The Spit of Vasilyevsky Island is a real open-air museum. In the place where Vasilievsky Island cuts the Neva River into two branches, there is a whole complex of buildings made in different architectural styles, which does not spoil the integrity of the composition in any way.

The western side of the island looks at the Gulf of Finland — the so-called “sea facade” of St. Petersburg. Its eastern part is Strelka — the city center is located here. Since 1772, it was organized for trading, and later the Stock Exchange of the St. Petersburg Port was built. In the eighties of the XVIII century, the Academy of Sciences was built on Strelka. The building, designed by architect Giacomo Quarenghi, was a two-story building and served as a vivid example of classicism.

Historically, the Strelka ensemble has changed several times. Peter I believed that it was necessary to place royal palaces, government buildings, houses of nobles and public institutions. Despite the grandiose plans, the place remained untouched for ninety years, and as a result, a stock exchange was built on it, first made of wood and then made of stone. Thomas de Thomon designed a majestic composition with the Stock Exchange and the Rostral Columns.

In 1730, a customs building appeared on the Strelka, which now houses the Pushkin House. Initially, the customs service was located in a house previously owned by Kirill Naryshkin, but over time a new building was built to meet the needs of the service. When the port moved to Gutuevsky Island, the former building was redesigned for residential apartments.

Today, Strelka is home to the Literary and Zoological Museums, the Museum of Soil Science, as well as the Lomonosov Museum and the Kunstkamera. Strelka is a favorite place for citizens and visitors of the Northern Capital, a great place for walking, as well as a frequent place for holidays in St. Petersburg.

If you look from the opposite bank of the Neva, you can see a surprisingly beautiful picture of the architectural ensemble of the Exchange, one of the main symbols of St. Petersburg. The magnificent panorama of Strelka is in harmony with the rest of the city, which is rightly called the cultural capital of Russia.