The Fontanka River, located in St. Petersburg, is a channel of the Neva delta and crosses the central part of the city. The deepest point reaches 3.5 meters, the width is only 70 meters, and the length of the Fontanka River stretches for 6.7 km. 15 bridges have been built on the river.
In the 17th century, on the lower bank of the Fontanka, there was a small Finnish village whose name is known in two versions: Kaljula, mentioned on some old maps, and Kallina, on others. When Petersburg was being built, the name of the village received a more "Russian" name - Kalinkina. The name of the bridge is connected with this name - Staro-Kalinkin.
From the 30s of the 18th century to the middle of the century, the Fontanka River served as the southern border of St. Petersburg. Its banks were inhabited by people who built their estates here, including the Summer Garden and the Summer Palace of Peter I. In 1760, the Obvodny Canal became a feature of St. Petersburg and, despite this, the Fontanka continued to serve as the border of the city's ceremonial buildings. After 20 years and until 1790, the embankments, entrances and descents to the river were equipped with granite according to the project of the architect Kvasov. By the end of the 18th century, the channel of the Fontanka was straightened, and until today its appearance has remained unchanged.
At the corner of Gorokhovaya Street and the embankment of the Fontanka River, there is a seemingly ordinary building among others in the historical center of St. Petersburg. However, inside it is the mystical Rotunda - a round building with six columns. The columns are not "leaning" against the walls of the house, and the stairs seem to tend upward to infinity. The building was erected at the end of the 18th century and became an architectural monument of the classicism era. The rotunda building was previously used for Masonic meetings and rituals. Legends say that in the northern capital one can find five more similar rotundas, forming a regular pentagon on the city map - a sign of Satanism. Rumor has it that a few years ago, a guy entered the basement, stayed there for 15 minutes and left there as a 70-year-old man. After that, he allegedly went crazy.
It is generally accepted that those who are unhappy in love should enter a building with a rotunda and leave an inscription on its walls. The desire must be fulfilled. However, on the domed ceiling it is written "Leave hope, everyone who enters here …"
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The Fontanka River got its name from the complex of fountains that were installed in the summer garden. Due to the flooding in 1777, the complex was completely flooded, and the fountains could not be restored, but the name of the river has not changed. The Fontanka River is the history of St. Petersburg. Another historical fact is connected with it. Anichkov Bridge was erected across the Fontanka River, the architect of the bridge, erected 4 sculptures, one sculpture, instead of a horse's genitals, depicts a person's face, most likely this is the person with whom the architect's wife left.
The Fontanka River flows out of the Neva (being its channel, erik) at the Summer Garden and flows into the Bolshaya Neva to the north of Gutuevsky Island. Initially, the river was called the Nameless Erik.
Eric is usually called a small channel that leaves the river and flows into it again. After the pipes were thrown across the river, feeding the fountains of the Summer Garden with water from the basins of the Lithuanian Canal, the Nameless Erik received its new name - Fontannaya River.
Until the middle of the XVIII century. The Fountain River was the southern border of the city. In 1780-1789. According to the project of the architect A. V. Kvasov, granite embankments and slopes were built. In the same years, the riverbed was straightened. Since 1828, at the suggestion of engineer Shch. P. Bazin, to clean the river of steel, to use dredging machines. In 1892, passenger steamship traffic was opened on the Fontanka.
- The length of the Fontanka is 6.7 km.
- Width - up to 70 m.
- The depth of the Fontanka is 3.5 m.
There are bridges thrown across the Fontanka: Laundry, Panteleimonovsky, Belinsky, Lomonosov, Leshtukov, Semenovsky, Gorstkin, Obukhovsky, Izmailovsky, Krasnoarmeisky, Egyptian, English, Staro-Kalinkin, 2nd Engineering.
As you know, St. Petersburg is rich not only in its famous museums and palace architecture, but also in water attractions. One of these is the Fontanka River, located in the very heart of the city. This small rivulet, 6.7 km long, originates in the Neva delta, geographically near the Summer Garden and flows into the Bolshaya Nevka near Galerny Island, where the Gulf of Finland just begins.
In those distant times, when St. Petersburg was just being built up with ceremonial buildings in the center of the city, nobody knew Fontanka, it was simply called the Nameless Erik. The last word translated from the Turkic language meant a small narrow channel flowing out and again flowing into the river.
The famous Fontanka got its name in 1713, when pipes from the pool, which supplied water to the fountains in the Summer Garden, were laid through it. The river began to be called Fontanna, and then its name was shortened to Fontanka.
Until the middle of the 18th century, the river was considered the city's border in the southwest. The first building that was erected on its bank was the Summer Palace of Peter I. After that, mass construction began along the entire length of the Fontanka with buildings belonging to wealthy merchants and famous secular people. All the architecture of that era has been well preserved to this day, and now it pleases the eyes of the local and visiting population.
In the period from 1780 to 1789, the Fontanka was framed in granite and a descent and entrances to it, as well as berths, were built. It is worth mentioning that in 1711 the Moika became a tributary of the Fontanka River, which was used for washing clothes.
PLANTS AND ANIMALS OF THE FONTANKI RIVER
No information has been found that reliably confirms the presence of the animal world in the river. Perhaps this is due to the width of the Fontanka, which ranges from 30 to 70 meters. Since the source of the Fontanka River is the Neva, there is a possibility that some inhabitants of the Neva water basin could migrate into its tributary.
Due to the lack of aquatic vegetation in the rivers of central Petersburg, they are not popular with fish. This is due to the fast flow of the Fontanka River and low water temperatures. However, some inhabitants are still here. These are pike and eel, the sizes of which are relatively smaller than their counterparts in the same Neva. Basically, the fish lives in the place where the river flows into the Neva. Here you can see vendace, lamprey and crucian carp.
At a time when the banks of the Fontanka were just being developed, there were cages on a permanent basis that contained fish that were later sent for sale. Due to the quality of water in the rivers, the consumption of caught fish is not recommended.
Flora on the Fontanka was not found due to the stone decoration of the river borders. However, every passer-by can contemplate other inhabitants of the river - ducks and seagulls, who willingly eat bread, kindly offered by tourists.
FONTANKA BRIDGES
Along the entire bank of the river, bridges are equipped, which attract visitors and townspeople to walk along its course. In total, the number of bridges is 15. The very first bridge, built on the Fontanka back in 1769, has the name Laundry. The building got such an uncomplicated name thanks to the nearby laundry organization.
Over the next decade, seven more bridges were erected, which were built according to the same type of scheme: two towers were installed, and a bridge was thrown over the bottom. So that the structure could be raised for the passage of ships, the bridge was made in wood. There are only two such bridges left today - Staro-Kalinka and Lomonosovsky, the rest have been redesigned in stone.
The most popular bridge on the Fontanka is Anichkov. It is located in the alignment of Nevsky Prospekt, which is why tourists immediately notice it. On the bridge, there are sculptures of the conquest of the horse that belonged to the creation of Peter Klodt.
The entire Fontanka embankment is literally strewn with famous places and sights. Starting with the Summer Garden, it flows past the Mikhailovsky Castle, the State Circus of St. Petersburg, the Yusupov Garden, museums and various apartment buildings. Walking along the river, you can see the buildings of the Life Guards barracks, several public gardens and squares.
During the walk, it is recommended to visit the Mikhailovsky Castle, which houses a branch of the Russian Museum. In addition, it is worth walking all over the Fontanka to see its famous bridges. For example, the Egyptian Bridge will impress with its majestic sculptures of the Sphinxes, and the Lomonosov Bridge will delight you with its beautiful architecture.
One of the main places to visit is the Chizhik-Pyzhik monument, which is located at the intersection of the Fontanka River with the Moika River. It is this character that is mentioned in the well-known comic song.
MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF FOUNTAINS
Petersburg is shrouded in many secrets and legends, and its Fontanka river was no exception. The water channel itself does not hold many secrets, but the sights located on it are covered with myths. For example, there is a legend that the spirit of Paul I, who was killed here during a coup, still lives in the Mikhailovsky Castle.
In addition, there is a legend associated with Chizhik-Pyzhik. According to legend, if a person throws a coin and hits with precision directly on the pedestal with a bird, then his wish will soon come true.
Once you see this calm and calm river, you can fall in love with it forever. Fontanka attracts tourists with its mystery and abundance of Russian palace architecture. The indigenous townspeople also love to stroll here on bright summer evenings, because even famous writers have immortalized its splendor on their pages.