the XX century. Restoration work was carried out in the late 1920s, then in the second half of the 70s and at the end of the 90s. In the 70s, the spire was gilded; then a special container with the text of the Constitution of the Soviet Union was placed in the cavity of the ball, located under the silhouette of the ship.

Present time

Several years ago, a disturbing fact was noted by the townspeople: on the famous tower with a sparkling spire, a fairly large crack... Currently, this alarming situation is being considered by the Committee for State Control, Use and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments.

Five years after the discovery of the crack, a move took place to the premises of the architectural complex of the high command of the Navy, this event was marked by raising the St. Andrew's flag over one of the towers.

A year later, on the territory of the Admiralty there was the temple is open... This church has one unusual feature: there is no cross above its dome, since it is replaced by the cross depicted on the St.Andrew's flag.

There are plans to make some small changes to the current appearance of the architectural complex. According to these plans, the space of the courtyards will be covered with a glass dome, and the historical buildings will be united by glass passages.