Russian architect A. D

Andreyan Dmitrievich Zakharov was born on August 8, 1761 in St. Petersburg in the family of an admiralty employee, ensign Dmitry Ivanovich Zakharov. The family lived on the outskirts of the city, outside Kolomna.

When Andreyan was six years old, his father sent the boy to art school at the Academy of Arts. His teachers were A. F. Kokorinov, J. B. Vallin-Delamot, Yu. M. Felten. In 1778, Andreyan Zakharov received a silver medal for the design of a country house, and in 1780, a large silver medal for “an architectural composition representing the house of princes.” In 1782, Andreyan Zakharov graduated from the Academy with a large gold medal. The Academy Council decided to send him" for success and commendable behavior, by virtue of academic privilege... to foreign lands as a pensioner to acquire further success in architecture". [Quoted from: 2, p. 33]

For four years Zakharov studied in France with the largest French architect, court architect Jean Francois Chalgrin. At the Paris Academy of Architecture, he attended lectures and received programs for completing projects. Chalgrin wrote about his student in a review for the Academy of Arts:

“Currently working under my leadership is... Zakharov, whose abilities and behavior I cannot praise enough. Such people always give a high idea of ​​the school that educated them, and allow us to highly appreciate the institution that provides such brilliant assistance to the arts. If , of which I have no doubt, the zeal, perseverance, prudent behavior of this young man will continue, you will, of course, greet him favorably upon his return...
...My intention was to force him to practice large tasks that require all the intensity of his talent in order to develop the wonderful talent that this young man received by nature." [Quoted from: 2, p. 34]

Andreyan Dmitrievich also wanted to visit Italy, about which he wrote to the Academy of Arts. But funds for such a trip were not found.

In 1786, the young architect returned to St. Petersburg. Soon his teaching career began. By the Council of the Academy of Arts, Andreyan Zakharov was enrolled as an adjunct professor, and then he was given a service apartment.

In 1794, the architect received the title of academician, and in 1797 he became a professor. After the resignation of A. A. Ivanov and Yu. M. Felten, Zakharov remained the only teacher of the architectural class. A year later, he submitted a request for dismissal from his position as an academic architect in order to work only teaching activities. But due to the lack of replacement and plans to reconstruct the academy building, Zakharov was denied this.

Paul I Andreyan Zakharov was appointed architect of Gatchina. In fact, he became the court architect. This freed him from work as an academic architect and allowed him to devote more time to training young architects. In Gatchina, Andreyan Zakharov took part in the reconstruction of the imperial palace and many city and palace and park buildings (Lutheran Church of St. Peter, Lion and Humpback Bridge, "Farm", "Poultry House"). There he also drew up designs for the Admiralty stables, the mausoleum of Paul I and other buildings.

In 1800 new president The Academy of Arts, Count A. S. Stroganov, helped Zakharov obtain the title of sixth-grade official and a place on the Academy Council. The architect became a senior professor and headed the architectural class. From that time on, Zakharov’s assistant was the future famous architect A. N. Voronikhin.

Big role V creative life The architect was played by his trip to the cities of Russia in 1801-1802. It was undertaken at the direction of Alexander I with the aim of selecting sites for the construction of military schools.

Andreyan Zakharov in 1803-1804 created a project to combine the old buildings of the Academy of Sciences into one, but this plan was not realized. At the same time, the architect was working on a development plan for the spit of Vasilyevsky Island.

After Charles Cameron's resignation from the post of chief architect of the Admiralty Board, Andreyan Zakharov took his place in 1805. Thanks to this appointment, the architect was able to create his own famous work- Admiralty building. It became the only building of the architect that has survived to this day almost unchanged. In the same position, the architect created a number of projects for Kronstadt, including St. Andrew's Cathedral. For St. Petersburg, he created projects for the reconstruction of food warehouses, the Naval barracks on Galernaya Street, the Marine Hospital and the Galerny Port.

Date of Birth Date of death

August 27 (September 8) ( 1811-09-08 ) (50 years)

A place of death Works and achievements Worked in cities Architectural style Major buildings Urban development projects

Vasilyevsky Island development project

Andreyan Dmitrievich Zakharov on Wikimedia Commons

Andreyan (Adrian) Dmitrievich Zakharov(August 8() - August 27 (September 8), St. Petersburg) - Russian architect, representative of the Empire style. Creator of the Admiralty building complex in St. Petersburg.

Biography

Born on August 8, 1761 in the family of a minor employee of the Admiralty College. At an early age (he was not yet six years old) his father sent him to the art school at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, where he studied until 1782. His teachers were A.F. Kokorinov, I.E. Starov and Yu.M. Felten. In 1778, Andreyan Zakharov received a silver medal for the design of a country house, and in 1780, a Large Silver Medal for “an architectural composition representing the house of princes.” . Upon graduation, he received a large gold medal and the right to a pensioner's trip abroad to continue his education. He continued to study in Paris from 1782 to 1786 with J. F. Chalgrin.

In 1786 he returned to St. Petersburg and began working as a teacher at the Academy of Arts, while simultaneously starting to engage in design. After some time, Zakharov was appointed architect of all unfinished buildings of the Academy of Arts.

1803-1804. Architectural plan of the Nizhny Novgorod fair

Zakharov prepared a draft architectural plan for the Nizhny Novgorod fair, according to which the architect A. A. Betancourt built it a few years later.

Alexander Garden and Admiralty

1805-1823 Work on the Admiralty building

The initial construction of the Admiralty was carried out by the architect I.K. Korobov in 1738, this building is greatest monument Russian Empire style architecture. At the same time, it is a city-forming building and architectural center St. Petersburg.

Zakharov carried out the work in 1806-1811. When creating a new, grandiose building with a main façade of 407 m, he retained the configuration of the plan of the existing one. Having given the Admiralty a majestic architectural appearance, he managed to emphasize its central position in the city (the main highways converge towards it in three rays). The center of the building is a monumental tower with a spire, on which is located a boat, which has become a symbol of the city. This boat carries the old spire of the Admiralty, created by the architect I.K. Korobov. In the two wings of the facade, symmetrically located on the sides of the tower, simple and clear volumes alternate with a complex rhythmic pattern, such as smooth walls, strongly protruding porticoes, and deep loggias.

The strong point of the design is the sculpture. Decorative reliefs of the building complement the large architectural volumes; grandiosely unfolded facades are set off by wall sculptural groups.

Inside the building, such interiors of the Admiralty as the lobby with the main staircase, the meeting hall, and the library have been preserved. The abundance of light and exceptional elegance of decoration are set off by the clear severity of monumental architectural forms.

Other works in St. Petersburg and its suburbs

During the period of work on the Admiralty, Zakharov also worked on other tasks:

Main article: Proviantsky Island

In particular, Zakharov developed around 1805 a project for the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine in Yekaterinoslav (now Dnepropetrovsk). The cathedral was built after the death of the architect, in 1830-1835. under the name of Preobrazhensky and has survived to this day.

Literature

  • Grimm G. G. Architect Andreyan Zakharov. Life and creativity / G. G. Grimm. - M.: State. Archit. Publishing house Acad. Archit. USSR, 1940. - 68 p. + 106 ill. - (Masters of architecture of Russian classicism).
  • Arkin D. Zakharov and Voronikhin. - M.: State Publishing House for Construction and Architecture, 1953. - 78 p., ill. (Lecture series “Masters of Russian Architecture”).
  • Pilyavsky V. I. Architect Zakharov / V. I. Pilyavsky, N. Ya. Leiboshits. - L.: Knowledge, 1963. - 60 p., ill.
  • Shuisky V.K. Andreyan Zakharov / V.K. Shuisky. - St. Petersburg: Stroyizdat, 1995. - 220 s.
  • Mikhalova M. B. Unknown autograph A. D. Zakharova// Architectural heritage. - No. 49 / Ed. URSS, 2008. - ISBN 978-5-484-01055-4 - P.219-222.
  • Rodionova T. F. Gatchina: Pages of history. - 2nd ed., rev. and additional - Gatchina: Publishing house. SCDB, 2006. - 240 p. - 3000 copies.

- ISBN 5-943-31111-4

The main architects of the imperial Gatchina

  • Categories:
  • Personalities in alphabetical order
  • Born on August 19
  • Born in 1761
  • Born in St. Petersburg
  • Died on September 8
  • Died in 1811
  • Died in St. Petersburg
  • Architects by alphabet
  • Architects of St. Petersburg
  • Architects of Gatchina
  • Architects of the Russian Empire
  • Buried at the Lazarevskoye cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra
  • Pensioners of the Imperial Academy of Arts

Architects of Nizhny Novgorod

Works and achievements Worked in cities Architectural style Major buildings Urban development projects

Vasilyevsky Island development project

Andreyan Dmitrievich Zakharov on Wikimedia Commons

Wikimedia Foundation.(August 8() - August 27 (September 8), St. Petersburg) - Russian architect, representative of the Empire style. Creator of the Admiralty building complex in St. Petersburg.

Biography

Born into the family of a minor employee of the Admiralty College. At an early age (he was not yet six years old) his father sent him to the art school at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, where he studied until 1782. His teachers were A.F. Kokorinov and I.E. Starov. Upon graduation, he received a large gold medal and the right to a pensioner's trip abroad to continue his education. He continued to study in Paris from 1782 to 1786 with J. F. Chalgrin.

In 1786 he returned to St. Petersburg and began working as a teacher at the Academy of Arts, while simultaneously starting to engage in design. After some time, Zakharov was appointed architect of all unfinished buildings of the Academy of Arts.

1803-1804. Architectural plan of the Nizhny Novgorod fair

Zakharov prepared a draft architectural plan for the Nizhny Novgorod fair, according to which the architect A. A. Betancourt built it a few years later.

Alexander Garden and Admiralty

1805-1823 Work on the Admiralty building

The initial construction of the Admiralty was carried out by the architect I.K. Korobov in 1738; this building is the greatest monument of Russian Empire style architecture. At the same time, it is a city-forming building and the architectural center of St. Petersburg.

Zakharov carried out the work in 1806-1823. When creating a new, grandiose building with a main façade of 407 m, he retained the configuration of the plan of the existing one. Having given the Admiralty a majestic architectural appearance, he managed to emphasize its central position in the city (the main highways converge towards it in three rays). The center of the building is a monumental tower with a spire, on which is located a boat, which has become a symbol of the city. This boat carries the old spire of the Admiralty, created by the architect I.K. Korobov. In the two wings of the facade, symmetrically located on the sides of the tower, simple and clear volumes alternate with a complex rhythmic pattern, such as smooth walls, strongly protruding porticoes, and deep loggias.

The strong point of the design is the sculpture. Decorative reliefs of the building complement the large architectural volumes; grandiosely unfolded facades are set off by wall sculptural groups.

Inside the building, such interiors of the Admiralty as the lobby with the main staircase, the meeting hall, and the library have been preserved. The abundance of light and exceptional elegance of decoration are set off by the clear severity of monumental architectural forms.

Other jobs

During the period of work on the Admiralty, Zakharov also worked on other tasks:

Main article: Proviantsky Island

Main article: St. Andrew's Cathedral (Kronstadt)

In particular, Zakharov developed around 1805 a project for the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine in Yekaterinoslav (now Dnepropetrovsk). The cathedral was built after the death of the architect, in 1830 - 1835. under the name of Preobrazhensky and has survived to this day.

Literature

  • Grimm G. G., Architect Andreyan Zakharov. - M., 1940
  • Arkin D., Zakharov and Voronikhin. - M., 1953
  • Pilyavsky V. I., Leiboshits N. Ya., Architect Zakharov. - L., 1963
  • Shuisky V.K., “Andreyan Zakharov.” - L., 1989
  • Rodionova T. F. Gatchina: Pages of history. - 2nd corrected and supplemented. - Gatchina: Publishing house. SCDB, 2006. - 240 p. - 3000 copies. - ISBN 5-94331-111-4

Links


Architects of Nizhny Novgorod

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Biography

Born on August 8, 1761 in the family of a minor employee of the Admiralty College. At an early age, his father sent him to the art school at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, where he studied until 1782. His teachers were A.F. Kokorinov, I.E. Starov and Yu.M. Felten. In 1778, Andreyan Zakharov received a small silver medal for the design of a country house, in 1780 - a large silver medal for “an architectural composition representing the house of princes.” Upon graduation, he received a large gold medal and the right to a pensioner's trip abroad to continue his education. He continued to study in Paris from 1782 to 1786 with J. F. Chalgrin.

In 1786 he returned to St. Petersburg and began working as a teacher at the Academy of Arts, while simultaneously starting to engage in design. After some time, Zakharov was appointed architect of all unfinished buildings of the Academy of Arts.

After that, he worked in St. Petersburg and reached the rank of chief architect of the Maritime Department.

1803-1804. Architectural plan of the Nizhny Novgorod fair

Zakharov prepared a draft architectural plan for the Nizhny Novgorod fair, according to which the architect A. A. Betancourt built it a few years later.

1805-1811 Work on the Admiralty building

The initial construction of the Admiralty was carried out by the architect I.K. Korobov in 1738; this building is the greatest monument of Russian Empire style architecture. At the same time, it is a city-forming building and the architectural center of St. Petersburg.

Zakharov carried out the work in 1806-1811. When creating a new, grandiose building with a main façade of 407 m, he retained the configuration of the plan of the existing one. Having given the Admiralty a majestic architectural appearance, he managed to emphasize its central position in the city (the main highways converge towards it in three rays). The center of the building is a monumental tower with a spire, on which is located a boat, which has become a symbol of the city. This boat carries the old spire of the Admiralty, created by the architect I.K. Korobov. In the two wings of the facade, symmetrically located on the sides of the tower, simple and clear volumes alternate with a complex rhythmic pattern, such as smooth walls, strongly protruding porticoes, and deep loggias.

The strong point of the design is the sculpture. Decorative reliefs of the building complement the large architectural volumes; grandiosely unfolded facades are set off by wall sculptural groups.

Inside the building, such interiors of the Admiralty as the lobby with the main staircase, the meeting hall, and the library have been preserved. The abundance of light and exceptional elegance of decoration are set off by the clear severity of monumental architectural forms.

Other works in St. Petersburg and its suburbs

During the period of work on the Admiralty, Zakharov also worked on other tasks:

Main article: Proviantsky Island

In particular, Zakharov developed around 1805 a project for the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine in Yekaterinoslav. The cathedral was built after the death of the architect, in 1830-1835. under the name of Preobrazhensky and has survived to this day. The design of the cathedral was also used by the architect S.E. Dudin for the construction of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Izhevsk.

A.D. Zakharov was buried at the Smolensk Orthodox Cemetery. In 1936, the ashes and tombstone of A.D. Zakharov and his parents were transferred to

Andreyan Dmitrievich Zakharov (1761-1811)

Architect Andreyan Dmitrievich Zakharov, the famous architect of Russian classicism-empire, immortalized himself with the construction of the unique Admiralty building in Leningrad. A.D. Zakharov entered Russian architecture as one of its most gifted representatives, as a talented urban planner who boldly solved the most difficult architectural problems of his time. He paid great attention to the organization of construction, issues of planning individual villages, reconstruction of previously built structures, architecturally complete solutions for small, utilitarian buildings, etc. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of A.D. Zakharov for Russian architecture at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. With the Admiralty he created, he summed up a significant stage in the development of Russian architecture and urban planning and determined their further development for decades.

Andreyan Dmitrievich Zakharov was born on August 19, 1761 in the family of a minor employee of the Admiralty Collegium, ensign Dmitry Ivanovich Zakharov. For six years he was sent to school at the Academy of Arts. Thus, it was as if predetermined further path to art and architecture. After graduating from college, he moved to the “architectural classes” of the Academy, where he continued his education. Awards for successful course projects, testifying to his great talent, follow one after another.

In 1778 for the project " Country house"he received a second silver medal, and two years later, in 1780, for the project "House of Princes" - the first silver medal. In the fall next year he graduated from the Academy with a large gold medal. It was received by him for thesis, depicting the "Pleasure House" (Foxal). This difference gave A.D. Zakharov the right to retire abroad.

Following the established tradition, in the fall of the same year A.D. Zakharov went to France along with other students of the Academy who distinguished themselves in the final exams.

Arriving in Paris, A.D. Zakharov tried to get into the workshop of the famous French architect de Vally, who once taught Bazhenov. “I was introduced to him,” Zakharov wrote to the Academy, “but he could not take me as his student, ... he did not have a place, but allowed me to bring my work, which he never refused to anyone...”

A.D. Zakharov had to look for another leader who could complete his education with his advice and instructions. After working for six months with the little-known architect Belicar, A.D. Zakharov, not satisfied with him, moved to Chalgrin, under whose leadership he worked until the end of his retirement.

A.D. Zakharov regularly reported to the Academy about his studies: “I continue to go to the Royal Academy for lectures,” he wrote, “I take the program when asked at the Academy, and from time to time I copy from the master’s works” (report dated December 27, 1783) . In July of the following year, 1784, he reported sending one of his projects to St. Petersburg: “I compiled and drew the program that was given by Mr. Chalgrin... under whose supervision I worked on it.”

Despite complete satisfaction with his leader and his advice, A.D. Zakharov, however, sought to go to Italy, this promised land of all people art XVIII V. A visit to the famous monuments of Rome and northern Italy, their study and sketching, as it were, completed the completed course of study. On April 20, 1785, he officially informed the Academy of his “intolerant and cruel” desire to visit Italy with its artistic and architectural treasures. “No matter how glorious the masters in the architectural school in France are,” wrote Zakharov, “however, the assistance that an artist can have is always very superior to those that Italy will give him, where art was raised to a high degree of perfection.” The Academy of Arts did not object to A.D. Zakharov’s trip to Italy, but did not allocate money for it. The young architect did not have his own funds, and his ardent desire remained unfulfilled. In May 1786, A.D. Zakharov returned to his homeland.

In the same year, on December 1, A.D. Zakharov was recognized as “appointed” to compete for the title of academician. He was given a topic: "House for public entertainment." As can be seen, public buildings increasingly won a place in the competitive tests of the Academy of Arts. A.D. Zakharov completed the project on the proposed topic only eight years later - in 1794, when he was awarded the title of academician. Such a long delay in the execution of the project was caused by a large pedagogical work, to which a young architect was invited. He began this work at the Academy of Arts already in 1787 and did not interrupt it until his death. He led it both during the years of the most intensive work on the project and during the construction of the Admiralty, when this colossal building absorbed all his attention and energy.

The first work known to us by A. D. Zakharov should be considered the design of the ceremonial decoration in connection with the conclusion of peace with Turkey in Iasi in December 1791. This early architectural work of A. D. Zakharov was made in the typical manner of the 18th century, with its passion for allegories. An “explanation of the drawing” by the author himself has been preserved, which figuratively reveals to us the thoughts that formed the basis of this project: “The temple of Russian prosperity is depicted in solemn decoration. In the middle of the temple there is an altar with a flame lit on it... Along the entrance to the temple there are land and sea trophies signifying victories last war... At the ends of the entrance, two obelisks were erected, on which are the coats of arms of the Russian provinces. To one Genius they add a medallion with the inscription: Ochakov and along the Dniester... The temple and monuments are based on a stone mountain. The mountain signifies firmness and steadfastness."

In this architectural decoration, much has not yet found a final solution, there is an excessive abundance of all kinds of architectural forms, not to mention some inconsistency of scales individual parts compositions. But even in this early project of A.D. Zakharov we find those techniques and that monumentalism that would later be developed by the master in his subsequent works.

The practical activity of A. D. Zakharov as an architect began only in last years XVIII century. In 1800 he was appointed architect of the city of Gatchina. Here he carries out work on the palace, draws up, according to the extravagant thoughts of Emperor Paul, a design for the Kharlampy monastery, which was supposed to be built not far from the palace, and builds a number of park pavilions. Of these works, the most interesting is the building of the "poultry house" or "pheasant house". The building, like the palace, is made of local, natural stone. The central part is especially attractive. Its columns and pilasters, covered with longitudinal flutes, stand out especially favorably against the background of the shaded walls of the loggia (a type of indentation in the mass of the building). The central part is topped with a balustrade made of heavy cabinets with balls and beautiful figured balusters. The windows of the second floor under the loggia and the side wings end with arches. This technique, like the hewn seams between the stones, enhances the meaning of the material - the stone from which the building is made. The round towers on the side facades are no less monumental than the central part.

In this early construction by A.D. Zakharov one can already discern those character traits the master’s architecture, which would later become the leitmotifs of his works. Strict simplicity and monumentality of forms are what attracts A.D. Zakharov, what he strives for and what he achieves with such perfection.

After Pavel's death, work in Gatchina was interrupted. A.D. Zakharov went to a number of provincial cities, where he had to choose places for the construction of military school buildings. At the same time, he drew up a design for the church at the Alexander Manufactory, which was built in 1804. Despite the fact that the architectural traditions of the 18th century. here are still quite clearly visible, yet individual parts of the building, such as the columned portico, the treatment of the walls of the temple, etc., allow us to see the features in this work new architecture, which later received the name Empire style. The construction of this temple, as well as the drafting of standard buildings government agencies for provincial and district cities, it was, as it were, a preparation for that enormous work that was supposed to absorb all the forces of the architect.

On May 25, 1805, A.D. Zakharov was appointed “Chief Admiralty Architect.” This date is significant in the life of the architect. He embarks on a path of intensive architectural activity, the result of which is the construction of a new Admiralty building, which brought him world fame.

Even during the time of Peter, the architect Korobov, on his order, built the wooden building of the first Admiralty. It served not only as a place where the administration of the Russian fleet was located, but was mainly intended for the repair and construction of Russian warships. Long, low buildings, surrounded in case of military danger by ditches and earthen bastions, formed a figure in plan that resembled a large, somewhat elongated letter P. Only in the center of these buildings stood a hundred-meter tower, topped with a spire with a boat at the top, this symbol of the Admiralty. Initially, this building had almost nothing to do with the architectural landscape of the new capital, especially since the central part of the city, with all the palaces and government buildings, was supposed to be located on Vasilyevsky Island. The rest of the city was supposed to be located on the opposite, right, bank of the Neva. Only the tall tower with a spire seemed to echo the slender bell tower of the Cathedral of the Peter and Paul Fortress, crowned with the same spire - a needle.

But over time, the position of the Admiralty in the city changed greatly. From a building that stood on the edge of the city, it turned into almost its main structure. In any case, by the time of A.D. Zakharov, it played, even in its unassuming form, a prominent role in the city. Through the efforts of Russian architects - Zakharov, Eropkin and Obukhov - in mid-18th century V. The layout of St. Petersburg was streamlined. Three avenues, which were the main streets of the capital, decorated with wonderful palaces, private houses, temples and government buildings, converged at the base of the Admiralty Tower. Contrary to the original plan, the city began to be built on the left bank of the Neva, on the so-called Admiralty side. The best and most important buildings of the city were concentrated here. Thanks to this, the Admiralty occupied a very special place in the city and its architecture. From a practical, industrial structure, it turned into a building that played a huge architectural and organizational role in the city.

But to early XIX century, when St. Petersburg was decorated with buildings of exceptional craftsmanship and beauty, the old Admiralty of Korobov could no longer fulfill the role that it was now endowed with through the efforts of many architects of the 18th century. Naturally, the building had to be radically rebuilt according to the new position it occupied in the city. This difficult but honorable task fell to the lot of A.D. Zakharov.

A.D. Zakharov approached its resolution primarily as an architect and urban planner. He realized that he had to build not a separate beautiful building, but the main building of the capital of Russia. And he built this building. The great plans of Bazhenov, who dreamed of rebuilding the center of Moscow in the form of one grandiose structure, came to life again in the projects of A.D. Zakharov in St. Petersburg.

One of the great merits of A.D. Zakharov was that he preserved the tower with the Korobov spire, dressing it only in a new outfit that suited it. Thus, continuity was maintained with the building that was once built by order of Peter. But A.D. Zakharov gave his building much more higher value than it had before. His Admiralty became a monument to the great act of founding St. Petersburg as a capital, as a port, as a “window to Europe.” The Admiralty became the symbol of the city.

A.D. Zakharov retained the diagram of the previous plan in the form of the letter P. The tower, as before, was the node of the entire architectural composition. The architect put all his talent into it. The tower became the personification of the strength of the Russian fleet. The bottom of the tower is a mighty cube in the form of a single mass. In its thickness there are arched gates leading to the courtyard of the Admiralty. The rows of keystones above the double arch indicate its load. Trumpets of “glory” on its sides, a bas-relief “for the establishment of a fleet in Russia” and graces carrying the earthly sphere complement the decoration of this part of the tower. At the same time, these sculptures, with their composition and their main lines, echoed the architectural lines, thereby creating a deep unity connecting sculpture with architecture. In addition, the theme of the sculptures revealed the meaning of Peter’s greatest deeds.

Over this heavy mighty foundation there is a light tower, framed like a wreath by a colonnade and decorated with numerous sculptures. A golden spire with a golden boat at the top easily and swiftly rises into the sky, completing the dome of this majestic structure. Considering usually cloudy sky above the capital, A.D. Zakharov used not only gold (the spire), but also painted the entire building yellow and white. Therefore, even on the darkest days of bad weather, the Admiralty always seems joyful, light, bright, shining, as if bathed in the rays of the bright sun.

It was much more difficult to solve the buildings that stretched out on both sides of the tower. In total, they form a façade that is up to 400 meters long. Such a length of the facade threatened that the building could visually easily fall apart into separate parts that were almost unrelated to each other or look boring, “official.” But A.D. Zakharov overcame this difficulty. By skillfully arranging columned porticos or individual projections of the building, alternating them with the laconically processed walls of the main buildings and skillfully subordinating them to the tower, he avoided possible shortcomings. The Admiralty building does not fall apart into its individual parts; on the contrary, it looks like a single, mighty mass, occupying a huge block of the city. The overall unity and grandiose scale secured for it the role and significance in the architecture of the city that the architect gave it.

The side buildings on the Neva side are no less brilliantly completed. Both of them end in paired pavilions. In the center of these pavilions are arches that once blocked the canal leading to the courtyard of the Admiralty. Small ships entered this channel for repairs in the Admiralty workshops. On the sides of the arches, crossed anchors are fixed on pedestals - these are symbols of the fleet. The pavilions are topped with low cylinders on which flagpoles are mounted in the intertwined tails of dolphin sculptures. On both sides of the central parts of the pavilions with their arches there are columned porticos, architecturally connecting these parts of the building with the rest of the Admiralty building.

The Admiralty, like no other building of that era, is richly decorated with sculptures and bas-reliefs made by the best Russian sculptors of that time. Decorative stucco molding, figured bas-reliefs, pediments, and individual sculptures adorn the work of A.D. Zakharov in exceptional abundance. Thanks to this, despite the severity of architectural forms and lines, the building as a whole looks extremely plastic, devoid of dryness and monotony.

Despite the fact that the Admiralty was completed after the death of its author, despite the fact that it has undergone a number, sometimes even significant, changes, it still makes a strong impression on the viewer. The Admiralty personifies the city, and it is not for nothing that its image is embossed on the medal dedicated to the great defense of the city from the fascist hordes that dreamed of capturing it in 1941-1942. It stands among the greatest architectural works of the world. One can be amazed at how the architect could, within six years, not only design this colossal structure, but also complete all its main details. Despite this enormous work, A.D. Zakharov also performed a number of other works related to his position as an architect of the Naval Department. So, simultaneously with the implementation of the first version of the Admiralty, he designs and builds a cathedral in Kronstadt, many of the details and parts of which are very close to the corresponding parts of the Admiralty.

Among these works, the project “Marine Provision Stores” stands out, where the style of the master, which so attracted us to the Admiralty, seemed to be reflected even more fully. The building of enormous length is designed in calm, laconic and monumental forms. Not a single column, so beloved by Empire architects, adorns the “shop” building. Nevertheless, it attracts us with the grace and nobility of its forms, the measured rhythm of windows and entrances. Only here and there sculptural bas-reliefs modestly decorate this monumental structure.

In addition to this project, A.D. Zakharov created a project for a hospital built in Kherson, the Gatchina educational settlement, etc. But all these works, no matter how interesting they are, cannot compare with the Admiralty, which is a true unsurpassed jewel of the architecture of Russian classicism -empire.

The Academy of Arts noted this sudden and so difficult loss. In the report for 1811 we read: “This year the Academy lost its fellow member, professor of architecture, state councilor Zakharov, which loss, according to his information and talents, is very sensitive for the Academy. One can sufficiently imagine the experience of his talents and correct taste in buildings The Admiralty building now under construction, distinguished by its splendor and beauty."

About A. D. Zakharov: Grabar I., History of Russian Art, vol. III; Historical exhibition of architecture 1911, St. Petersburg, 1912; Lansere N., Zakharov and his Admiralty, "Old Years", St. Petersburg, 1912; His, the Main Admiralty and the history of its creation, "Maritime Collection", L., 1926, No. 8-9; Grimm G. G., Architect Andreyan Zakharov. Life and creativity, M., 1940.

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