After the fortifications of the Peter and Paul Fortress had been erected in 1703, yet another defensive outpost of the city was set up in the estuary of the Neva.
The building was a shipyard, which later became known as the Admiralty. As a fortress, the Admiralty played an important part in the subsequent building up of the city centre.
According to the rules of military engineering of that time; it was prohibited to build up the area around a fortress so that the enemy could not approach its walls under cover of the adjacent buildings.
Therefore, no buildings were constructed in the area adjacent to the Admiralty. This explains why the expanses of the Palace Square, and Decembrists Square have remained open, as has Admiralty Square with its garden laid out in the 1870s, and now named after the writer Maxim Gorky.
However; in November 1705, an earthen fortress was built on the site of the future Admiralty.
Then it was repeatedly reconstructed; the present structures were replaced with stone ones, and the stone ones were rebuilt in their turn.
In 1738, the main building was rebuilt according to the design of the architect Ivan Korobov, and a tower was raised, crowned with a golden spire.
At the beginning of the 19th century a decision was made to rebuild the Admiralty yet again, and the architect Andreyan Zakharov was commissioned to do the job.
It took from 1806 to 1823 to construct the modern building of the Admiralty. The cubic tower above the building dominates the architecture of the squares adjacent to the Admiralty.
It can be seen in the distance along the three thoroughfares which converge on it. The main facade, 407 m wide, is divided into six- and twelve-column porticos.
Zakharov retained the former plan of the building including the old spire with a weather-vane shaped like a caravel, which rose above the city to a height of 72.5 m.
It is cut from gilded sheets of brass, is 192cm long, 158cm high and weighs 65kg.
The building is decorated with 56 large sculptures, 11 reliefs, and 350 moulded ornamentations by eminent Russian sculptors of that time. The sculptures on the facade are based on a common theme-the glory of the Russian Navy.
A high relief above the archway of the main entrance, devoted to the founding of the Russian Navy by Peter the Great, depicts the god of the sea, Neptune, handing over to Peter his trident, the symbol of his power over the sea.
Standing next to the tsar is the goddess of wisdom, Minerva, who is appealing to Russia, a young woman sitting under a bay-tree. Russia is resting on the club of Hercules (the symbol of strength) and holds the horn of plenty which is touched by the god of commerce. Mercury is landing on bales of goods.
Above this high relief, at the corners of the lower cube of the tower stand the military leaders and heroes of antiquity, Achilles, Ajax, Pyrrhus, and Alexander the Great.
The colonnade of the tower's upper cube is decorated with 28 statues (corresponding to the number of columns). They depict the four elements-Fire, Water, Air, and Earth; the four seasons of the year, the four winds-the South, North, East, and West, and also the mythological patrons of shipbuilding and astronomy, the goddesses Isis and Urania. Each subject is repeated twice.
Two monumental groups 11 m high have been erected along either side of the archway of the main entrance. Each of them, depicting three nymphs, symbolizes the mythological goddess Hecate, who personified water, the earth, and the sky.
On the pediments of the side porticos there are high reliefs of "The goddess of justice Themis, blessing labor" (to the right of the tower), "Themis giving rewards for feats in battle and at sea" (to the left of the tower), "Glory blessing military feats" (on the Decembrists' Square side) and "Glory crowning the sciences with laurels" (on the Palace Square side).
Eminent sculptors in Russia at the time, such as Feodosy Shchedrin, Stepan Pimenov, Ivan Terebenev, and Vasily Demut-Malinovsky, contributed their works to the Admiralty.
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The services of A Distant Light™ are available to all adult persons of good character, everywhere in the world. Our prospective foreign bride listings now number more than 37,000, representing some 60 nations.
Ladies are welcome to submit their profiles for publication, without charge, on our Web sites. Gentlemen who want to promote themselves to the ladies can publish their profiles in our magazine.
Note: Please be assured that the women featured here are not somehow less accessible than others. Each dear heart listed with our service wishes for a caring man to share her life. As such, you needn't hesitate to approach any of the ladies with whom you might be compatible.
A Distant Light™ Romance Tours by A Foreign Affair are extraordinary travel adventures. Beyond the excitement of exploring faraway places, imagine having a lovely woman like one of those featured here – or one of many hundreds of other beautiful hearts – as your companion and guide. Consider the possibility of her becoming a lifetime companion. This could happen for you!
If you don't have a special lady in mind to meet, where would you like to go exploring? To find which of our tours appeals to you most, begin at the Romance Tours Index. If you've chosen a foreign sweetheart who lives far from any of our Romance Tours destinations, or you prefer to meet independently, we can provide Travel Information to help facilitate your meeting.
As you know, children can be one of life's greatest rewards. Certainly, you shouldn't rule-out any prospective foreign bride just because she is childless, for together you could do something about that. But neither should you exclude her just because she already has children, for together you could form an instant family! That could benefit you in several ways. Consider having two, or more, foreign sweethearts.
An intercultural relationship may not be for everyone. Yet, if you will invest the necessary time, effort and money into a relationship, and be reasonably flexible, tolerant and patient, your chances of finding happiness with a foreign bride are good. Whichever path you choose, our wish for you is that your journey will be pleasant and that you will find, in life, everything that you seek.
Foreign Courtship Advice and Recommendations From the Editors of A Distant Light™
Q: To a prospective foreign bride who doesn't specify an age preference, how much of an age difference might customarily be acceptable?
A: Surveys have shown that when considering age apart from other factors, 98 to 99 percent of single Ukrainian women and single Russian women seeking marriage would readily accept a partner as much as ten years their elder. The rate of such ready acceptance among women of the former Soviet Union declines to 50 percent as age disparity increases to 15 years.
In predominantly Buddhist cultures of the Far East, as for example in Thailand, elder persons are revered for their accumulated wisdom. So, some of the single Asian women seeking marriage, in particular, might accept or even welcome somewhat greater age disparities.
For an international introductions agency to promote so-called May–December romances might be good for business, in the short term, but would it be good for you? For the prospective foreign bride? Around here, we believe that what's best for business is the long-term success of your intercultural relationship. So, rather than encourage a fifty-year-old man to pursue, say, Colombian single women in their twenties, or a man of forty to chase single Latin women still in their teens, we would respectfully suggest that you listen to your own voice of reason and common sense.
If you don't fully recognize the value in this, you might find it helpful to read A Long Way to Go for a Date, by Henry Makow. The outcome of Mr. Makow's real-life personal adventure may surprise you. Find it listed under Foreign Bride Resources, below.)
A foreign sweetheart is more likely to become the foreign bride of a gentleman who demonstrates an interest in, and some knowledge of, her native culture. A Lonely Planet ® Travel Survival Kit™ (right sidebar) can be helpful. Besides the practical advice for travelers, they provide some historical background and discuss relevant social, political and economic aspects of modern society.
You can benefit from the experiences (both good and bad) of others, in the pursuit of intercultural relationships, by referring to these worthwhile additional foreign bride resources. And remember, at A Distant Light™ we're here to help! You can contact us by phone, fax, e-mail or postal mail, or visit us (no appointment is necessary during regular business hours) at any of the AFA offices worldwide.
And for an uplifting example of romance gone right, take time to enjoy the Web site of Jeffrey and Emelda Hollis. Screenwriter Jeff's engaging stories of courtship and marriage with Emelda (who is absolutely adorable) will touch your heart.
"Relationships are like Rome – difficult to start out, incredible during the prosperity of the 'Golden Age' and unbearable during the fall. Then a new kingdom will come along and the whole process will repeat itself – until you come across a kingdom, like Egypt, that thrives and continues to flourish. This kingdom will become your best friend, your soul mate and your love."
This popular American singer and songwriter of German and Brazilian descent is admired by generations of music lovers everywhere. Her name is practically synonymous with the bossa nova style of her native Brazil, and her endearing voice can be one of the most seductive on the planet. Yet, there is more to be said of this remarkable woman, of which you may have been unaware. She is also a talented graphic artist. Through sales of the reproductions and prints of her original artworks (which can make unforgettable gifts, especially when signed by the artist herself), she supports efforts to protect animals from mistreatment. Please see the charming (if, at times, necessarily intense) Web pages that have been created, with love, by this profoundly
beautiful human being,
[The Editors of A Distant Light™ are privileged to express our appreciation of Ms. Gilberto and her work. Ms. Gilberto is not a participant in our service.]
After the fortifications of the Peter and Paul Fortress had been erected in 1703, yet another defensive outpost of the city was set up in the estuary of the Neva.
The building was a shipyard, which later became known as the Admiralty. As a fortress, the Admiralty played an important part in the subsequent building up of the city centre.
According to the rules of military engineering of that time; it was prohibited to build up the area around a fortress so that the enemy could not approach its walls under cover of the adjacent buildings.
Therefore, no buildings were constructed in the area adjacent to the Admiralty. This explains why the expanses of the Palace Square, and Decembrists Square have remained open, as has Admiralty Square with its garden laid out in the 1870s, and now named after the writer Maxim Gorky.
However; in November 1705, an earthen fortress was built on the site of the future Admiralty.
Zakharov retained the former plan of the building including the old spire with a weather-vane shaped like a caravel, which rose above the city to a height of 72.5 m.
It is cut from gilded sheets of brass, is 192cm long, 158cm high and weighs 65kg.
The colonnade of the tower's upper cube is decorated with 28 statues (corresponding to the number of columns). They depict the four elements-Fire, Water, Air, and Earth; the four seasons of the year, the four winds-the South, North, East, and West, and also the mythological patrons of shipbuilding and astronomy, the goddesses Isis and Urania. Each subject is repeated twice.
Two monumental groups 11 m high have been erected along either side of the archway of the main entrance. Each of them, depicting three nymphs, symbolizes the mythological goddess Hecate, who personified water, the earth, and the sky.
