Narva Triumphal Arch

2025-09-11T14:34:27Z

2601:243:1702:40:C905:51BF:FA8:C4F4:

{{Short description|Arch in Saint Petersburg, Russia}}
[[File:Narva Triumphal Arch.jpg|thumb|right|The triumphal arch in March 2011]]
The '''Narva Triumphal Arch''' ({{langx|ru|На́рвские триумфа́льные ворота}}, lit. ''Narvskie Triumfal'nyye vorota'') was erected in the vast Stachek Square (prior to 1923 also known as the Narva Square), [[Saint Petersburg]], in 1814 to commemorate the [[French invasion of Russia|Russian victory over Napoleon]].

The wooden structure was constructed on the then highway to [[Narva]] with the purpose of greeting the soldiers who were returning from abroad after their victory over Napoleon. The architect of the original Narva [[triumphal arch]] was [[Giacomo Quarenghi]]. The program was meant to respond to the [[Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel]] in Paris, originally erected to celebrate Napoleon's victory over the Allies at [[Battle of Austerlitz|Austerlitz]], but the material used was a weather-resistant plaster that was never intended to be permanent.

[[File:FR Petersburg, Narwskije Worota 1827-34, 2013.08.23, fot. I. Nowicka (150) corr.jpg|thumb|right|The horses of the sestiga on top of the arch; fot. [[Ivonna Nowicka]]]]
Between 1827 and 1834 [[Vasily Stasov]] redesigned and rebuilt the gate in stone. [[Moscow Triumphal Gates|A similar gate]], also by Stasov, was erected on the road leading to [[Moscow]]. A sculptor [[Vasily Demut-Malinovsky]] was responsible for the arch's sculptural decor. As has been conventional since Imperial Roman times, sculptures of [[Pheme]] offering laurel wreaths fill the [[spandrel]]s of the central arch. The main [[entablature]] breaks boldly forward over paired [[Composite order|Composite columns]] that flank the opening and support colossal sculptures. [[Nike (mythology)|Nike]], the Goddess of Victory, surmounts the arch, in a [[triumphal car]] drawn by six horses, sculpted by [[Peter Clodt von Jürgensburg]], instead of the traditional [[Quadriga]].

Neither the arch nor the [[Admiralty building, Saint Petersburg|Russian Admiralty]] were protected from artillery bombardments during the [[siege of Leningrad]]. The arch was restored in 1951.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saint-petersburg.com/monuments/narva-gate/|title=The Narva Triumphal Arch|website=SAINT-PETERSBURG.COM|date=|accessdate=2016-07-18}}</ref>
A small military museum was opened in the upper part of the arch in 1989.

At the beginning of 21st century the gate was completely restored, and according to experts was in good condition as of August 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fontanka.ru/2009/08/18/120/|trans-title=Narva Gate is 175 years old |script-title=ru:Нарвским воротам — 175 лет |date=2009-08-18|work=City|publisher=Petersburg Internet newspaper|language=Russian|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Narva Triumphal Gate}}
*[http://www.saint-petersburg.com/monuments/narva-gate.asp Narva Triumphal Arch] - History from Saint Petersburg.com
*[http://enlight.ru/camera/273/index_e.html Photos and other data on the gate]

{{Monuments of Saint Petersburg}}
{{coord|59.9009|N|30.2738|E|type:landmark|display=title}}

[[Category:Culture in Saint Petersburg]]
[[Category:Neoclassical architecture in Russia]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Saint Petersburg]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1814]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Saint Petersburg]]
[[Category:Triumphal arches in Russia]]
[[Category:Vasily Stasov buildings and structures]]
[[Category:Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Saint Petersburg]]

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Narva Triumphal Arch