Manezhnaya Square in the center of Moscow

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

There are few people who are completely unaware of this place in the center of Moscow, located next to the Kremlin and Alexander Garden. Manezhnaya Square got its name from the large Manezh building erected on it in 1817. This place has always been at the center of various transformations of both historical and urban planning. The area was constantly rebuilt and subjected to redevelopment. Its current appearance was formed already in the mid-90s of the last century, and there is no certainty that it was finally and forever formed.

Manezhnaya Square, Moscow

Throughout the twentieth century, the square played a significant role in the life of the capital. In Soviet times, military units and columns of heavy military equipment were built on it for the parade march along Red Square on November 7 and May 1. In many ways, even the appearance of the square was formed precisely for this function. The Bolsheviks, without unnecessary ceremonies, cleared its territory of a significant part of the architectural and historical heritage of past centuries. Manezhnaya Square was freed from everything that hindered military parades. Muscovites should be grateful to them for the fact that the red brick building of the Historical Museum remained standing in its place,which also stood across the movement of military equipment. The end of the Soviet era itself is directly connected with the square. She was not spared by the revolutionary events of the 90s. Many people remember the grand rally in the winter of 1991. The number of those who came to Manezhnaya Square to support the upcoming changes in the country is incalculable. Rallies at this place are held to this day quite often. Only the place for their holding has been significantly reduced.

Since the mid-90s, the area has been a construction site, and heavy construction equipment has been working on it around the clock. Manezhnaya Square has undergone significant reconstruction.

What happened as a result of the reconstruction of the square

The main object that was erected here in the 90s was the Okhotny Ryad shopping complex, which quite organically corresponded to the new era. Commerce instead of military parades and political rallies. We should pay tribute to the authors of the project of the shopping complex, they tried to minimize the damage to the historical appearance of the city from the construction of their facility. The complex is largely located underground, and only lighting structures located along the historic facade of the Manezh come to the surface.

A lot of conflicting opinions are caused by various decorative elements of the design of the shopping complex and the territory adjacent to it. In particular, the fountain on Manezhnaya Square, which has become quite popular with tourists. People lovebe photographed against its background, and connoisseurs of Moscow antiquity unanimously note the absurdity of the sculptural compositions and their inconsistency with the capital's architectural traditions. But it is possible that in a hundred years Tsereteli's circus horses will become classics. Something similar happened in Paris, whose residents did not like the Eiffel Tower.