Hi JB, yes that's them. Curiously enough, I've just seen them on TV. A programme called 'The Greatest Motor Cycle Rides in the World'. This ride was from St Petersburg to Moscow, and they showed a few shots around St P at the beginning.

Cheers, Nerys

Hi Nerys, think I might have found them (near the stock exchange) ? Look like a bit of base resto was being done last year. Unusual lighthouses, only Russians would do something like this 😁 Perhaps they got the idea from totem poles ? Wonder if the figureheads face N.E.W.S ?
If you have a small date in the bottom LH of your GE view, click it and you will see a date slider on the top Left. You can change satellite view dates (not street view) Close up pic of point is from 2000

JB

Hi JB,

Yes, I thought they were in St P. There are far more other ships there now from what you say, I vaguely remember a smallish barquentine moored near Aurora but nothing else but that was in communist days. There's much more in the museum too. I know the museum was moved into a former barracks, it looks as if it was in the same area. If you google the museum they do show some pictures of the lighthouses. They stand out in front at the waters edge, are tall posts with a couple of bits stuck out on the sides and a larger lump on top.

cheers, Nerys

Hi Nerys, pics are in St Petersburg Central Naval Museum, about 60M from the waterway at the entrance (see GE view) see also distance to Aurora on other GE view (red line)- about 3km as the crow flies. A few other ships I found as well which looked interesting. The frigate 'Grace' (БлаГОДаТЬ, - as it seems to be commonly reported) although it seems to be spelt differently on the ship (БааГОДаТЬ) which doesn't seem to translate ? (perhaps they've cocked it up ? ) It's a recently renovated restaurant ship from what I can find.

The other strange looking 'sailing ship' seems to have a fitness centre at the stern, something else in the centre and a restaurant in the bow. It's quite large, being around 230ftx40ft. (may be a recent build)? The other smaller more modern white Schooner? (ЮНЫЙ БАЛТИЕЦ) is the 'Young Baltics',- a sail training vessel (1980) The Ice breaker is the 'Krasin' КРАСИН) looks like a museum ship. The Aurora looks to be beautifully preserved for a ship of its age! The sign on the gangway says something about great latin fleet? -can't get a good view of the words. You could spend forever looking at historical stuff round Russia, - the sheer amount of interesting boats, buildings, and machinery is endless.!

The Russians are certainly brilliant at preserving their history, cost seems no barrier! - us - not so much😴.

Wondered if the third to last pic is what you were thinking of re lighthouses? -it's the entrance to the Admiralty building opposite the winter palace. Haven't found anything else resembling lighthouse type pillars,- maybe they have been moved elsewhere? Last 2 pics are of their local model pond near the water (joking LOL )- lovely,!- pipes are probably water for the big flash buildings on the 'islands', (probably can't afford to bury them yet!)😁

JB

I was under the impression that the pictures were of the St Petersburg Museum· That's where the figureheads were, Aurora of course has always been there ever since she fired her guns to start the revolution.

Nerys

Thanks for the update Nerys the last time I was there it was moored in Leningrad long time ago.

Thanks jb for enhancing those figureheads, does improve them. The museum we visited was on the waterfront and had two unusual, sculpted pillars outside which were lighthouses from the distant past. If I remember correctly it was on the other side of the harbour/river and quite a long way from the Aurora. We were in a hotel near Aurora. Think you've done well to get all this access to it, I'll have to have a go some time soon and hope I get as much success as you have done. I'll be interested to see the small sail boat models in particular.

cheers, Nerys

Thought I'd try to enhance some of the figureheads in the Museum as most were too dark to see well.

JB

HI Nerys, glad you enjoyed the pics, hope you were able to 'visit' the museum. Thought I'd have a look at the museum you mentioned and wondered it the one pictured might have been it (Central Naval Museum) also a pic I found of a figurehead inside,-might be one you looked at?
Unfortunately at this stage you can't 'visit', but it might change in the future, (great the Russians have let us see what we can now!)

The 3rd pic (pillars) is inside the State Hermitage Museum (art and culture) which you can visit (no wonder Russia is run down $$$$$) Last 7 pics are the Imperial Yachts Museum (possibly the Tzars' boat club? )

BELAY THE SMALL STUFF !! Was going to post lots of photos but found a way to see inside, massive ships models and figureheads galore (visitors photos)👍👍👍👍👍 Go to google, - search Central Naval Museum (for page shown, - pic 4,- - click on those pics and you're sailing ⛵⛵⛵ Enjoy. (you can zoom the photos as well) Another good site with better close-ups (some nice smaller sailboats as well)

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298507-d4814301-Reviews-Central_Naval_Museum-St_Petersburg_Northwestern_District.html#photos;aggregationId=101&albumid=101&filter=7&ff=436471220

JB

Thank you jb for telling us about that museum, I'll certainly 'pay them a visit'. It's about forty years since I visited Russia but even in those Communist days, some of them were pretty opulent, as was the underground in Moscow. At the time there was an outcry in the UK about the European butter mountain, whilst butter in the EU was in short supply, well, I found it. I visited an open air museum in Moscow and dotted around the grounds were stalls selling groceries. Every one had a huge pile of butter in the middle of the floor labelled butter from the EU.
I visited the Maritime Museum in Leningrad, as it was. My father, was at that time, quite an authority on figureheads and had told me to look out for some iron unpainted figureheads that were in their collection. Wandered around for a while and eventually saw one up a staircase with a rope stopping entry to the upper floors. That didn't stop me, I got over the rope, photographed the figurehead, looked up and saw more figureheads on landings above me. Luckily there were no attendants around. Eventually I found twelve figureheads, much to my father's pleasure. He believed that we had at that time, the only photographs of these figureheads in the UK. I must look for them, I think I should still have them.

Cheers, Nerys