The Spit of Vasilyevsky Island was created as an open square during the time of Peter the First. Its modern look appeared at the beginning of the 19th century, thanks to the construction of a new stock exchange building (it looks like a classic Greek Roman temple) and two rostral columns. The rostral column is called so thanks to the rostra - the "noses" of ships embedded in it. They stick out in different directions at different levels, symbolizing the naval victories of the Russian fleet. It is important not to confuse the Roman words roster and rostra. The first is the bow of the ship, three times the oratorical tribune in ancient Rome. Why are the noses of ships so important? The fact is that in ancient Rome the ship was equipped with an underwater battering ram in the bow. He punched the side of the enemy vessel and defeated the enemy. Therefore, as a trophy, the Romans depicted the nose of the enemy ships - rostra. That is why the bow of the ship is depicted on the rostral columns. Translated with Google Translate