Intersection of Gakkelevskaya and Kamyshovaya Streets in Saint Petersburg — Online Webcam

Where this intersection is located

The intersection of Gakkelevskaya and Kamyshovaya streets is situated in the Primorsky District of Saint Petersburg — one of the most dynamically developing areas in the city's northwest. This stretch of land between Murinsky Stream and Chernaya Rechka is locally known as «Grazhdanka». The nearest metro station is «Komendantsky Prospekt» on the Frunzensko-Primorskaya Line (Line 5).

The online webcam is positioned so that the frame captures not only the intersection itself but also the surrounding area with historic buildings. This is one of those corners of Saint Petersburg where early 20th-century architecture stands alongside modern residential blocks.

Gakkelevskaya Street — named after an aircraft designer

The street received its name on April 4, 1988 — in honor of two members of the Gakkel family. Yakov Modestovich Gakkel (May 12, 1874 — December 12, 1945) was a prominent Russian engineer and inventor: he created some of the first Russian aircraft of the «Gakkel» series and became the designer of the first Soviet mainline diesel locomotive. His son Yakov Yakovlevich Gakkel chose the path of a polar explorer and oceanographer, participating in Arctic expeditions.

The street's name is no coincidence. The Primorsky District was once home to the Komendantsky Airfield — the site of the first flights by Russian aviators. Nearby run streets named after Ilyushin, Utochkin, and avenues named after Korolev and Aviakonstruktorov, as well as Polikarpov Alley — an entire aviation toponymic cluster.

Kamyshovaya Street — traces of an old road

Kamyshovaya Street runs from Gakkelevskaya to Shuvaevsky Prospekt. It emerged on the site of an old peat road, and got its name from the reed thickets that once dominated the area. This is a typical story for the outskirts of Saint Petersburg — many streets on the Vyborg Side and in the Primorsky District grew out of dirt roads laid across marshy terrain.

Polytechnic University — the dominant feature of the intersection

The main attraction at the intersection of these streets is the Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University of Peter the Great (SPbPU). One of Russia's oldest and largest technical universities occupies an entire city block here. The idea of constructing a high-rise building at this intersection was first conceived in 1968 as part of the detailed planning project for the area north of Murinsky Stream.

However, the main historical complex of the university is much older. The main building and the chemistry building were constructed in 1902 in the neoclassical style. Architect Ernest Virrikh, together with the director of the Polytechnic, Prince Gagarin, made a special trip across Europe to study the best examples of educational institutions. The foundation of the main building was laid on June 18, 1900.

Adjacent to the main building stands the water tower — the Gidrobashnya — which received decorative lighting in 2009 and became another architectural landmark of the area. The second professors' building was originally constructed as the third student dormitory, and during World War I its walls housed a military hospital.

Primorsky District — from airfield to residential neighborhood

The area around the intersection of Gakkelevskaya and Kamyshovaya has evolved from country dacha estates and marshy wastelands into one of the most densely populated districts of modern Saint Petersburg. In the early 20th century, the Komendantsky Airfield operated here — one of the first in Russia. It was from here that the aircraft of Yakov Gakkel and other pioneers of Russian aviation took to the skies.

Mass residential construction began in the 1960s–70s, when «Grazhdanka» started transforming into a typical bedroom community. Today, the Primorsky District is a blend of historic institute buildings, Soviet-era panel apartment blocks, and modern residential complexes. The live camera allows you to observe how these eras coexist at a single intersection.

How to get there and what's nearby

The intersection of Gakkelevskaya and Kamyshovaya is within walking distance of the «Komendantsky Prospekt» metro station. Nearby are stops for surface public transport, making this spot convenient for those who want to see the Polytechnic University in person or walk through the origins of Russian aviation.

In the immediate vicinity are Murinsky Park, Chernaya Rechka, and Bolshoy Prospekt — all the infrastructure for walks through the northwest of Saint Petersburg. And if you can't make it in person — the online camera shows the intersection at any time of day.

What the camera shows

The webcam at the intersection of Gakkelevskaya and Kamyshovaya broadcasts the crossing of two streets in the Primorsky District of Saint Petersburg. The frame captures the historic building of the Polytechnic University with its distinctive early 20th-century neoclassical architecture, the adjacent campus grounds, and the roadway of the intersection. The camera operates in real time — you can watch the flow of traffic, pedestrians, and how the lighting changes throughout the day in this corner of «Grazhdanka».