Botanical Gardens and Botanical Museum of the Academy of Sciences of the Russia: Aptekarsky Ostrov (Apothecary’s Island), Dlitsa Professora Popova, 2 (2, Professor Popov Street).

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Botanical Gardens and Botanical Museum of the Academy of Sciences of the Russia: Aptekarsky Ostrov (Apothecary’s Island), Dlitsa Professora Popova, 2 (2, Professor Popov Street). The Botanical Gardens are one of the leading Russian centres for acclimatizing plants and for testing and rearing valuable new crops. As early as 1714 the Gardens were founded by…

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First Saint Petersburg Medical Institute named after Academician I. P. Pavlov: Ulitsa Lva Tolstova (Lev Tolstoi Street), 6/8

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Initiated in 1897, the first Russian Women’s Medical School became the foundation of the Institute. On the premises of the Institute a Petrograd city conference of the Bolshevist Party was convened on April 15—19, 1917; V. I. Lenin addressed the conference on two occasions. Beginning from the 24th of April, 1917, the sessions of the…

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Dynamo Stadium: Krestovsky Ostrov, Prospect Dynamo, 44 (Krestovsky Island; 44, Dynamo Avenue)

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Dynamo Stadium: Krestovsky Ostrov, Prospect Dynamo, 44 (Krestovsky Island; 44, Dynamo Avenue) It is the third largest stadium in the city (with room for 20,000 spectators) and one of the numerous stadiums to be found within the sports compound built on Krestovsky Island during the Soviet years. The stadium was built in the 1930’s. It…

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Electrotechnical Institute named alter V. I. Ulydnov (Lenin): Petrogradskaya Storona, Ulitsa Professora Popova, 5 (Petrograd District; 5, Professor Popov Street).

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This is the oldest institution of higher learning in the field of comprehensive electrical engineering. It was founded in 1886. At the end of 1905, V. I. Lenin visited the hostel of the Institute on several occasions. At the meetings held by the students’ Bolshevist circle V. I. Lenin talked on Marxist philosophy and current…

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Ensembles of New Dwelling Houses on Prospect Kdrla Mdrxa (Big Sampson Avenue) and on Prospect named after Engels.

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The ten kilometre line of the Prospect Karla Marxa and the Prospect named after Engels runs towards the north, from the Pirogov Embankment of the Neva River, up to Poklonnaya Gord (Hill). These two main thoroughfares of the Vyfwrg District have changed beyond recognition during the years of Soviet power. Just a few brick factory…

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Great Ski-Jump in Kdvgolovo.

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Kavgolovo is a picturesque village near Saint Petersburg. It is a favourite place for skiers who prefer thrilling descents down-hill and ski-jumps to unhurried sliding through the fields or woods. The Great Ski-Jump in Kavgolovo is the arena of the most important Russian and international competitions. A sports compound, including numerous skiing centres, a winter…

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The Bestiary, now preserved at the Saint Petersburg Public Library

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The Bestiary, now preserved at the Saint Petersburg Public Library named after Saltykow-Chshedrm (LatQ.v.V.I) The manuscript, now preserved at the Saint Petersburg Public Library named after Saltykow-Chshedrin and registered „Lat. Q.v.V.I.”, is one of the English bestiaries of the end of the twelfth century. It contains 91 sheets of stiff vellum (The foliotation of the…

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Lion

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Lion /leo/ 9.7X5.5 cm Initial »B« with the figure of the Creator 3.6X4 cm Put at the beginning of the treatise on animals, the only initial of the manuscript in which capital letters are generaley simple and in no way rivaling the colourful miniatures, is adorned with the figure of the Creator as if announcing…

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Antalop

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Antalop /antalops/ 9.4 х 6 cm The text on the antalop provides no clue for identifying it with the antelope we know. The text reproduces the narrative of “Physiologus” and is also given various intepretations in the writings by Pseudo-Hugh /II.2/, Pierre of Beau-vais /11.116/, Brunetto Latini /I.V.177/ and in the versed bestiaries of Philippe…

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Onocentaur

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Onocentaur /onocentaurus/10X5.5 cm The onocentaur of the antique mythology was included in “Physiologus” due to the Greek translation of The Book of Isaiah, in which the prophet announced the destruction and fall of Babylon, on the ruins of which “wild beasts will lie down” /Isaiah 13:21 — 22/. Among them the Greek translation gives ovoxevTaupog…

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Hedgehog

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Hedgehog /herinacius, ericius, echinus/ 9.3X3 cm According to Isaiah’s prophesy of the end of Babylon, the hedgehog is among the “unclean” animals /Isaiah 13:22, 34:1/. In “Physiologus” he is placed after the centaur. The text of the Saint Petersburg bestiary follows version “B” about the hedgehog “armed with spines” on which he sticks a bunch…

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The Fox

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The Fox /vulpes/ Traditionally the fox is a symbol of cunning and guile. The text of the bestiary combines the description by Isidor /XII.2.29/ with the tale of “Physiologus”. The origin of the word “fox” /vulpis/ from “volubilis pedibus” /walking in circles”/ is borrowed from Isidor. The implication is that a fox makes those circuitous…

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Unicorn

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Unicorn /unicornis, monoceros, rinoceros/ 9.8X6.6 cm “Unicorn is the best of all animals” says an old Russian song about the Dove’s Book. Indeed, the unicorn is most popular in the fantastic animal world; he has undergone all sorts of transformations during his legendary history. It is the most poetical image in the bestiary perceived by…

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Beaver

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Beaver /castor, fiber/ 10×5.7 cm The story of the unfortunate beaver and his symbolic interpretation is in itself clear evidence of profound inner links between the naturalistic, the symbolic and the etymological elements in an animal as depicted in the bestiary. The story about the beaver is a combination of the text by Isidor with…

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Hyena

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Hyena /hyaena, hyena/ 10.5X7 cm In the Middle Ages the hyena feeding on carrion was believed to be the most repulsive creature of all. The Old Testament refers hyena to unclean animals /Lev.II, Deuteronomy, 14/. The image of the hyena hovers above the ruins of Babylon /Isaiah, 13:22, 24/, though there is no mention of…

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Hydra

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Hydra /hydrus, hydra/ 10X6.8 cm The bestiaries of the twelfth century and the text by Pseudo-Hugh (II.7) follow the story by Isidor /XII.IV.22, 23/ who continued the story in “Physiologus” about the unceasing hostility between the hydra and the crocodile living in the Nile. When the hydra saw the crocodile sleeping on the bank with…

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Hydra

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Hydra /hydrus, hydra/ 10×4.6 cm The second chapter about the hydra reproduces the text about the hydra of Lerne by Isidor and repeats the story about the hydra’s fight with the crocodile. Such repetitions are not infrequent in medieval compilation since the latter derived material from several different sources. The inclusion of the second chapter…

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Sirens

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Sirens /sirenes/ 10.1×7 cm “The sweet singing… of perilous sirens”, the fairy charms of which the ingenious Odysseys was lucky to escape, are viewed by the medieval mind as the incarnation of a worldly boon which is ruining human soul. In the course of their long, ages-old existence the treacherous and alluring sirens of the…

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Wild Goat

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Wild Goat /capra/ 10.2×6 cm Built according to the heraldic symmetry, the miniature illustrates the story of a wild goat who lives in the high mountains and sometimes comes down to the valley. She is known to be very sharp-sighted. The text of the bestiary originates from the description and interpretations of Greek “Physiologus”, in…

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