Twelve Collegia
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The Twelve Collegia or Twelve Colleges () is the largest edifice from the Petrine era remaining in
Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
. It was designed by Domenico Trezzini and Theodor Schwertfeger and built from 1722 to 1744.300 years of Saint Petersburg: Swiss architecture on the Neva
Twelve Colleges
Pg. 1.


Description

The three-story, red-brick complex of 12 buildings is 400–440 meters long, giving an illusion of one enormous edifice. The result is an "austerely structured" complex with a "rustic style". The original design separated the 12 individual buildings. In subsequent restructuring, they were connected to form the modern complex.


History

The Twelve Collegia was commissioned by
Peter the Great Peter I (, ; – ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia, Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned j ...
, who wanted a place for the Russian government, at the time divided into 12 branches: * The
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
(created in February 1711, eventually renamed "Council of the Empire")Massie, Robert: ''Peter the Great: His Life and World.'' Part 5, Chapter 58. * The
Most Holy Synod The Most Holy Governing Synod (, pre-reform orthography: ) was the highest governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church between 1721 and 1917. It was abolished following the February Revolution of 1917 and replaced with a restored patriar ...
* Nine
colleges A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary education, tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding academic degree, degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further educatio ...
, which replaced the old ''prikazy'' system (subsequently replaced by Ministries in 1802 under the rule of Alexander I): Foreign Affairs, Revenue Collection, Justice, Expenditure, Financial Control, War, Admiralty, Commerce, Mining and Manufacturing * Additional, or tenth college/ministry for tradeSaint Petersburg State University
(official site)


Modern use

Twelve Collegia presently serves as one of three Petrine Baroque structures for
Saint Petersburg State University Saint Petersburg State University (SPBGU; ) is a public research university in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Russia. Founded in 1724 by a decree of Peter the Great, the university from the be ...
.Wandering Camera..
Notes about Saint Petersburg...
/ref> The Twelve Collegia are the headquarters of the university, which was founded in 1819 (it claims to be the successor of the Academy of St. Petersburg, and dates its foundation to 1724), stands along Mendeleevskaya Line on Vasilievsky Island.


Footnotes


External links

* {{coord, 59.9416, N, 30.2993, E, display=title Buildings and structures in Saint Petersburg Government buildings completed in 1744 Commercial buildings completed in 1744 Office buildings completed in the 18th century Baroque architecture in Saint Petersburg Domenico Trezzini buildings and structures 1744 establishments in the Russian Empire Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Saint Petersburg Baroque palaces in Russia