The Admiralty Building is a dominant feature of central Saint Petersburg. It dates back to the times of Peter the Great and has become a symbol of the city. The "Admiralty Needle" inspired famous poems by Alexander Pushkin and Joseph Brodsky.
How to Get There
Three main thoroughfares of the historic city center lead to the Admiralty: Nevsky and Voznesensky Prospects and Gorokhovaya Street.
You can walk here from major landmarks such as the Hermitage or the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, or take the metro. The nearest metro station is "Admiralteyskaya."
A Bit of History
The Admiralty Building was commissioned by Peter I in November 1704. Initially equipped as a shipyard, the first ships were laid down here a year after construction began, and the first flat-bottomed barge with 18 guns was launched in 1706.
By 1719, two man-made islands, known as New Holland, had been created nearby for storing timber used in shipbuilding. The Admiralty Canal once ran between the Admiralty and "New Holland." Under Emperor Nicholas I, the canal was largely filled in and replaced with the Konnogvardeisky Boulevard. A plaque in the underground passage beneath Ploshchad Truda marks this former location. A small section of the canal remains, running along the northern shore of New Holland from the Kryukov Canal to the Moika River.
In 1711, a spire, known as the "Admiralty Needle," was added to the building. This was the first reconstruction. The building was later reconstructed in 1738 and 1823. In 1874, the Alexandrovsky Garden was laid out nearby.
Over time, the Admiralty housed the Main Naval Headquarters, the Naval Museum, the Naval Revolutionary Committee, and a gas-dynamics laboratory. Since 2012, it has served as the Main Naval Headquarters.
The Spire ("Admiralty Needle")
The total height of the Admiralty is 72 meters, with the spire accounting for 23 meters. The spire features an apple, a crown, and a ship-shaped weather vane.
The prototype for the ship on top of the spire is not definitively known. Some believe it represents the frigate "Eagle," the first Russian ship, or it could be modeled after the first ship to enter the port of Saint Petersburg.
The current ship is the third of its kind. The first one remained on the spire until 1714 before being lost. The second, weighing 65 kilograms, stood above the city for 71 years and is now kept in the Naval Museum. Legend has it that the ship's mast was made of pure gold.
Urban legends also surround the apple-shaped sphere located slightly lower. Mystery enthusiasts claim it is filled with gold coins and can only be opened by a secret method that is now lost. In reality, the sphere contains some artifacts, including a box with a list of craftsmen who repaired the spire, newspapers from 1886 and 1928, and a draft of the USSR Constitution.
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, many historic landmarks are located near the Admiralty, including the Hermitage, the Bronze Horseman, and St. Isaac's Cathedral.
In summary:
- Probably the most famous building in this part of the city after the Hermitage;
- After a long walk, you can relax in the Alexandrovsky Garden located near the Admiralty;
- The Admiralty Passage directly adjacent to the building is open to the public, though it may not be obvious due to the fence.
