Kronstadt Square is located in St. Petersburg, in the Kirov District. It is located at the intersection of three avenues - Leninsky, Summer and Stachek. Among the attractions of Kronstadt Square in St. Petersburg is the only modern Orthodox church, named after the famous St. Petersburg priest.
History
Kronstadt Square in St. Petersburg appeared relatively recently - in the seventies of the last century. In 1999, it received a modern name. It was then that a church was erected on Kronstadt Square. In St. Petersburg, today it is one of the most famous modern attractions. It's about the church in the neo-Russian style, from which the square borrowed the name. This is the only architectural monument on Kronstadt Square.
In addition to the temple, there are two more buildings. At the address Kronstadt Square, Building 4 is located Shell gas station. House number 5 is a car dealership. To the south-west of Kronstadt Square is Vorontsov Square.
Temple construction
The idea of building an Orthodox church on a small, faceless square in the Kirov region arose in the early nineties. Architects prepared a project for the temple, which resembled St. Andrew’s Cathedral, destroyed in the Soviet era. However, this project did not like the mayors. In the early nineties, little was built in the country due to lack of funding.
A few years later, architects developed a new project - the project of a small church. It has been approved. But the first stone was laid only in 1998.
John of Kronstadt
In honor of the man, whose name at the beginning of the last century, every resident of the capital and its environs knew, the temple on Kronstad Square in St. Petersburg was named. The construction of the church was completed in 2004. Why was the church named after John of Kronstadt? Who was this man?
John of Kronstadt was rector of St. Andrew's Cathedral, located in Kronstadt. During the years of study at the theological seminary, the future priest dreamed of going to the most remote regions of Russia and preaching. But later he discovered that the inhabitants of the capital know about God no more than the savages of Patagonia. And he decided to stay in Kronstadt.
His sermons found a warm response among the parishioners. The fame of the priest spread not only in St. Petersburg, but throughout Russia. It was, of course, not only the sermons. The abbot of St. Andrew's Cathedral was engaged in charity work, helped a lot of the poor, destitute.
Several hours a day with John of Kronstadt went to confession. He led an extremely ascetic lifestyle, slept four hours a day. The growth of fame led to the fact that the priest began to send large sums of merchants and manufacturers. He donated this money to the construction of schools, a hospital. In addition, he helped everyone in need who turned to him. The generosity of the priest led to the fact that he moved around the city, he was accompanied by the poor, who constantly asked for alms.
The priest died in 1908 from a serious illness. He was buried in the tomb of the St. John’s Monastery in Karpovka.
Thus, the church and Kronstadt Square are named after this priest, but not in honor of the port city, popular among tourists.
Liturgy in the church began in 2003. The first rector was Mikhail Podoley. An Orthodox library was opened at the church a few years ago.
Kronstadt Square itself is unremarkable with the exception of the temple, the photographs of which are presented in this article. However, another attraction is located nearby, which is worth saying a few words.
Vorontsov Square
This park is a favorite place for residents of houses located on Dachny Avenue. Vorontsov Square and Kronstadt Square are within walking distance from the Prospect Veteranov metro station.
The park covers an area of 15 hectares. It is noteworthy that it exists for a long time. But only in 2013 received the name - before it was nameless. The northern part of the park is included in the list of cultural heritage sites of regional significance.
Today, part of the territory is built up with residential buildings. Once there were noble estates, including the house of Vorontsov, by whose name the square was named. From the buildings of the 19th century there was nothing left. However, this park is one of the most picturesque places in the Kirov region, primarily due to ponds that are more than two hundred years old.