Lenfilm, the cradle of Russian cinema
You can start the trip from Lenfilm, located five minutes from Gorkovskaya metro station. The oldest film studio was named in 1934. Lenfilm’s continuity goes back to the Military Cinematography Department of the Skobelevsky Committee, which was founded in 1914 in one of the houses of the Nikolaev General Staff Academy on Suvorovsky Prospekt, 32B. However, between 1914 and 1934, the studio managed to change some names: “Petrograd Film Committee”, “Sevzapkino”, “Leningradkino”, “Lensovkino”, “Lensoyuzkino”, “Lenrosfilm”, “Lensoyuzfilm”.
Each name reflected the socio-political and economic transformation in the country. And only Lenfilm emerged as a brand ahead of time and political conditions. It is interesting that the studio acquired its corporate logo (Bronze Horseman) only in 1965. The authors were artist Marina Bologavskaya and cameraman Edgar Shtyrtskober.
Taking a breath from the abundance of history and names, it is worth noting that hundreds of famous films were shot at Lenfilm, including Chapaev and Old Man Hottabych. In the same list, the adaptation of the film “Hamlet” by Grigory Kozintsev, which is valued in the homeland of the great bard, and “Sherlock Holmes and Dr. The Adventures of Watson” series. What’s valuable in Foggy Albion is the leading role. And that’s not all.
In 1929, on the territory of the former Aquarium theater garden, which organically joined the Lenfilm troupe, the first public film screening in Russia took place, which anticipated the sound revolution in Russian cinema. Anton Rubinstein’s opera “The Devil”, based on Lermontov’s poem, was shown. This isn’t a film screening in the strict sense of the word: live soloists sang, trying to sync with the on-screen display. We can now move on to a more modern age.
Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt, 10. Nearest metro station: “Gorkovskaya”
“The Master and Margarita”: Turgenevskaya Square
Officially, chronological continuity with what was said above is also preserved here, because Bulgakov began writing his main novel in the late 20s of the last century. Still, we will talk about the film adaptation of Vladimir Bortko, who saw the world almost 80 years later, already in the new century and millennium.
The master shot many scenes of the series in these streets, and the idea of making this movie came from St. It emerged during the period when St. Petersburg was Leningrad. And by the way, in 1987 Bortko shot the film “Heart of the Dog” at the Lenfilm production base.
Let’s get back to the series. The Moscow of the 30s was completely replaced by St. Petersburg took. The role of the Patriarch’s Ponds, where the fateful meeting of Berlioz and the poet Ivan Bezdomny with Woland took place, was filmed on Turgenev Square. The fact is that trams on Patriarch’s Streets operated only in Bulgakov’s Moscow, and the author himself took Chistye Prudy, where there were really trams, as a prototype. The filmmakers navigated a difficult situation with grace and brought Patriarch’s Ponds, which never existed in reality, to life on the big screen.
Turgenev Square, St. It is located in the Admiralteysky district of St. Petersburg, at the intersection of Sadovaya Street and English Boulevard. Residents of St. Petersburg do not like the modern name of the square, preferring to call it Pokrovskaya. Initially, Empress Anna Ioannovna was going to build the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary here, and after her death, the Church of the Intercession appeared there, built, among other things, with donations from Pushkin’s parents. Turgenevskaya Square was already under Soviet rule. The church was demolished in 1934 and replaced by a stone memorial sign by architect Skryplev in 2000.
By visiting here you can not only follow in the footsteps of Bortko’s film crew, but also learn many interesting things from Russian history.
Turgenev Square. Nearest metro stations: Sadovaya, Tekhnologichesky Institut, Baltiyskaya
“Master and Margarita” again: Forestry Academy Park and Vasilyevsky Island
Margarita’s flights on a broom and the witches’ Sabbath were filmed in the park of the Forestry Academy in the Vyborg district of St. Petersburg. And again, the role of the Moscow local history brand – Arbat Lanes – St. Petersburg, where one of the episodes of Bulgakov’s work “The Master and Margarita” unfolded. It is undertaken by St. Petersburg. This means that the art of cinema is based on creating the illusion of reality, and St. It reminds us that St. Petersburg is the best place to play this role.
Another place associated with Bortko’s series, Vasilyevsky Island, is one of the most important treasure troves of impressions for tourists. In seventh place is St. Petersburg, founded during the reign of Catherine II. There was the Pelya Pharmacy, the oldest pharmacy in St. Petersburg. There are many urban legends about this place that will make your blood run cold. Medicines haven’t been sold there for long, but there is a museum with over three hundred exhibits, as well as an alchemy laboratory and a bomb shelter from World War II.
Culture and recreation park “Forestry Academy Park” is located at: St. Petersburg, Institutsky Lane, 5. Nearest metro station: “Lesnaya”.
Vasilyevsky Island. Nearest metro station: Vasileostrovskaya
“Streets of Broken Lanterns”: Bolshaya Monetnaya Street, 20
The mythology of the late nineties and early 2000s will be incomplete if we forget about the once popular TV series “Streets of Broken Lanterns” by Alexander Rogozhkin. It’s funny that the already mentioned Vladimir Bortko also took part in the shooting, he is listed as Yan Khudokormov in the credits.
Many noted the artistic originality, which, despite the meager production budget, left the viewer with a sense of authenticity about what was happening on the screen and made him empathize with the characters.
Perhaps the truth is that the murder squad, where Casanova, Dukalis and Larin take a break from the chase, solve routine issues and prepare for new adventures, was filmed in the real building of the 43rd police department of the Petrograd region. It is located on Bolshaya Monetnaya Street, building 20. By the way, the “Deadly Force” episodes were also shot here.
Bolshaya Monetnaya Street, 20. Nearest metro stations: Petrogradskaya, Gorkovskaya
“The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”: Matilda Kshesinskaya’s Mansion
It is surprising that there are almost no old buildings on Trinity Square, the oldest in St. Petersburg. But from here there is a beautiful view of the Peter and Paul Fortress and the mansion of the prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater Matilda Kshesinskaya at the beginning of Kronverksky Prospekt.
This building is notable not only for being an example of the Art Nouveau style in architecture, but also for the fact that some scenes of Soviet TV series were shot here, more precisely, the series of television films “The”. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. The Adventures of Watson.” Yes, apparently it is not that easy to escape the “Master and Margarita” theme, because the same mansion was also the setting for Bortko’s series. Margarita, played by actress Anna Kovalchuk, lived there before fate brought her to meet the Master.
Matilda Kshesinskaya Mansion, Kuibysheva Street, No. 2-4 / Kronverksky Street, No. 1. Nearest metro station: “Gorkovskaya”
“War and Peace”, James Bond: Winter Groove channel
Located in the very heart of the city, the Winter Canal is a canal connecting the Neva and Moika in the Winter Palace area. It is not only the geographical articulation of the city’s waterways, but also the business card of Russia’s most European city.
Moreover, the first episode of James Bond after the Cold War was shot here.
Some scenes from the movie GoldenEye, starring Pierce Brosnan, were shot in the Winter Canal area in 1995. The Winter Channel is also known for its larger-scale film projects. Some episodes of the British TV series “War and Peace” were filmed here, and Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov walked on the set of the Winter Canal, philosophizing about family life and war.
By the way, the author of the epic novel was one of the first to see the future of cinema, which at that time was a fairground entertainment. And it even appeared in newsreels. The Winter Canal also served as a location for Martha Fiennes’ controversial Onegin and Igor Maslennikov’s The Queen of Spades.
Winter Canal embankment. Nearest metro stations: Admiralteyskaya, Gostiny Dvor, Nevsky Prospekt
The above are St. It does not cover all the historical and cultural riches of St. Petersburg. For those who want to get to know the city better, there is the “New Touristic Geography” project. In order to develop the tourism industry, which is of strategic importance for the city, St. It was initiated by the St. Petersburg Tourism Development Committee. Web site The project is not only a guide to places of interest, but also a platform for the formation of a modern urban environment by integrating new places into the existing classic tourist map.
St. There is a convenient format for visiting St. Petersburg – themed excursions for two to three days. Such a trip will avoid confusion of information and open the city from a new angle. St. It is a unique pleasure to discover St. Petersburg slowly, at your own pace. To be able to rush in the rhythm of the city to the premiere at the Mariinsky Theater or read a book without rushing anywhere, sitting by the window in a cozy cafe, in St. Petersburg in a hurry somewhere. Thinking about St. Petersburgers is priceless.
St. Such trips to St. Petersburg can become a good tradition. Moreover, you do not need to look for a reason to meet in your favorite city; It can be a theater premiere or a book festival, a sports match or competition, a romantic walk along rivers and canals or an interesting exhibition. The desire to watch the sunrise with a view of the Nevsky or take a selfie on Palace Square. It will help you create your own individual route, including in it the main attractions of the city and objects of the new tourist geography. visit St. Petersburg.