The Saint-Petersburg galleries: Italian motives on the Neva’s embankments

Abstract

Formation and development of St. Petersburg brought a lot of innovations in the architecture of Russia. In particular, for the first time the open galleries went out on the facades of the streets here. Previously they were always the part of the inner quarter, domestic space, “the trade yards” for example. The beginning was made by D. Tresini (1720s, complex of Twelve Colleges and Gostiny dvor on the Vasilij Island). The idea was developed by Fr. B. Rastrelli, who proposed to use the two-storied arch galleries in the conception of the Big Gostiny dvor on Nevsky prospect (in the middle of 18th century). And G. Quarenghi became the main architect of the mass construction of the gallery trade rows and trade yards in St. Petersburg between 18th and 19th centuries. In a consequence many architects have taken part in their developments. V. Stasov, K. Rossi and many unknown ones were among them. The experience of St. Petersburg was used in a lot of Russian cities and towns. And the view of the arch gallery added with the fire watch tower became the typical example of the Russian provincial center of the first part 19th century.

Keywords:

architecture of St. Petersburg, interaction of cultures, trade rows in streets of the Italian cities, Russian trade yard — Gostiny dvor