Admiralty, Saint Petersburg

The Admiralty is the former headquarters of the Admiralty Board and the Imperial Russian Navy in St. Petersburg, Russia and the current headquarters of the Russian Navy.[1]

The Admiralty tower (1806-23) as seen from the Alexander Gardens. It is the focal point of St Petersburg's city center: three main avenues converge nearby.

The edifice was rebuilt in the nineteenth century to support the Tsar's maritime ambitions. The original design was a fortified shipyard which was later surrounded by five bastions and further protected by a moat.[2]

The Empire Style edifice visible today lining the Admiralty Quay was constructed to Andreyan Zakharov's design between 1806 and 1823.[2] Located at the western end of the Nevsky Prospekt, The Admiralty with its gilded spire topped by a golden weather-vane in the shape of a small sail warship (Korablik), is one of the city's most conspicuous landmarks and the focal point of old St. Petersburg's three main streets - Nevsky Prospect, Gorokhovaya Street, and Voznesensky Avenue - underscoring the importance Peter I placed on Russia's Navy.

Vladimir Nabokov, writer and native of St. Petersburg, wrote a short story in May 1933 entitled "The Admiralty Spire."

See also

References
  1. "Russian Navy HQ Moves to St. Petersburg", RIA Novosti, October 31, 2012
  2. Bleckman, Boris; et al. "The Admiralty". nevsky-prospekt.com. Archived from the original on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2011.

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