Rostral Columns - St. Petersburg, Russia - Freestanding Columns on Waymarking.com

These rostral columns are prominently located where the Neva River splits into the Malaya Neva River and the Bolshaya Neva River. We passed by them a number of times during our two day visit to St. Petersburg, while on a Baltic cruise.

"These two columns standing on the Strelka ("spit") of Vasilyevsky Island are as much a symbol of St. Petersburg as the open arches of Palace Bridge, the dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral, or the spires of the Admiralty and the Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral. For over two centuries, they have formed an integral part of the city's central panorama over the River Neva, and are particularly impressive on major public holidays, when torches are lit on top of them.

Once, at this point where the River Neva splits in two - the Bolshaya Neva and Malaya Neva, St. Petersburg's main port was located. During the planning of Birzhevaya Ploshchad in 1810 the decision was taken to install two beacons indicating the two channels. Jean-Francois Thomas de Thomon, the architect of the Old Stock Exchange, decided to build the towers in the style of Roman rostral columns - victory columns on which the prows ("rostra") of captured enemy ships were mounted.

At the base of the columns sit statues of four allegorical figures supposed to represent four of Russia's major rivers - the Volga and Dnieper at the northern column, and the Neva and Volkhov at the southern column. The figure of the Dnieper was sculpted by Jozef Camberlein of Antwerp, while the other three sculptures were by Jacques Thibault, assisted by the famous Russian serf sculptor, Samson Sukhanov. De Thomon's massive 32-meter-high Doric columns are decorated with sculptures of naiads, sea creatures and anchors. The large bowls at the top of the columns were originally designed to hold hemp oil for burning. Later, electric lamps were installed as beacons, but this soon became too expensive. In 1957, the Rostral Columns were connected to the gas supply and now, on holidays such as the City Anniversary, Victory Day and New Year, the columns are topped with seven-meter-high tongues of flame." SOURCE

"There are two Rostral Columns on the square in front of the Stock Exchange. The 32-metre high red brick towers or lighthouses were used for their direct designation from 1727 until the middle of the nineteenth century, when a port was functioning at the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island. Inside the massive shafts of the rostral columns are winding staircases leading upstairs and there, on platforms, bowl-shaped lamps are fixed on metal tripods.

Formerly they were filled with oil that could be burnt up, but in 1957 gas was supplied to the lamps that allowed to attain a fascinating lighting effect on festive days. The Doric columns-lighthouses are triumphal monuments dedicated to the naval victories of the Russian Empire. They are decorated with rostra – the prow decorations of ships (figures of sirens) in keeping with an ancient Roman tradition according to which victors in a naval battle brought with them the prows of captured ships, and the more of them the greater one’s victory was regarded. The rostral columns are installed on powerful stepped bases, at the foot of which are set up huge monumental statues symbolizing the Volga, Dnieper, Neva and Volkhov Rivers." SOURCE

"The Old Saint Petersburg Stock Exchange (also Bourse) and Rostral Columns, located in Saint Petersburg in the Russian Federation, are significant examples of Greek Revival architecture. Designed by French architect Thomas de Thomon, and inspired by the Greek Temple of Hera at Paestum, the stock exchange was constructed between 1805 and 1810. The rostral columns erected on either side of the Stock Exchange were completed in 1811. The Old Saint Petersburg Stock Exchange is located at Birzhevaya Ploschad 4.

Opposite the exchange building on the Neva, de Thomon designed a semicircular overlook with circular ramps descending to a jetty projecting into the river. This formal approach, is framed by two rostral columns centered on the portico of the Stock Exchange. The Doric columns sit on a granite plinth and are constructed of brick coated with a deep terra cotta red stucco and decorated with bronze anchors and four pairs of bronze ship prows (rostra). Seated marble figures decorate the base of each column each representing the major rivers of Russia — the Volga and Dnieper at the northern Rostral Column,Neva and Volkhov at the southern one. The Rostral Columns were originally intended to serve as beacons and originally were topped by a light in the form of a Greek brazier and lit by oil. The braziers have been removed and the tops of the columns refitted with gas torches that continue to be lit on ceremonial occasions." SOURCE