For Samara residents, the surname of Kirov has not been associated with the Russian revolutionary for many years. For them, this is the name of a large working area with an important traffic intersection and a market that has been located there for more than 20 years.
After restoration, the Kirov square in Samara has changed a lot. Now you can take a walk, relax in the evening on carefully installed benches. And only the monument remaining to the revolutionary after the reconstruction reminds of how it looked earlier.
History of creation
The current Kirov square in Samara got its name in the early 60s. By her name she should be grateful to the political and statesman, the closest ally of I. Stalin - Sergei Mironovich Kirov. He went down in history as a conductor of Leninist ideas among the masses.
In anticipation of World War II, it was planned to build a drama theater here, but this idea was postponed due to the outbreak of hostilities.
In the fifties, power returned to the question of erecting a cultural structure on Kirov Square in Samara. And in 1961, the official opening of the Trade Union Club took place. From 2002 to the present, it is called the V. Ya. Litvinov Palace of Culture, which was the director of the Progress plant, which took over half of the construction work.
The monument to the Russian revolutionary was erected already in 1967. Then not only Kirov Square in Samara was named after him, but also the highway adjacent to it, the palace of culture and the whole habitat of factory workers.
Even in the period of the USSR, the Kirov region was inhabited by representatives of the working class. Residential buildings with a certain infrastructure and socio-cultural enterprises were built to meet their needs. The Yunost department store located here has become a shopping center of those times.
The modern square named after Kirov
Reconstruction began in 2012. Within its framework, the asphalt pavement was transformed into paving slabs. At the expense of the local budget, landscaping was carried out, toilet cubicles appeared, night lighting was installed.
And thanks to city investors, the Kirov square in Samara acquired a large playground for children. It was built on the site of a demolished cafe.
The market, which for a long time “saved” the townspeople, was liquidated. All unauthorized trade disappeared with him.
The grand opening of the renovated square took place in the same year during the celebration of the city's day - September 9. And already on the 25th of the same month, the Kirov Square in Samara turned into a pedestrian zone, closed for travel by road.
How to get there
Today, getting to the central square in Samara is not difficult. A large number of both buses and minibuses run there. The nearest stops are Bezymyanka, Industrial District, Samara.
In addition, it can be reached by trolley or tram.
For those who prefer underground transport, there is also no question of how to get to Kirov Square in Samara. The nearest metro stations to it are Kirovskaya and Bezymyanka.