Wednesday Walk to the Rostral Columns

The frosty day was nearing its end, a beautiful sunset was beginning. I decided to take a little walk along the Neva river embankment to admire the beautiful evening city scenery. I walked in the direction of the embankment past the Winter Palace. Because of the cold weather, there were not many people walking around, and the animators in historical costumes had a hard time finding people willing to be photographed with them.

As I approached the embankment, I noticed that there was a fire lit on the Rostral Columns. It was unexpected for an ordinary weekday! Torches on the Rostral Columns are lit during big celebrations. What are we celebrating? Oriental New Year? Some special occasion?

I wasn't kept in the dark for long. The Palace Bridge was decorated with white and red flags, and I could easily make out the university's coat of arms and the inscription "300 Years of St. Petersburg State University" on these flags. St. Petersburg State University was founded in 1724 by decree of Emperor Peter the Great. I knew that in February our university celebrates its 300th anniversary, but I did not remember the exact date, and I did not assume that the celebration would take place not only within the walls of the university, but also on the streets of the city. Therefore, the lit torches on the Rostral Columns came as a surprise to me.

The two rostral columns on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island were erected in 1805-1810 according to the design of Tom de Thomon. They were built to serve as lighthouses. In the XVIII - XIX centuries, there was a seaport nearby, and ships with goods from different countries arrived here. The way to the berths of the port was difficult, the fairway is shallow and winding. Large ships overcame the way with great difficulty. Therefore, in the second half of the XIX century were made complex works to deepen and straighten the fairway, at the same time it was decided to move the seaport closer to the bay. After that, the Rostral Columns were no longer lit during fog and at night, now they are lit only on holidays.

Inside each column is a spiral staircase that leads to a viewing platform with a bowl of light. The bowl is held on a metal tripod. In the past centuries the caretaker poured hemp oil into the bowl, but in 1957 gas was brought to these lights, and the 7-meter torch that we see above the columns nowadays is burning gas.

The architectural ensemble of Spit of Vasilyevsky Island is now perceived as one of the most beautiful architectural ensembles of the city. It is in no way inferior to the imperial and grand-ducal palaces in its architectural merits. Nevertheless, all the buildings were built to solve specific practical tasks: for trade, for cargo storage, for the placement of state institutions. Thus, the building located between the Rostral Columns, and harmoniously combined with them, is the building of the Exchange. To the north and south symmetrically located two warehouse, designed to store goods and industrial exhibitions.

The purpose of these buildings has now changed. For example, the building of the South Warehouse houses the Zoological Museum. The Gostiny Dvor building was given to the university. The building of the Sea Customs House houses the Academic Institute of Russian Literature.It is to the building of the Sea Customs House that I turn when I decide to continue my walk. I walk towards sunset along the embankment of the Malaya Neva River. Far ahead I can see the dome of St. Catherine's Church - the end point of my walk today.

This is my entry for the #WednesdayWalk challenge by @tattoodjay.