Demidov Garden

Categories / City Topography/Green Areas/Gardens, Orchards
DEMIDOV GARDEN is situated at Ofitserskaya (today Dekabristov) Street; between Pisareva Street and Moika River Embankment. In the early 18th century the lot belonged to Baron P.P. Shafirov, an associate of Peter the Great, in the second half of the 18th century it passed to L.A. Naryshkin. The so-called Banquettes in Naryshkin's Garden were opened on the territory of the garden in 1793, which had the character of an entertainment establishment, the first in St. Petersburg. Masked balls, dancing parties, theatre and circus performances took place there. In 1830, A. N. Demidov became the owner of the territory. Demidov opened the Demodov House of Workers Assistance, a philanthropic establishment for the needy was in 1833, which he personally funded. The entrepreneur V.N. Egorov opened the Russian Family Garden, which was named after Demidov on a leased part of the territory in 1864. Kolomna inhabitants took rest, public festivals were held, choirs, orchestras and concerts were organised there. In the last quarter of the 19th century the garden became a place for meetings of the so-called golden youth (locals ironically called it Demidron). Demidov Garden then passed to actress V.A. Linskaya-Nemetti in the 1880s, a wooden summer theatre and a stone winter theatre were built there for performances of famous actresses. Komissarzhevskaya Theatre functioned in Demidov Garden in 1906-09; Futurists, including V.V. Mayakovsky, who played the leading role of his Vladimir Mayakovsky tragedy, acted there for the first time in 1913. The lot was developed by architect V.A. Schreter at the crossroad of Pisareva Street and Moika River Embankment in the late 19th century. A multi-storied house with triangle bay windows and large windows on the upper storey, where workshops were situated, was one of the best residential houses of the time. An angular two-storied mansion with a high roof and a turret, with a triangle and compasses depicted on its facade, was built in 1891; Schreter himself lived there. Luna Park was opened on the free area of Demidov Garden in 1912. The territory was redeveloped for a stadium after 1917, and was given to Lesgaft Institute of Physical Culture in 1924. Only small groups of recently planted trees remain of Demidov garden.

Y. P. Seliverstov. Demidov Akinfy Nikitich
Egarev Vasily Nikitich
Lesgaft Peter Franzevich
Linskaya-Nemetti Vera Alexandrovna
Mayakovsky Vladimir Vladimirovich
Naryshkin Lev Alexandrovich
Peter I, Emperor
Schreter Viktor Alexandrovich
Shafirov Peter Pavlovich, Baron
Dekabristov St./Saint Petersburg, city
Moika River Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city
Pisareva St./Saint Petersburg, city
Lesgaft Academy of Physical Education, State, St. Petersburg
1793