Wednesday Walk: Griboedov Canal and Nikolsky Garden

The weather forecasters are promising us an early and warm spring. I usually doubt their predictions, but this time it looks like they will be right. Winter hasn't been harsh this year. Or am I getting a little ahead of myself? It's not the end of winter, there's still two days left! Or even three, depending on the time zone. On the other hand, winter is hardly interested in the date on the calendar. Snowfall can happen in April, and night frosts can come in May. But so far our weather is warm and snow-free, the asphalt under our feet is free of snow, the ice cover on rivers and lakes is melting.

The weather is not warm enough to melt all the snow and ice at once, so there is still snow in gardens and parks and on lawns. Sometimes there is a light snowfall, and the light fluffy snow adds softness and airiness to the landscape. Outside the city, there is still enough snow for skiing. North of the city, it will be possible to ski for a few more weeks. There are dense pine and spruce forests there, and the snow in the forests melts slowly.

The ice on the Griboyedov Canal has partially melted and the buildings are beautifully reflected in the ice depths. The Griboedov Canal embankment and the neighbouring streets are typical 19th century buildings. Most of the buildings here are apartment houses. Officials, merchants, students settled here. Their life is well described in classical literature. I pass the street where, according to the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Rodion Raskolnikov lived, and head towards the house of Sonechka Marmeladova. Fyodor Dostoevsky did not tell us the exact addresses of the buildings where the heroes of his works lived, but he left detailed descriptions. Urban local historians have made comparative analyses of the texts and city streets, and have recorded these addresses in guidebooks.

I take a short break from my walk, and enter Nikolsky Garden when the sun has already set behind the horizon and the last colours of the sunset are melting in the sky. The evening turned out to be long, the sky was completely cleared of clouds, and it got dark later than usual. But the lanterns have already been lit, and the evening flows into the night. Nikolsky garden got its name from Nikolsky sea cathedral. The majestic building of the cathedral was built in the middle of the XVIII century, this building is considered to be a monument of Elizabethan Baroque. The colour of the cathedral wall is in perfect harmony with the blue sky and white snow.

This is my entry for the #WednesdayWalk challenge by @tattoodjay.