Speaking In Tongues
Scribbling In Voices

"Ladies and gentlemen, you don't have to hurry because Russia ends here and there is nowhere to go from here," the conductors of the Trans-Siberian express used to announce in the past arriving in Vladivostok. That was the end of Russia. That was the end of the world. Presently it takes a transcontinental express "Russia" six days to get from Moscow to Vladivostok. If you come to Vladivostok by train you will see a milestone with the figure 9,288 km. Nowhere else in the world you can see such a figure on a milestone measuring the distance between a capital and its terminus. The last meters of the Trans-Siberian railroad go through the coastal line of Vladivostok.

The construction of a terminus of the Trans-Siberian railroad on the shores of the Peter the Great Bay began in 1891. Architect A.Basilevsky was commissioned to design it. The most remarkable day was May 19 (June 1 in new style) 1891 marking the arrival of His Majesty Cesarevitch (Crown Prince in tsarist Russia), the son of Alexander III, the heir to the Russian throne, Nikolai, who was to become the last tsar of Russia so tragically assassinated. He was making a round the world tour with Prince George, the heir to the Greek throne, and arrived in Vladivostok aboard the ship Pamyat' Azova. On May 19 Cesarevich Nikolai laid the cornerstone into the foundation of the train station building. Specially designed silver hoe and silver wheelbarrow which Cesarevich Nikolai used had been kept up to the Revolution in the local museum. Later they were destroyed. A silver plate with an inscription was bricked up into the northern wall to commemorate this outstanding event. The original building was dedicated in 1893, the first trip being carried in May 1894. By 1907 the original structure has become too small to meet the needs of a growing Vladivostok population and the decision was made to build a new one. Architect N.Konovalov could skillfully preserve the old towers, foundations and partially the walls of the old structure. By the end of 1911 the new building was accomplished. Cut into the hill, it is much larger than the old one. Built in the traditional Russian "pattern" style, the new building exhibits outstanding architectural features: towers and turrets crowning the roof, majolica and tile panels in the niches of the golden yellow walls, richly decorated entrance portal. Over the entrance arch of the southern wing there is a colored mosaic panel with the emblem of Moscow, an equestrian figure of St.George striking a snake. On the opposite wall there is a similar panel with the emblem of Primorye, a tiger holding an anchor against silver background. A two-headed eagle crowns this picturesque and grand composition. Architect Konovalov was awarded a special prize "for the best architectural design in Russian style" by the St. Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts. Reminiscent of the 17^th century Russian masterpieces, this architectural monument was to symbolize the fact that Vladivostok was an inseparable part of Russia, it was to underline tight connections with the rest of Russia. The building was and may be still is the best and the most beautiful one among all the train station buildings along the Trans-Siberian railroad.

This building has been remodeled several times: when it was damaged by the artillery and machine-gun shooting during the Gide uprisal in 1919; later, in May 1921, on the day of the Merculovs counter-revolutionary coup, the frescoes were destroyed. But most outrageously it suffered in 1924 when all the symbols of the tsarist autocracy were done away with the two-headed eagle, for example, was so firmly fixed that the workers had to cut the heads first. At the same time the mosaic panels were stuccoed. Later on, in 1927, the ceiling painting on biblical subjects was also stuccoed. The building was considerably remodeled in 1935-1936. Many townspeople expressed great concern about this architectural monument when due to finances the restoration had been delayed for decades. At last, in 1994, the gem of the Vladivostok architecture was restored to its original looks, with the cobble stones on the square in front of it to give the building the original flavor. The interior of the building was restored in 1996.

Looking back we must say that the construction of the Trans-Siberian railroad radically altered economic and demographic situation in Vladivostok and Primorye.

THE LENIN MONUMENT (THE TRAIN STATION SQUARE)

Unveiled in 1930, the Lenin monument stands in the center of the Train Station square. An identical monument, unveiled three years earlier, stands in front of Smolny--the headquarters of the Revolution--in St. Petersburg. The thing is that the same forms were used for the monument in Vladivostok by sculptor V.Kozlov. Later, in 1970, the Lenin statue was moved higher on the hill slope and placed on a new pedestal.

The attitude of the townspeople to the Lenin monuments is extremely controversial. There were far too many monuments to Lenin in every city of the former USSR and Vladivostok was not an exception in this respect. Comparing the Vladivostok monuments to Lenin we must admit that this one is the best and should be preserved for posterity.

#2, PERVAYA MORSKAYA ST.

Constructed in 1902, the five-story yellow building on the corner of Pervaya Morskaya (the First Sea) and Aleutskaya (Aleutian) streets used to be Grand Hotel before the Revolution. The owner of this hotel was entrepreneur L.Skidelsky, the architect is unknown. From the architectural point of view the building is noted for the simplicity of construction: the decorative belts on the facade and alternation of windows bring the architectural style of the Grand Hotel closer to the works of classicism. The hotel rooms have been closed since the 1920s. In 1930s the building housed the so called Palace of Labor with the figure of worker tearing the chains wound around the globe on the facade. For a long time it housed the Regional Executive Committee and now a variety of offices and companies are there. Catholic Relief Service rents their premises here.

#15, ALEUTSKAYA ST.

This three-story edifice was constructed in 1910 by German architect G.Yunghendel for the Brynners, the family of Swiss entrepreneur who contributed much to the industrialization of the region. Thus, Yu.I.Brynner participated in three monopolies: "T'et'ukhe"--non-ferrous metals--, "Primorye", established for the exploitation of Brynner's coal mines and "Societe d'exploitation des placers Sofie Alexieyevnas", established for the exploitation of Brynner's gold mines. As early as 1888 Brynner started timber export to China, he owned several buildings in Vladivostok, including the one located nearby--#13, Aleutskaya st.--which used to house "Brynner, Kuznetsov & Co" and housing Far Eastern Shipping Company (FESCO) now. It may be noted that famous American actor Yul Brynner (1920 - 1985) was born in this townhouse. When in 1960s The Magnificent seven was on in Vladivostok, many Vladivostokians flooded to watch the film and see the famous compatriot.

Highly talented, torn with controversy, Yul Brynner faced many challenges, and experienced ups and downs in his life. In 1956 he received Oscar from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of the U.S.A. for professional achievements in performance (The King and I). Noteworthy is the fact that when he realized that he was dying of cancer he had been desperately fighting with for several years and it was caused by smoking, he taped his address to the people calling to give up smoking. The tape was demonstrated after his death and produced an enormous effect.

Executed in art nouveau with wide use of ferroconcrete and adorned with smalt and glazed ceramic mosaic panel in the upper part of the facade, the building has simple effective external design emphasizing internal comfort of this structure. The two staircases which used to lead up to the entrance, supporting stone walls, winter garden and wrought iron fence, all were stylistically connected with the building and created a harmonious whole. Thanks to its situation on the steep slope providing diverse background, the building looks very dynamic and picturesque. In 1930 the FESCO communist party committee replaced the private printing house established in the building after the Revolution.

##17-19, ALEUTSKAYA ST.

The first eight-nine-story buildings of "Greater Vladivostok" constructed in 1937 - 1940 (architects I.A.Poretskov, N.A.Bigacheva). These buildings brightly exemplify the style characteristic of the Soviet architecture of the 1930s, the objective of which was to give an architectural representation of the grandeur of the Soviet power period. Aptly labeled "gray horses'" these two buildings with flamboyant decoration, balconies, statues executed by an amateur sculptor, a soldier, are not of great architectural value, as some art critics think, but they are interesting from the engineering standpoint and the apartments in these buildings are very comfortable.

SVETLANSKAYA ST.

You don't have to walk very far away from the Train station square to see the famous sights. Most of Vladivostok's historic sites are clustered on the main street, the original name of which was Americanscaya (American street). The name was given in honor of the famous corvette the America. Built in the U.S.A., the corvette was among the first three ships to have arrived in Vladivostok. The corvette the America with N.Muravyov-Amursky, the governor general of East Siberia, aboard participated in the expedition mapping Peter the Great Bay in 1859. When in 1872 the corvette aboard which was rear-admiral A.E.Crown, the commander-in-chief of Eastern Ocean Ports, arrived in Vladivostok it had to wait for the arrival of the squadron with the guest of honor grand duke Alexey Alexandrovich. Having three months at their disposal, the crew helped clear the ground of what now is the main street. This part was called Amerikanka. This nickname stuck and remained as an inofficial name of the main street for a year. In 1873 the street was renamed for the fregate the Svetlana aboard which grand duke Alexey Alexandrovich visited Vladivostok. Half a century later after V.Lenin's death, in 1924, the main street was renamed into "the street of comrade Lenin," Leninskaya for short. After hot debates and much discussion in August 1992 the old name Svetlanskaya was returned, hopefully, for ever.

Many buildings in Svetlanskaya street used to belong to foreigners. No matter how surprising it may be, but Vladivostok was given the "porto franco"-"free port"--status already in 1861, on the second year of its existence, and it stayed up to 1909. It meant that businesses, factories, plants, stores and other enterprises were tax-free for foreigners for several years. That is why many entrepreneurs took advantage of the "porto franco" status of Vladivostok and came to settle here and established their companies, corporations, concessions, and so on.

#10, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

Constructed in 1909, by engineer I.Meshkov, the building originally known as hotel Versailles looked unusual and ultramodern to the townspeople of that time. Its most outstanding feature is an attachment to the motifs of classicism: the use of columns between the arched windows and pilasters and the order. The building is remarkable for its ornamentation and the lavish use of the smalt and ceramics. The classical ornamentation being exclusively decorative, the hotel Versailles is a good example of art nouveau with its apt use of new building materials: concrete and metal.

Owned by an entrepreneur L. Radomyshelsky, the building housed an affiliate of the trading house "Churin and Co," "Brize and Daniel," the "Businessmen Assembly" along with the hotel. The Military Council of Primorye which was here in 1920 was replaced in 1921 by the residence of Ataman--a chief of cossacks, elected by the whole group-- Semyonov who sympathized with the Whites. In 1935 it was renamed for the legendary ship the Chelyuskin . The Chelyuskin expedition started from Murmansk, a seaport in the North-West Russia, intending to go through the Arctic Ocean, the Bering Strait, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan and to reach Vladivostok during one navigation season. Unfortunately, the ship was crushed with ice in the Chukchi Sea on February 13, 1934. The Chelyuskin expedition participants were saved by the Soviet pilots who were the first to be awarded the Heroes of the U.S.S.R. orders. The participants stayed at this hotel.

The reconstruction of the hotel following the devastating fire of 1992 was finished in 1993, and now it offers a variety of comfortably furnished rooms and suites. The original name was recently returned, and here the hotel "Versailles" stands in its prime beauty delighting the townspeople.

#12, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

With the development of Vladivostok and the growth of trade turnover and bank transactions there was a great need in buildings specially designed for banks. The first structure of this kind was constructed in 1899 for the affiliate of Russo-Chinese Bank. The two-story building decorated with a tower met the requirements. Being "the advocate of 'peaceful' economic penetration of China," S.Witte, the then Russia Minister of Finance, founded The Russo-Chinese Bank in December 1895. Five-eighths of the capital belonged to the French but the management was controlled by the Russian government. Having established the Chinese Eastern Railroad Company, the Russo-Chinese Bank built an extension--which was to become the famous Chinese Eastern--of the Trans-Siberian railroad across Manchuria to cut the way to Moscow. Though the Chinese Eastern Railroad Company was the formal owner of it, the shares of this special "private" corporation were held by the Russian Treasury. Up to 1913 the building housed the Russo-Chinese Bank, later on, the City Public Bank, editorial boards of several newspapers. After reconstruction the cafe on the ground floor Russky Chai (Russian Tea) was followed by the restaurant Russian with Russian cuisine owned by an insurance company.

#20, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

In its present location, the Arsenyev Museum building has served several purposes. Locally known as "Babintsev's 1906r house" before the Revolution, it belonged to the trading house "Brynner, Kuznetsov and Co." The building has also housed the Siberian Trade Bank, a variety of stores and apartments. In 1930 it was given to the Pacific Research Institute of Fishery and Oceanography. At present the Arsenyev Museum owns the whole building. It focuses on area studies. The rooms of the museum show the cultures of indigenous peoples inhabiting Primorye. The museum collections highlight the history of exploration and settling of the region, and the more recent history.

#3, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

In 1899, on the corner of Svetlanskaya and Koreyskaya (modern Pogranichnaya) streets, the merchant A.Ivanov constructed a big masonry building intended for the theatre Tikhy Okean (the Pacific Ocean) which was the first masonry theatre in the whole Russian Far East. Crowned with a large lyre, the new theatre became one of the main attractions for the townspeople of the time. Renowned actors used to perform here (for example, N.Sikorskaya who had toured worldwide). In spring 1901 a cinematography, a motion-picture camera "Biograph" was on display here and about 2,000 passers-by who had happened to be in the vicinity of the Kunst and Albers Trading House on April 15 were shown, that is why many curious and vain people visited it several times to see themselves on the screen. Unfortunately, due to imperfect fire-prevention measures which could not meet standard requirements, the theatre was closed in 1908. The upper floors have been used as living quarters since the time when the building was remodeled (in 1910). On the ground floor there is now a confectionary.

#11, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

Owned by local architect V.Goldenshtedt, the building on the corner of Svetlanskaya and Aleutskaya streets has served as a hotel for many years. Opened as the Central Hotel, it kept that name up to the Revolution when it was changed to the Zolotoy rog (Golden Horn) hotel. The ground floor was used for the offices and the drug store of the Valdecker and Peppel Company which had affiliates all over Russia and abroad. When the construction of the hotel began in 1907, one of the local newspapers wrote that there would be a hotel with the furniture eclipsing all the existing hotels.

Designed in the so called "rational variety of art nouveau," the Central Hotel is extraordinarily rigor, only the facade is embellished with decorative bricks, with the peaked towers crowning the roof representing the elements of the Gothic style. This mixture of art nouveau with different styles elements is typical of the Vladivostok architecture.

#22, ALEUTSKAYA ST.

Though the two-story building was basically executed in art nouveau, its design is reminiscent of oriental style. It has many features characteristic of oriental traditions: slight curvature of the window arches, whimsical curvature of the pediment and other elements are a clear indication of the eclectic style called by some art critics the "Vladivostok style," where the oriental embellishment and other elements were transplanted, though modified by local conditions and materials and Russian tradition. This pseudo-Eastern style building, constructed in 1908 was designed for the Lotus cabaret famous for its oriental repertoire with dancers and actors from South-East Asia. The building had been used as the "House of Revolutionary Defense" for several years after the Revolution. When in 1927 the British statesman Sir Austen Chamberlain (1863 -1937) threatened to declare a new campaign against the Soviet Union the young Communist League members formed a regiment called "Our Answer to Chamberlain" in this building. Since the 1920s it has housed the F.Dzerzhinsky club until recently. There are several companies, firms and other enterprises.

# 13, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

The story of the theatre Zolotoy Rog (Golden Horn) goes back to 1867 when merchant Ivan Galetsky after having ranged many seas and countries including the U.S.A., China, Japan came to Vladivostok to seek fortune. He was wise enough to buy a big lot in the center for 30 roubles and later to sell a small part of it for 10,000 roubles to the local government. In 1867 he constructed a two-story wooden hotel with adjacent restaurant and in 1885 he added a theatre hall holding 350 seats. That was the first theatre in Vladivostok. It was locally known as "Madam Galetsky Theatre Hall." The present three-story masonry structure was built in 1903 by a local engineer I.Baginov following the fire of 1899 which destroyed the original wooden building.

Many theatrical events have occurred on its stage. The Golden Horn Theatre can boast of giving its stage to noted representatives of Russian realistic school V.Davydov (1849 - 1925) who received an honorary title "The People's Artist of the Republic" and V.Massalitinova (1878 - 1945) who covered herself with great fame for an exceptional performance of elderly characters in A. N. Ostrovsky's plays and was rightly awarded the State Prize of the U.S.S.R. The stage of the theatre was also given to a renowned performer of tragic roles P.Orlenev (1869 - 1932) who was awarded the "People's Artist of the Republic" title in 1925 as well as to an outstanding actress V.Komissarzhevskaya (1864-1910) who was famous for performance of A.Chekhov's and H.Ibsen's characters and who later created her own theatre in 1904 in St.Petersburg and fought for progressive modern repertoire and many other actors. In 1919 there was the so called "futurists' club" the members of which were N.Aseyev (1889-1963) and D.Burlyuk (1882-1967). Representing whimsical formal trend in Russian poetry at the beginning of his literary career, Nikolai Aseyev came to philosophical understanding and interpretation later. He was awarded the U.S.S.R. State Prize in 1941 for the poem "Mayakovsky begins" where he created the image of a poet fighting for new art. A poet and an artist, David Burlyuk is justly considered to be one of the "founding fathers" of futurism in Russia, a movement in fine arts rejecting traditional forms of expression, portraying and advocating the dynamic movement, violence, speed, the power of a mechanized era. In 1920 D.Burlyuk emigrated first to Japan and later to the U.S.A.

Since 1960 when the Gorky Theatre, the Primorye regional theatre which can be regarded as the successor of the pre-Revolutionary theatre, moved into a new building, the old one has served as a concert hall of the Primorsky Philharmonic Society. In addition to it "The Green Lamp" and "The Blue Star" cafes were recently opened in this building, which is, unfortunately, in a deplorable state now and, hopefully, will be restored to its original looks.

##17, 23, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

Two buildings on the opposite sides of the viaduct constructed in 1909 over the Trans-Siberian are of architectural interest. Built in 1908 the first one which used to belong to a Chinese merchant Katchan is considered to have the so called "oriental version of Ionic capital." This kind of embellishment is known to have been used in South East Asia since the eighteenth century. The second floor has been used for living quarters, while the first floor has served as a jewelry shop owned by K.Filipek. Now it houses a perfumery's shop.

Built a year later, in 1909, for a prosperous fir trader from China Tau Tsailing, the second building was called "The Warsaw Shop." Now it is unofficially known as "The Green Bricks" thanks to the green bricks used in the decoration of the facade. Here we can also see some oriental architectural features.

#20, ADMIRALA FOKINA ST.

The most notable monument of classical orientation is the building on the corner of Admirala Fokina street and Okeansky prospect (Ocean thoroughfare) constructed in 1913--architect Shafrat--to serve as a Japanese consulate. Though basically executed in art nouveau, the main facade facing Okeansky prospect, characteristically enough, have classical elements: it is accented with a six-Doric-order-column portico. Other classical details used to include sculpture: the Goddess of Victory on the pediment and two griffins--fabled monsters often figured in Greek and Roman art, half lions and half eagles, believed by the Greeks to keep watch over the gold of Scythia--holding chains supporting the small roof over the entrance. Unfortunately, only griffins are left. The whole building housing a medical institution now is in a great decay.

#22, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

Constructed for the regional party committee, the multi-story building decorated with white marble--the fact earned it the nickname "the White House"--predominates the central square and, unfortunately, overwhelms the surrounding old architectural monuments. It was designed by architect E.Rosanov and completed in 1983. Now the building houses the regional administration.

THE CENTRAL SQUARE

The central square, officially known as the Square of the Fighters for the Soviet Power in the Far East, began to take shape in 1960s when the decision was made to construct a square over the slope, since Vladivostok did not have spacious squares due to its mountainous relief. So, the new square is a two-story one with a chess club on the ground floor. In the center of the square there stands the monument to the Fighters for the Soviet Power in the Far East. The construction of the monument was entrusted to A.Teneta, an Honored Artist of Russian Federation, who has been working on the monument for fifteen years. The monument was unveiled in 1960. Designed in a form of classical triangle, the monument has a multifigured composition at the base with side figures bearing genre character and the central figure of a trumpeter. Facing the ocean--which is a tradition in sea ports--the trumpeter holds the banner in his right hand and a trumpet in his left. The figure of a trumpeter was chosen as a symbol of a new power. The trumpeter is considered to head the column of the People's Revolutionary Army which liberated Primorye from interventionists on October 22, 1922 when the Soviet power was proclaimed in this region. The monument became a symbol of Vladivostok and you can often see the figure of the trumpeter depicted on pins.

#35, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

When the present-day State Department Store masonry building changed the old wooden structure in 1885, it immediately became a Vladivostok landmark and still remains one of the prime examples of commercial architecture. Known as the Kunst and Albers Trading House in the past, it was one of the oldest masonry multistory buildings in the area.

Having got acquainted in China, two German enterpreneurs Gustav Kunst and Adolf Albers made up their minds to go to Vladivostok in 1864 to establish a trading house. Supported by the Deutcher Bank and different companies in Germany, Great Britain, and Japan, the Kunst and Albers Trading House soon grew into the largest trading house with 16 affiliates in Eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East, 5 in Manchuria and 1 in Japan. Living in Hamburg, the head of the company, G.Kunst supplied mostly German commodities. The impact of the trading house is difficult to overestimate.

The architectural features of the building are surpassing and outstanding too. The German architect G.R.Yunghendel was commissioned to design the building. He designed several buildings in Vladivostok, but this one was his major commission. The art critics see the direct architectural influence of the famous Zwinger , ensemble erected in 1711-21 in Dresden in the baroque style. Albeit executed in art nouveau, the Kunst and Albers Trading House has many elements of the Baroque style: the capitals decorated with the depiction of Wotan, a Germanic god, for example. Other Old Germanic epic characters can be seen in the impressive embellishment. Holding an anchor and a winged baton of Mercury, the ancient Roman god of commerce, and the two angels symbolize marine trade. The baton is wound with two snakes standing for cunning and wisdom. The rigor brick walls--and the bricks were brought all the way from Germany by sea--underline lavish baroque decoration. Being a commercial structure, the building was serviceable and appealed to aesthetic taste as well. As doctor A.Eliseyev who visited Vladivostok in 1889 put it, "It was an encyclopedic store"--the first supermarket?--where you could reportedly buy everything: from a needle to a live tiger. The trading house was the first to establish the electric power station to meet the needs of trading, the electric elevators took customers upstairs, as one of the descendants of the Brynners recollected, he was surprised to find no electric devices in stores of San Francisco in 1926 when the family had to emigrate. No other trading houses could successfully compete with it and it had no analogies in the western part of Russia.

After the Revolution the Kunst and Albers Trading House was nationalized. In 1929, instead of the guilded sign saying "the Kunst and Albers Trading House" there appeared a new one with the abbreviation "C.W.C.", meaning "the Central Workers' Cooperative." The building has served as the General Department Store (GUM in Russian) since 1934.

#38/40, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

The building opposite "the Kunst and Albers Trading House" merits a special attention since it is connected with the Kunst and Albers company. The construction was commissioned to the same architect, G.R.Yunghendel. There were originally dormitory quarters for the staff of the company. Designed in art nouveau, it is noted for its lavish and sumptuous interior decoration. There used to be a white-columned dancing hall exceptionally richly decorated, a library, a pool room, catering services for its residents. Not much has survived but one can still see cut glass in the former dining room, columns in the former dancing hall, now completely restructured.

The building was also known as Dattan's House since one floor has been used by "the Kunst and Albers Trading House" manager, Councellor of State, A.V.Dattan. Another floor has served as a German consulate for some time. In 1930 the building was given to the Physiotherapeutic Research Institute and has housed it ever since.

#31, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

One more building, the present-day movie theatre Ussuri was designed by G.R.Yunghendel. It was planned to be a theatre for the Kunst and Albers Trading House staff. The construction began in 1916 and was not finished before the Revolution. It was completed by architect P.Gavzdik and is used as a movie theatre.

#39, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

Constructed at the end of the last century for the Kunst and Albers Trading House staff, the picturesque residential houses are the most conspicuous example of wooden construction technique which give some idea of what a residential structure of the period was like. Its external appearance reflects a high degree of craftsmanship.

#41, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

Constructed in 1900, the post office building is of architectural interest. Architect A.A.Gvozdiovsky could continue the traditional Russian architectural features in his design embodied in the abundance of arches, small columns, niches with deeply plunged windows. It has been used as the post office since early days.

#43, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

The Pyankov House, built in 1901 by an unknown architect, served as a bookshop although in early years before the Revolution it was used for living quarters with shops, movie theatre, a small cellar restaurant with oriental cuisine. In 1880s, V.Pyankov was convicted for having participated in the movement "Narodnaya Volya (People's Will)" the goal of which was to overthrow the existing government ant to establish democratic freedoms, to give the land to peasants and so on. The members of the movement made eight attempts on csar Alexander the II' life, the last one of which ended in the assassination of Alexander the II in 1881. Having settled in Vladivostok, V.Pyankov, an entrepreneur and a highly educated person, participated in most important constructions. He owned the Glass plant in Kiparisovo (Primorye), timber warehouses and stores.

#45, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

Constructed in 1911 by V.P.Babintsev, the present-day State Department Stores building is indicative of art nouveau. The architects accepted the technological challenges of the time and widely used new building materials such as concrete, reinforced concrete, steel, glass, and stained glass. It used to belong to the I.Ya.Churin and Co Trading House. Established as early as 1867, the company expanded enormously trading in Primorye and Priamurye (the Amur region), had offices in Moscow and Irkutsk, and representatives in Chita, Sretensk, and Odessa. The founders of the company, I.Ya.Churin, V.P.Babintsev, N.P.Babintsev, and A.B.Kasyanov, had commercial transactions with French companies. After the Revolution the building was used as a Department Store, a Geological Museum, and offices of Dal'rybsbyt (a Fishery company). Since 1959 the original building as well as its later addition has been used as the Department Store for women and children.

SVETLANSKAYA ST., THE PUBLIC GARDEN

In a small public garden, a few steps across the former I.Ya.Churin and Co Trading House, there used to be the Triumphal Arch erected in 1891 to commemorate cesarevitch Nikolai's visit to Vladivostok. Guidebooks of that time wrote that though the arch was built of bricks and stone in a severe Byzantine-Russian style it produced an impression of lightness and airiness. The facets of the columns resembled those of Granovitaya Palata (the Hall of Facets in the Moscow Kremlin). The gates were richly decorated with old Russian colored ornamentations. The color scheme ranged from the bright red to the dark blue and from the grass green to orange and light blue harmonizing each other and producing warm impression. The light and dark blue roof in a form of a tall octahedral pyramid topped the cornice with four big and eight small Byzantine lancet half arches. The two-headed eagle, the symbol of Russian empire, hovered over the Triumphal Arch, which has been a Vladivostok's landmark for almost three decades. During the first years of the Soviet power the Triumphal Arch was destroyed as a symbol of csarist power. The former Admiral's Garden lost the name it used to bear along with one of the most beautiful architectural monuments of the city.

KORABEL'NO-NABEREZHNAYA, THE PACIFIC NAVY WAR GLORY MEMORIAL

Designed in 1982, the Pacific Navy War Glory Memorial (sculptor V.Nenazhivin, architect A.Sandok) was to commemorate outstanding services done to the country by the Pacific Navy. In the center of the memorial there is a legendary submarine C-59 with eternal flames in front of it established here in 1975. The submarine participated in the Great Patriotic War (World War II). In 1942 it went from the Pacific across the Atlantic to the North Sea, having sunk twelve hostile vessels. The crew have many times been awarded different orders and the captain G.I.Shchedrin is the U.S.S.R. hero. The submarine is now turned into a museum where along with the exhibits disclosing the Pacific Navy glory are items, maps and charts showing the history of submarine construction in the country. Visitors are allowed to look into a periscope--an optical instrument installed on submarines for viewing objects that are over the water when the boat is submerged--to touch the berths for sailors, just to feel the authentic atmosphere of a genuine submarine.

KORABEL'NO-NABEREZHNAYA, THE MONUMENT TO THE FIRST SETTLERS

The fourteen-meter stella erected in 1985 (architect B.Bogomolov) to commemorate the Vladivostok first settlers resemble a prow of a sailing-vessel "Manchur" which brought the first group of forty officers and men under Ensign N.Komarov of the 3rd East Siberian Line Battalion reportedly to this very spot. The two anchors on both sides of the stella add to the resemblance to a sailing vessel.

KORABEL'NO-NABEREZHNAYA, KRASNY VYMPEL (THE RED PENNANT) BOAT

Opposite the submarine there stands a memorial sailing steamboat the Krasny Vympel (the Red Pennant in English) which used to bear the name the Admiral Zavoiko in pre-Revolutionary times. Constructed in 1911, the Admiral Zavoiko actively participated in Revolutionary events and Civil War--in contrast to the western part of Russia where it lasted from 1918 to 1920, the Civil War and Intervention continued in the Far East up to 1922. Sometimes the vessel is called the Aurora of the East , the name parallels the Aurora in St.Petersburg which gave a signal to start assault of the Winter Palace, the residence of Russian csars, on October 25 (November 7 in new style), 1917. When there was a threat of being captured by the interventionists the Admiral Zavoiko left for Shanghai. On coming back to Vladivostok in 1923 it became the first ship of the Soviet Pacific Navy and this is when it was given a new name. Its battle life was a long one: it participated in the utter defeat of Japan in 1945 and only in 1958 it was turned into a memorial ship-museum.

#4, PETRA VELIKOGO ST.

This two-story masonry building was constructed in 1914 (architect N.Nadarov). For many years it has housed the Amur Region Studies Society founded in 1884 and since 1925 it has housed the Prymorye affiliate of the Russian Geographical Society. Its first head was F.F.Busse, who also headed the Migration Bureau. With one of the largest Reference Library in the Far East and interesting archives comprising rare documents and manuscripts, the Geographical Society building was the place where world-known scientists and scholars used to work. Thus, V.K.Arsenyev (1872 -1930), an ethnographer, a writer and explorer of the Far East often did his research here. In 1927, a Norwegian explorer and discoverer of the South Pole (1911), Roald Amundsen (1872 -1928) worked in the library.

In front of the building there is a monument to Russian Hydrographers-Explorers of the Far East unveiled in 1987. In the center of the whole composition (architect S.I.Pavlenko) stands an old beacon bell cast in 1906 and brought from the Bruce lighthouse.

#6, PETRA VELIKOGO ST.

In the general context of Russia's museum boom in the 1870s, it is not surprising that there was a demand to construct its own museum in Vladivostok as early as 1883, but due to finance it could be constructed only seven years later. In 1890 a military engineer G.K.Sergiyenko constructed a classical building for the first museum of local studies and in 1909 architect F.F.Postnikov designed an art nouveau two-story addition. Now they both cannot house a wide variety of exhibits and comprise only a small part of the Arsenyev Museum. Almost immediately on its opening, October 16 - 19, 1890, known world-wide Russian short-story writer and dramatist A.P.Chekhov (1860 - 1904) on his way from the island of Sakhalin studied in the museum library. In honor of the visit of this outstanding person whose literary works including Cherry Orchard, Seagull, Three Sisters and others had an enormous impact on Russian and world literature, a memorial plaque was established on the museum wall in 1985. Many other famous scholars and scientists used to do their research here: V.K.Arsenyev, V.L.Komarov, A.I.Kurentsov, etc.

#50, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

Of the many buildings erected in early 20^th century few can compete with the Bol'shoy Muzykal'ny Teatr (Great Musical Theatre). The central element on the side facing the main street is an accented oriental pediment. This only oriental detail is mixed with classic order forms and art nouveau design. Art critics assume that stylistically it can be referred to as postmodern. Eclectic in style, this building produces a solid, rather massive impression.

Designed by architect N.D.Fedoseyev and sponsored by local entrepreneurs brothers Burlakov, Radov and Zimmerman, it was constructed in 1915. The theatre season was opened by one of the operettas of Franz Lehar (1870 -1948), a Hungurian composer of operettas. In addition to the theatre, the building used to house the Letuchaya Mysh (the Bat) and Bi-Ba-Bo cabarets which existed only until the Revolution. Among other futurists, N.Aseyev and D.Burlyuk used to rent premises here. International Criminal Police Organization, Interpol, was here during the Civil war and Intervention (1918 - 1922). In 1923 the building was remodelled for the movie theatre Komsomolets (Young Communist League Member) and has housed it since then. Later, in 1932, the upper floor became the affiliate of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. headed by academician V.L.Komarov. Since 1971 it has housed the Presidium, an administrative committee, of the Far Eastern Department of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. (Now the Far Eastern Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences).

#52, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

Albeit small in size, the former military governor's house reflects one more facet of the architectural activity at the close of the last century in Vladivostok: the construction of the residence in the form of an old Russian estate which was commissioned to a military engineer colonel V.G.Mooro in 1890 -1891. The simplicity of the design, with an emphasis on severe and laconic forms, commensurate proportions and well-planned interior make the building a notable architectural monument.

The military governor's residence is of great interest both from an architectural and a historic point of view: invited by general F.F.Unterberger, the owner of the house, Cesarevitch Nikolai stayed here during his visit; the Vladivostok Soviet (council) of workers and soldier deputies sat here in December 1917 and in 1918; later the communists were kept prisoners here during the years of Intervention and the Merculovs' coup. Since 1925 the building has been used as the Ilyich--the patronymic of V.Lenin--Children's Palace called later the Pioneers' Palace. Owned by a business company, it has recently been reconstructed.

SVETLANSKAYA ST. THE SERGEI LAZO MONUMENT

In front of the Gorky Teatre on Svetlanskaya stands the Sergei Lazo monument. Sergei Lazo was a Civil War hero who has been thought for the whole Soviet period to have been burned in the fire-box of a train by the Japanese interventionists. The fact was recently disputed. According to the new version, he must have been shot after his arrest by the Japanese. In 1975, the statue of Lazo, designed by sculptor L.Pisarevsky, was placed on the pedestal where the statue of a noted Russian admiral used to stand--new heroes came to replace old honored ones to implant Soviet ideology. The Admiral Zavoiko monument designed by a famous sculptor I.Gintsburg known for his statuettes executed in realistic genre was dedicated in 1908. The three meters high statue commemorated the renowned admiral with the map in his right hand and a saber in his left. Admiral Zavoiko was rightly considered to be the initiator of the Vladivostok port. When in 1959 the governor general of the Amur region addressed admiral Zavoiko with a suggestion to establish a port in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur he advised to try and find a port in the south where Vladivostok stands now. The replacement of this monument is presently regarded as a great loss. An opinion was expressed to restore it but it has been to no avail so far.

#8, SUKHANOVA ST. THE FAR EASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY.

The construction of the former School of Commerce grew in response to the needs of rapidly growing trade in Vladivostok. Architect S.A.Vensan's project won the competition announced in St.Petersburg though architect V.A.Planson laid out the site and "set" the building into it. Erected in 1913, the new building of the School of Commerce became a Vladivostok's landmark. Basically designed in art nouveau, it has Gothic details. The severity and expressiveness of its architectural decor based on the assumption of architectural integrity of the facade and the interior highlights the geometrical forms. The decorative bricks matching the quality and color are used in the embellishment of the building--the so called rational way of decoration.

From 1920 to 1939 the State Far Eastern University had been in the building. 1939 was a sinister date in the history of FESU: it was closed and the building was occupied by the NKVD, the predecessor of KGB, notorious for the repressions of Stalin's era. When in 1956, after the restoration, the FESU returned to the building the faculty found blood-stained walls in the basement which was rumored to have been used as torture cells in the interim. The most gruesome joke says that ghosts are still wandering in the basement...

Being the only classical university in the Russian Far East, with branches in Sakhalin, Kamchatka, Japan, the People's Republic of China, FESU is the home of important centers for research in chemistry, biology, marine science, physics, electronics, liberal arts, and other fields. FESU's sixteen departments enroll more than 1600 students each year to be taught in 21 specialties and more than 50 majors. Presently, FESU successfully cooperates with universities, scientific centers and schools of Japan, U.S.A., Great Britain, Australia, the People's Republic of China, Republic of Korea, Vietnam and other countries. FESU offers intensive courses in Russian as a Foreign Language, Russian Area Studies.

In retrospect, FESU has prepared many highly-qualified professionals for enterprises, schools, and other institutions of the Russian Far East. The university's activity is connected with the names of many outstanding scholars, scientists and public figures.

SVETLANSKAYA ST. THE SEAMEN MEMORIAL

The Seamen Memorial , unveiled in 1967 (sculptor O.Ikonnikov, V.Zverev, architects Yu.Vdovin, V.Tkhor), stands on a small square situated over the steep slope of the Golden Horn Inlet. It was erected to commemorate the seamen of the FESCO mercantile marine killed during World War II. With the beginning of WWII the activity of the Far Eastern Shipping Company (FESCO) has changed: the ships were sent to the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries-allies--those were regions entirely new for the then FESCO stuff. The relations with the U.S.A. were special during WWII: we were allies and after the fascists struck the Soviet Union, president Roosevelt rendered aid to the Russians--actually since the fall of 1941 the aid has been regularly delivered--which was specified under the conditions of the Lend-Lease Act, passed by U.S. Congress on March 11, 1941 to furnish war materials and services to allies during WWII. Half of Lend-Lease assistance designated for the Russians was carried through Vladivostok. The voyages across the Pacific were dangerous. Since there was no convoy to patrol the way, to ensure the safe delivery of Lend-Lease supplies guns were installed aboard the FESCO mercantile vessels which had to go without any lights by night or any audio signals in the fog... The FESCO seamen suffered heavy casualties; 340 persons were killed, 24 ships were sunk.

In the center of The Seamen Memorial, on the polished gray granite pedestal made in a form of a wheel-house of a ship the three seamen group around the gun: the captain is giving the last order... The twenty-four bronze plaques , with the outlines of the ships , bedecking the memorial bear the names of all the seamen killed during WW II. Eternal flames in front of the monument are a good reminder of the seamen's heroic exploits. The whole complex expresses great gratitude and admiration of the Vladivostokians for the seamen of the mercantile marine.

SVETLANSKAYA ST. THE NEVELSKOY MONUMENT

Unveiled in 1897, the monument to Nevelskoy became the first monument in Vladivostok. The cornerstone was laid in 1891 by Cesarevich Nikolai who was to be the last imperial ruler of Russia. The townspeople had been donating since 1889 when the idea of commemorating the memory of G.Nevelskoy was first put into words. Admiral Nevelskoy (1813-1876), Russian explorer of the Far East proved that Sakhalin was an island--not a peninsula as it had been thought of before--and that the Amur was navigable in all its parts--the mouth of the Amur had been believed to be lost in quick sands. Nevelskoy also founded Nikolayevsk-on-Amur in 1850.

Simple in form and modest in embellishment, the Nevelskoy Monument began to symbolize the collective exploration exploits and pioneering spirit of sailors, soldiers, cossacks and first explorers. Designed by the navy engineer A.Antipov, the monument consists of twelve gray granite slabs topped with the globe circled along the diameter and crowned with a two-headed eagle, a symbol of Russian csars' autocracy. In the niche facing the Golden Horn Inlet stands the Nevelskoy bust perfectly executed by a renouned Russian sculptor R.Bach (1859 - 1933). Inconspicuous presence of Nevelskoy highlights the expressiveness of the whole. In the rest three niches there are the bronze plaques bearing the names of Nevelskoy's collaborators who participated in 1849 - 1853 expeditions.

The story of the Nevelskoy Monument is typical of post-revolutionary Russia: in 1923 the five-pointed star came to replace the two-headed eagle, the remains of revolutionaries were reburied in front of the monument. Since then the small public garden surrounding it has been named the Victims of the Revolution Public Garden. In 1958 two years before the centenary of Vladivostok, N.Kukel'-Krayevsky, the grandson of Nevelskoy, addressed the local government to restore the monument. By 1960 the Nevelskoy Monument had been restored.

#65, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

The first church was constructed in Vladivostok in 1861, 0n the first year of the earliest settlers. The St.Virgin's Assumption church was a wooden structure topped with a tiny wooden cross which was the only sign showing that that was a church. This notwithstanding, the woodwen structure with the iconostasis--which in Russian Orthodox church is a partition covered with icons, holy pictures, which separates the sanctuary from the main part of the church and is usually richly decorated--painted on the canvas served as the only church for many years.

In 1876 the need to construct a masonry building was great: the old church could not meet the demand of the growing Vladivostok's population. Since the city could not afford building the church, due to finance, the military governor addressed the governor general of Eastern Siberia asking him to address the Minister of Internal Affairs to call for the all-empire's donations. Ten years later the construction began and in December 1889 the new St.Virgin's Assumption church was dedicated by bishop Gury.

Designed by architect Miller, the new building looked beautiful. Situated on the slope of a hill, it looked especially beautiful from the sea. It was a masonry structure with the main dome of 35 meters high. From the first years of its existence the St.Virgin's Assumption church was one of the main attractions in Vladivostok. Unfortunately, it shared the tragic lot of all the Russian churches in post-revolutionary period: in 1932 it was closed and in 1938 it was torn down to build the present brick building which was first used as a residential quarter and now houses the Fine Arts School. The only reminder of the former grandeur of the St.Virgin's Assumption church is a small building which used to be a church library or an administrative building.

# 71, SVETLANSKAYA ST.

The St.Paul's Lutheran church was built in Vladivostok as early as 1878 for the Lutheran congregation who were migrants, former exiles and businessmen mostly from the Baltic states and Germany. The construction was sponsored by a former organ player from Sitka, Alaska, Otto Rein who came to Vladivostok to settle. In 1908 the wooden structure was rebuilt by German architect Yunghendel in Gothic style. Constructed of baked bricks, the entire church with its pointed arch and ribbed vault looks like mediaeval.

It was used as a church up to 1930. The fate of the last pastor was tragic: accused of having participated in suppressing the peasants insurrections in pre-Revolutionary Russia, espionage for the Germans and collaboration with the fascist Germany, V.Riechwald, a Russian German, was arrested in 1935 and sentenced to seven years imprisonment. His further fate is unknown, most probably, he died in prison. In 1935, it housed the Gorky club for petty officers of the Pacific Navy of the U.S.S.R. Later, in 1950, it was turned into the Pacific Navy Museum. With the guns which saw the Russo-Japanese war and participated in the battle in Port Arthur--a port in NE China, on the Yellow Sea, Chinese, L'u-shun, Japanese, Ryojunko, Ryojun--displayed in front of the church, the St.Paul's Lutheran church represents an incongruent picture. Now when the Lutheran community was restored in Primorye after more than sixty year's break, there is a growing concern about the reconstruction of the church which is now in a deplorable state inspite of the fact that the former church is an architectural monument of republican significance.

#10, PUSHKINSKAYA ST.

The early settlers perfectly understood the paramount importance of friendly relations with neighboring countries. In anticipation, the Oriental Studies Institute was established in 1899 which became the first higher education institution in the Russian Far East, and disseminated knowledge to the citizens of the area. With four departments--Chinese-Japanese, Chinese-Korean, Chinese-Mongolian and Chinese-Manchurian--the Oriental Studies Institute provided students with a broad liberal arts background. It also offered courses in business and economics, social science and law. The Oriental Studies Institute was dedicated to the preparation of students for professional careers in administrative, trading, and industrial enterprises of the Russian Far East and adjacent countries.

Executed by A.A.Gvozdiovsky, a Vladivostok's popular architect of that time, this E-shaped 3-4 story-building is properly a classic structure built of red brick with triangle pediment and 3-4 columns flanking the windows. Stylistically, the emphasis is upon the line: severe geometric forms and plain walls underline a college building. Brought from Manchuria, the two mythological lions symbolizing wizdom adorn the central entrance since 1907.

In 1920 the building was given to the State Far Eastern University and later, in 1929, to the Far Eastern Polytechnical Institute--the Far Eastern Technical University since 1993--which it has housed since then.

VIEWPOINT (NEAR FUNICULAR)

A cable car can take you along the funicular railroad constructed in 1962, and spanning downtown with Sukhanov street and the viewpoint on Orlinoye Gnezdo hill. The nickname Orlinoye Gnezdo (Eagle's Nest) was earned due to the fact that when the first settlers climbed the top of the hill they found an eagle's nest with the younglings inside.

On visiting Vladivostok, a Norwegian arctic explorer Fridtjof Nansen (1861 - 1930) wrote: "Vladivostok looks very beautiful from the sea. It is hardly inferior in this respect to any other city. Situated on the terraces, it looks very much like Naples. It's true, there's no Vesuveus in the background but there is a magnificent harbor and delightful islands instead."

The viewpoint provides vistas across the waters and to the hilly islands scattered over the Peter the Great Bay which frames the whole scene. Looking "like some sea princess' jewels carelessly tossed on the blue velvet" from the great height, the 22 islands spatter the approaches to the city. The largest and very impressive, Russian Island, is visible from this site. Covered with ancient oriental legends, Russian Island is indicated as the Moonlight Fortress on the 18^th century East-Asian maps. The legend goes that, inspecting P'o-hai state, the mighty sedentary state (approximately, 700 - 900), which reportedly comprised the territory of present-day Primorye as part of it, the emperor gave an order to establish a fortress on the hilly island not far from the continental shore which had to be approved by the gods. To their despair, the gods did not respond. All of a sudden, when everything seemed to be lost, there was a thin moonlight beam coming through thick and ominous clouds and pointing to one of the island bays, which is believed to be one of the bays of Russian Island. Then comes Popov Island, in ancient times known as the Lonely Star Island, and sometimes called as the "Treasure Island." The nickname can be accounted for by two reasons: on the one hand, speaking figuratively, many rare tree and shrub species grow there, and presently, it is part of the first in the country marine preserve, on the other hand, the island used to serve as the hide out of khun-khuz, or the "red-bearded" Chinese pirates who robbed all the passing ships, threw the victims from the high cliffs and hid the treasures. Rumors have it that the treasures are still there... Almost every island has an underlying legend, most of them are called for the first explorers, navigators, the vessels: Reinike, Rikord, Pakhtusov, Tsivolko, Zheltukhin and others.

Being one of the largest in the Sea of Japan, the Peter the Great Bay comprises six smaller bays: Posyet, Amur, Ussuri, Strelok, Vostok, and Nakhodka. Two of them, namely, the Amur and the Ussuri Bays with the East Bosporous Strait separating them wash the Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula from the East and West.

Across the spectacular Golden Horn Inlet with the Merchant fleet on the right, the Shipyard "Dalzavod," on the left, the Navy base in the middle, and the Fishery Port on the opposite side, there is Goldobin Peninsula, locally known as Churkin neighborhood where there used to be a fashionable garden "Italia" in pre-Revolutionary Vladivostok, the favorite place of recreation for the townspeople of that time. Now this is a residential district.

With its numerous peninsulas, capes, islands--highly fragmented coastline--and thoroughfares, streets and lanes climbing to the hills and overlooking the waters, Vladivostok enjoys a gorgeous cityscape.

Speaking In Tongues Scribbling In Voices

Maria Lebedko

VLADIVOSTOK DOWNTOWN: HISTORIC WALKING TOUR

THE TRAIN STATION BUILDING