Twelve Collegia

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The Twelve Collegia, or Twelve Colleges (1722–1744) (Russian: Двeнaдцaть Коллегий) is the largest edifice from the Petrine era in Saint Petersburg, designed by Domenico Trezzini and Theodor Schwertfeger.^[1]

Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 Modern use 4 Footnotes

[edit] Description

The three-storey, red-brick complex of 12 buildings is 400-440 meters long,^[2][3] giving an illusion of one enormous edifice.^[1] The result is an "austerely structured" complex with a "rustic style."^[1] The original design separated the 12 individual buildings. In subsequent restructuring, they would be connected to form the modern complex.^[4]

[edit] History

The Twelve Collegia was commissioned by Peter the Great, who wanted a place for the Russian government, at the time divided into 12 branches:

• The Senate (created in February 1711, eventually renamed "Council of the Empire")^[3]
• The Synod
• Nine colleges ^[3] (later called ministries): Foreign Affairs, Revenue Collection, Justice, Expenditure, Financial Control, War, Admiralty, Commerce, Mining and Manufacturing
• Additional, or tenth college/ministry for trade^[2]

[edit] Modern use

Twelve Collegia presently serves as one of three Petrine Baroque structures for Saint Petersburg State University.^[5] The Twelve Collegia are the main complex of the university, which was founded in 1819, standing amid the Universitetskaia Naberezhnaia or Embankment of the Neva on Vasilevsky Island.^[2][3]

[edit] Footnotes

1. ^ ^{a b c} 300 years of Saint Petersburg: Swiss architecture on the Neva. Twelve Colleges Pg. 1.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Saint Petersburg State University (official site)
3. ^ ^{a b c d} Massie, Robert: Peter the Great: His Life and World. Part 5, Chapter 58.
4. ^ [1]
5. ^ Wandering Camera... Notes about Saint Petersburg...