Читать книгу Water and Stone. Historical story - Valery Pikulev - Страница 6

Well, we start “storm” of the Peter and Paul Fortress … – quite so we, Petersburgers, in a familiar way we call Peter and Paul and if absolutely officially, – St. Petersburg – fortress. Before starting this no laughing matter, – detailed acquaintance to fortress, – investigating all its back streets and being inspired by genius of architectural concepts, we will approach at first Ioannovsky Bridge, to very first of the St. Petersburg bridges. However, in those far times it was called Petrovsky…

Ioannovsky Bridge through the Kronverksky passage (through that to a channel)

On one of pile ice-cutting blocks before the bridge the figure of “the hare who escaped from a flood” established here to the 300 anniversary of the city is well distinguishable. On one of legends, during a flood the hare found rescue, having jumped on a boot to the tsar Peter… Here, tourists “for luck” also throw coins, trying to get a hare directly into a pan!

Ioannovsky Bridge – one of two ways conducting in The Peter and Paul Fortress.

One more symbol of the city: the hare who escaped from a flood

The bridge is thrown through the Kronverksky passage and connects the Hare island on which The Peter and Paul Fortress is located, to the Petrograd island where we now also are, having descended on it from Trinity Bridge.

Petrovsky Bridge, namely so it was called in the beginning, arose at the same time with construction of The St. Petersburg fortress, was adjustable and leaned on wooden barques. Then, in 1706, instead of the floating bridge appeared lifting, already on the wooden piles replaced subsequently with stone foundations. Since 1887 began to be called Ioannovsky – according to the name of one of fortress ravelins.

A little more than 150 meters long and 10 meters wide, the bridge does not suppress the sizes, but its wooden flooring which is boomingly “giving” steps, a decor of a protective lattice with “semi-antique” lamps… Yes, link of times is felt here – mighty well!

Lamps and fragments of a decor of a protective lattice of Ioannovsky Bridge

Yes, link of times is felt here…

Footpath, to the left of the bridge, winding along external walls of fortress, conducts directly to the city beach, and the path which is running away to the right – to the helipad from where it is possible to make flight over the city.

We get into the helicopter…

…Also we fly

No, we will not depart, and we will go directly, anywhere without turning, – in fortress. And here, we go on a wooden flooring of Ioannovsky Bridge, listening attentively to boomingly given steps, and we go to gate of the Ioannovsky ravelin. Their cool twilight as if foretells a meeting with history…

Nevertheless, why for Peter this fortress, never, besides, not being involved in battles was necessary? What forced him which just took two terrible fortresses at Swedes – Noteburg and Nienschanz, – to urgently build one more? Besides, the Nienschanz located in the median Neva Current as well as possible corresponded to a role of customs “latch” for collection of duty from all who will carry down the river to Russia goods. And militarily fortress could serve still, covering future city from the West, be built it under protection of its walls. And Noteburg, – fire of its serf artillery would stop any who will dare to threaten the city from the East. But, probably, in that there was also Peter’s idea, – “we will threaten the Swede from here!” – that it was also not going to defend, he looked further!

Peter needed the fleet. Only the military fleet could make Russia the great sea power – “a leg firm to become at the sea”! But whether the fleet which construction only still began could, and crews of the ships are untrained, – whether such fleet could resist to skilled Swedes in the high sea? And where to cover the ships having big draft from the perfidious opponent, – not in narrow bends of the river?! – No, the Nienschanz for this purpose was no good at all! – The big water area, broad river lands is necessary. At the Gulf!

And here, if to construct fortress on the island, in the delta of Neva, – in that place where the river, being divided into two deep sleeves, forms the widest smooth surface of quiet water, – here then pass from the sea will be closed reliably!

“For several days the convenient place is found to that…” – Peter in the diary will write down. The island on which it decided to build fortress from three parties is washed by waters of wide Neva, and from the neighboring big island it is separated quite fast a channel, representing a natural defensive barrier. Here on this island the first stone of the city of Saint Apostle Peter was also put… and there was it, as we know, in the 1703rd year A.D., May, the 16th day…