Bachelor's student
Miniature St. Petersburg and Russia
For the architecturally-minded, miniatures are an excellent medium through which to peruse and dissect edifices from a global perspective. As such, here I’ve compiled a catalog of the 4 that can be found in Saint Petersburg and which I think are worth visiting.
The "Mini-City" in Alexandrovskiy Park
First on the list is a model with which many ITMO students will be familiar, for it is located near the University’s Kronverksky 49 campus. The site features bronze replicas of many of the city’s most renowned architectural attractions: Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, the Admiralty, the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, the Old Stock Exchange and the adjacent Rostral Columns, and much more. A statue of a pensive St. Peter holding the keys to the city presides over the installation.
The "Mini-City" is a 1:50 replica of Saint Petersburg's center, with granite paths symbolizing its rivers and canals. The buildings themselves are highly detailed 1:33 miniatures, faithfully recreated from the various blueprints and schematics left behind from their construction. Visitors can therefore learn about these marvels of architecture by scrutinizing their models, which is an interesting opportunity for locals and tourists alike.
Closest metro station: Gorkovskaya.
Petrovskaya Akvatoria ("Петровская Акватория", or "Peter's Aquatorium"), located on Malaya Morskaya St. 4/1, is a model of 18th-century St. Petersburg, Peterhof, Oranienbaum, and Kronstadt. Made at a scale of 1:87, the exposition covers approximately 500 sq.m., and at its heart lies a reservoir that represents the Neva and the Gulf of Finland. What makes it stand out is its vivacity: ships sail upon the Neva and the Gulf, night changes to day and winter to spring, pedestrians move about and floods and fires occur regularly. Visitor engagement is also increased through the employment of a number of buttons that trigger actions such as the opening of certain gates and the movement of carriages. Furthermore, there is a historically accurate ambient track that plays as one moves about the exhibition hall, creating an immersive atmosphere.
Closest metro station: Admiralteyskaya.
Vaster still is Grand Maket Russia ("Гранд Макет Россия") on Tsvetochnaya St. 16. Built by a team of 100 over the course of five years, it is the largest model in the country and the second largest in the world after Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany. Made at the same scale as Petrovskaya Akvatoria (1:87), the replica covers a rather imposing 800 sq.m. and includes territories from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka. A number of our country’s most famous landmarks are also represented, such as the Admiralty and the Kremlin. The goal of the project was to convey the beauty, cultural richness, diversity, and sheer scale of Russia.
Closest metro stations: Moskovskie Vorota, Electrosila.
"That's all well and good, but how about a model of just Saint Isaac’s Cathedral?" you inquire. It’s interesting that you should ask, since that’s exactly what I was about to mention. As one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in the world, it has dominated the city’s skyline for over a century and a half, and is no doubt familiar to all who have ever visited the city. What some may not know, however, is that it was built over 40 years, between 1818 and 1858, and its construction was not entirely devoid of complications, as it was rebuilt a number of times. The exhibition consists of four models of different versions of the cathedral, as well as of the stages of the final version’s construction. Those who wish to better understand how Auguste Montferrand’s masterpiece came to be will want to visit this exposition, located inside the cathedral itself, at St. Isaac’s Square 4.
Closest metro station: Admiralteyskaya.