Many years ago, I saw a comedy film by the famous Soviet director Ryazanov called "The Adventures of italians in Russia". Several Italians in the film come to Russia to look for treasure after hearing the old lady in the ward tell their granddaughter that the treasure they left for their granddaughter was hidden under the lions of Leningrad (i.e., St. Petersburg), only to find that "there are more lions than residents in this city". When I came to the city myself, I found out that what was said in the movie was true, and that all kinds of lion statues were scattered throughout the city.
As for how many lion statues there are in St. Petersburg, Vyacheslav Nestelov gives his answer in his book Lions Guarding the City (Львы стееут год) – about 200. So why are there so many lion statues in St. Petersburg?
The reason why there are so many lions in Petersburg is because Peter I, the founder of St. Petersburg, was very fond of European culture. In Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, the lion was often considered a symbol of the sun, military power, and power. So Peter the Great decided to use the lion as a symbol of the Russian capital at that time. Therefore, we can clearly see a lion's head carved on his left shoulder on the bust of Peter the Great in front of Peter the Great's hut.
(Figure from vilingstore.net)
What are some interesting lion statues in St. Petersburg?
1. Golden-winged griffin statue on bank bridge
Located on the Griboyedov Canal next to Kazan Cathedral in the heart of St. Petersburg, the Bank Bridge was built in 1825-1826 and is named after the entrance to the building of Russia's first bank, the Banknote Issuing Bank (now st. Petersburg State University of Economics). At each end of the bridge are two statues in the shape of griffins with golden wings.
Created by sculptor Pavel Petrovich Sokolov, the statues were used not only to decorate bridges, but also to obscure the chain structure of the suspension bridge head fasteners. And in Western mythology, griffins are also believed to have the ability to reliably protect gold from any infringement, so placing the stone statues at the door of the state bank of the Russian Empire at that time was also hoped that they could protect Russia's gold reserves. Today, the lion with golden wings has become one of the symbols of the city of St. Petersburg.
Address: набережная канала Грибоедова, 32
(Figure from fotostrana.ru)
2. Sphinx on the street along the University Coast
Opposite the Repin Academy of Fine Arts, on the banks of the Neva River, there is an Egyptian-inspired pair of sphinxes from ancient Egypt. The head of the stone statue is the face of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Amenhoteb III, carved from 1455 BC to 1419 BC, more than 3500 years ago.
In 1798-1801, after Napoleon led the French Expeditionary Force to attack Egypt, European countries began to be interested in this mysterious African country, and Petersburg at that time was also popular in ancient Egyptian culture. In 1831, with the approval of the Repin Academy of Fine Arts and Tsar Nicholas I, the Russian traveler Muravyov purchased the Sphinx, and the sphinx arrived in St. Petersburg the following year. Originally the statue was placed in the Repin Academy of Fine Arts, but was later moved to the pier opposite the academy.
A closer look at the sphinx reveals that their beards were artificially destroyed because they were a symbol of power in Egypt, so the Egyptians knocked off their beards with guns. In addition, there are many legends and traditions about the pair of stone statues in Petersburg. For example, newlyweds in Petersburg would drink champagne near the stone statues, write down wishes, put them in an empty bottle, and throw them into the Neva River.
Address: Университетская набережная, 17
3. Lion statue at the palace pier
The two bronze lion statues are among the most popular statues in St. Petersburg. They were made in 1832 during the reign of Nicholas II at the Alexandrovsky Iron Foundry in St. Petersburg and placed in the docks on the coastal street of the Admiralty for decoration.
According to sources, they are replicas of lions of the Medici family in Florence, Italy. The lion statues are also most often "attacked" by tourists, who often try to climb onto the lion statues and take photos with them. Therefore, as foreign tourists or international students, we should be more civilized and rational.
Address: Адмиралтейская набережная, 2а
(Figure from the network)
4. Statue of a lion in front of the Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace (Lobanov-Rostovsky Palace).
The two marble lion statues are actually from Italy and are the work of Italian sculptor Paulo Trisconi. In the 19th century, it was placed at the entrance of the palace that once belonged to Duke Lobanov-Rostovsky. During the Soviet era, the building was used as a ministry of defense.
Pushkin also mentioned the pair of stone lions in his poem "Bronze Knight": "A pair of stone lions on a tall platform, dancing with teeth and claws like living ones". Today, the building is owned by Four Seasons, the second Four Seasons Hotel in St. Petersburg, and the hotel is named after the two lions on the doorstep, the "Lion Palace".
Address: Адмиралтейский проспект, 12
There are also some "lions" from China .
1. Shanghai Stone Lion Statue in Friendship Garden
The Friendship Garden is a Chinese courtyard located in the city of St. Petersburg, and when I first passed by, I had the feeling of being back in the country. Designed by Chinese garden designer Zhang Dongcheng, this small courtyard was opened in May 2003 as a gift from St. Petersburg's sister city of Shanghai to Petersburg to celebrate its 300th anniversary.
This courtyard is a miniature replica of Shanghai's Yu Garden. All the building materials for the courtyard were transported from China to St. Petersburg. On the left and right sides of the entrance to the courtyard are two Chinese-style stone lion statues. In addition to the stone lion, there is also a Nine Dragon Wall and a Friendship Tower in the park, which is a place worth punching in.
Address: Литейный проспект, напротив домов No15-17
2. Jilin on the Petrovsky Embankment "Lion Smashing (Ши-Цза)"
The stone statues are located on the Petrovsky embankment, not far from the Aurora. The stone statue was made of granite from the Chinese city of Jilin in the early 20th century, and the base of the stone statue reads in Russian "Lion from Manchurian Jilin" (Ши-Цза) "was shipped to St. Petersburg in 1907." Tribute was paid by Russian infantry general Nikolai Ivanovich Grodykov", and the Chinese engraved "Jilin in October of the Thirty-second Year of the Great Qing Dynasty".
This Grodykov was the commander of the Russian army when the Eight-Power Alliance invaded China in 1900, and the stone statues were one of its trophies in China. The stone statues, originally the stone lions at the entrance of the jilin general's residence, were transported from Jilin Province to St. Petersburg via Vladivostok in 1907.
Address: Петровская набережная, 6
St. Petersburg is a historic city where these lion statues from all over the world have stood in the city for decades or centuries. Whether it is the decorations of domestic architecture, gifts from other countries, or the spoils of war, there is a living history behind it. And these lion statues are also the best witnesses of the changing times and continuous progress of the city and this country.
So in addition to all of the above, what other lion statues have you seen in Petersburg?
Intern: Zheng Qian
Image: From the Web