Читать книгу St. Petersburg Island. Phototravel to History… - Valery Pikulev - Страница 4

And now, having bowed to Pyotr’s lodge, we will go along the Neva Current to Trinity Square, is absolutely nearby, a stone’s throw away! – and from its party once again we will admire our handsome, – Trinity Bridge.

View of the Trinity Bridge from Trinity Square (the right coast of Neva)

Let’s approach even closer…

Trinity Square… Red Square in Moscow, even Palace – in St. Petersburg, – cannot apply for the status of the Main square of Russia at Pyotr! This status by right belongs to Trinity Square, oldest in the city! Exactly here the tsar Pyotr accepted the Emperor’s title, and Russia became the Empire! There was it on October 22, 1721 in Holy Trinity Cathedral from which and the name of the area went.

This temple was built in the center of the area in 1710 on Domenico Trezzini’s project – in honor of a victory over Swedes near Vyborg. It long time remained the main temple of the city. On the square, near the temple, imperial decrees were announced, parades and reviews of troops were organized.

Trinity Square (on a background – Trinity Bridge)

Trinity chapel. There was Holy Trinity Cathedral

Trinity…

One more type of the Chapel of the Trinity

View of Trinity Square from Neva (on a background – the Tatar Mosque)

Here, at Trinity Square, in 1714, the Russia’s first Triumphal arch (besides on the Trezini project), – in honor of the first large victory of the Russian fleet at the cape of Gangut was erected. On the square the Senate and the Synod were also located. Still earlier, in 1705, there was also the city’s first Gostiny Dvor, and on the bank of Neva – port and customs.

On the square arose also the first food market, – Obzhorny, – and the first city printing house printing decrees and resolutions… and the first bookstore. It remained only in the city till 1760. And in the St. Petersburg’s first tavern of Austeriya which appeared besides at Trinity Square, also the tsar Pyotr, the big fan of beer and a game in chess liked to look…

In 1923 the area was renamed into “Revolution Square” … – however, we will have enough revolutions! – and since 1991 it bears the real name again.

View of the former river port at Trinity Square

Finishing the story about Trinity Square, I cannot but tell of what occurred at it during the salute in honor of full lifting the blockade of Leningrad. And there was it on January 27, 1944.

Here, I write, and and the hackneyed stamp asks for a line: “tears of joy”! – But is not present, not here. Not in this case!

According to stories by mine of the grandmother and mother, the people who gathered then on the square – from those who could move even after 872-day hungry blockade, after the longest in the history of all times (three years, one month and two days!) fights to the country! – of course, rejoiced! – Yes! They joyfully looked into the sky decked by salute fires… being ready to drop at each its volley! Yes! They cried with happiness… but without tears! – At their exhausted people was not, – tears just did not flow! Now, gathering these lines, I cannot constrain them, but then…

– No, did not know, the tsar Pyotr what price descendants will be fated to execute his order: “… to hold this place, even unto death!”