Some time ago I got acquainted then only with the theory of the "recent flood", as well as with the assumption that many antediluvian cities are covered with a thick layer of soil. Could St. Petersburg be an antediluvian city? I want to share some observations that will be the "building blocks" for proving this theory.
Bricks, we will talk about them. However, first there are several views of St. Petersburg. This is the "Summer Palace" of Peter the Great, which is located in the "Summer Garden". The photo was taken between reconstructions, after the completion of the garden reconstruction, but before the palace reconstruction.
There is a plaque on the wall of the palace showing the water level of the 1824 flood.
Flood plaque of 1824
This plate is here. It is located approximately 180 cm above the level of the current foundation of the palace. At the time of filming, this level is about 40 cm below the level of the rest of the park. Along the palace there are red brick paths made in the form of "Christmas trees", this is the work of restorers. A young man stands at the wall of the palace, which is oriented towards the Neva.
If you go around the palace to the right, you will see this view.
Promotional video:
The square in front of the palace is paved with red brick, stylized in the 18th century. During the reconstruction of 2009-2011, a fragment of the original track was discovered. As evidenced by the plate.
Museum plaque.
I was struck by the fact that, it would seem, almost everyone knows about St. Petersburg, who built what, where they got the materials from, what contemporaries said about this, and so on. However, here's the discovery. Hitherto unknown to historians of the city. Moreover, in conditions of a shortage of bricks for the construction of a fast-growing road and a fortress, which is slightly downstream of the Neva.
This is the key point. An original foundation, an authentic track and the work of restorers. Thus, this is the level of the paths at the time of the construction of the palace.
Foundation of the Summer Palace.
What we see in this photo is old and modern masonry, and above it is the original foundation of white stone, which is not well preserved. Above it was a masonry of old bricks, and then again, as if the foundation was made of perfect stone, an obvious work of restorers.
Thus, here is the level of the original square. Modern soil is about 2 meters higher. Where is he from?
On the right, behind a white fence, there are still found structures - a herringbone path made of bricks and the remains of a building made of white stone.
Brick paths.
All this was hidden by the soil, which was removed during the restoration of the "Summer Garden".
To prove that this soil did not drift the flood of 1824, I propose to consider the first house of Peter the Great in St. Petersburg.
Engraving Peter's House.
Drawing of Peter's house. Important - the house lies on the ground, there are no high steps. That is, it was built at a modern level for him.
How this house was built (taken from historical sites):
The site for the construction was chosen in the rear of the Peter and Paul Fortress so that strategically important objects could be seen from the windows - water spaces, the surrounding area and the fortress bastions.
The house was built from hewn pine logs in the manner of a Russian hut. The canopy divides it into two parts. Apart from this feature, as well as the doors decorated with ornamental metal plates - typical features inherent in Russian architecture of the 17th century - everything in the house reminds of the Tsar's passion for Dutch architecture. So, Peter, wishing to give the house the appearance of a stone structure, ordered to cut the logs and paint them under red brick, cover the high roof (the height to the ridge of the roof - 5.7 m) with shingles under the shingles, and make unusually large windows with small glass. The house lacked stoves and chimneys, which were not necessary, since Peter lived in it only in the warm season.
The roof was decorated with a carved wooden mortar, and "bombs with blazing flames" were installed along the edges of the ridge. These lost elements indicated that the tsar was at the same time the commander of an honorary company of bombers of the Preobrazhensky regiment. In the documents of the 1720s, the building was called either "the old red mansion that is near the courtyard of Roman Vilimovich Bruce in the grove", or simply "red mansion".
After the construction of the Summer and Winter Palaces, Peter no longer lived in this house. It remained abandoned until 1731, when a stone gallery was built around it. However, it turned out to be ineffective in protection, which was especially shown by the flood of 1777. Then Catherine II ordered "to enclose the house with a stone cover on a solid foundation with a roof covered with roofing iron", which was done in 1784. In 1844, the "case" was completely dismantled and replaced by the project of the architect R. I. Kuzmina new - of sixteen pillars with arches without plaster. In this form, the house has survived to this day.
This is how the house looked in the 1820s, that is, after installing the second cover. The house stands in a high place. The fence of the Summer Garden is also visible, which is located directly opposite it on the other bank of the Neva:
Now the first brick cover is also part of the monument. On top of it is another, later one. Nevertheless, the "Peter's House Museum" lies at the level of the modern ground.
Photo of Peter's House.
The current state of the Peter's House Museum. Here is the "brick Christmas tree" so typical for the 18th century. Lies at the same level as it was laid. (photo is not mine, taken from the web for informational purposes).
You can see it better that way. (photo is not mine, taken from the web for informational purposes).
Let's summarize. The structure, built according to official data a little later than "Peter's House", is two meters lower. Peter's house remained at the same level, and the main staircase of the Summer Palace was underground. The presence of brick paths of the foundations of the buildings in the neighborhood was a discovery for the archaeologists-restorers of the park.
On the "house". However, it is possible that the “house” was made later, for example, “instead of what was lost according to drawings and drawings” (quotes are mine). Or, to create and confirm the legend of Peter. Then those who dug up the "Summer Palace" simply did not know that the palace was lower, or on the contrary, they knew and did not begin to dig out the main entrance, but made a new one on the second floor level, which is a common thing in St. Petersburg.
Author: st_pit