Once upon a time Gutuevsky Island was known as Vitsasaari. The Finns named it that. It means “twig island” or “shrub island”. How fitting for a place that changed its name so many times.
Gutuevsky Island. A small island in the southwestern part of the Neva River delta. It’s a place of surprising history and transformation. Picture it now. This small island. It has seen centuries of change. From its humble beginnings as an unpopulated space. To its current bustling life as home to a large seaport.
In 1716 maps called it “Unpopulated”. By 1717 a French map showed it as St Catherine’s Island. Other names followed. Round Island. Seaside Island. Novosil’tsev Island. Each name reflects a period in its life. Each name hints at its evolving identity.
A wealthy lieutenant Novosil’tsev owned it once. Then in the mid-18th century Olonets shipbuilder Guttuev Kononov bought it. He later became Rathmann. An advisor in the city council’s Department of Civil Affairs. His name stuck. Gutuevsky Island. A name that echoes through the present day.
The island’s shape even changed. In 1874-85 a new seaport was built. A naval channel was constructed. The changes reshaped the land itself. In the 1960s more alterations occurred. Several waterways were filled in. Islands like B Rezvy Vol’ny and Gladky joined Gutuevsky Island. The island grew.
Today most of Gutuevsky Island is a seaport. But there is more. A neighborhood of 10000 people thrives here. The University of Water Transport stands tall. The Seafarers’ Cultural Centre and hotel offer hospitality. Port authorities and other important buildings call Gutuevsky Island home.
The Church of the Epiphany. A beautiful red-brick church. Built in 1899 by architect V A Kosyakov. It stands as a testament to faith. It’s an important landmark on Gutuevsky Island. Its history is a microcosm of the island’s own. Built in memory of Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich’s miraculous rescue. Damaged during the war. Restored in the 1990s. This church embodies hope and resilience. Just like Gutuevsky Island itself.
So stand here with me. On the edge of this fascinating place. Feel the history beneath your feet. Feel the pulse of a place that has known many lives. Many names. Gutuevsky Island. A place where the past and present collide. A place with a story to tell.