The name "Sennaya Square" is not original. Such names are in Kiev and Odessa, and translated into various languages - in many cities in Europe. For a long time they traded fodder on these squares, including hay. Hence the name of the markets. And then squares were also called by them. Of course, now they do not sell either hay or oats. And there are no markets for them now. But the names remained. In this article, we will get to know Sennaya Square, which is located in St. Petersburg. What is on the site of this oldest market in the city on the Neva?
History of the square
In fact, the oldest bazaar in St. Petersburg was not here. And it was called "Sea." But in 1736-1737, large-scale fires took place in the city. The entire Marine settlement burned out, and with it the market. Then the government ordered that the place of trade be moved closer to the outskirts, beyond the Moika River. Where Moskovsky Prospect is now located, there was a long road. According to it, merchants and peasants wishing to sell their products to the townspeople followed to St. Petersburg. And at the gates of the city authorities ordered to cut down the forest and equip a place of trade. This market was first called Bolshoi, and then Horse, as its specialization gradually crystallized - the sale of fodder. The name “Sennaya Square” appeared already at the end of the 18th century, when houses began to appear around the marketplace. Then the market specialization narrowed. Now it began to sell hay, firewood and straw.
"The womb of St. Petersburg"
The city was gradually expanding. At the beginning of the XIX century Sennaya Square was no longer the outskirts. But since the market was considered cheap and crowded (peasants did not pay trade taxes), the poor settled here. Hay and firewood were traded from the ruins, from carts. The area was surrounded by miserable shacks, dirty dens, cheap taverns. The atmosphere of this area was similar to the world described by Zola in "The Womb of Paris", but without the gloss of the French capital. The life of Sennaya Square in St. Petersburg was clearly reflected in his novel Crime and Punishment Fedor Dostoevsky. Since petty deception on the part of merchants and pickpocketing flourished on the market, the authorities immediately arranged a place of punishment - for the rest. Those caught in the hot were beaten with whips and a whip with all the people. And later fugitive serfs were punished there. In 1831, cholera revolt was suppressed by force on Sennaya Square, because the epidemic was more evident in the unsanitary conditions of the local slums. All attempts by the authorities to equip the area were unsuccessful. In the 1880s, four pavilions for trade were erected here. But the district was still synonymous with slums, fetid shelters, brothels and suspicious taverns for Petersburgers.
Sennaya Square (St. Petersburg): attractions
It seems that you can watch a tourist in this place, which for a long time was a firewood market, surrounded by shacks of the poor? But there are several buildings on the square worthy of attention. The guardhouse is the oldest building that has survived to this day. It was built in the market to maintain order. According to the documents, Fedor Dostoevsky himself was sitting on this guardhouse . In the novel of the writer, Crime and Punishment, many episodes take place on Sennaya Square. In the tavern near her, Raskolnikov hears about the old usurer, and he plans to kill. In the same square, repentance comes to him, and he almost confesses to the crime, kneeling in the middle of the Hay. But the people there, accustomed to not such tricks, do not notice this.
Church of the Savior
But the most significant attraction of this place is the Sennaya Ploshchad metro station (St. Petersburg). This building has a long history. It is more ancient than the city metro. As you know, no market in Russia could do without a church or at least a chapel. There sellers lit a candle for profitable trading. A similar wooden temple was at the Haymarket. In 1753, the wealthy merchant Savva Yakovlev ordered the Russian architect Andrei Kvasov to build a large and stone building on the site of a small church. Built in 1765, the temple was a vivid example of late Baroque. Five-headed, light and airy, it could accommodate up to five thousand people. The church was rebuilt three times, but it retained its baroque appearance. The temple was spared the bombing of German aircraft, but the Soviet government treated him worse than the invaders. The fact is that in 1961 the church was blown up, and the lobby of the metro station was built in its place.
How to get to Sennaya Square
Naturally, it is easier to get to the "womb of Peter" by the subway. Metro station (blue line) goes directly to the square. In addition, the lobby is a kind of sad historical landmark. After the revolution, the market was called October, and in the 30s it was completely liquidated. In 1991, the place was returned to its former name (instead of Peace Square - Sennaya Square). Once in the center stood a stele donated by the French to the 300th anniversary of the city. But now it was dismantled. Sennaya Square can also be reached by land. This is tram number 3 and buses number 49 and 181.