Triumfalnaya Square can rightfully be called one of the sights of Moscow. This place has a long and interesting history. The square has repeatedly changed its name, and on the old maps of the city of Soviet times it is listed as Mayakovskaya. Triumph Square has always played a prominent role in the public life of the capital. At first it was a market, then - the focus 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 fronts of the times of the Soviet Union (after all, the works did not pass censorship) were reflected in the modern political life of Russia. Regularly every 31st day of the month, it is on Triumfalnaya Square that meetings are held in support of Article 31 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Read about what tourists should see here.
History
Triumfalnaya 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, indicating the border of the city. On the occasion of the victory of Russia 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 the coronations took place in Moscow. And the inhabitants of Belokamennaya went out to meet the future ruler to the triumphal gates, which were updated for this occasion each time. In 1722, the arch was already stone. And the square on which she stood was called Triumphal. After the victory over Napoleon Bonaparte’s troops and the rebuilding of burnt Moscow, new gates were built at the then border of the city - at Tverskaya Zastava (now Belorussky Train Station is located there). And the old “triumphal” square turned into a market square. Here they traded firewood, coal, building stone.
theatre square
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the center of Moscow began to approach this former suburb. The market was moved to another place, the center of the square was decorated with a flower garden. In 1902, a certain entrepreneur Charles Omon bought the building on the corner of Sadovaya and Tverskaya and after the reconstruction opened the Buff Theater in it. This building, in the walls of which were placed vaudevilles, was destined for a great future. In 1918, it housed the State Theater. Meyerhold. Mayakovsky’s play “Bedbug” was shown at the State Technical University. But this is not the only theater. Triumphalnaya Square at the beginning of the 20th century was decorated with another building that was being built for the circus. Until 1926, it was used for its intended purpose. During the NEP, it housed the Moscow Music Hall. And in 1965, the Satire Theater began to work here. On the other side of the square, near the Beijing Hotel, until 1974 there was a building where the Sovremennik studio was located. The troupe later moved, and the dilapidated house was dismantled. And to top it off, another theater should be mentioned. True, instead of the scene there was a large screen. This is the oldest Moscow cinema.
Mayakovsky Square
In 1958, on July 19, a monument to the Soviet poet was inaugurated here. When the official ended, the public was not going to disperse. At the pedestal began to read poetry by Vladimir Mayakovsky. Such a 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 creativity, who came to listen and read his poems. Since 1960, on completely weekends, completely unknown authors appeared at the monument pedestal with their works. Some poets, such as Andrei Voznesensky, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Robert Rozhdestvensky, first presented their poems to the public precisely “near Mayakovsky”.
Triumfalnaya Square as a place of the front
Spontaneous meetings, even if they were held in the format of poetic evenings, were not welcomed by the Soviet leadership. Therefore, unauthorized gatherings dispersed. Three students (E. Kuznetsov, V. Osipov and I. Bokshtein) even received lengthy prison sentences. Because of this, Triumfalnaya Square gained fame as a gathering place for those dissatisfied with the regime. Members of the SMOG initiative group came here in 1965 with the demands of creative freedom. In 1969, two students went to Triumfalnaya Square with a poster in support of Czechoslovakia ... Rallies were also held there, but any events of this kind were stopped in every possible way. During perestroika, literary readings resumed. But already in 1990, when three thousand people gathered at the monument to Mayakovsky, an unauthorized rally 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. She again opened for Muscovites and tourists in early September, on the eve of City Day. Now Triumphal Square has changed even more. It has become lighter and as if wider. The lawn in the middle received a spectacular backlight, retro-style lanterns shone around the perimeter. Now it is a pedestrian zone. Some 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 decided to even break the lilac square here. Under the area, work is underway to build a multi-level underground parking. In the meantime, the "iron horse" can be left nearby. It is best to come to inspect the monument to V. Mayakovsky by public transport. It is very convenient to use the subway. Triumfalnaya Square is easily accessible from the Mayakovskaya station, one of the tunnels of which goes directly to this corner of Moscow.
Is it possible to look at the rally on Triumfalnaya Square and is it dangerous?
Since 2015, the city authorities began to give the go-ahead for holding actions within the framework of Strategy 31. Recently, at Triumfalnaya Square they no longer read poetry, but speak mainly about the political situation in eastern Ukraine. They collect funds for residents of Donbass.