Rostral Columns

Two Rostral Columns at the sides of the square serve as beacons for ships entering the harbour. They are decorated with metal ship rostra. In olden days the rostra (nose part) of defeated ships were put up on columns to commemorate the victory. The Rostral Columns commemorate Russia's victories at sea.

At the foot of the columns stand allegoric figures personifying four great russian rivers.

The building of former warehouses built in 1826-1832 under the super-vision of architect Giovanni Lucini. Each warehouse consists of two buildings. One of them faces the embankment with its colonnade in the centre, and the other, Pushkin Square.