Cities Kronstadt is a suburb of St. Petersburg and is located on Kotlin Island, thirty kilometers from St. Petersburg. It is adjacent to several other small islands. Until 1983, the island was cut off from the mainland and could only be reached by sea. Now the island is connected to the shore by a ring road, which is also a protective structure of the shores of St. Petersburg from flooding. There are about 400 architectural and historical monuments in the city. The main attraction is the Gostiny Dvor in Kronstadt, whose history has been going on for more than two centuries.
Construction of Gostiny Dvor
Gostiny Dvor appeared on this site in the early eighteenth century. On the plan of the city of Kronstadt, dated 1785, places for trading shops were already marked. Construction was completed in 1797 and the sites were given to merchants and merchants. Almost all the shops were built of wood, only twelve trading places,which were turned towards the main street of the city, were made of stone. Thus, some of the first markets in the form in which we know them now were opened.
Reformation
After Nicholas I visited Kronstadt in 1827, the rebuilding of the Gostiny Dvor began, as the emperor did not like the ugly wooden buildings. Then a decree was issued to remake the Gostiny Dvor in Kronstadt and make it completely stone. In March 1832, the plan for a new shopping center was finally approved. The construction of the new building was entrusted to an engineer - Colonel Shestakov, but in fact the plan was made by engineer V. I. Maslov.
A rectangular two-story building surrounded by classical columns was built. The façade is smooth, with rounded corners and large gates on the west and east sides of the building. The area of Gostiny Dvor in Kronstadt is most striking - the shopping arcade stretches over an entire city block with an area of more than 4 thousand square meters. The first street was built, where they traded vegetables and flour products, then rows with silks, meat, fish. After the fire in 1874 and its restoration, the appearance of the building has changed, but today it is a state monument of architecture. The merchants themselves restored the building, using their own strength and means. Initially, there was a dispute between the merchants about what color the building should be, but they never came to a common decision. After several years of restoration, the walls were gray on one side and yellow on the other. Then the facade was completely painted in light yellow, and forged lanterns are still reminiscent of architecture.eighteenth century.
Shopping Center
Despite the fact that Kronstadt was a small county town, the construction of such a large trade center made sense. Thousands of people came here, workers, military, but there was always a buyer. The western part of Kronstadt was a political and commercial center. Here lived high-ranking officials, owners of factories and factories, scientists and artists. It was one of the largest retail outlets in the city, where about a hundred different shops and shops were located, and guests and residents of Kronstadt had the opportunity to buy goods for every taste. Trade flourished, goods were brought here from neighboring countries. The Gostiny Dvor built at that time fully corresponded to the architecture of a similar building in St. Petersburg, only it was smaller.
The era of restorations
Gostiny Dvor in Kronstadt was again restored in the period from 1953 to 1966. Now the premises have become more spacious, and even a department store has been opened. The next restoration was started in 1972, but due to lack of funds, only a part was done; they dismantled the roof, made a new layout, laid out the galleries connecting the trading floors with granite. If earlier it was impossible to go to another part of the structure without going outside, now it can be done through the inner gate in the middle.
In 1999, Polish investors expressed their desire to make a major overhaul, but the demands placed on them were toohigh, and they refused. All this time, the building was in a terrible state, without a roof and windows, until it was renovated in 2004-2007.
Location
Where is the Gostiny Dvor in Kronstadt? Its address is as follows: Lenina Avenue, house 16. Streets adjoining it:
- Civil.
- Karl Marx.
- Soviet.
Opposite the modern trading rows there was another Gostiny Dvor, called the Tatar Rows, but it was destroyed during the war, and residential buildings were erected in its place. At the intersection of Karl Marx and Sovetskaya streets there is a central library and Ekaterininsky park. The Maritime Library was built in 1927.
Area Attractions
If you want to explore the city, you can start the tour in Kronstadt from Gostiny Dvor. For example, a partially restored chapel of the Church of St. Andrew the First-Called and St. Vladimir's Cathedral are located nearby. Very close by are the remains of the old Tikhvin chapel, which was built in 1898 and destroyed in 1932. Then a square was made on the site of the old cathedral and chapel. In 2003, a monument to the 1817 cathedral was erected in the park. Catherine Park, located nearby, is considered the pearl of the city, where you can relax on benches and walk along beautiful paths.
Monument
A monument was erected near Gostiny Dvor in Kronstadt in honor of the city's tercentenary in 2004. It is a granite monument with a memorial sign attached to it. And next to it they erected a musicalrectangular fountain, 22 by 10 meters. The bowl in the middle of the pool is shaped like Fort Kronshlot. The jets of the fountain change their height depending on the musical tempo played by a specially installed acoustic system. And spectacular lighting makes this sight even more beautiful, especially in the evening.
Modern Yard
Gostiny Dvor in Kronstadt (St. Petersburg) is a huge modern shopping center. Inside it are large and small shops, boutiques, telephone shops, cafes. Here you can find almost everything you need for your home:
- Toys and clothes for children.
- Furniture.
- Adult clothes and shoes.
- Jewelry.
- Buy a phone and connect to mobile communications.
- Buy train and plane tickets.
- Visit a beauty salon.
In addition to shopping stalls, there are also office space on the second floor, offices and firms. Those who wish to rent an office will find good options for themselves here. You can go shopping endlessly, enjoying all kinds of goods and internal architecture. Sloped ceilings, brick columns, skylights and frosted glass look very stylish.
In the shopping center Gostiny Dvor you can also relax after long walks to the shops in the cafe. Hot and cold drinks are served here. There is a good selection of dishes and delicious shawarma. According to visitors, this is the best place to eat and relax.
In Gostiny Dvor there is a large beauty salon of the same name. Here you can buy high-quality cosmetics, undergo cosmetic procedures, visit a hairdresser, get a manicure and pedicure. Polite administrators are ready to advise their clients and provide any information of interest. In addition, everyone can visit the solarium, spa. Some of the other services we provide include haircuts, coloring, hair extensions, makeup, facials, eyelash extensions, piercings.
How to get there
This is the only place in the city through which all local buses and fixed-route taxis go, so getting to Gostiny Dvor in Kronstadt during opening hours is very easy. From St. Petersburg, you can get here by taxi No. 405 and No. 407 from the metro stations "Chernaya Rechka" and "Prospect of Education", respectively.
If you travel by your own car from St. Petersburg, then you need to drive along the A118 ring highway and turn onto the Kronstadt highway on Kotlin Island. The journey takes no more than forty-five minutes.
You can also take buses No. 175 and No. 200 from the Kirovsky Zavod station. The whole journey takes a little over two hours. This is the terminus of almost all suburban transport.
Work Schedule
The work schedule of the Kronstadt Gostiny Dvor is as follows: from 10:00 am to 21:00 pm on weekdays and from 11:00 am to 07:00 pm on weekends.
In early 2012, the Gostiny Dvor building was put up for auction. According to the representativeof the Property Fund of Russia, the building and the adjacent land area of 9,000 square meters are leased until 2053. In addition, as a cultural monument, it is under state control, and the winner of the auction is obliged to carry out timely repairs to the building.
Kronstadt still bears the imprint of a rich military history. The architecture of buildings, including Gostiny Dvor, takes us thousands of years back, and, despite the hectic modern life, does not lose its attractiveness.
