Copper hooves thunder. The six horses of the Narva Triumphal Arch seem to strain against their reins, forever frozen in a moment of victory. This arch isn’t just an arch. It’s a portal back to 1814, a time when St. Petersburg, then the capital of Russia, celebrated its triumph over Napoleon. Imagine the returning soldiers, weary but proud, marching beneath this very arch. The original Narva Triumphal Arch, designed by Giacomo Quarenghi, was made of wood, a temporary structure meant to echo the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in Paris. But this victory, this moment, deserved more than wood and plaster. Years later, between 1827 and 1834, Vasily Stasov rebuilt the Narva Triumphal Arch in stone, a testament to Russia’s enduring strength. Look up at the Goddess of Victory, Nike, her chariot pulled by those magnificent copper horses sculpted by Peter Clodt von Jürgensburg. See the winged figures, symbols of glory, crafted by the hands of sculptor Vasily Demut-Malinovsky. This arch, like the city itself, has endured. It survived the Siege of Leningrad, battered but unbroken. Restored in 1951, it stands today as a reminder of resilience and triumph. Climb the stairs within the arch. Discover the small military museum housed within its walls. Let the stories of the past wash over you, a reminder of the battles fought and the victories won. The Narva Triumphal Arch isn’t just a monument. It’s a living testament to the spirit of St. Petersburg.
М. К. Прудников
Born into a peasant family in 1913, Mikhail Prudnikov’s journey began in a small village nestled within the Tomsk Governorate.