Twelve Collegia
{{Short description|Complex of historic buildings in St. Petersburg}}
File:Toselli - Panorama of StPetersburg, 1820 - (6).jpg
Image:Spb Vasilievsky Island Twelve Collegiums asv2019-09.jpg.]]
The Twelve Collegia or Twelve Colleges ({{langx|ru|Двeнaдцaть Коллегий}}) is the largest edifice from the Petrine era remaining in Saint Petersburg. It was designed by Domenico Trezzini and Theodor Schwertfeger and built from 1722 to 1744.300 years of Saint Petersburg: Swiss architecture on the Neva. [http://www.stpetersburg2003.ch/selection/detail.php?lang=eng&building_id=7 Twelve Colleges] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927201123/http://www.stpetersburg2003.ch/selection/detail.php?lang=eng&building_id=7 |date=2007-09-27 }} Pg. 1.
Description
The three-story, red-brick complex of 12 buildings is 400–440 meters long, giving an illusion of one enormous edifice. The result is an "austerely structured" complex with a "rustic style". The original design separated the 12 individual buildings. In subsequent restructuring, they were connected to form the modern complex.[http://it.stlawu.edu/~rkreuzer/pete11/university.htm University Embankment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060517034719/http://it.stlawu.edu/~rkreuzer/pete11/university.htm |date=2006-05-17 }}
History
{{Main|Collegium (ministry)}}
The Twelve Collegia was commissioned by Peter the Great, who wanted a place for the Russian government, at the time divided into 12 branches:
- The Senate (created in February 1711, eventually renamed "Council of the Empire")Massie, Robert: Peter the Great: His Life and World. Part 5, Chapter 58.
- The Most Holy Synod
- Nine colleges, which replaced the old prikazy system (subsequently replaced by Ministries in 1802 under the rule of Alexander I): Foreign Affairs, Revenue Collection, Justice, Expenditure, Financial Control, War, Admiralty, Commerce, Mining and Manufacturing
- Additional, or tenth college/ministry for trade[http://www.saint-petersburg.com/virtual-tour/state-university.asp Saint Petersburg State University] (official site)
Modern use
{{See also|Saint Petersburg State University}}
Twelve Collegia presently serves as one of three Petrine Baroque structures for Saint Petersburg State University.Wandering Camera... [http://www.enlight.ru/camera/builds1/index_e.html Notes about Saint Petersburg...] The Twelve Collegia are the headquarters of the university, which was founded in 1819 (it claims to be the successor of the Academy of St. Petersburg, and dates its foundation to 1724), stands along Mendeleevskaya Line on Vasilievsky Island.
Footnotes
External links
- {{Commonscat-inline|Building of Twelve Collegiums}}
{{coord|59.9416|N|30.2993|E|display=title}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Saint Petersburg
Category:Government buildings completed in 1744
Category:Commercial buildings completed in 1744
Category:Office buildings completed in the 18th century
Category:Baroque architecture in Saint Petersburg
Category:Domenico Trezzini buildings and structures
Category:1744 establishments in the Russian Empire
Category:Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Saint Petersburg