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Excursions across Saint Petersburg: night life of the city
St. Petersburg is considered the motherland of the most popular beer brands of Russia: “Baltika”, “Nevsky”, “Bochkarev”, “Stepan Razin”. Here practically everybody drinks beer. But it can’t be said that inhabitants of St. Petersburg are thoughtless people, who drink beer all day long and sing rock (by the way it is really Russian, because it arose and achieved incredible mark here). Perhaps, speaking about local inhabitants, it is necessary first of all to dwell on nightlife of Peter, because it is a component, without which life is impossible for any inhabitant of Petersburg.
Let’s begin with the fact that in Peter there are mass of restaurants, clubs, bars and other bawdy places. For example, this place numbers more than 3,000 cafes and bars as minimum. One can see them in every street and they are situated both in absolutely uninhabited and unsightly courtyards-basements – places of Russian bandit-militia serials, and in historical monuments of architecture. One can supper in them for 10-200$, depending on the class, on which this or that public house. We won’t list all of them: it’s too burdensome. Nevertheless we advise gourmets and amateurs of antiquities drop in the restaurant “Astoria”. It is, probably, one of the oldest establishments of this type. By the way we can please amateurs of treating something new every day, saying that in St. Petersburg there are all cuisines of the world: Italian, Mexican, Finnish, American German, and etc. Peter is also rich in numerous clubs: bowling-clubs (6), billiards-clubs (24), playing-clubs (12), Inet-clubs (300), casino (12), entertainment centers (31), strip clubs (19), rock-clubs (3), art-clubs (14), gey- and lesbian-clubs(1), jazz-clubs (5), night clubs (59), karaoke-clubs (10), dance-clubs (23), clubs-restaurants (60). There are even three child clubs. Night- and art-clubs are very popular among inhabitants. Among the first ones it is necessary to mention “Metro”, “Golden Girls”, “A priori” and others. These are places where not only youth amuse themselves but also clubs for older people. The program of such clubs includes karaoke, sport translations, strip-tease, theatrical and dance shows, discos (rap, pop, chaus, and background music), lively music, concert programs and others. Art-club lovers, as a rule, drop in these places in order to enjoy bard’s songs, jazz, pop or rock, rock-n-roll, folk music, background music. Among popular nowadays art-clubs it is worth to mention “16 tons”, “Jazz Town”, “La Femme” and others. So, venture and you will be lucky!
Tourists, coming in St. Petersburg for resting, should visit obligatory city Petergof, the historical patrimony of Russian tsars, made in the image and likeness of Versal. Originally Petergof was built as the residence of Peter I, necessary for him while moving from Petersburg into fortress Kronshlot (now Kronshtadt), situated on the coast of the sea, in island Kotlin and built with the aim of defense the new capital from Swedes. Near Kronshlot was built also Petrov palace, which later received the name of Petergof.
The first mention about it dates from 1705. The place, where the Petrov palace was built, began increasing in size. Thus, after the victory in the Poltavskaya battle Peter invented the plan of making a summer residence, including not only building a palace but also park and fountain complexes. Thus, in 1714 workers (mostly peasants and soldiers) began erection the central and eastern parts of Lower park, and also building a palace, grotto, cascade and channel, sketch plan of which was represented by the emperor himself. According to the kept documents, in the building took part more than 800 men, and more than hundreds horse carts. Many of workers perished, not seeing the fruits of their labour. The first manager of the building of Petergof was I. F. Braunstein.
But already in 1716 was hired for help Jan Batist Leblon, the French royal architecture, famous in Europe for the work in constructing country palace-park ensembles.
To him belongs the idea of making the system of fountains in Petergof, and also elaboration the system of feeding the reservoirs of the residence, which he presented the emperor in 1717 under the name “Water plan”. Many details of Leblon’s plan were used in building fountains and cascades, however in building of the waterfall was used the project of engineer-hydraulics V. Tuvolkov. At the same time were erected palace Monplezir and the Upper chambers – components of the Big palace in the future. And already on August, 15, 1723 was carried out the official opening of Petergof after building the Large cascade was finished under the direction of new general-architecture Nicola Micketti, designated in 1719. This day was carried the test starting of all fountains. Their unique architecture, design, dynamics and also innumerous constructions like grottos, pergolas, sculpture compositions both of the fountains themselves and park complexes soon served their purpose: the Western Europe said about Petergof as about a wonder! By that time Monplezir palace and also the Bolshoi and Manazherny fountains, fountains “Sheaf”, “Pyramid” had been built already. And in 1724 appeared “Eva” and “Oranzhereiny” (“Triton”). At the same year was finished decorating the Hermitage. In 30-s years other five fountains appeared in the Upper garden. They were decorated with guilt lead sculpture. Here were built also pergolas and alleys, owing to which appeared the beautiful approach to the summer residence from the side of Petergof highway. And former in this place vegetables were cultivated! Already in 1735 in the center of the scoop of the Bolshoi fountain appeared a sculptural composition, fountain “Samson, tearing up mouth of lion”. Its opening was confined to the date memorable date – celebration of 25th anniversary of the Poltavskaya battle. In 1745-1755 Petergof had been rebuilt for the second time. For this once the Big palace, where in place of the Upper chambers appeared luxurious main residence, the interior of which was created by sculpture Franchesco Rastrelly, was undergone perfection. Besides that, he built the Ekaterininsky corp and erected the fence around the Upper garden. The second rebuilding of the Big palace was carried out in 60-70s by architectures J. –B. Vallen-Delamot and Jury Felten, giving preference to rococo and classicism styles.
Mostly the baroque decoration of Rastrelly was changed. At the same time in the emperor’s bathhouse appeared fountain “Sun”, made by project of J. Felten and I. Jakovlev. At the end of the 18th century lead sculptural decorations of fountains were changed into bronze ones, which is connected with short life of this metal. New sculptures were founded by sketches of M. Kozlovsky, F. Shubin, F. Shudrun and I. Maros by founders E. Gasteklu and V. Ekimov. In their places sculptures were placed in 1806. And owing to architecture A. Voronihin the Bolshoi cascade “provided themselves” with other small fountains, which appeared on the terrace in front of the facade of the Big palace. Besides that Voronihin set galleries-columns, where fountains were also worked, were set from the both sides of the Alley of fountains.
Other country residences of regnant persons were built in Petergof at the end of 18 – the end of 19 century. Together with them appeared also 12 new parks, siding with the Upper park. And in the middle of 20-s of the 19th century in park Alexandriya was built palace Cottage by decree of emperor Nicholas I. Before fall of the monarchy in Russia Petergof remained the place for official receptions of regnant persons and celebration smart holidays. During the revolution of 1917 palaces of Petergof were partially ransacked by people, flied into a rage. And in 1918 the city received the status of architectural and artistic museum.
To this state of neglect Petergof was led by the Great Patriotic war, because of which many museum exhibits of the Hermitage, Marly, the Big palace were evacuated: these are pictures, articles of the decor and also china, glass, lamps, furniture and marble park sculptures, which were buried. However they didn’t manage to carry off and hide everything. During operations were considerably damaged the Hermitage and Monplizer. The fascist had blown up many fountains, felled almost the third part of the parks, and robbed hydro technical constructions: three sculptures of the Bolshoi fountain and, in particular, the statue of Samson. Besides that, Germen had destroyed and brought away with them thousands works of art. On January, 19, 1944 Petergof was set free and at once began restoration works. Now Petergof is almost restored, they haven’t managed only to restore “Amber room” and other expensive interior.
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