Album 40
(Translated by Svetlana Guzeeva)

When walking from Nevsky prospect to Neva along Fontanka bank, you pass two noticeable buildings. One of them is Sheremetievsky palace, the second - church to St. Simeon and Anna. Two times when I passed here with camera, sun disappeared behind the clouds. Decided that apparently that's the fate :)

So then, the church. From Fontanka side. Repair works are spreading around, but I've done my utmost to make them invisible, as well as heaps of disk-shaped antennas and aerials on the buildings :)

Church was built in 1731-34 by architect Zemtsov.

"Rays" in the background are generally characteristic features of the churches, for instance, in the case of Nikolsky naval cathedral, as I remember, spears act as the rays.

Alas, shooting inside the church is allowed only "with the blessing of the parson". Everything looks lately-gilded.

We'll leave surroundings of the church (dog lies right at the entrance) and walk further along Fontanka, in the direction of Nevsky..

There is Sheremetievsky palace on the right, in the heart of the yard separated from the street with the fence. Yard is always inhabited, maybe 1-2 persons only sit on the bench by the outhouse.

The other name of the palace is Fontanny (fountain) house, nowadays Akhmatova museum is situated in there (she lived here for a while). Outhouse with an arc was built much later than the building, in 1867.

Authors of the palace itself are architects Chevakinsky and Argunov, XVIII century.  There is some resemblance with Bolshoy palace in Oranienbaum (28th album) and Smolny cathedral (the doors :)

Sheremetievs' coat of arms is on the arc of the gate..

..above the main entrance. Lions are really volumetric. It's interesting why doesn't it say a word on the ribbon?

..and above the outhouse arc

And that's not the coat of arms of course, just a noteworthy detail on the arc.

One more outhouse fragment. Authors were definitely attracted by the ancient Greek motifs, it's visible on the arc and especially - here.

Fence was made by Korsini in 1844.

This absolutely accidental shot causes in me some remote associations with "Crime and punishment".

Sunset at Anichkov bridge. After watching "Siberean Barber" film :)