The first wooden gates on this important historical site of St. Petersburg were built at the beginning of the 18th century. A few years later they were rebuilt according to the design of a famous Italian architect and became stone. And subsequently they were rebuilt several times by different architects. The last rebuilding was carried out at the end of the 18th century.
The Nevsky Gates of the Peter and Paul Fortress are the main water gates on Zayachy Island in St. Petersburg, leading to the Commandant's Wharf. They are located between two bastions: Sovereign and Naryshkin. This is the only way out of the fortress to the Neva River.
General information about the Peter and Paul Fortress
Before we turn to the description of the Nevsky Gates of the Peter and Paul Fortress, we will provide some information about the entire complex, which is the first grandiose building in St. Petersburg. It was in this place that Peter I wasfounded in 1703 the city on the Neva. Since the territory was part of the Russian Empire during the hostilities with Sweden, the citadel was built to protect against the Swedes.
Due to the fact that the fortress was founded on the island, the fortress cannons were supposed to protect the city along two large branches of the river. The sea frontiers of St. Petersburg were protected by the Kronstadt fortress, built in 1704. Already in 1705, the Admir alty Shipyard (the first industrial facility) was opened on Admir alty Island.
Today the fortress is an object of cultural and historical heritage of the northern capital of Russia. Although it is an open-air museum, it should be remembered that this is a real and powerful fort that was always ready to repel any enemy attack.
Besides the Nevsky Gates of the fortress, there are others. Let's briefly introduce them.
Gate of Peter and Paul Fortress
There are only four of them in the citadel, and they are located according to the cardinal points.
- From the west are the Vasilyevsky Gates. They serve as an entrance through the Vasilyevsky curtain facing the island with the same name (hence the name of the gate).
- The Nikolsky Gate serves as the entrance to the museum from the north. The original draft of 1703 did not have them. They were created in the Nikolskaya Curtain only during the rebuilding of the wooden fortress into a stone one (25 years after its foundation).
- Nevsky Gate - the southern entrance to the fortress, from the river side (hence the name). Previously get through them inthe fortress could only be moored to the pier.
- On the east side are the most majestic and beautiful gates - Petrovsky. They were built of wood in 1708, and 10 years later they were rebuilt in stone. This gate is a monument of the Petrine Baroque, designed by the famous architect Domenico Trezzini. On both sides of them, in niches, there are statues that personify "Courage" and "Prudence".
Above the arch of the Petrovsky Gate there is a double-headed lead eagle, above which there is a wooden bas-relief called "The overthrow of Simon the Magus by the Apostle Peter", where Simon is identified with King Charles XII of Sweden, and the apostle with Tsar Peter I. The picture is a symbol Russia's victory over the Swedes in the Great Northern War.
A brief history of the Nevsky Gates of the Peter and Paul Fortress
The first wooden gates on this historical site of St. Petersburg were built in 1714-16. The stone gates were built in 1720 according to the design of the architect D. Trezzini (an outstanding Italian architect of the time of Peter I). Then they were rebuilt several times by different masters. The last version of the gate was created and built by the architect N. A. Lvov in the period from 1784 to 1787.
This gate is also called the “Gate of Death”. They received such a name due to the fact that prisoners sentenced to death were taken out of the Peter and Paul dungeons through them. They were taken along the Neva to the place of execution. However, there is also a positive legend about these gates, which says that through them to the fortressthe "grandfather of the Russian fleet" was introduced.
Description of the Nevsky Gates
Nevsky Gates (St. Petersburg) - an architectural monument of classicism.
The height of the structure in the latter version is 12 meters, the width is 12.2 meters. They are installed on a plinth, the height of which is almost a meter. To the left and right of the arch are twin columns supporting a triangular pediment. The columns and plinth are made of Serdobol silver-white polished granite. The decoration on the pediment represents an image in the form of an anchor with crossed palm branches and a fluttering ribbon (the work of an unknown sculptor). There is also a gilded inscription - the date of the creation of the gate. Along the edges of the pediment are two bombs with flames.
The arch of the Nevsky Gates of the Peter and Paul Fortress, protruding from the curtain, looks like a classic portico.
Modern fortress, destination
The official name of the historical core of the city is the Petrograd Fortress (1914-1917) and the St. Petersburg Fortress. It is listed in the Museum of the history of the city of St. Petersburg. From the Naryshkin bastion, a symbolic shot is fired daily at noon from a signal cannon.
In 1991, a monument to the Great Peter was erected on the territory (the work of the sculptor Shemyakin). Since the beginning of the 21st century, a variety of recreational activities and excursions have been held on the beach of the Peter and Paul Fortress. The Museum of Cosmonautics and Rocket Technology also operates here. A grand piano was installed in the flag tower in 2005, which is periodically playedfamous musicians from all over the world.
How to get there?
Zayachy Island is open daily for tourists from 6.00 am to 9.00 pm, and the complex itself (respectively, the Nevsky Gates of the Peter and Paul Fortress) - from 9.00 to 20.00. 2 bridges lead to the island: Kronverksky, Ioannovsky.
Gorkovskaya metro station is located not far from the fortress, from which it is a 5-10 minute walk to the historical citadel.
