Dvory-wells in St. Petersburg: addresses, history

St. Petersburg is a city famous for its fountains, palaces and ... courtyards-wells. Such architectural solutions can be found in many countries of the world, but there are a lot of them in the Northern capital. Yards-wells in St. Petersburg - this is one of the business cards of the city, a tourist attraction, which must be seen with your own eyes at the first opportunity.

Unexpected history

Once the Emperor Peter the Great ordered to build a "one façade" along the central streets of the building. As a result of this order very soon in St. Petersburg you could see houses that stretched for several blocks. Most of them had arches in courtyards or through entrances. Behind the main building there were usually farm buildings and small outbuildings.

Very soon began to appear and the so-called yard-wells in St. Petersburg. The land in the city center valued annually, each owner sought to get the maximum profit from his site. Unbelievably profitable are profitable houses - multi-apartment residential buildings intended for leasing. They are built by all the wealthy residents of the city, and gradually behind the front facades grow whole labyrinths of new buildings.

Yard-well: signs and main varieties

Traditionally, a "well" is called a courtyard surrounded on all sides by houses built close to each other. The internal space between neighboring buildings can be quite large, and may not exceed the standard storage space. You can get into the yard-well through the arch or the main entrance. During the USSR, many passages were sealed, but tourists do not lose heart, and if you want, you can always find a hole.

Particularly striking are the courtyards-wells in St. Petersburg visitors. Seeing such a miracle of architectural thought, one asks: how to live in an apartment whose windows do not know the sunlight and go out to the facade of a neighboring house? It is worth to pay tribute to the architects of the past, in most such residential buildings a special layout. All the windows facing the yard-well, refer to stairs, hallways, bathrooms and kitchens, as well as other utility rooms. In addition, on the first floors of buildings located too close to neighboring buildings, there is usually no window at all.

Wilhelm Pel and his griffins

One of the most unusual and interesting courtyard-wells is on Vasilievsky Island. Behind the old facade of the house No. 18 of the 7th line is a small courtyard, most of the space occupied by the Griffin Tower. This brick cylindrical structure, whose diameter is about 2 meters, and height - about 11 meters. There is an unusual sight in the old quarter of the pharmacists. The front facade of the courtyard is a building in which one of the oldest pharmacies of the city is located.

From the middle of the nineteenth century, Dr. Wilhelm Pel lived and worked here. A lot of legends tell us that this man was not only an apothecary, but also a talented alchemist. The tower is also associated with Pel's name. According to some versions, the laboratory of the scientist was located inside, on the other, she performed the function of drawing for an underground laboratory. Skeptics believe that in front of them is a fragment of a pipe from an old boiler house.

The Griffin Tower got its name because of another myth spread among tourists. It is believed that Pel opened the formula of happiness and instructed to protect him with griffins, which are hidden in the day inside a brick pipe. On the walls of the tower are figures, if you read them all - you can find out the very same code and achieve the fulfillment of all your desires. Unfortunately, this is nothing more than a beautiful urban legend - "mysterious" letters appeared on the Tower in 1994 on the initiative of a creative group of contemporary artists.

House of Tolstoy

One of the most famous and beautiful houses of St. Petersburg was built on the order of Count M. P. Tolstoy. The exact address of this impressive architectural structure: Rubinstein Street, 15-17.

Tolstoy's house, as it was nicknamed by the people, is a worthy example of the Northern Art Nouveau. The front facade is decorated with high arches, on the upper floors there are loggias. What is noteworthy, this house was originally put into operation with a water pipe, elevator and laundry. The owner of the building thought out all the details, the living quarters are significantly different in size and comfort. The whole point is that Tolstoy's house was built as a nation-wide house, intended for tenants of different estates.

Today not all locals are aware of the fact that behind the front facade of this building there are several secret well-shaped courtyards. If you decide to visit this landmark, do not be lazy to look into the arches.

The most famous courtyards in St. Petersburg are: addresses

Usually attractions of this category are not included in the tourist guidebooks. But if you want to see the true face of St. Petersburg, we recommend that you personally visit at least 2-3 wells. Be prepared for the fact that getting behind the front facade will not be easy. Passes to many of these courtyards are protected by combination locks, but you can negotiate with the locals.

One of the most popular places among tourists is Dvikh Dvor, located on the 4th line of the Vasilievsky Island. There is very little space between the neighboring houses, and the roof is protected by a grate from above. If you get inside and look at the "sky in the cell", you can make a wish, and it will come true.

Unique even by the standards of Petersburg, the courtyard-ring is located at the embankment of the river Fontanka, 92. The nearby houses really form the right circle. The yard itself is big enough, but for some reason most people in it experience discomfort.

An interesting architectural phenomenon and an octagonal courtyard. You can visit it at the address: Maly Prospekt, 1B. Go into the arch and enjoy an even polygon above your head.

In fact, yard-wells in St. Petersburg are much larger, you can look for them yourself. Just carefully review the map of the city and go for a walk.

City legends and facts about the Petersburg wells

Modern yard-wells in St. Petersburg look different. Some are very small, gloomy and littered, while others resemble European courtyards - with neat flower beds and lots of greenery. Most of the wells are located in the historic and most expensive areas of the city. And this means that such housing is considered elite.

Psychologists do not see anything good in the wells, and believe that such a closed space adversely affects the psyche of people. And yet the old houses (St. Petersburg) are beautiful in their own way and can boast a special atmosphere. Public organizations and many residents of the city advocate the preservation of yard-wells, timely maintenance of their repair.