The Robespierre Quay in St. Petersburg

For several generations of Soviet people this place on the banks of the Neva was known as the Robespierre Quay. Rename it or not - the answer to this question interested both indigenous Petrograders, and those who moved to the city on the Neva not so long ago. Today the answer to this question has been received in the affirmative. The quay was returned to its original historical name. On June 23, 2014, it again became Resurrection. Let's take a closer look at what is remarkable about the embankment and its surroundings.

From the history of St. Petersburg

This area of the city can not be attributed to the peripheral. Nevertheless, it was built up in a later era, when the center of the city was largely formed. Its name was given to the embankment by the name of the Resurrection Church, which stood in the first half of the eighteenth century on the corner of Shpalernaya and Voskresenskaya streets. Today Voskresenskaya Street is known to the people of Petrograd as Chernyshevsky Prospekt. In 1923, the embankment was named after the prominent figure of the French Revolution, Maximilian Robespierre. For the Soviet era in this place, there was nothing unusual. But after the city's return to its historical name in 1993, the phrase "St. Petersburg, the embankment of Robespierre," sounded somewhat strange. The public often paid attention to this circumstance, but the change in the names of urban infrastructure facilities is traditionally associated with significant financial costs and administrative difficulties.

Architectural features of the waterfront

Robespierre embankment began to acquire its present architectural appearance approximately in the middle of the nineteenth century. The most important point here was the construction of the granite embankment of the Neva. The total length of the retaining wall was 288 meters. Its construction was completed in 1852. The embankment had two staircases providing convenient access to the water surface. This allowed for a long time to use it as a loading area for river barges and storage of construction materials intended for the construction of urban areas. In its final form, the Robespierre embankment was formed already in the Soviet era. Many of its buildings have features typical of Soviet architecture of the pre-war period. The last large-scale reconstruction took place here in 1967. It was associated with the construction of the Foundry Bridge and approaches to it. The Robespierre quay was under the bridge.

Some Attractions

By St. Petersburg scale, the Robespierre embankment is not so rich in remarkable places. To its unconditional attractions until recently, Petrograders referred to the house 32. This residential complex is externally very characteristic for the Soviet historical era. It was erected in 1950 for workers located near the Great House on Liteiny Prospekt, that is, the Leningrad Department of the KGB of the USSR. From its windows a magnificent view of the Neva open spaces, the legendary cruiser "Aurora" and the famous prison "Crosses" on Arsenalnaya embankment was opened. But this building survived its epoch for a short time, in the nineties it was recognized as an emergency and demolished. Also, it is customary to refer to the city's sights as the only coffee museum in Russia at number 14, near the marina.

Monuments

In recent years the embankment of Robespierre has been greatly enriched with sculptural works. In 1995, the memorial to the Victims of Political Repression was opened here. The author of it is the world-famous sculptor Mikhail Shemyakin. Sculptural composition is a two sphinxes, installed on granite pedestals. They are turned not only to the embankment, but also to the famous prison "Crosses" on the opposite bank of the Neva. Through her passed many of those who are dedicated to this memorial. On the pedestals of the sculptures are placed copper plates with the sayings of poets, thinkers and philosophers. Thematically and figuratively with this memorial complex, there is a monument to Anna Akhmatova located nearby, on Shpalernaya Street. It is exactly the same turned in the direction of "Crosses". This prison is devoted to many poetic lines of Anna Akhmatova. At various times her husband Nikolai Gumilev and son Leo Nikolayevich Gumilev visited her. Akhmatova herself pointed out a place for the monument to herself in one of her works, it was to be placed near the well-known prison "Kresty".

From the point of view of a realtor

This bank of the Neva was the outskirts of the capital during the reign of Empress Catherine II. But now the answer to the client's question is the real estate agency: "Robespierre's Embankment ... Which district?" Can be unambiguous. This is the Central District of St. Petersburg. And the property on this waterfront is in great demand. This is one of the most expensive and prestigious areas of the city. There is simply no characteristic housing estate in St. Petersburg. In most buildings, both going to the Neva, and in the depths of blocks, major repairs and redevelopments were made. Apartments meet the criteria of elite real estate. The price per square meter of living space here is quite high, but high demand indicates that many Petrograders would like to settle on this quay for permanent residence.

Quay Robespierre, pier near the house 14

Every year, more and more popular in St. Petersburg are taking walks in the water area of the Neva and the Gulf of Finland. Many have noticed that the architectural ensembles of the northern capital look the most advantageous from the deck of the ship. But river vessels are no less in demand as entertainment establishments. It became fashionable to celebrate birthdays, weddings and various corporate events on the deck. Against the backdrop of this trend, a very important element of the city's tourism infrastructure was the berth at number 14 on the Robespierre embankment. It is capable of receiving and servicing two-deck recreational motor ships. The quay is convenient for those wishing to ride along the Neva by its location in the city center, it is easy to get to it.