Manezhnaya Square (St. Petersburg) is one of the squares in the very center of the city. Cross its streets Italian and Caravan. This is a beautiful, quiet square with an ancient fountain and square in the center, decorated with busts of Italian architects who participated in the construction of the city. Manezhnaya Square is a World Heritage Site.
History of the square
Before the development of St. Petersburg, a swamp was located on this site, from which a stream flowed out and flowed into the river. Fontanka. Then Peter I gave his wife Catherine I this piece of the lowland, where she gave instructions to set up a garden and erect the Berchholz Palace, which has not been preserved to this day.
By 1740, the Elephant Yard was built on this territory (where elephants donated by the Persian shah walked), stables, barns and glaciers, warehouses and workshops were located nearby.
The formation of the Manezhnaya Square ensemble began during the reign of Paul I in the early 19th century. Then the buildings of the stables and the arena of the Mikhailovsky Castle were built. The square itself was also called until 1846 Mikhailovskaya.
By 1840, near the Manege building to shelter the ugly stables of the stables, the Old Manege Garden was laid out, which now houses a monument to the writer N. Turgenev.
The architectural ensemble "Manege Square (St. Petersburg)" formed by the beginning of the 20th century in the following composition:
- Mikhailovsky Manege (early 19th century).
- buildings of the eastern and western buildings of stables belonging to the territory of Mikhailovsky Castle.
- Old Manege Garden.
- several buildings of apartment buildings (early 20th century).
- the building of the St. Petersburg Noble Assembly (now the House of Radio) (construction of the beginning of the 20th century).
- New Manege Square (in the center of the square).
The last reconstruction was made in 1999 (architect G. L. Sholokhov).
Mikhailovsky Manege
One of the central buildings at Manezhnaya Square (St. Petersburg) is an exhibition complex (also called the Winter Stadium), which has a very interesting 200-year history.
The Mikhailovsky Manege was originally designed and erected by 1800 (architect Vencienza Brenna) as part of the Mikhailovsky Castle ensemble complex. Then it was reconstructed in 1824 in the classical style (architect K. I. Rossi), the facade was decorated with five-arch doorways and attics, bas-reliefs of military armor and oak branches were installed. At the same time sculptures were installed (authors S. S. Pimenov and V. I. Demut-Malinovsky).
Before the revolution of 1917, the arena was at the disposal of the guard and the St. Petersburg military garrison.
Starting from the 19th century, they began to use the Mikhailovsky Manege as an exhibition hall, thanks to the good natural light penetrating through 54 high windows. So, in 1905 there was held the I-th exhibition of automobiles, which was organized by the Imperial Automobile Society. Then in 1909 - an international exhibition of inventions (with the participation of the All-Russian Aero Club), in 1913 - exhibitions dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. Already in the Soviet years in 1949 the building was turned into an indoor Winter Stadium, where sports classes and competitions were held.
Now the Mikhailovsky Manege is used as an exhibition complex where prestigious events are held. Therefore, many people who come to the Northern capital to participate in exhibitions are interested in where Manezhnaya Square in St. Petersburg, on which this building is located, is located.
Here is a conference room for up to 100 people, and a restaurant (for 50 seats), which host various presentations and press conferences. The hall is equipped with a new electronic display and modern sound amplification equipment for exhibitions. The total area of the Manege is more than 4 thousand square meters. m
Exhibition Hall Address: Manezhnaya Square, 2 (St. Petersburg).
Stables of the Mikhailovsky Castle
During the reconstruction in the 20s of the 19th century, the Mikhailovsky Castle K. Rossi reconstructed the adjacent buildings. The facades of the Mikhailovsky Manege and stables framing the square on both sides (western and eastern stables) were connected into a single composition in the style of classicism.
According to this project, stone fences were built to connect them, then the facades of both buildings were decorated with sculptures, which were later redone at the beginning of the 20th century.
The building itself is located on the right side of the Manege at the address: Manezhnaya Square, 2 (St. Petersburg).
St. Petersburg Noble Assembly
This monumental building was erected in 1912/14. Art Nouveau style commissioned by the Noble Assembly (arch. - Kosyakov brothers). In those days, it served as a club for the small nobility, officials and middle class merchants. Balls, literary readings were held here, theater performances took place.
During the construction, marble, sculpture, and plot murals were used in the interior. After the revolution, the building became the Palace of proletarian culture, and the auditorium became the Colossus cinema.
Since 1932, the Leningrad Radio Center has been located here, from where broadcasts from studios are being conducted. The radio center acquired the most importance during the years of the siege of Leningrad, when the radio was the only source of information for residents about military events and news from the fronts.
In 1948-1953, a large reconstruction of the building was carried out (architect A.I. Kubasov), since then the whole building is under the jurisdiction of the Radio House, from where programs are broadcast for 10 hours daily, recordings of music and theater groups and performers are carried out.
Apartment Buildings, Cinema House, War Department
On one side, several apartment buildings built in the 19th century overlook Manezhnaya Square. On the corner of Karavannaya Street there is another notably building - the former House of the Petrograd Credit Society (now the Cinema House). The facade of the building (construction was completed by 1916) is stylized as Italian architecture of the 16th century. Now festivals and retrospective film screenings are held here, the Cinema Museum is located.
The building of the War Department was built in the neoclassical style and was intended to house the Officer Corps of the Emperor of Russia (1902), located at 4 Manezhnaya Square (St. Petersburg), and is now leased to offices.
Old Manege Garden
A small garden fenced with an iron grill, located between the Manege building and the western stables, was established in 1838 as a landscape garden. Here in 2001 a monument was erected to I. S. Turgenev (sculptors Y. Ya. Neumann and V. D. Sveshnikov).
Four Architects Square
In the center is a square inaugurated in 1879 (architect V. A. Kenel) and laid down by gardener A. Wiese, now it is called Novo-Manezhny.
The whole history of the architectural construction of St. Petersburg is inextricably linked with the architects of sunny Italy. That is why the Italian government decided to make a significant gift for the 300th anniversary of the Northern capital - 4 busts of famous Italian architects (C. Rossi, A. Rinaldi, J. Quarenghi, F. Rastrelli). Manezhnaya Square in St. Petersburg was chosen as the location for these sculptures.
They were made by sculptors from St. Petersburg V.E. Gorev and architect V.V. Popova. They were placed in 2003 in a semicircle next to the fountain near the corner of Italian Street. The grand opening took place in the presence of members of the municipality of Milan.
