St. Petersburg, Water Museum: description, history, interesting facts and reviews

Museums of St. Petersburg are known all over the world. Every year thousands of tourists come to the northern capital to get acquainted with its sights and visit museums, which are more than 200 in the city.

One of the attractions of St. Petersburg is the Water Museum. He is relatively young, the first excursionists took in 2003, nevertheless his expositions are very popular both among St. Petersburgers and guests of the city.

Water carriers of Saint-Petersburg

According to Peter the Great's plan, St. Petersburg was built on the water, so the Neva and other rivers served as the first urban water supply system. From the Neva took water for drinking, and Fontanka and other small rivers supplied the population with water used for household needs.

The first primitive water pipe appeared in the capital already in the XVIII century. It was wooden and only served water in the Summer Garden and a couple of palaces. The rest of the city's population either went to the river to buy water or bought it from water carriers that delivered water from 37 pumping stations that operated in different parts of St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 19th century.

Barrels of water carriers differed in color: in white they sold clean, Neva water, in yellow ones - of the worst quality from Fontanka, in green - from canals where the population dumped waste. In the end, the authorities banned the fence of unsuitable water from the canals. Is there a tourist attraction dedicated to representatives of this profession in St. Petersburg? You have to visit the water museum at least to see the monument to the St. Petersburg water carrier.

History of the water pipeline in St. Petersburg

The first water pipe with a steam pump in the capital of the empire was laid in 1846. However, without justifying the hopes, the unprofitable enterprise was soon closed. After 12 years on Shpalernaya Street "Joint-stock company of Saint-Petersburg water pipes" built a pumping station and a water tower.

Next to the Main Tower was a reservoir, from where water was pumped from the Neva by pumps to the houses located in the city center. At full capacity, the capital waterworks earned in 1866. In subsequent years, other joint-stock companies began supplying the Vasilievsky Island, Vyborgsky side and other areas of the capital with water.

At the end of the XIX century, the city authorities bought out water pipelines belonging to joint-stock companies. In the Soviet era, the Leningrad Vodokanal significantly expanded the city's water supply and sanitation system. And on the 300th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg on Shpalernaya Street in the Water Tower, the Water Museum (St. Petersburg) was opened, dedicated not only to the history of the St. Petersburg water supply, but to the world of water in general.

Water tower

Interestingly, the idea of creating a museum of the history of urban water supply was born long before the authorities in St. Petersburg began to implement it in 1999. In the summer of 1901 it was decided to arrange a small exposition in the Water Tower, which by then was no longer used for its intended purpose.

The current Water Museum (St. Petersburg) is located exactly in this building, built in 1861. During the reconstruction, its historical interiors were preserved, only the second elevator and a fire escape staircase were carried to a glass vertical line attached - a symbol pointing up the water.

On the third, fourth and sixth floors of the Water Tower there are expositions, and in the hall there is a fountain, the water in which is practically not consumed: draining down the strings, then it rises upwards to again beat the fountain.

Underground tank

In the 80 years of the XIX century. On the aqueducts of St. Petersburg began to install cleaning systems. To store the filtered water near the Water Tower, a storage tank was built. Its huge size is evidenced by the fact that the workers serving the filtration station had to swim in the reservoir on boats.

Today there is the Museum of the Universe of Water (St. Petersburg), opened in 2008 to the 150th anniversary of the St. Petersburg Vodokanal. The first thing that strikes visitors is the labyrinth of columns supporting a low ceiling arch. This architectural feature of the premises is due to the fact that engineers were required to design a completely sealed roof for a flat structure of a huge area.

What to see in the museum

Expositions located on the third and fourth floors of the Water Tower, introduce visitors not only to the history of the Vodokanal of the Northern Capital, but also to the development of sewerage and water pipes for different peoples in different epochs. Here are collected documents, ceramic wash-stands, photographs, brass washbasins, wooden pipes, wells, etc.

The sixth floor is devoted to the heroic work of the Leningrad Vodokanal's staff in the difficult siege years. In addition, there is an exposition here that tells how drinking water is prepared and supplied to the homes of St. Petersburgers today, and also how the sewage disposal of the big city is provided.

In the Underground Tank, the multimedia exhibition The Universe of Water introduces visitors to modern scientific ideas about water, its cycle in nature, chemical composition, world reserves of salt and fresh water in different parts of the world. Of course, this is not all that the Museum of Water (St. Petersburg) offers its guests. The operating mode of the organization is quite convenient: every day, except Monday and Tuesday, from 10 am to 7 pm.

Interactive programs for children

The Water Museum pays much attention to the environmental education of children and youth. For this purpose, the Children's Environmental Center has been specially created, which constantly conducts competitions, thematic interactive family classes and classes for children of different ages.

For example, children from 5 to 10 years with their parents can take part in the program "Funny Journey of Droplets." For high school students a laboratory lesson on water quality determination was prepared, as well as a lesson "The Baltic Secrets" devoted to the ecological balance and biodiversity of the Baltic waters.

Special programs are prepared for memorable days. For example, in November, children and parents could make a tour of the sewer tunnel, meet on the way with a water tunnel and guess from the photographs historical plumbing. This program was dedicated to World Toilet Day, and prepared its Water Museum (St. Petersburg), whose address: st. Shpalernaya, house 56, near the metro Chernyshevskaya.

Interesting facts about the Museum of Water

The water tower, which houses historical exhibitions, is built on oak stilts. In contrast to iron, the wood of oak in water does not collapse, but only becomes stronger. Therefore, there is no reason to fear for the stability of the Main Tower, still firmly standing on stilts from stained oak.

What other features does this landmark St. Petersburg have? The Museum of Water has an interactive mock-up of a man who clearly demonstrates how much water is contained in each of our bodies. The lowest is in the enamel of the teeth - 8%, and more - in the eyes, consisting of 98% of the water.

The granite columns of the Underground Reservoir, designated today for the "Universe of Water" exposition, were brought from Finland and installed on a foundation of buta. Thus, making granite, and not brick columns, engineers maximally saved the space of the underground room.

Museum of Water: reviews (St. Petersburg)

The museum does not leave anyone indifferent, proof of this - reviews on the Internet. Visitors are impressed not only by rare exhibits, well thought out expositions, where simple things are presented in the original form, but also fascinating, lively stories of guides working from the heart.

Many of those who visited the tour, do not hide that they are going to come back again, even if for this they will have to come to St. Petersburg from another city. Particularly distinguished are the responses of parents who note that even pre-schoolers remember well the information heard during children's cognitive programs.

In a word, if you are planning a trip to the northern capital, be sure to visit the St. Petersburg Water Museum.