ABSTRACT
The era of Peter the Great saw the emergence of high society celebrations in Russian culture. Peter involved himself in event design and production much more actively than any other European post-Renaissance monarch, any of his Russian predecessors, or any of his successors. The tradition of triumphal entry into the city was adopted in Russia only after Catherine's death, during the coronation of Peter's grand-son, Peter II on February 25, 1728. Paintings, sculptures, banners, and other military paraphernalia adorned another form of temporary triumphal architecture: giant pyramids. The new festival tradition could be traced to the Russian victory at the battle of Azov in 1696, whose celebration established a standard practice for military triumphal processions, the most important among the period's popular festivals. The designs of all Russian temporary arches originated from the same architectural source: the portal designs in Sebastiano Serlio's Libro Extraordinario.
