Spit of Vasilievsky Island, St. Peterburg, Russia 

The Spit of Vasilievsky Island in St. Petersburg is one of the main and most fascinating architectural ensembles of the Northern Capital, an example of harmony of architecture with the landscape of the Neva River. This is one of the most favorite places of St. Petersburg citizens and tourists.

When Peter I laid out the Peter and Paul Fortress on the Hare Island, he wanted St. Petersburg to become the naval fortress and trading center. But because of the shallow water the port at Petrogradskaya Side could not been developed and it was decided to move it to Vasilievsky Island.

The Eastern Cape of the island, where the Neva River is divided into the Grand Neva and the Small Neva, was named the Spit of Vasilievsky Island. Peter I planned to do it a business and commercial center.

For the purpose of making the Spit of Vasilievsky Island a business and cultural center, architect Domenico Trezzini developed a project according to which it was supposed to create the area that would be the main city square and where the Twelve Collegia building would be located. There was constructed an extended building consisting of 12 identical parts, with length of 400 meters, limiting the square from the west.

There were 10 ministries, the Senate and the Synod in the building. After the moving of the seaport to the Spit of the Vasilievsky Island in the 1720s, in the northern part of the wooden building there appeared the Stock Exchange building and Customs. In 1885, the port was transferred to

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