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The Spit of Vasilyevsky Island is one of the main calling cards of St. Petersburg. This is where the famous Rostral Columns are located, and the wide Neva splits into two branches, revealing a panorama of the historic city center and its embankments. In this article we'll tell you why the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island has become one of the main symbols of St. Petersburg, what you should definitely see here and when it's best to come to see this place in all its beauty.
What is the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island
The Spit of Vasilyevsky Island is the eastern cape of the island, which, like a sharp knife, cuts the Neva into two branches: the Bolshaya and the Malaya. If you look from the water, this architectural ensemble resembles the bow of a giant stone ship that forever sails toward the Neva waves. The Spit of Vasilyevsky Island is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . There is an incredible sense of space and calm here, where the restless Neva beats against the foot of the stone embankment. This is a place for those tired of the city bustle; for leisurely strolls while listening to audiobooks or unobtrusive jazz compositions.
The Spit of Vasilyevsky Island: History
The history of the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island is very curious. Peter the Great, back in the early 18th century, planned to make it the administrative and cultural center of his new capital.
For almost 150 years, Russia's main commercial port bustled here – overseas goods were unloaded, merchants traded and hurried about, until in 1885 the port was moved to Gutuyevsky Island, after which this place finally became a center of science and culture, and world-famous museums opened in the buildings of former warehouses (pakgauzy).
Why is the island called "Vasilyevsky"? There is a legend that a battery commanded by Vasily Korchmin stood here, and the tsar sent him notes with a short address: "To Vasily on the island." Although historians whisper that even before the city was built, a Novgorod posadnik named Vasily Selezny lived here.
What to see at the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island
On the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, besides the Exchange and the Rostral Columns, it is worth seeing the buildings of the former warehouses, where the Zoological and Soil Science museums are now open, as well as the former Customs House (now the Pushkin House).
While strolling along the embankment, you can see granite descents with lion masks and real Egyptian sphinxes. Walking along the embankment, you will be treated to breathtaking views of the Winter Palace and the Peter and Paul Fortress. Exactly the kind we are used to seeing on postcards. So why buy them when you can take photos yourself and print them as a keepsake?
The Exchange building in St. Petersburg
The Exchange building can be called a true ancient temple in the center of St. Petersburg. Architect Thomas de Thomon built it in the early 19th century, inspired by ancient Greek temples. On the facade of the Exchange, Neptune on a chariot emerges from the sea depths surrounded by two rivers – the Neva and the Volkhov. The interior of the Exchange is finished in marble and decorated with sculptures on the theme of trade.
Before the revolution, all major wholesale deals were concluded here; in Soviet times (from 1940 to 2011), the Central Naval Museum was located inside. Currently, the building has been transferred to the State Hermitage.
The Rostral Columns of Vasilyevsky Island
The Rostral Columns are actually former lighthouses! One showed ships the way to the Malaya Neva, the other to the Bolshaya. They are decorated with "rostra" – the bow parts of captured enemy ships, which symbolized the country's naval power.
At their base sit huge figures of river deities: the Volga, Dnieper, Volkhov, and Neva. Nowadays, the fires in the bowls atop the columns are lit only on major holidays (using combustible gas), and this spectacle is simply unforgettable. The torches can also be lit on especially solemn occasions. For example, visitors have noted that the columns were lit on National Flag Day.
For those who dream of marriage, there is a city tale: they say you need to kiss the stone lion on the embankment, and then the wedding is not far off!
Where is the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island located
Where is the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island located? Right in the center! The Spit of Vasilyevsky Island in St. Petersburg is connected to other parts of the city by the Palace and Exchange bridges.
How to get to Vasilyevsky Island
It is easy to get here by metro (Admiralteyskaya or Vasileostrovskaya station) and walk, enjoying the views of the historic center: the golden top of St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Admiralty spire, and the bridges.
You can also get here by surface transport. Near the square and Exchange Square there are stops for buses No. 10, 191 and trolleybus No. 7. A little further, at "Universitetskaya Embankment, 1," buses No. 7 and 24 and trolleybuses No. 1, 10 and 11 stop.
Tour to the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island
The Spit of Vasilyevsky Island is a place with incredible energy and atmosphere! Here street musicians play saxophones, artists paint landscapes in oils, bikers meet on their brutal motorcycles, and tourists take their memorable photos.
It's better to see the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island with your own eyes , than to gaze at souvenirs featuring it in shops! So the perfect option is to take a sightseeing bus tour of St. Petersburg with Leningrad Tour.
On the sightseeing tour you will also see other famous symbols of the city besides the Rostral Columns: the "heart" of St. Petersburg, the Peter and Paul Fortress and Hare Island, and panoramas of the Neva with its historic embankments. Along the way, the guide will share interesting facts about the city, its architecture and maritime history. This is a great opportunity to see the most iconic sights of St. Petersburg in a single tour and feel the living history of a trading port turning into the ceremonial center of the cultural capital.
Boat tour of St. Petersburg
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