Triumfalnaya Square can rightfully be called one of the landmarks of Moscow. This place has a long and interesting history. The square has changed its name several times, and on old maps of the city from Soviet times it is listed as Mayakovskaya. Triumphal Square has always played a prominent role in the public life of the capital. At first it was a market, then - the center of a large number of theaters. With the opening of the monument to Vladimir Mayakovsky, poetry lovers often gather at the foot of the monument and read poetry. The traditions of the literary front of the times of the Soviet Union (after all, the works were not censored) are reflected in the modern political life of Russia. Regularly, every 31st day of the month, rallies are held on Triumfalnaya Square in support of the 31st article of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Read on to learn more about what tourists should see here.
Story
Triumphal Square (Moscow) was simply doomed to bear this name. It was first mentioned in 1709. Then this place was the outskirts of Moscow. Here, on the Tverskoy tract, there was an earthen rampart marking the border of the city. On the occasion of Russia's victory in the Battle of Poltava, the first triumphal arch was erected at this place. When Peter the Great moved the capital to St. Petersburg, this place did not remain forgotten. After all, all coronations took place in Moscow. And the residents of Belokamennaya came out to meet the future ruler at the triumphal gates, which were renovated each time for this occasion. In 1722 the arch was already made of stone. And the square on which it stood was named Triumphal. After the victory over the troops of Napoleon Bonaparte and the rebuilding of the burned Moscow, new gates were built at the then border of the city - at the Tverskaya Zastava (now the Belorussky railway station is located there). And the old “triumphal” square turned into a market square. Here they traded firewood, coal, and building stone.
Triumphal Square: a story with a touch of scandal
Rarely does a Moscow street boast such a rich and at the same time controversial history. Judge for yourself, Triumphal Square was once one of the main places in the Mother See. Foreign guests and high-ranking officials from St. Petersburg entered the city through it. Military parades and coronations of monarchs also took place here. And what a name - Triumphalnaya. This means something great and solemn.
But over time, the square has turned into a favorite place for those who openly or not very much oppose the current government, or, more simply, the opposition. This began in the middle of the last century. Then young people gathered near the monument to Mayakovsky and read forbidden poems. They were, of course, “hunted” by police and KGB officers: some were simply expelled from the party, others were even sent to camps. Today, rallies of “dissatisfied” people regularly take place on Triumfalnaya. The largest one meets regularly every 31st, that is, once every two months. The date was not chosen by chance; the protesters are in favor of implementing Article 31 of the Constitution on freedom of assembly.
But let's go back 300 years ago, to the time when Triumphal Square first appeared.
“Birth” of Triumphal Square
It’s hard to imagine now, but until the beginning of the 18th century this place was the outskirts of Moscow. It was an ordinary field through which the road from Tver passed. The area was almost undeveloped; only those who maintained the road itself and guarded the Kremlin gates lived here.
Everything changed after St. Petersburg was built. The road to Tver connected the two capitals and “high” persons, and even representatives of the royal family, began to travel along it regularly. It was then that the idea arose to decorate the entrance with arches through which guests entered Moscow. The name also appeared - Triumphal Gate Square.
For a hundred years, these gates were used for the ceremonial entry of monarchs during coronation and commanders who won victory in any war. But the borders of Moscow gradually expanded, and after the victory over Napoleon, the Triumphal Gate was moved further from the center of Moscow, to Tverskaya Zastava Square. Although the name was retained for the old place.
Soviet past of Triumfalnaya
For almost two centuries, the area of the Triumphal Gate was used as a large market. Merchants from all over Moscow and surrounding regions brought their goods here. This is understandable; the country’s main road consistently supplied wealthy buyers. But after the Revolution, the shopping arcades themselves disappeared, and the appearance of the area changed radically. For example, a cozy square and most of the old buildings were demolished, and the entire area was paved.
In 1920, a new name appeared. The square began to bear the name of the revolutionary Mikhail Yanyshev, who by that time had already died and was buried near the Kremlin wall. And in 1935, the square was renamed again, this time in honor of the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. Interestingly, a monument to him appeared on this site much later, in 1958.
We already wrote at the very beginning about the so-called “Mayakov readings,” which aroused hostility among the Soviet authorities. But it must be said that this tradition is still alive. Although, of course, it is not so large-scale and no longer so politicized.
Triumphal Square today
The square received its current name in 1992. More recently, a large-scale reconstruction of the area was carried out, after which the lion's share of the territory became pedestrian. And along the perimeter of the square there are several iconic buildings - the Beijing Hotel, the Satire Theater, the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, as well as the main offices of the Moscow Committee on Architecture and the Interfax news agency.
However, Triumfalnaya Square today can hardly be called one of the main attractions of Moscow. Only the Mayakovsky monument can be of interest to tourists, so foreign guests, as a rule, do not linger here. And guides do not always include a visit to Triumfalnaya in the tour program. Moreover, during frequent rallies, the square is blocked by police officers for security reasons.
theatre square
By the end of the nineteenth century, the center of Moscow began to approach this former outskirts. The market was moved to another location, and the center of the square was decorated with a flower garden. In 1902, a certain entrepreneur Charles Aumont bought the building on the corner of Sadovaya and Tverskaya and, after reconstruction, opened the Buff Theater in it. This building, within the walls of which vaudeville shows were staged, was destined for a great future. In 1918, the State Theater named after. Meyerhold. Mayakovsky's play "The Bedbug" was shown at GosTIM. But this is not the only theater. At the beginning of the 20th century, Triumfalnaya Square was decorated with another building, which was built for the circus. Until 1926 it was used for its intended purpose. During the NEP years it housed the Moscow Music Hall. And since 1965, the Satire Theater began operating here. On the other side of the square, near the Beijing Hotel, until 1974 there was a building that housed the Sovremennik studio. Later the troupe moved, and the dilapidated house was dismantled. And to top it off, one more theater should be mentioned. True, instead of a stage there was a big screen. This is the oldest Moscow cinema.
Architectural ensemble of Triumphal Square
The architectural ensemble of Triumphal Square consists of: the Beijing Hotel, the Satire Theater, the Concert Hall. P.I. Tchaikovsky, monument to V. Mayakovsky. Each of them has its own story.
Beijing Hotel
The Beijing Hotel is a vertical dominant on Triumfalnaya Square. It was built in the style of Stalinist classicism and has been an architectural monument since 2009.
The building was founded in 1939 and was originally intended for one of the government departments. However, as the years passed, the relevant government agency lost its influence, and in 1954 the building was repurposed as a hotel for a wide range of people.
The modern Beijing Hotel looks almost the same as it did half a century ago. The high spire, the recognizable clock tower (the mechanism was changed to electronic), and numerous bas-reliefs on the facades have been preserved.
Concert Hall named after P. I. Tchaikovsky
At the beginning of the 20th century, theatrical activity was in full swing in this building. At first it was occupied by the Buff-Miniature Theater, later by the Zon Theater. For several years the State Theater staged performances there. V. Meyerhold.
The concert hall first opened its doors to visitors in 1940. About 300 performances, concerts and music festivals are held here every year.
In 2004-2005 the building was reconstructed. Much attention was paid to the quality of acoustics and the organization of internal space. The concert hall on Triumfalnaya Square has been largely restored to its historical appearance - the marble floor from the 1930s has been restored, and mirrored columns have been installed in the foyer.
Satire Theater
In 1930, the theater moved to a building on Triumfalnaya Square from house number 10 in Bolshoi Gnezdnikovsky Lane. In 1951, he moved again and for 13 years changed his address again until he finally returned to Triumphal Square.
In 2012, the Satire Theater was reconstructed. They did a major overhaul and updated the equipment. In 2015, it received the status of the most visited theater in Moscow.
Monument to V. Mayakovsky
The sculptor A. Kibalnikov and the architect D. Chechulin worked on the famous monument to V. Mayakovsky.
It took about six years to develop the image and create the monument. And even the craftsmen approached the issue of its installation with full responsibility. To select the optimal location for the sculpture, a life-size wooden model was made. It was moved around the square until they found the best vantage point and harmonious location relative to other buildings around Triumphal Square.
Mayakovsky is depicted as a reader . He wears an open jacket and holds a notebook in his left hand. The tall bronze figure is mounted on a squat granite pedestal, where the words of the poet from the poem “Good!” are carved.
Triumfalnaya Square in Moscow is an example of how a walk-through and drive-through area is transformed into a beautiful recreational space for citizens.
Mayakovsky Square
In 1958, on July 19, a monument to the Soviet poet was inaugurated here. When the officialdom ended, the public did not intend to leave. Poems by Vladimir Mayakovsky began to be read at the pedestal. This literary tradition has taken root. Until 1961, on the anniversary of the opening of the monument, Triumfalnaya Square was filled with lovers of Mayakovsky’s work, who came to listen and read his poems. Since 1960, on weekends, completely unknown authors performed their works at the pedestal of the monument. Some poets, such as Andrei Voznesensky, Evgeny Yevtushenko, Robert Rozhdestvensky, first presented their poems to the public “under Mayakovsky.”
Triumfalnaya Square as a place of front
Spontaneously occurring meetings, even if they were held in the format of poetry evenings, were not welcomed by the Soviet leadership. Therefore, unauthorized gatherings were dispersed. Three students (E. Kuznetsov, V. Osipov and I. Bokshtein) even received long prison sentences. Because of this, Triumphal Square became known as a gathering place for those dissatisfied with the regime. Members of the initiative group “SMOG” came here in 1965 demanding creative freedom. In 1969, two students came to Triumphal Square with a poster in support of Czechoslovakia... Rallies also took place there, but any events of this kind were suppressed in every possible way. During perestroika, literary readings resumed. But already in 1990, when three thousand people gathered at the Mayakovsky monument, an unauthorized meeting dedicated to the anniversary of the February Revolution of 1917 was dispersed by riot police.
Infrastructure
For a long time, Triumfalnaya Square was under reconstruction. It reopened to Muscovites and tourists in early September, on the eve of City Day. Now Triumphal Square has changed even more. It became lighter and seemed wider. The lawn in the middle received spectacular lighting, and retro-style lanterns shone along the perimeter. Now it is a pedestrian zone. Only motorists remained dissatisfied. After all, after reconstruction, parking on Triumfalnaya Square is prohibited. The city authorities have big plans for further improvement of this place. It was even decided to create a lilac park here. Under the square, work is underway to build a multi-level underground parking lot. In the meantime, you can leave the “iron horse” nearby. It is best to come and see the monument to V. Mayakovsky by public transport. It is very convenient to use the metro. Triumfalnaya Square is easily accessible from Mayakovskaya station, one of the tunnels of which goes straight to this corner of Moscow.
Reconstruction and modern look
An open competition was announced for the reconstruction of Triumphal Square in 2014-2015. A total of 127 applications were received, of which 44 projects were almost immediately selected. Three works made it to the finals of the competition, and the winner was chosen by a special commission. It was the work of architects O. Aleksakova and Y. Burdova.
The project did not provide for changes in the architectural ensemble of the square. The emphasis was placed on its improvement - zoning the territory, arranging parking lots, organizing recreation for residents and guests of the capital, and landscaping.
Before the reconstruction, Triumphal Square was a small island, sandwiched on all sides by buildings, parking lots and busy highways. Afterwards the city square became unrecognizable.
The monument to V. Mayakovsky was surrounded by green lawns of strict geometric shape. For children and adults to relax, comfortable benches and symmetrical pavilions with swings were installed. The slope from Tverskaya was designed with steps.
