Narva Triumphal Arch
The Narva Triumphal Arch ( Russian: На́рвские триумфа́льные воро́та ) was erected on the spacious Narva Square in Saint Petersburg from 1827 to 1834 to commemorate Russia's victory over Napoleon in the Russian campaign in 1812 . The first structure was designed in 1814 by the architect Giacomo Quarenghi and erected within a month on the St. Petersburg city limits to greet the soldiers returning after the decisive victory over Napoleon. The design is an allusion to the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in Paris, which was built on the occasion of Napoleon's victory in the Battle of Austerlitz over the Allies, which included Russia. However, the Narva Triumphal Arch was not planned as a permanent structure and consisted only of wood and plaster. The first gate fell into disrepair within its year of construction.
Later Tsar Nicholas I gave the order to build a new gate a little further south, but this time made of stone. The foundation stone was laid on August 26, 1827, the anniversary of the Battle of Borodino . Between 1827 and 1834 the gate was rebuilt under Vasily Stassov . In contrast to the first gate, the new one was made of brick, encased in sheet copper. The sculptor Wassili Demut-Malinowski designed the figure program. Following the Roman model, the gate was crowned by a chariot drawn by six horses. The car is led by the winged female figure of Fama , who holds up a laurel wreath . She is accompanied by four female figures. These are endowed with attributes of fame, victory and peace, among other things. The names of major battles are scattered across the gate. The ceremonial opening took place on August 17, 1834 in the presence of the royal family and a bronze commemorative medal was minted. Another gate was also built on the road to Moscow .
On January 22, 1905, during the Bloody Sunday , clashes broke out between imperial troops and peaceful demonstrators. During the siege of Leningrad , the gate was badly damaged by artillery fire. In 1989 a small military museum was established and in 2002–2003 the gate was completely restored.
Web links
- Narva Triumphal Arch - History from Saint Petersburg.com
- Photos and other data on the gate
Coordinates: 59 ° 54 ′ 3.2 ″ N , 30 ° 16 ′ 25.7 ″ E