Park "New Holland" New Holland Island Who discovered New Holland

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I dreamed of going to New Holland for a long time. This place attracted me with its history and the beauty of industrial architecture of the second half of the 18th century. For a long time it was closed from prying eyes. Currently, reconstruction is underway here, and part of the territory is already open to the public.

Panorama of New Holland: vegetable garden, children's playground with a model of the frigate "Peter and Paul" and the Havanese

In many cities, ancient industrial buildings have been preserved. Most of them were built at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. For a long time they were used for their intended purpose: they housed production workshops and warehouses. Nowadays, the need for them has disappeared: production has either closed or is being moved to modern premises.

Those objects that are of interest from a historical and architectural point of view are rebuilt and modernized: business and entertainment centers and residential apartments are created in them. Abroad, this practice has existed for a long time. Recently, similar projects have begun to be implemented in our country, for example, “Red October”, “Winzavod”, “Stanislavsky Factory” and other complexes in Moscow.

In all such cases, architects and designers face a difficult task: breathing new life into old walls. It's definitely a challenge. And New Holland with its glorious history is a doubly challenge.

Timber warehouse buildings in New Holland along the Kryukov Canal

History of New Holland

New Holland is a unique monument of industrial architecture of early classicism, one of the oldest, if not the oldest, in our country.

New Holland is two man-made islands in the Neva delta, bounded by the Moika, Kryukov and Admiralty canals. In 1719, the ship's timber warehouses, previously located near the Admiralty, were moved here. For these purposes, two canals were dug (Kryukov and Admiralteysky), a network of swimming pools inside, sheds were erected, where, in addition to ship timber, tools and equipment for the construction and repair of ships were stored.

Timber warehouse - building 12.12A from the Kryukov Canal side

In 1765-1780, the buildings of New Holland were rebuilt in stone in the style of early classicism according to the design of the architect Savva Ivanovich Chevakinsky (1709 or 1713 - between 1772-1780). The work was then led by the French architect Jean-Baptiste Vallin-Delamot (1729-1800). He is responsible for the creation of perhaps the most memorable symbol of New Holland - a 23-meter arch thrown across a canal connecting the Moika River with an inland reservoir.

Construction on the territory of New Holland continued in the 19th century. According to the design of the architect Alexander Egorovich Staubert (1780-1843), the building of the naval prison (“Prisoner Tower”, “bottle”) was erected. In the middle of the 19th century, according to the design of military engineer Mikhail Pasypkin, the Petrovskaya Forge was built on the site of an old forge founded by Peter I.

At the beginning of the 20th century, in an experimental pool (lost in the early 2000s), Russian shipbuilder Alexei Nikolaevich Krylov (1863-1945) conducted tests related to the theory of ship buoyancy. During the First World War, the most powerful naval headquarters radio station in Russia at that time was installed on the territory of New Holland.

During the Soviet years, warehouses for the Leningrad naval base were located on the territory of New Holland. However, back in the 1970s, projects appeared to transform the island into a cultural center.

Reconstruction of New Holland in the 21st century

Only in 2004 the island was transferred to the city and a tender was announced for the best project for using the complex. But the projects, including the winning one by British architect Norman Foster, were never realized. In 2008, construction was completely frozen.

According to the results of the architectural competition “New Ideas for New Holland”, announced in January 2011, the project of the American architectural bureau WorkAC won. The architects carrying out the reconstruction of the New Holland complex faced a difficult task:

New Holland should become a “city within a city.” It is planned to open cultural centers, theaters, museums and exhibition halls, educational institutions and scientific laboratories on the island. Each of these “anchors” will be complemented by significant commercial infrastructure, including office space, residences and hotels. — from the New Holland website

The first stage of restoration was completed in August 2016.

Walk around New Holland

Near New Holland on the side of the Kryukov Canal there are the Kryukov (Sea) barracks, where it is now located, formerly located in the Exchange building on Vasilyevsky Island. It was from here that we began our walk towards New Holland.

Kryukov (Naval) barracks, now the Central Naval Museum

The embankment of the Admiralty Canal is lined with luxurious houses.

In the large window of the Timber warehouse on the corner between the Kryukovsky and Admiralty canals there is a seagull - the emblem of the current “New Holland”.

Timber warehouse (building 12.12A) and the emblem of New Holland

From the Admiralty Canal, a panorama of the park in the center of the island opens. According to the original project, this area was to be developed. However, this idea was later abandoned.

Thanks to the success of the temporary programs, it was decided to abandon the original idea of developing an empty area and organize a city park with a modern and convenient infrastructure, where everyone can find something to do and a place to do. The island will continue to be a venue for cultural programs and large urban projects, often proposed and organized by the city's residents themselves. During the short period of existence of the summer programs, it became clear that such a site was vitally necessary for the city, and therefore the process of restoration and launch of the project was decided to be divided into stages in order to carry out restoration work without interfering with the work of the park. — from the New Holland website

Park in New Holland, view from the Admiralty Canal

The entrance to the island is located from the Admiralty Canal, closer to the Moika. There is a bridge across the Admiralty Canal. It was originally called Cast iron, according to the material from which it was made. The current bridge was built in 1958-1959 and is called the “2nd Krushtein Bridge”.

View towards the Khrapovitsky Bridge and the Moika embankment

Entrance to the territory of New Holland is free. However, you have to go through metal detectors. As I wrote above, restoration work is still underway in part of the territory, so visitor access is limited. On the map of New Holland you can see the main sites to visit.

Map of the island "New Holland"

It’s good that you can just lie down, sit down, eat something and chat. But on the Island you can also...

...At the Info Center you can rent frisbees, checkers and chess, equipment for ping-pong, petanque or badminton. Take it and play.

…Learn something: paint on canvas, sit in siddhasana or do the splits, learn English, rehearse a couple of salsa steps - all this can be done on the Island at open master classes.

...There are food kiosks in the park. The food comes with utensils, which must be thrown into the trash after eating. — from the New Holland website

Opposite the entrance, visitors are greeted by a huge round brick building with a courtyard inside. This is a former naval prison called "Prisoner's Tower", built in 1828-1829 according to the design of the architect A.E. Staubert. The prison received its nickname due to its uniform "bottle". It is believed that this is where the famous expression came from "don't go into the bottle".

The building of the former prison "Prisoner Tower" ("Bottle")

"Bottle" and Petrovskaya forge (Kuznya)

New Holland positions itself as a place for leisure. Unfortunately, due to the rain and an umbrella forgotten in the car, we had to hide most of the time under the covered canopy of the restaurant located in the Kuzny building. However, the food was delicious, and the view of the territory was incomparable.

In general, according to the New Holland website, you can find a lot of entertainment here: attend various courses, buy unusual items, clean feathers in beauty salons, play sports, or just read a book while sitting in a chair on a green lawn. In winter, the skating rink is filled in in Havanza.

Attracts attention children's playground "Fregat". This is a copy of the Dutch shipyard where the frigate “Peter and Paul” was built, 80% of its original size. The frigate's frame has very impressive dimensions: 26 meters long and 6 meters high. And yes, you can climb on it.

Children's playground "Fregat"

Model of the frigate "Peter and Pavel"

In my opinion, New Holland deserves to be visited. Even if you don't really like all kinds of entertainment.

Information for visitors:

New Holland address: 190000, St. Petersburg, Admiralty Canal Embankment, 2

Nearest metro stations: Admiralteyskaya (1.9 km), Sennaya Square (2.4 km), Nevsky Prospekt (2.7 km).

Opening hours:

Monday-Thursday: 09:00–22:00
Friday-Sunday: 09:00–23:00

Admission is free, the complex closes half an hour before the end of the island's working hours.

Website: www.newhollandsp.ru

The island of New Holland is rightfully included. In St. Petersburg, this area was closed to the public for many years. The island has acquired a unique appearance, which combines the features of various historical eras, embodied in stone. New Holland in St. Petersburg is an architectural masterpiece. It was built in the early classical Russian style.

History of appearance

New Holland in St. Petersburg is an artificial island. It appeared in 1717, after work was completed on the construction of a drainage system in the area between the Admiralty and Kryukov canals, as well as the Moika River. At the direction of Peter I, a wooden house was built on the island. The king rested in it when he made trips to the Galerny Palace, located nearby.

The area surrounding the house reminded Peter of Holland. That is why the island got its unusual name. The sovereign’s house itself began to be called “Dutch”. Somewhat later, fruit trees were planted around the building, and a small pond was dug nearby.

Construction begins on the island

On February 19, 1731, it was decided to build warehouses in New Holland in which ship timber was to be stored. The order was received by I.K. Korobov, who in those years held the position of chief architect of the Admiralty. In the summer of 1732, construction began. It lasted for six years. Already in 1738, seven buildings appeared along the entire perimeter of the island. The timber, which was stored in warehouses, was used by the Admiralty under However, by 1750 all the buildings had fallen into disrepair and were demolished.

Design of new structures

On the island of New Holland in St. Petersburg, after the demolition of dilapidated warehouses, it was decided to build new ones. Korobov’s student, S.I. Chevakinsky, took on the design. Already in 1765, the results of his work appeared. The project developed by the architect provided for the storage of logs using the latest “Dutch” technology. They had to be positioned upright, with a slight slope. The entire warehouse complex contained enough timber to build fifteen ships. It was planned to place stone buildings along the perimeter of the building.

According to the architect's idea, the pond, which was dug under Peter I, was supposed to turn into a rectangular pool. It became wider, connecting with the Kryukov Canal and the Moika by two channels. As a result, New Holland was divided into two islands. One of them was named Pokrovsky, and the second - Kolomensky.

For the architectural design of the warehouse complex, architect J.B. Vallin-Delamot was called in to help. The architect decided to avoid the gray monotony of the buildings. He put forward a proposal to treat the facades of warehouses with a large rustication. At the same time, tall buildings were built.

Construction of new structures

On April 13, 1765, the empress approved a project for the construction of structures on the island of New Holland in St. Petersburg. Four hundred masons were immediately involved in construction. All work was supervised by engineer I.K. Gerard. However, the unexpected happened: in the summer of 1766, Gerard lost the project. This loss is evidenced by an advertisement given by him in the newspaper St. Petersburg Vedomosti.

The famous arch, which is located on the island of New Holland (St. Petersburg) (see photo below), was built over eight years. Construction began in 1770. However, it turned out that it was built with errors. Because of this, five years later the arch was dismantled and rebuilt in 1784. The height of the structure is twenty-three meters, and the span width is just over eight meters. The arch is made of granite blocks, each of which weighs about four tons.

Gerard was replaced in 1780 by the architect M. Veshnikov. The construction of warehouses along the Moika was completed in 1784 under his leadership. Further construction of structures proceeded unevenly, with interruptions. On the courtyard side, the warehouses were built up to the height of the outer façade at the beginning of the 19th century. In 1848-1849 The construction of the building located on the corner of the Kryukov and Admiralty Canals was completed. Then they surrounded the shore of the island with a wall. However, they did this only from the side of the Admiralty Canal.

In total, twenty-six buildings were erected on the island, the total length of which was two hundred and sixty meters. The height of these structures increased imperceptibly as they approached the arch.

The architect of the military department, A. Staubert, designed a Naval prison on the island of New Holland (St. Petersburg). This building was built in 1828. While working on the project, the architect called his brainchild the “Tower”. During the existence of the prison, its name in everyday life was constantly modified. As a result, people began to call it “The Bottle.” An expression that exists in the Russian language is also associated with this building. When they say “Stay out of the bottle,” they mean that you need to behave wisely so as not to end up where you shouldn’t.

New Holland is the island where the timber was stored. For use in shipbuilding, this material was transported along the Admiralty Canal to the shipyard.

The fate of the territory after the October Revolution

During the Soviet period, the island of New Holland (St. Petersburg) was occupied by military units. They tried to sell this territory to foreign investors in the 1990s. However, the deals fell through due to protracted negotiations with the military departments. At the beginning of this century, the director of the Mariinsky Theater put forward a proposal to transfer the island into the ownership of the northern capital.

The artist planned to place a new stage on the territory of New Holland. However, a positive decision was never made. Only in November 2004 the island came under the jurisdiction of St. Petersburg.

Historical facts

New Holland is the place where the loud voice of Tsar Peter I sounded when he scolded his ship masters. On this island, the first spark radio station in Russia was created and a prison was built according to the European model. In New Holland, on the initiative of Admiral Makarov, as well as the scientist Dmitry Mendeleev, the work of the only research center in the country was launched. In its unique indoor pool, work was carried out with ship models. On the same island, Mendeleev conducted research in a laboratory that existed at the naval department. The scientist worked on various types of gunpowder.

It was from the island of New Holland that V. Lenin called on the people to make a revolution. This place remembers many other secrets that were inaccessible to the general public for many years.

Present day

The territory of New Holland, where Russian inventors and scientists worked for three hundred years, only in 2010 began to transform into an art space accessible to the public. At the same time, the island has turned into one of the most interesting cultural sites in the northern capital.

The project “Summer in New Holland” is currently underway. Various events are held on the island. Their list includes exhibitions and concerts, various shows and competitions. In the formerly closed area, you can sit in cozy cafes and watch movies.

If you have chosen New Holland (St. Petersburg) as your holiday destination, how to get there? First you need to get to this. This can be done from the Spasskaya, Sadovaya or Sennaya Ploshchad metro stations. Then you should move along the embankment of the Kryukov Canal to the place where it intersects with the Moika. This journey will take no more than twenty minutes.

Island Layout

The entire territory of New Holland today is divided by the main road into two parts. One of them is a perfect green lawn, the area of which is five thousand square meters. The second part is a pebble with old shipping containers installed. In these makeshift pavilions, food is prepared, sports equipment is provided, and designers work.

Visitors to the island have the opportunity to lie on the grass, use free sun loungers, and play Frisbee. Volleyball and mini-football teams train on a specially equipped field. There are many wooden benches located on the territory of New Holland. Decks and fencing near the water are also made of this material. There are stone niches right on the lawn where you can light a fire. Wi-Fi is available on the island and is free for visitors.

Project "Bench"

There is a public garden here. Already on the first weekend, visitors rented six of the eighteen beds on it. Flowers are not grown on the island of New Holland (St. Petersburg). Preference is given to herbs, green onions, parsley and watercress. It is planned to install a greenhouse next door for peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers.

Some of the beds are given over to various projects. For example, the House of Public Services, which is a café-bar, grows vegetables and potatoes here. There are beds owned by the Sobaka Ru magazine, the Probka Group restaurant chain, etc.

Reconstruction

The cultural program "Summer in New Holland" touches on various forms of self-expression. As part of this project, since the opening of the island to the public, various events have been held on the territory, affecting the literary field and theater, music and design, as well as other forms of art.

The most interesting place is New Holland Island (St. Petersburg). 2014 marked the beginning of reconstruction work here. Due to this, art projects have been temporarily suspended and visiting the area is prohibited. It is planned that New Holland will be open to the public in 2015.

Walk along the Moika embankment from the center. The island is visible from afar - high brick walls, plywood windows, thickets near the water. The entrance to New Holland is on one side only. Be prepared for the security guards to ask you to show the contents of your bags, and for drinks and food to be left waiting for you in special cells. The feet that step into the territory of an art space usually direct their owners first to a photo booth, then to an exhibition space, then to trendy cafes, and finally they ask to lie down on the green grass if it’s summer, or to put on skates and go to the skating rink in winter.

A short excursion: rumor ascribes to the island a prison camp purpose, but history claims that ships of the Soviet fleet were designed and tested here. There was a prison here after all. For its shape it was called “bottle”. This is where the expression “stay out of the bottle” comes from. However, the only certainty is that for a long time the buildings, severely destroyed during the Great Patriotic War, were not used, were not restored and were empty.

Now the territory of the island has really been significantly transformed. “New Holland” has become a huge art object in the center of St. Petersburg. And next to it are houses with the same St. Petersburg roofs that are shown in films.

Events held on the island attract perhaps the most diverse audience. Either a concert where dance lovers come, or Library Day, where bookworms flock, or a lecture for young parents, or Astronomy Day, or a performance of modern ballet. There are evenings without events. On such days, people on the island play badminton or tennis, lie on the grass, sit with laptops (free Wi-Fi everywhere), and read books. By the way, you can also work in an area specially equipped for this - an eco-working space. It operates on the principle of a regular coworking space, but in the open air.

“New Holland” was closed for reconstruction and promised to be returned to residents in 2018, but they managed to do it much earlier: the partially renewed park opened in August 2016. The first changes affected the “bottle”. It now houses restaurants and cafes, a bookstore, the Museum of Modern Art, antique shops and halls for yoga and ballet.

They decided not to build new buildings in New Holland. Instead, they purchased several hundred trees from European nurseries. Now you can walk along the linden alley and even take care of the trees yourself - under the guidance of specialists. The park will also feature sculptures, installations and art objects by artists from different parts of the world.

There are 42 islands in St. Petersburg, 41 are natural and the only one created by hand. This is New Holland in the Admiralteysky district. For more than 150 years, it was impossible to enter the island, but today it is open to the public - there is a park here, festivals and entertainment events are held.

History of the island

During the construction of St. Petersburg, Peter I invited shipbuilders from Holland to work in the shipyards along the Neva. Thanks to their participation, the port began to resemble a foreign one so much that it was nicknamed Holland. The territory of the island was formed in the 18th century, at which time the first wooden sheds and utility rooms were built. A little later, Savva Chevakinsky developed a new project for the territory with stone buildings in a harsh fortress style. According to the project, timber warehouses were built along the perimeter of the island, designed to load logs from water and land, and the courtyard was used for cutting trunks and building new ships.

The design of the facades was carried out by Jean-Baptiste Vallin-Delamot. In his project, he emphasized the solemnity of the buildings with arcades and porticoes and proposed building a real portal on the island from granite blocks in a classical style. Construction began, but was not completed - the architect made a number of critical errors in calculations and was removed from the project. Engineer Johann Gerard was invited to take his place, who was supposed to check the calculations and eliminate inaccuracies. However, Gerard tried to implement his own plan for the island, "losing" Delamot's drawings. Unfortunately for him, copies of documents were found in the archives, and the idea was not a success - he had to correct the mistakes of his colleague. By 1767, the revised plan of the island was approved, and by the end of the 18th century. construction has been completed.

Attractions and entertainment

At the entrance to the island there is an information center where guests can get information about ongoing events, ask questions and leave wishes, and buy memorable souvenirs. The stands display posters about the history of New Holland and a model of the island. Bicycle parking is available.

Next to the information center is the Commandant’s House, a historical building in which the commandant’s family lived and later housed naval offices. In 2013, the building was given the status of a monument, and in 2017, the Mayak school of creative industries was opened for children 5-17 years old. The school's teachers teach children the basics of music and design, photography and animation.

Next is the building of a former prison with the strange name “Bottle”. It was built in 1830. After restoration, the building is of a commercial nature - gastro bars and restaurants, shops, as well as health and fitness centers are located here. There is a stage in the courtyard for organizing concerts.

Children's playgrounds and recreation areas

In addition to historical buildings, the island has parks and recreational areas, playgrounds and petanque courts. Concerts, contemporary art exhibitions, thematic seminars and lectures are regularly held. Most events are free with advance registration.

The Frigate playground for children is one of the favorite attractions of tourists. The frame of the ship “Peter and Pavel” is installed on the territory, the dimensions of which are 80% of the actual size of the vessel. It reaches a height of 6 m and a length of 26 m. Children enjoy climbing onto the ship and exploring interesting objects: the steering wheel, a spyglass, rope crossings. Parents can accompany their children, but in practice most prefer to stay in a nearby recreation area and watch their children from there. You can safely send children over 5 years old to the frigate, and children will be more comfortable playing on a separate playground with slides and sandboxes.

The island welcomes guests all year round. To maintain order, there is a set of rules that visitors must follow. Key ones:

comply with security service requests;
move around the island on foot;
Do not take dogs and cats with you for a walk (exception: disabled people with guide dogs).

New Holland Island is open daily: Mon-Thu from 9:00 to 22:00, Fri-Sun from 9:00 to 23:00. Address: Admiralteysky Canal Embankment, 2. You can get there by metro to the Admiralteyskaya or Sennaya Ploshchad stations, and then walk to the island. Another option is to take a bus to the Truda Square stop.

In the western part of St. Petersburg there is a unique ensemble of monuments of industrial architecture of the 18th century, rarely shown to tourists..

New Holland Island in St. Petersburg is the only one of the 42 islands in the city created by people. For more than 150 years, access to the island was closed, but now it has become a venue for cultural and art festivals, various events and interesting events.

"New Holland" was founded on September 21, 1721. “New Holland” is the only man-made island in the Neva delta. It arose as a result of the fact that in 1719 two canals were dug between the Neva and the Moika River for the needs of shipbuilders: Kryukov and Admiralteysky. Legend attributes the authorship of the modern name to Peter the Great himself. At the same time, New Holland is the first military port of Russia, which was founded by decree of Peter I.

During the Northern War with the Swedes (1700-1721), Russia was in dire need of a naval fleet. For the construction of ships, on November 5, 1704, the construction of the Admiralty Shipyard began. For uninterrupted operation of the shipyard, it was necessary to have a supply of prepared timber nearby.

For the needs of the Russian fleet

Immediately after its founding, St. Petersburg became one of the leading shipbuilding centers in Russia. In the 18th century, when the fleet, naturally, was made of wood, each ship took, on average, 8 - 10 thousand trunks; in just one year, the shipbuilding industry of the capital's industry consumed up to 100 thousand of them. According to Peter I, the ship's timber, for reasons of fire safety, was to be stored on an island equipped with a system of canals and pools. Peter chose a place on the left bank of the Mya (Moika) River, not far from its mouth - the place where it flows into the Neva. After the Kryukov and Admiralteysky canals were dug in the 1710s (the latter was intended for floating ship timber to the Admiralty Shipyard), a man-made island of triangular shape and an area of 7.8 hectares appeared.

The sound of axes, the smell of freshly cut timber, the creaking of ship rigging, multilingual speech - all this reminded Peter of his beloved Holland, where he once studied shipbuilding and where, in Zaandam, the house of the blacksmith Gerrit Kist, with whom the king stayed, still stands, and in front of him is the same bronze “Tsar Carpenter” as on the Admiralty Embankment Boulevard in St. Petersburg. Hence the name of the island - “New Holland”.

According to another version, on the island, on the orders of Peter I, a wooden palace was built, in which the king rested when visiting the nearby Galerny Court. Galernaya Street led from the Admiralty to this shipyard down the Neva. The surrounding area reminded him of Holland, so the palace began to be called the “Dutch House”, and the island - New Holland. Fruit trees were planted around the palace, and a small rectangular pond was dug to drain the area. Since the island and the banks of the canals were used to store ship timber, this territory was soon transferred from the Palace Office to the jurisdiction of the Admiralty Board.

Initially, the timber from which the ships were built was stored in warehouses next to the Admiralty. This place was called Holland. In 1719, 2 canals were dug between the Moika and Neva - Admiralteysky and Kryukov. This is how a man-made triangular island was formed, to which the warehouses were moved. According to Peter's idea, this island began to be called New Holland.

After digging two canals, the warehouses were moved to the resulting island, and the island itself received the name “New Holland”. At the same time, “New Holland” is the first military port of Russia, which was founded by decree of Peter I. Also, the territory of New Holland was used for warehouses, a prison and buildings for military units. The main architectural complex of the island, whose area is just under 8 hectares, was built in 1765-1780.

In Peter's time, a pond of regular shape appeared on the island. Many researchers believe that there was a small palace of the emperor there. The island was finally formed by the 30s of the 18th century. In the 1730s, wooden warehouses were built here for drying and storing ship timber. In the middle of the 18th century, it was decided to erect stone structures on the site of wooden sheds.

In 1765 - 1780, instead of the old warehouses and barracks built back in Peter's times according to the design of Ivan Kuzmich Korobov, warehouse buildings made of unplastered red brick of varying heights that have survived to this day were erected along the perimeter of New Holland. The basis of the warehouse complex surrounding the island along the perimeter was based on the design of the outstanding master of the Elizabethan Baroque Savva Chevakinsky: he, in particular, had the innovative idea of drying the wood standing up, and not in stacks, which protected the wood from rotting, hence the original, avant-garde for the 18th century century building design. Thus, the craftsmen did not have to go through the entire stack in search of a log of the required length.

The project of stone warehouses intended for storing shipbuilding materials and tools was developed by famous classicist architect Jean Baptiste Vallin-Delamot. Rumor claimed that the main manager of the construction of warehouses, Lieutenant Colonel I. de Guerard, lost the architect's design at the beginning of work. He was afraid to report this to the higher authorities and, especially, to the author of the project himself and was forced to build all the buildings from memory. Oddly enough, he succeeded - in any case, having seen the finished buildings, Valen-Delamot did not express any dissatisfaction

The finishing of the facades was also commissioned J. B. Vallin-Delamot. In 1779 - 1787, he designed the most famous part of the ensemble - thrown over the entrance to the canal, connecting two buildings located along the Moika, a giant brick arch with Tuscan columns. Under the arch passes a canal laid between the Moika and a harbor pool (bucket) in the center of the island.

The building is known for its Tuscan columns and features a combination of red brick and cut granite. The height of the arch is 23 meters, the width of the span is a little more than 8 meters.

Its banks are lined with granite, and the massive brick pylons of the arch rest on a powerful base made of blocks of reddish-gray granite. The columns are assembled from many small granite blocks, and the monumentality of the structure is emphasized by the fine and relief elaboration of details.
Externally, the arch vaguely resembles the grandiose ancient Roman triumphal arches, but at the same time it is the personification of a typical St. Petersburg landscape: a strict silhouette in the style of classicism stands out above the mysterious dark water surface of the canal. Art historians who studied St. Petersburg architecture called it “one of the most inspired architectural ideas surviving from old St. Petersburg.”

In the 19th century, a naval prison building (Prisoner's Tower), a forge, and an experimental pool were built.In the 19th century (1828), the Naval Prison was built according to the design of the military architect Alexander Staubert (Prisoner Tower), the shape of which resembled a tower. But people quickly dubbed it a bottle. This is where the expression “Stay out of the bottle” comes from.

The prison was “the first in Russia built on the principles of a correct penitentiary system, adopted in the best prisons of European countries.” The cells here were designed so that prisoners could only sleep in them, and during the daytime they worked, received payment and learned new professions. It is believed that the building was modeled after the prison in Osborne, England. The first floor of the "tower" was occupied by prison guards, a prison kitchen, a bakery and storerooms. The second and third floors had cells designed to accommodate 250 prisoners on each floor.

On February 21, 1831, a church designed for 100 people was consecrated in the building of the naval prison.

The iconostasis was made on canvas; a large number of ancient icons and silver utensils for the temple were collected from various ships for the temple.
In 1858 - 1864 the church was assigned to the Admiralty Cathedral. But after repairs and rededication on December 27, 1864, the temple again became a prison. A new single-tier iconostasis was made in white with gilding.
At the beginning of 1916, after the reconstruction of the second floor of the prison on which the church was located, it was significantly reduced, and on August 22, under Father Vasily Vasilyevich Mudrolyubov, the military port administration temporarily closed it, occupying the premises for its own needs.
In 1918, the church was finally closed by the communist authorities, and in February of the following year it was completely liquidated.

A brick forge was built next to the Arestan Tower in the middle of the 19th century, according to the design of the military engineer Pasypkin. And at the end of the 19th century, in 1893, an experimental pool was built in the northern part of the island for testing ships, in which the outstanding shipbuilder Alexei Krylov, who worked on the theory of unsinkability of ships, including the cruiser Aurora, conducted experiments.

During the First World War, a radio station was located in a separate building near the Kryukov Canal naval headquarters, which went down in history due to the fact that on October 25 (November 7), 1917, she transmitted a radiogram “To everyone, everyone, everyone!” about the Bolsheviks coming to power, and on October 26-31 she coordinated actions to suppress the “counter-revolutionary rebellion” of A.F. Kerensky and P.N. Krasnov.

Spark radio station with rotating spark gap was built by the company "Russian Society of Wireless Telegraphs and Telephones" (ROBTiT) according to the system of Semyon Moiseevich Aizenstein. It was the most powerful naval headquarters radio station in Russia at that time.

In Soviet times, New Holland was a closed zone; warehouses of the Leningrad naval base were located on its territory. In the 20th century, the first testing of Russian submarines, battleships and battleships was carried out in the experimental pool. The banks of the canals around New Holland were heavily overgrown, first with weeds and bushes, and then with trees, but they were not cleared, apparently for additional “camouflage” of the closed object from the eyes of tourists and simply curious people. In the summer, New Holland gave the impression of a huge, disorderly bush of greenery.

Now there are 26 buildings there with a total area of 68 thousand square meters, most of which are considered valuable monuments of industrial architecture of the 18th century, some are under the protection of the state and UNESCO (three buildings of timber warehouses, the Prison Tower, the forge, the Galley Bucket, both canals).

Recovery history

On December 12, 2004, all military facilities were transferred to the city and city authorities announced that the New Holland ensemble would be put up for competition for the best architectural solution and the best project for using the premises of the complex.

On December 24, 2004, a fire occurred in New Holland, destroying part of the buildings (about 3 thousand m² of warehouses burned out). The fire caused serious damage to the historical island: most of the buildings of New Holland fell into deplorable condition.

In 2006, ST New Holland LLC won the competition for the reconstruction of New Holland. At their request, the architectural bureau of Norman Foster developed a project for the creation of a multifunctional complex, including theaters, conference rooms, galleries, a hotel and restaurants. However, the project did not materialize.

In 2010, the competition for the reconstruction of “New Holland” was won by Roman Abramovich’s company. According to the terms of the tender won, the company must invest 12 billion rubles in the reconstruction of New Holland over 7 years.

In the spring of 2011, New Holland Development LLC, together with the Iris Foundation and The Architecture Foundation, announced the launch of a competition of architectural designs for the island.

On July 6, 2011, New Holland opened to visitors for the first time in almost 300 years. On the island, at the initiative of various owners and for a variety of projects, restoration and pseudo-restoration work began repeatedly, during which valuable buildings were demolished, in particular, the historical radio station.

The transformation of an architectural ensemble and historical monument into a commercial and entertainment property brought both architectural and historical losses. As a result of preparations for the implementation of the project, in August-September 2006, all buildings of the ensemble were destroyed except those that were officially listed as cultural monuments. Among the lost are the above-mentioned Krylov experimental pool, the laboratory in which D. I. Mendeleev worked and the radio station equipped during the First World War, which played an important role in the information war waged in October 1917 by the Bolsheviks with General P. N. Krasnov.

The island of New Holland, which usually escapes the attention of visiting tourists, has every chance of soon turning into a real tourist Mecca. Firstly, it preserves many noteworthy architectural monuments. Secondly, the territory of the island promises to become one of the most environmentally friendly in St. Petersburg. As it became known from a recent presentation of the island’s renovation project, there will not even be car parking on it.

The island of New Holland will gradually open to visitors until the end of 2025. Until then, a number of areas of the island will be closed. Thus, the building of the former naval prison "Bottle" will be put into operation at the beginning of 2017, turning from a prison into cafes, benches, shops, ballet studios, children's leisure, educational and cultural classes. At subsequent stages, it is planned to cover the courtyard of the round Prison Tower with a dome, arrange an outdoor swimming pool and plant a new linden alley along the Admiralty Canal. In addition, it is planned to build three new bridges across the Kryukov Canal. The pedestrian route, closer to the Moika, should lead citizens to the new Teatralnaya metro station near the Mariinsky Theater, which will open in 2018.

WHY IS THE ISLAND SYMBOL THE SEAGULL?

The seagull was invented by the Moscow artist Dmitry Pantyushin, over whom these very birds circled on the day of his arrival in New Holland. First, the seagull appeared on the sign of the temporary cafe “New Holland”, and then it remained to live on the island. Here she will meet guests everywhere: at the entrance, on sewer hatches, and lamp posts.

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