Old Saint Petersburg Stock Exchange and Rostral Columns Plaza

Address: Birzhevaya Ploshchad, St. Petersburg, Russia

The Old Saint Petersburg Stock Exchange and Rostral Columns sit on the Strelka (eastern tip) of Vasilievsky Island in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The exchange building was constructed in the early 19th century in a Greek Revival style and faces the Neva River.

Two freestanding Rostral Columns stand on the quay beside the exchange building; their decoration includes ship prows and maritime motifs and they were conceived as decorative navigational beacons. The ensemble is one of the city’s most recognisable riverfront vistas and a frequent subject of photography.

Designed and built during the imperial period, the exchange complex was part of the city’s plan to present a monumental riverside frontage; the exchange building has been repurposed for museum and exhibition functions in modern times. The site occupies a prominent position opposite the Peter and Paul Fortress and close to central river crossings, offering wide views along the Neva.

• Date and situation: Constructed in the first decade of the 19th century, the complex forms a focal point on the eastern tip of Vasilievsky Island and faces the Neva River and the Peter and Paul Fortress.
• Ceremonial lighting: The Rostral Columns were fitted with lights historically and are still used for ceremonial illumination on special occasions, making them highly visible from the river and embankments.

What to See#

• Old Stock Exchange building: The exchange building on the Strelka is a monumental Greek Revival structure completed in the early 19th century and originally housed trade and financial functions.
• Rostral Columns: The pair of Rostral Columns flank the exchange building on the waterfront and are decorated with ship prows; they were designed as navigational beacons and are a prominent riverside landmark.

The site is on Vasilyevsky Island near the Neva River embankment and is accessible by St. Petersburg’s metro (Vasileostrovskaya) and local buses. Boat tours on the Neva provide excellent views of the exchange and columns from the water.

• Go in the late afternoon for photographs of the Rostral Columns; they are lit during certain evening hours for dramatic effect.
• Combine the visit with a boat trip on the Neva-viewing the Exchange building and columns from the water shows the original maritime symbolism.