Friends, today we're heading to Vasilievsky Island in Saint Petersburg to explore the Kirov Cultural Palace. I’ve briefly mentioned this structure in my earlier articles, and now I want to delve deeper into the history of this complex.
A Bit of History
The Cultural Palace was built on the site of the former Smolensky Field, where revolutionaries were executed in the past. An architectural competition for the palace design was held in 1930, with requirements for two theaters, libraries, an observatory, and various rooms for sports, lectures, and children. This was a standard set of features for such buildings.
The project by architects N. A. Trotsky and S. N. Kozak won the competition. Although revised later, the new construction plan was not fully realized: a 4,000-seat theater and a west wing were not built, yet the palace became the largest in Leningrad.
Construction began in 1931 and dragged on for years. The library, children's rooms, and gyms opened in 1933, with the overall construction finishing in 1937.
During World War II, the palace suffered significant damage but was quickly restored after the war. In the 1960s, a cinema was established here. At that time, glass pavilions were built in front of the building for the “Inrybprom-68” exhibition.
In 2019, the building was sold to new owners, with plans for extensive renovations, but reports indicated that work had not yet begun. Online maps reveal that the eastern part of the Cultural Palace is partially ruined.
According to the complex's website, today it hosts workshops, festivals, lectures, and art markets. Among its residents are sports and educational organizations, as well as dining establishments.
How to Get There by Metro
The address of the Cultural Palace is 83 Bolshoy Prospekt, Vasilievsky Island. It's a 25-minute walk from the “Vasileostrovskaya” metro station. In warm weather, you can create a walking route to the building. If you prefer public transport, there are nearby bus, trolleybus, and tram stops, although trams currently do not reach this area. A new metro station, “Gorny Institut,” is planned for the future.
Have a nice trip!
