Located in the city center, Liteiny Prospect is the most important highway of St. Petersburg. This street got its name in 1738, and a year later it was officially listed on the map.
History of creation
The current name of this avenue was assigned at the initiative of the Commission on the Petersburg structure in the XVIII century. At that time, it started from Voskresenskaya Street, including Vladimirskaya Street. The name was given to the avenue by the Foundry, which was located in one of the nearby side streets. It was of strategic importance for the whole country, since it was here that the production of weapons for the needs of artillery was conducted. Subsequently, two small settlements appeared in the vicinity of the Cannon Yard, in which the workers lived, and the Great Promising Road uniting them. She led to the Nevsky Monastery. In 1849, the avenue was extended to the Neva due to the fact that the Cannon Yard was moved to the Vyborg side. After some time, a wooden bridge of the same name was built in the Liteyny alignment. In the fall of 1918, the avenue lost its historical name and was renamed Volodarsky Avenue - in honor of a member of the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. After the tragic death of Moses Markovich, many streets and alleys appeared in St. Petersburg and its periphery, named after this famous politician. For this reason, the prospectus was returned to its former name. Subsequently, the wooden bridge across the Neva on this street was changed to metal, and Liteiny acquired a new noble appearance. Now, in its order and purity, it was second only to Nevsky. Numerous bookstores and shops are located here. Liteiny Avenue has become the "street of the intelligentsia."
The buildings
Liteiny Avenue has preserved many historic buildings, which are still curious to look at. In 1804, the Musins - Pushkins house was built here, in 1843 - the magnificent mansion of Princess Dolgoruky. In the fifties, Liteiny Avenue was decorated by the barracks of the Horse Artillery, and in 1854 the famous Russian beauty, Princess Yusupova, settled on the avenue. In the 30s of the XIX century at 4 Liteiny, the NKVD department was built. Near the house number 15, there was previously a Chinese Friendship Garden - a gift from the twin city of Shanghai. In 2003, it was restored. Once lived here N. Nekrasov and I. Brodsky. Today, memorial tablets are installed near their homes. And next to the dwelling of Nekrasov there is a bust monument to this great poet. In 1895, the house of the Officers' Assembly was erected on the avenue, and in 1911, the New Passage. At Liteiny, 6 in the old days was the St. Sergius Church, built in memory of Sergius of Radonezh at the end of the eighteenth century. However, in 1931, a residential building was erected on the site of the temple.
Theater "Liteiny"
This popular establishment was officially opened in 1909. The most prominent artists of his time worked here. In the twentieth century, N. Evreinov, Sun. Meyerhold, M. Kuzmin, M. Fokin. The best artists collaborated with him - B. Kustodiev, I. Bilibin, L. Bakst, as well as writers - T. Shchepkina-Kupernik, F. Sologub, A. Averchenko, N. Taffy. Music for productions in the late twenties was written by the famous composer D. Shostakovich. Theater "Liteiny" in 2000 was awarded the State Prize of the Russian Federation, several times he was awarded the diploma "Golden Mask" and "Golden Spotlights".