The Rostral Columns—one of the symbols of Saint Petersburg—are an integral part of the ensemble at the Spit of Vasilievsky Island. Two rostral columns were erected between 1805 and 1810 according to the design of the French architect Thomas de Thomon, who adorned them with ship rostra on both sides of Vasilievsky Island. This embodiment symbolizes the power and grandeur of the state’s naval fleet and also refers to the ancient Roman custom of decorating columns with rostra (from the Latin rostra, plural of rostrum, meaning the prow of a ship) of defeated (trophy) enemy ships. The two monumental Doric order columns are installed at the descent to the Neva River, flanking the semicircular square in front of the Exchange building. They were intended to serve as beacons while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of the Exchange building as the center of the Saint Petersburg port. The Rostral Columns also stand as a monument to Russia’s naval glory.

The famous stonemason Samson Sukhanov, who came from a poor peasant family in the Vologda province, also worked on the project. The statues of sea deities at the base of the columns were created by sculptors Joseph Camberlain and Jacques Thibault. The opening took place in 1815. The lanterns were lit at night and in fog and served until 1885. In 1925, the columns underwent restoration. There is no consensus on the identification of the figures at the base of the Rostral Columns. The claim that they represent allegorical images symbolizing four Russian rivers (at the southern column—“Volkhov” and “Neva,” at the northern—“Dnieper” and “Volga”) is not supported by documents and appeared relatively recently. Thomas de Thomon himself wrote that “the base of each column is decorated with enormous figures symbolizing the gods of the sea and commerce.” The attributes of the sculptures are quite sparse, and none can confirm or completely refute the version that these are allegories of four specific rivers. Only the thematic harmony with the sculptural decoration of the Exchange and some attributes support this point of view—one of the male figures tightly holds a steering oar in his right hand, while his left rests on a vessel from which water flows. The man at the second column leans with his left hand on a lot. Both women are depicted with maritime attributes; one of them also holds a cornucopia filled with fruit.

The southern lantern points the way to the Great Neva, and the northern to the Small Neva. At the base of the columns are two male and two female figures, which, according to a widespread hypothesis, allegorically represent the great rivers of Russia: at the northern column—Volga and Dnieper, at the southern—Neva and Volkhov. However, this hypothesis arose relatively recently and lacks justification; Thomas de Thomon himself wrote: “the base of each column is decorated with enormous figures symbolizing the gods of the sea and commerce.” The statues were made based on models by the Flemish sculptor Joseph Camberlain and the Frenchman Jacques Thibault. Bronze was initially chosen as the material for the sculptures, but due to the difficulty of working with it, the choice fell on Pudost limestone, quarried in the village of Pudost in the Gatchina district. Soft and elastic underground, the limestone quickly hardens after extraction, creating a strong and majestic base. Camberlain created the male figure at the northern column; the rest were made by Thibault.

Inside each column is a spiral staircase leading to the upper observation deck with a huge bowl-shaped lantern. Until 1896, hemp oil was poured into the bowl, producing a fiery column of flame that guided ships through the darkness of night or fog. Later, this lighting method was rarely used “due to its great consumption.” In 1957, gas was connected to the lanterns, and now, in our days, they are lit only on especially solemn occasions.

The columns are not fixed by any anchors and stand by their own weight. The height of the columns is 32 meters. On the night of June 7, 2011, the southern Rostral Column was opened by unknown persons who attempted to enter inside; the architectural monument was not damaged.

On the night of August 23, 2011, an unknown man entered one of the rostral columns, opened the valve of the gas pipeline, and set it on fire. According to law enforcement agencies, the fire brigade that arrived at the scene shut off the pipeline and extinguished the flame. No one was injured as a result of the incident.

Sources:

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rostral_Columns_(Saint_Petersburg)

https://www.citywalls.ru/house27663.html