Friends, today we’re once again heading out for a walk around some interesting places in St. Petersburg. This time I’d like to tell you about Austrian Square, located in the southern part of Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt. I was sure that the square was named either to honor the ties between Russia and Austria or as recognition of the fact that Austrian architects developed this area—but it turned out that wasn’t quite the case.
The Ensemble of Austrian Square
Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt, where Austrian Square is located, was laid out back in the 18th century as a road leading to Aptekarsky and Kamenny Islands. In the past, the area of what would later become the square was home to wattle-and-daub houses belonging to the Armory Office; they were allocated as housing for weavers brought to work in St. Petersburg from other parts of the country. In the 19th century, private landowners kept vegetable gardens here.
The buildings we see here today date from the early and mid-20th century. Five façades face the square (the southwest section has two buildings). Three of them—houses numbered 13, 16, and 20—were built by architect V. V. Schaub. This master left a significant mark on St. Petersburg’s architecture: the city’s directory of architects lists over 70 projects authored by Schaub. I mentioned this architect in my article about the Schroeder Mansion.
House No. 18 was built by A. I. Kovsharov, who, for example, also worked on the renovation of the remarkable Brusnitsyn Mansion on Vasilyevsky Island. Interestingly, the houses on Austrian Square built by Schaub are included in St. Petersburg’s cultural heritage register, but I couldn’t find Kovsharov’s buildings there.
The buildings I mentioned appeared here in the early 20th century; House No. 15 was built later, on the site of another building destroyed during World War II. The new construction project was designed by architects O. I. Guryev and A. P. Shcherbenok.
When the houses were built, the square didn’t have an official name: if you look at old maps of the city, you’ll see that it wasn’t labeled at all. On some plans, this spot was simply called “a square” or “an open area.” The official name appeared only on October 29, 1992. According to the “Toponymic Portal,” the name is linked to the development of the site with buildings in the Austrian style. There were also plans to create an “Austrian Corner” with Austrian shops, eateries, and a pharmacy, but that idea never came to life.
How to Get There by Metro
The nearest metro station to the square is Gorkovskaya, just a six-minute walk away; a bit farther is Petrogradskaya station.
You can plan your route so that, for example, you first stroll through the Peter and Paul Fortress, pass through the square, and head toward Kamenny Island. Along the way, you’ll come across the House of Three Benois, and the House of the Emir of Bukhara.
Have a nice trip!
