The sculptural decoration of the ensemble of the Senate and the Synod buildings is presented at the multimedia exhibition of the Presidential Library

May 27, 2017 marks eight years since the opening of the Presidential Library. The largest national information and cultural center, in which the national cultural heritage is preserved carefully, using the latest technologies, is located in the historical building of the Synod, which is part of the architectural ensemble of the Senate Square. One of the most recognizable buildings of St. Petersburg, built by the architect Carlo Rossi, will be dedicated to a new multimedia exhibition-presentation of the Presidential Library, which will be opened on May 26. Presented historical drawings, project documentation, views of Senate Square from different eras and other materials tell not only about the creation of a complex of buildings of the Senate and the Synod, but also introduce in detail the elements of its architectural decoration, each of which has a certain meaning. 

The history of the architectural ensemble began 190 years ago: on August 10, 1827, Emperor Nicholas I visited the building of the Government Senate on the Petrovskaya Square (now the Senate Square) and decided on its reorganization. Next to the Senate it was decided to place the Holy Synod, for this purpose the building of the merchant Anna Kusovnikova was purchased. On April 22, 1828, Nicholas I ordered: "…in order to give the Senate building a character corresponding to the vastness of the area on which it is located, to establish a competition for composing plans for this building between the architects".

Of all the works "His Majesty approved" the project of Charles Ivanovich Rossi, who represented the buildings of the Senate and the Synod in the form of two buildings connected by an arch over Galernaya Street. (The portrait of the famous architect today meets visitors at the entrance to the Presidential Library, here is a copy of his project of the facade of the buildings of the Holy Synod and the Governing Senate).

The facade of the building was decorated with sculptors V. I. Demut-Malinovsky, S. S. Pimenov, N. S. Pimenov, N. A. Tokarev, P. P. Sokolov, P. V. Svintsov, N. A. Ustinov, I. I. Leppe, P. P. Jaco, F. Toricelli and others.

The sculptural group "Justice and Piety", in the center of which there is the emblem of the Russian Empire, is located above the attic of the arch and symbolizes faith in the law. The author of this composition is V. I. Demut-Malinovsky, who also created eight figures of "Geniuses with books of laws", which were placed in front of the attic of the arch over the columns.

There are three bas-reliefs at the very attic. In the center above the arch - the largest - "Civil Law". The bas-reliefs on the sides of the arch reflect the activities of the institutions that are located in the respective buildings: the bas-relief on the left - the "Law of God" - is dedicated to the Synod, and the bas-relief on the right - "The Law of the Natural" - is dedicated to the Senate. All three bas-reliefs were made by the sculptors I. I. Leppe and P. P. Svintsov.

The exhibition also presents a description of the sculptural decoration of buildings, which connects the arch. In the niches of the facade of the building of the Synod there are four allegorical statues depicting the Spiritual Enlightenment, Theology, Piety and Faith, statues in the niches of the Senate building symbolize Law, Justice, Truth, Wisdom, Hardness, Law, Vigilance and Faith.

The construction of the architectural complex was completed in 1835. The combination in the single architectural complex of the Senate as an organ of state authority and the Synod as the organ of church administration symbolized the unity of secular and spiritual power. Today the historical building of the Governing Senate houses the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, and the building of the Synod houses the Presidential Library. 

To visit the exposition, you must first register by phone (812) 334-25-14 or send an email to: excursion@prlib.ru.  

To accredit media representatives you must fill out the attached form and to send it to e-mail: media@prlib.ru, hudjakova@prlib.ru, Alexandra Khudyakova. Tel: (812) 305-16-21, ext. 167; mob.: +7 (981) 788-28-08.

The letter should indicate the full name, the date and the place of birth, passport data (series, number, place of registration), carried equipment, contact numbers, name of the media.

Please note that the entrance to the Presidential Library for the media representatives is carried out through entrance № 2 strictly upon showing the passports.