Many prominent Russian artists graduated from the Russian Academy of Fine Arts and the Repin Institute. The museum's exhibitions, displayed in the former building of the Academy, feature graduation and study projects completed by students of the Academy, a number of works by the Academy's teaching staff and various paintings related to the history of the Academy. Although this is hardly the most impressive art collection in town, you will still find some excellent pieces and gain an interesting insight into St. Petersburg's artistic education of the past. The museum also features temporary exhibitions of works by prominent local artists in the Titian Hall and the annual art exhibition of the Academy, which is now based in Moscow.

15. The Egyptian sphinxes Universitetskaya naberezhnaya, 17

SPHINXES. Mythical creatures with the body of lion and a human head. In the second half of the 18th century, marble sphinxes were installed in the Private Garden in Gatchina and at the Osinovaya Roscha estate. Cast-iron sphinxes were installed in the Stroganov Palace courtyard. Miniature granite sphinxes were placed at the Kushelev-Bezborodko residential landing (end of the 18th century). At the beginning of the 19th century, stylised Egyptian sphinxes were created in the workshop of sculptor P.P. Sokolov. In 1825-1826, a pair of cast-iron sphinxes decorated the Egyptian Bridge across the Fontanka River. It is likely that the two sphinxes situated in the yard at Mozhaiskaya Street were cast according to the same model; in the 1980s they were installed on the new boat landing stage on Kamenny Island. In 1832, original sphinxes were brought from ancient Thebes in Egypt to St. Petersburg (15th century B.C.), and were installed at the landing near the Academy of Fine Arts (1832-1834, architect K.A. Ton). The sphinx image was given an original treatment by artist M. M. Shemyakin in his Monument To Victims of Political Repression on Robespierre Embankment (see Monument to the Victims of Political Repression).

13. Menshikovskiy Palace (The Branch of The State Hermitage)

Arch. D. Fontana, G. Shedel, Universitetskaya naberezhnaya, 15

The Menshikov Palace (Russian: Меншиковский дворец) is a Petrine Baroque edifice in Saint Petersburg, situated on Universitetskaya Embankment of the Bolshaya Neva on Vasilyevsky Island.[1] Since 1981, it has served as a public museum, a branch of the Hermitage Museum.

The palace was founded in 1710 as a residence of Saint Petersburg Governor General Alexander Menshikov and built by Italian architect Giovanni Mario Fontana and, later, German architect Gottfried Johann Schadel. It was opened in 1711, but the construction continued until 1727 (assisted by Domenico Trezzini, Bartolomeo Rastrelli, Georg Johann Mattarnovy and Jean-Baptiste Le Blond), when Menshikov with his family was exiled to Siberia and his property was confiscated.

In 1731, Cadet Corps were established and occupied the palace and neighboring buildings. At the end of the 19th century the Menshikov Palace was restored and became the museum of the Corps. In 1924, its collections were moved to the Hermitage and other museums. From 1956-1981 the Menshikov Palace was restored again and finally opened to the public as a branch of the Hermitage Museum with a collection of Russian art of the late 17th-early 18th century.

12. The Twelve Colleges (Saint Petersburg State University)

Arch. D.Trezini (1722-1742), Mendeleevskaya liniya, 5

The Twelve Collegia was commissioned by Peter the Great, who wanted a place for the Russian government, at the time divided into 12 branches:

The Senate (created in February 1711, eventually renamed "Council of the Empire")

The Synod

Nine colleges (later called ministries): Foreign Affairs, Revenue Collection, Justice, Expenditure, Financial Control, War, Admiralty, Commerce, Mining and Manufacturing

Additional, or tenth college/ministry for trade.

1. - 11. The Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography named after Peter the Great (Kunstkammer),(Chamber of Curiosities)-Universitetskaya naberezhnaya, 3

The museum was founded in 1879. Rich collection acquaints the visitors with the culture of the people of Asia, Africa, Australia and American Indians.

2. The Museum of Zoology. Universitetskaya naberezhnaya, 1

St. Petersburg's impressive zoological collection consists of over 17 million species, although only 500 thousand species can be displayed in the museum's current 19th century home. Exhibits range from enormous dinosaur, mammoths and whale skeletons to stuffed animals and birds and a unique collection of butterflies. Although the museum's exhibits are rather low-tech and old-fashioned, future funding projects hope to liven up the museum with more interactive displays and multimedia presentations.

З. (9)Тhе Central Naval Museum (Birzha)

(Former Stock Exchange Building) (The Central Naval Museum)

Birzhevaya ploshchad, 4

The Central Naval Museum is one of the oldest museums in Russia and one of the largest of its kind in the world. It originates from the Model Chamber, founded by Peter the Great in 1709. Initially it was a drawing workshop where all the ship models and drawings were kept. In 1720s - 1730s, there was even a singular exhibition of the most interesting models and drawings. In 1805 on the basis of the Model Chamber collection the Naval Museum was established. Naval officers hearty welcomed the appearance of the maritime museum and willingly supplied it with exhibits. Soon after even the tradition of bringing from voyages some rarities for the museum collection was established. But unfortunately the sailors thought that only foreign wonders and curiosities were worth bringing to the museum. That's why after a time the museum was crowded with the ethnographical, zoological and geological collections that had nothing to do with the specialization of the museum. Tsar Nikolay I decided that the museum wasn't effective and annihilated it.With the development of the shipbuilding the problem of systematic study of technical, historical and military experience became urgent, besides there was a need for preservation of valuable historical naval monuments and demonstration of the new achievements. The Russian Fleet desperately needed its own museum and in 1867 the Naval Museum was reopened.

After the Revolution of 1917 the collection of the museum was enlarged considerably due to the expropriated collections. A lot of exhibits connected with the royal family and famous aristocratic families were destroyed as not corresponding the new ideology.

In 1939 the Central Naval Museum was given one of the most beautiful buildings in the city - the Stock Exchange building. The Stock Exchange, the focal point of wonderful architectural ensembles of the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, was erected in 1805 - 1810 to the project of the celebrated architect Thomas de Thomon. The strict classical image of the Stock Exchange corresponds well to the majestic and mighty style of the city. All around the building magnificent Doric colonnade, resting upon the granite stylobata, goes. Decorating the attic allegorical sculptural groups "Neptune with two rivers" and "Navigation with Mercury and two rivers" underline the Stock Exchange's connection with maritime subject.

The main exposition, enlightening the history of Russian navigation and Russian Fleet from the ancient time till nowadays, occupies 10 halls situated on the ground floor of the museum. There visitors can learn about the creation and history of Russian navy, the most important naval battles, that brought the glory to the Russian Fleet, geographical discoveries, circumnavigation and celebrated expeditions. Russian men-of-war's played an important role in the revolutionary events of 1917 and Civil War. Several exhibition halls are devoted to the Soviet Fleet in World War II. The exhibition devoted to the creation of the missile atomic navy in the USSR in 1965-1975 is especially interesting. There models of warships of different classes, atomic submarines of the second generation and a strategic missile submarine, as well as documents and photographs are on display. The exposition ends with the exhibition devoted to the Navy in the period of the so-called "Cold War", its development after the war and the state of Russian Navy nowadays.

In all, the Central Naval Museum stocks more than 8,000 items, among them there are models of ancient and modern ships, navigation tools, patterns of weapon and equipment, maps, photos, flags and banners, war booty, personal belongings of the famous Russian navigators, rich collections of paintings and numismatics. The oldest exhibit displayed is the ancient dug-out, the archaeologists date back to the 1st millennium B.C. The museum treasures "The grandfather of the Russian Fleet" - the famous botik (a small vessel) of Peter I.

10. Rostral Columns

Arch. J.-F. Thomas de Thomon (1805-1816), Birzhevaya ploshchad

Early in the history of St. Petersburg the Strelka (spit) of Vasilevsky Island, the largest island of the Neva delta, was intended to become the heart of downtown St Petersburg. Some of the buildings, such as the Customs House, still remain from that time, although downtown shifted onto the left bank of the river. In the early 19th century one of St. Petersburg's most elegant architectural ensembles appeared on the eastern edge of the island. The imposing white colonnaded building of the Stock Exchange was its focal point, and was flanked by two Rostral Columns. The Stock Exchange, designed by the French architect Thomas de Tomon and built in 1805-10, was inspired by Ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The two Rostral Columns, studded with ships' prows, served as oil-fired navigation beacons in 1800s (on some public holidays gas torches are still lit today).

The excursion termination № 2, the bus 259 to the underground the Neva avenue.

Walking tour № 3. The excursion beginning M. Nevskiy Prospekt

37. The Duma Tower

Arch. D.Ferrari (1799-1804), Nevskiy prospekt, 33

The City Duma building was the center of local government 1786-1918.

The Duma Tower seen on the left, was built 1799-1804 as a watchtower for fires. Ironically the tower was severely damaged by fire itself in 1998, but has since been restored.

The adjacent building on the left of the tower is the Municipal Assembly or Duma itself with its numerous offices and the Grand Assembly Hall. The original 18th century building was redesigned in the neo Renaissance style by Nikolai Efimov and rebuilt between 1847 and 1852. Some additional reconstruction work was also done in 1913. Low fourth floor level was added in 1914.

33. The Zinger Company Building (House of Books)

Arch. P. Suzor (1902-1904), Nevskiy prospekt, 62

Singer building in St. Petersburg is a historical and architectural heritage building and owned by the federal government. Seven-storey building, built in modern style (1902-1904) for «Singer» manufacturing company, occupies about 7000 square meters. Management of «Singer» corporation wanted to build a skyscraper, similar to the «Singer» building in New York City, but it was not allowed to build houses more than 22 m tall in the center of St. Petersburg. The architect constructed a tower with a globe made of glass on the top that made an impression of a «Skyscraper», but didn't block the view on other important buildings of the city center.

Arch. С Rossi, art. V. Demut-Malinovskiy, S.Pimenov (1819- 1825)

Inzhenernaya ulitsa, 4

14. The State Russian Museum (Mikhaylovskiy Palace)

All the buildings surrounding this square accommodate museums or theaters of some kind. To orient yourself, stand facing the front of the sculpture to Pushkin. On your left stands the yellow Maly Opera and Ballet Theater, named after the Russian composer Musorgsky. Designed by Alexander Bryullov, it opened in 1833. The internationally renowned dance company performs to the music of the world's most beloved ballets during the regular season.

If you look ahead, you will see the Russian Museum. While the world-famous Hermitage houses Russia's greatest collection of international art, this gallery retains solely the great works of the country's own painters and sculptors. These were collected by the czars over the centuries of their rule. The architect Carlo Rossi originally designed the building for the brother of Czar Nicholas I, the Grand Duke Mikhail, and completed it in 1825. It opened as a museum in 1898 as the czar's gift to the Russian public.

The street onto which the museum fronts is known as Engineer's Street. Head east on it until you reach Sadovaya Street. You'll know you're there when you spot the tracks for the city trams which run its length. Turn left and head down Sadovaya. You'll soon come upon a park situated to your left. Continue along. Opposite the gated entry to the park lies the Mikhailovsky (Engineers') Castle, painted orange. Cross the street and make your way onto the castle grounds.

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