A.Betankur (two busts)

Augustin Betankur (1758 -1824) was a talented engineer, mechanic and builder, he founded the engines and machinery theory.

He was the ancestor of the pirate and the Canarians discoverer. He was born on Tenerife island, got educated in France, worked a lot in Spain. But after the political conflict he had to move to Russia, where he became the General-Lieutenant, the head director of the means of communication, outstanding engineer and the state figure. He’s done a lot for Russia prosperity – he was building the bridges, roads, plants, hydro technical constructions, invented a number of serious things. People remember him as kind and good man, very friendly with his employers, but a bit hot-tempered and too ingenious. He built the first bridge over Neva, and developed the central embankment of St.Petersburg with many other buildings and constructions. He took part in the construction of St. Isaac’s cathedral, and the fountain ‘The girl with a jar’ in Tsarskoye selo, which was described by A. Pushkin.

According to Betankur’s project, in St.Petersburg there was organized the Corpus of engineers for the means of communication Institute, where he was sent as a principal. From 1816 Betankur was in charge of Head of Department of the urban buildings in St.Petersburg, and in 1819 he became the Chief Manager of the means of communication. He was doing this job until his last days. In 2003 for the 300 city anniversary, in the park of the Means of Communication University there was placed the bust of Augustin Betankur (by the sculpture V. Gorevoy, architects V. Popov and Y. Nikitin). Betankur’s holding a roll of paper in his right hand, and a pair of compasses in his left hand; there’s his family arms on the basement. Before that inside the university there were placed two busts of the scientist.

On July, 27 1995 The Ministry of the means of transportation of Russia developed the honorary medal of Betankur, which is given to the specialists for their input in the transport education development. Moreover, on the main square of his hometown Puerto de la Cruz, there was placed another bust to the great son of a small town, Augustin Betankur.