Экскурсия по набережной реки Фонтанка и в музее Анны Ахматовой (английский язык)

Conclusion
In contrast to the Neva and its many rivers and canals, Fontaka has a single embankment running along its seven kilometer course. Until mid of the 18th century Fontanka served as southern boundary of the city, and after it was considered as a boundary of fine construction of St. Petersburg. Not surprisingly, there are a huge number of buildings here that are now of historical and cultural value. Moreover, you can get acquainted with them not only walking along the promenade but also on-board a tour on a boat.
The Fontanka is spanned by fifteen bridges, including 18th-century Lomonosov Bridge and extravagant Egyptian Bridge. The most famous of these, the Anichkov Bridge, carries the Nevsky Prospekt over the river.
A delicate iron-cast railing, separating the park from the public ...

Content
Introduction 3
Chapter I. The History of Fontanka Sights 4
Chapter II. Excursion along the Embankment of Fontanka 10
Conclusion 14
Bibliography 15

Introduction
Saint Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities in Russia and all over the world. It’s famous of many sightseeing’s and a lot of rivers and channels. Fontanka is a left branch of the river Neva, which goes through the whole of Central Saint Petersburg. Its total length is 6,700 meters, its total width is up to 70 meters, and its total depth is up to 3,5 meters. The Fontanka Embankment is lined with the former private residences of Russian nobility [1].
This river, one of more than 90 rivers and channels in Saint Petersburg, was firstly named Anonymous Creek (Bezymyanny Yerik in Russian). In Russian language, yerik is a secondary or intermittent river channel (creek or brook). The river received its present name in 1719, because water from it supplied the fountains of the Summer Garden.

Also this palace is known as «the Fountain House» for its wealthy arrangement of fountains once decorated the gardens.The building of palace dates to the 1740-s, when it was designed by S. Chevakinsky and F. Argunov. Elegant baroque facades, painted like much of central Saint Petersburg in yellow and white, are set back from Fontanka Embankment behind a grand iron fence added by G. Corsini in 1838. To some generations of this illustrious family Sheremetev Palace was like home. Each of them extended and adapted premises with a help of the best architects of these decent days.One of main cultural centers of Saint Petersburg became the Fountain House. Theatrical passion of Counts Petr and Nikolai Sheremetev created one of the best theatres in Russia of XVIII-th century, and the latter of them went on to marry one of the stars of his opera, the leading soprano P. Zhemchugova, what became one of the most celebrated (and controversial) romances of these days.This history is reflected in current use of this palace as part of State Museum of Theatre and Musical Art, which has restored the facades of historical building and uses it to house a collection of different musical instruments. Southern wing of palace also houses the Anna Akhmatova Memorial Museum, in the apartment where the great 20th century Russia poetess lived from the mid-1920s until 1952. The expression «Fountain House» was first used in one of her poems.The very first Belosselsky-Belozersky Palace was built on Nevsky Prospekt in 1747 for Prince M. Belosselsky (1702-1755) during the reign of Elizabeth of Russia; this building, far smaller than it is novadays, was designed in a French style with large private garden and a launch onto cities canal, painted in imitation of Parisian limestone [6].Upon reconstruction and opening of their famous palace to wide public, Belosselsky-Belozersky Palace gained a reputation as being one of the most lavish palaces in Russia and also as being a venue of the most lavish balls and concerts in St. Petersburg. Elena Pavlovna also gained reputation as the best hostess in St. Petersburg – this role would later be taken on by Russian Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, a daughter-in-law of emperor Alexander the II.Present palace is said to look similar to nearby Rastrelliesque Stroganov Palace which is further up the Nevsky Prospect, on a corner of Moika canal. David Jensen was asked to produce a replica of it. After their major renovations in 1847-48, this palace – complete with piano nobile, concert hall, Van Loo paintings, and a palace church – acquired a gorgeous Rococo look.During the First World War, from January 1916 until January 1918, palace was a base of the Anglo-Russian Hospital, a voluntary British Red Cross hospital set up to treat Russian soldiers. It was staffed by British doctors and nurses, and led by Lady Muriel Paget and Lady Sybil Grey.Grand Duke Dmitry sold it on the eve of the Russian Revolution; two years later it was nationalized and went on to house a regional Soviet until 1991, when it was designated a municipal cultural centre. Rococo interiors of the palace sustained considerable damage during World War II; they were restored to their original state in 1954 and now host chamber concerts for small audiences. It today also hosts a large wax work.The exact date of Suvalov’s palace construction is unknown. It is presumed to have been built at the end of 18th century by a great neoclassical architect G. Quarenghi. Prior to 1799, the palace was owned by Vorontsov family before it was acquired by Countess M. Naryshkina. It was under the ownership of Naryshkin family so that palace became known as a center of society in Saint Petersburg, with Grand Ballroom (also known as the Alexandrovsky or White Column Hall) hosting balls for over a thousand people, music provided by Naryshkins' horn orchestra, where each instrument played only a single note. Other attractions of this palace included Picture Gallery, which housed one of Petersburg's richest collections of Western European art at that time.Reconstruction of this building was undertaken by architects B. de Simone and N. Efimov 1844-1846 in preparation for the wedding of Sofia Naryshkina to Count P. Shuvalov, after which building became known as Shuvalov Palace. From this period date palace's Renaissance Revival facades and many of surviving interiors, including grand entrance hall and marble staircase, Knights' Hall, Red, Gold, and Blue Drawing Rooms, and redecoration of Grand Ballroom with marble columns and sculptural panels depicting scenes from Trojan War.After October Revolution, Shuvalov Palace was opened as museum. Naryshkin/Shuvalov family treasures were then dispersed to other museums, and palace became home to various literary organizations that were eventually unified under Union of Writers of the USSR in 1934. The palace was severely damaged by bombing during the Siege of Leningrad, and after extensive restoration became the House of Peace and Friendship in 1965. First wooden church was built here during the reign of Peter the Great, to celebrate two major naval victories over Swedes, first at Hanko in 1714 and second at Granhamm in 1721. Both fell on the feast-day of St. Panteleimon, and they confirmed final success of Peter's lifelong ambition to transform Russia into a great maritime nation.The wooden church was replaced in 1735-39 by modern stone church, probably designed by Ivan Korobov, though there are no definitive records. Comprising a single octagonal cupola, crowned by tiny onion dome, and low bell tower with slender spire, this church is one of the finest baroque buildings in St. Petersburg, and has survived almost unaltered to present day.Although plans were announced to demolish church in the 1930s, they were thankfully never fulfilled, and building was eventually handed over to an electrical factory. Later, it was restored as a Museum of the Battle of Hanko, and eventually returned to Orthodox Church in the 1990s. Though original interiors had been completely destroyed, genuine mosaic Icon of St. Panteleimon had somehow survived, and is once again a centre of worship in a fully restored church. The notable Neoclassical structures from 18th century include Catherine Institute, Anichkov Palace and Yusupov Palace. Some of the mansions contain museums of those writers and composers who lived there: Gavrila Derzhavin, Alexander Pushkin, Ivan Turgenev, Anna Akhmatova and others.Chapter II. Excursion along the Embankment of FontankaThe Summer Garden (Letniy Sad in Russian) occupies an isle between abovementioned Fontanka, Moika, and Swan Canal in the city and shares its name with the adjacent Summer Palace of Peter the Great. Presently the Summer Garden Park is still one of most romantic and evocative places in Saint Petersburg.Anichkov Palace (Aníchkov dvorets in Russian) is now a former imperial palace in the city of Saint Petersburg, situated at the intersection of Nevsky Avenue and Fontanka.Standing on the banks of the Fontanka River, not far from Nevsky Prospekt, the Sheremetev Palace was once a centre of one of the biggest aristocratic estates in Saint Petersburg, bequeathed to Field-Marshal B. Sheremetev in 1712 and stretching beyond what is now called Ligovsky Prospekt.Belosselsky-Belozersky Palace (also known before October Revolution as the Palace of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna, the Sergei Palace, and the Dmitry Palace) is Neo-Baroque palace placed at the intersection of Fontanka River and Nevsky Prospekt in Saint Petersburg.Fire broke out inside palace's roof earlier on 28 February 2012. Russian news media, television and sightseers reported this. Apparently, damage was contained and the only damage was to attic so that main areas of palace were untouched. Concerts and special events still take place in this palace, as has been the case since building became property of the city of St. Petersburg.The Shuvalov Palace, although now less famous, enjoys a superb location on the corner of Italyanskaya Ulitsa, and was renowned for the balls held there in the first half of the 19th century which were frequented by all the Petersburg nobility, including the imperial family.Today, palace houses the St. Petersburg Center for International Cooperation – home to various conferences, seminars, and exhibitions dedicated to strengthening business and cultural ties between Russia and other countries. There are various plans afoot to turn the palace into a museum.The charming red-and-white Church of St. Panteleimon is one of the oldest in churches St.