History of St. Petersburg's Decembrists Street

For over 170 years, from 1744 to 1918, this street was called Officers« Street, since officers settled here. However, among its residents there were no participants in the December Uprising of 1825, in whose honor it is now named. Besides military personnel, many outstanding individuals lived on this street. For example, at house No. 35 is the National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health named after P.F. Lesgaft — the first educational institution of its kind in Russia. The fates of hundreds of Olympic athletes are connected with it, including, according to reference books, 118 Olympic champions.

Although a memorial plaque on house No. 11 states that writer Alexander Grin lived here in 1921–1922, local historians consider this an error. At that time, he was working on completing the novella «Scarlet Sails», but probably not on this street. However, it is precisely established that Alexander Blok lived in house No. 57, where he created his famous poem «The Twelve». Another famous resident (then still of Officers« Street) was the chief conductor of the Mariinsky Theatre, Eduard Napravnik, who was sometimes called the »General of the Mariinsky«.

The modern architectural appearance of Decembrists Street was formed as a result of numerous reconstructions and additions to old buildings. Historian and guide Sergey Terminasov will talk about the most significant houses and their inhabitants at the lecture «Houses — Keepers of History — on Decembrists Street».

The event will take place on January 28 at 18:00 at the «Bronnitskaya» library at the address: Bronnitskaya St., 16 (entrance from Klinsky Prospekt, 17). Admission is free, age restriction 12+.