Teatralnaya Square

Categories / City Topography/Urban Network/Squares
TEATRALNAYA SQUARE, known as Karuselnaya Square until the 1780s, surrounded by Griboedova Canal Embankment, Kryukov Canal Embankment, Dekabristov Street, Glinki Street and Soyuza Pechatnikov Street. The square was built in the 1760s. In the 1760s-70s it was a regular place for so-called carousels or roundabouts, amphitheatres for equestrian games (hence the original name). In 1783, the Bolshoy (Stone) Theatre was built here, to be rebuilt repeatedly. At present this site holds the building of the St. Petersburg Conservatory (house No. 3). In 1845, a wooden circus was built on the square, superseded by a stone theatre-circus in 1847-49 (architect A.K. Cavos). The theatre-circus was rebuilt in 1859 to accommodate the Mariinsky Theatre (house No. 1). In the late 18th century the former Mordvinov mansion was erected (house No. 14), in the early 19th century architect E.T. Sokolov's own house was built (house No. 4), in 1875 house No. 2 was constructed (architect A.L. Gun). In 1906, a monument to M.I. Glinka was set up in front of the building of the Conservatory (sculptor R.R. Bach, architect A.R. Bach; transferred to a public garden on the right of the building in 1925). In 1952, a monument to N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov was opened (sculptors V.Y. Bogolyubov, V.I. Ingal, architect M.A. Shepilevsky). Among the residents of Teatralnaya Square were: stage director V.E. Meyerhold (house No. 2, 1909-14), artist M.A. Vrubel (house No. 4, 1904-05). In 1818-20, Alexander Pushkin frequented house No. 8, where the gatherings of the Green Lamp literary society were held. In January 1820 F.N. Glinka hosted a meeting of the members of the Prosperity Union secret society in his flat situated in house No. 18 (see Decembrists). Illustrations see on page 853.

References: Николаева Т. И. Театральная площадь. Л., 1984.

G. Y. Nikitenko. Bach Alexander Romanovich
Bach Robert Romanovich
Bogolyubov Veniamin Yakovlevich
Cavos Albert Katarinovich
Glinka Fedor Nikolaevich
Glinka Mikhail Ivanovich
Gun Andrey Leontievich
Ingal Vladimir Iosifovich
Meyerhold Vsevolod Emilievich
Pushkin Alexander Sergeevich
Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolay Andreevich
Shepilevsky Modest Anatolievich
Sokolov Egor Timofeevich
Vrubel Mikhail Alexandrovich
Dekabristov St./Saint Petersburg, city
Glinka St./Saint Petersburg, city
Griboedova Canal Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city
Kryukova Canal Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city
Soyuza Pechatnikov St./Saint Petersburg, city
Teatralnaya Square/Saint Petersburg, city, house 14
Teatralnaya Square/Saint Petersburg, city, house 4
Teatralnaya Square/Saint Petersburg, city, house 18
Teatralnaya Square/Saint Petersburg, city, house 3
Teatralnaya Square/Saint Petersburg, city, house 8
Teatralnaya Square/Saint Petersburg, city
Teatralnaya Square/Saint Petersburg, city, house 2
Teatralnaya Square/Saint Petersburg, city, house 1
Николаева Т. И. Театральная площадь. Л., 1984 Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory
Mariinsky Theatre
Green Lamp, Literary and Political Society
Decembrists
1783
1810
1817
1845
1856
1952