Fontanka River

View on the Fontanka from Panteleimonovsky Bridge

Fontanka (Russian: Фонтанка) is a left branch of the river Neva, which flows through the whole of Central Saint Petersburg, Russia. Its length is 6,700 m, its width is up to 70 m, and its depth is up to 3,5 m. The Fontanka Embankment is lined with the former private residences of Russian nobility.

This river, one of 93 rivers and channels in St. Petersburg, was once named Anonymous Creek (in Russian, Bezymyannyi Yerik, Безымянный ерик). In the Russian language, yerik is a secondary or intermittent river channel (creek or brook). In 1719, the river received its present name, because water from it supplied the fountains of the Summer Garden.

Until the mid-18th century, the Fontanka River was considered the southern boundary of St. Petersburg. Its banks were lined with the spacious messuages of Russian Imperial Family members and nobility, the most brilliant being the Summer Palace and Anichkov Palace. In 1780-1789 Andrey Kvasov superintended the construction of the granite embankments and approaches to the river. The river-bed was regularised as well.

Among the relics of Baroque architecture along the banks of the river are the Sheremetev Palace, Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace, Shuvalov Palace, and the Church of St. Panteleimon. The notable Neoclassical structures from the 18th century include the Catherine Institute, the Anichkov Palace and the Yusupov Palace. Some of the mansions contain museums of those writers and composers who lived there: Gavrila Derzhavin, Alexander Pushkin, Ivan Turgenev, Anna Akhmatova and others.

The Fontanka is spanned by fifteen bridges, including the 18th-century Lomonosov Bridge and the extravagant Egyptian Bridge. The most famous of these, the Anichkov Bridge, carries the Nevsky Prospekt over the river.

Water system of Ligovsky Canal

Legend Dudergofskoye lake Dudergofka River 1718-1721 To Moskovskoye s. Three highways interchange Ring Road To Bronka Three highways interchange Dachnaya street Three highways interchange Diameter To sea port terminal To Predportovaya To Ulyanka, Ligovo To Predportovaya To Leninsky Prospekt To Predportovaya To Leninsky Prospekt To Konstitutsii square Leninsky Pr. To Leninsky Metro Krasnenkaya River To Konstitutsii square Krasnoputilovskaya To Avtovo Moscow Gate Square Moskovsky Prospekt Tsarskoselskaya Railway Kubinskaya Street ObvodnyY. V. Aqueduct Aviatorov Pound Znamenskya Square Nevsky Prospekt Pounds Fontanka River Panteleymonovsky Aqueduct Fountains of Summer garden Pounds in Tauride garden Steam pump Water inlet 1720s Neva River Moyka River

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References

• Канн П. Я. Прогулки по Петербургу: Вдоль Мойки, Фонтанки, Садовой. St. Petersburg, 1994.

v t e Rivers and canals of Saint Petersburg Admiralteysky Canal Admiralteysky Rov Bezymyanny ruchey Bobilka Bumazhny Canal Chyornaya, Lakhta Chyornaya, Serovo Chyornaya, Sestroretsk Chyornaya Rechka Dachnaya Dudergofka Dudergofsky Canal Yekateringofka Yemelyanovka Fontanka Frantsuzsky Kovsh Galernaya Gavan Gorely Ruchey Glukharka River Griboyedov Canal Ivanovka Izhora Bolshaya Izhorka Yuntolovka Kamenka Karpovka Kovsh Novoy Gollandii Krasnenkaya Kanal kreposti Sankt-Peterburg † Krestovka Kronverksky Canal Kronverksky Strait Kryukov Canal Lapka Lebyazhya kanavka Ligovsky Canal Ligovsky Pond Lubya Matisov Canal Moyka Monastyrka Morskoy Canal Murzinka Murinsky ruchey Neva Bolshaya Neva Malaya Neva Bolshaya Nevka Srednyaya Nevka Malaya Nevka Nagorny Canal Novaya Novo-Admiralteysky Canal Obvodny Canal Okkervil Okhta Pryazhka Salnobuyansky Canal Seldyanoy Canal † Sestra Shkipersky Canal Slavyanka Smolenka Spartak Starozhilovka Tarakanovka Utka Vvedensky Canal † Volkovka River Volkovsky Canal Voskresensky Canal Zhdanovka Winter Canal