Can you imagine a gift from a Swedish king? That is part of the story of Petrovskiy spusk. We are standing at Petrovskiy spusk. It is a historical pier in the heart of St. Petersburg. It graces the Bolshaya Neva River. Petrovskiy spusk sits near the western pavilion of the Main Admiralty.
Petrovskiy spusk has a rich history. It got its name during its construction. The name comes from the nearby Petrovskaya Square. Unlike the pier, the square has been renamed several times. It was Petrovskaya. Then it was Senatskaya. Next, it was Decembrists Square. Finally, it went back to Senatskaya.
Engineer A. D. Gotman built Petrovskiy spusk from 1820 to 1824. It was built alongside the Dvortsovaya pier. This pier was near the exit of Dvortsovy Proezd to the Neva. Petrovskiy spusk is near the Main Admiralty’s western pavilion.
The pier boasts large porphyry vases. These vases sit on granite pedestals. Architect L. I. Sharleman designed them. These pieces were created with the lion sculptures of the Dvortsovaya pier.
Two vases crafted from polished porphyry adorn Petrovskiy spusk. They came from the Älvdalen factory in Sweden. In 1830, they arrived in Russia as a gift. The King of Sweden gifted them to the Russian Emperor. Until 1832, they were in the Tauride Palace. Later, they were placed on the Dvortsovaya pier. They served as decorations. This happened with the opening of traffic along the Admiralty embankment. They were moved to Petrovskiy spusk.
In 2013, both vases were removed for restoration. One had cracks. It seemed impossible to restore. But restoration work took about ten months. In May 2014, the porphyry vases returned to Petrovskiy spusk. They were back at their place by the Neva. Petrovskiy spusk stands as a testament to history. It is a landmark of culture. It connects St. Petersburg to its past.