From time immemorial, there has been such a tradition that, simultaneously with the foundation of the city, a place for the square was necessarily allocated in it. This rule applied to large and small urban-type settlements. Yekaterinburg Square was no exception.
Meaning
After all, the square played an important role in the life of the inhabitants of the city. It's not just a marketplace. It has traditionally been the venue for a variety of events, such as court proceedings and the organization of fairs. In an era without media, citizens came here to get the latest news, the municipal authorities announced the official information.
The main square of Yekaterinburg with the name "Square of 1905" is no exception. But in the mouths of local residents, it sounds nothing more than just a “square”.
History: Beginning
All the twists and turns that took place in the history of Russia, to a certain extent, influenced the transformation of the area.
Due to the fact that initially this territory was mainlywas used as a large retail outlet, then naturally for the residents of Yekaterinburg it was the Market Square. This name existed until the middle of the 18th century. A significant event in the history of the city contributed to its renaming.
The very old building of Catherine's Church was demolished and a wooden Church of the Epiphany was built. From now on, the square became Church. Almost a quarter of a century passed, and the stone Cathedral of the Epiphany was laid near it. Since the 30s of the 19th century it has been a cathedral. This event was the reason for a new renaming. Noble merchants - Shabalin, Savelyev, Korobkov - acquired rich mansions near the square. In the 50s of the 19th century, a gymnasium was built for the representatives of the stronger sex. The square of Yekaterinburg changed along with the history of the city.
History of the square in 1902
Over time, the Old Gostiny Dvor appeared in its southern part, and the square itself acquired a civilized European look - it is completely paved with paving stones, on which citizens and visitors can walk today.
And 1902 turned out to be a sad year for Gostiny Dvor - a fire broke out on its territory. But, as the Russian proverb says, there is a blessing in disguise. The surviving premises were not restored, but the New Gostiny Dvor was built, but already two-story.
Place of rallies
The first revolution in Russia in 1905 did not bypass Yekaterinburg, or rather its square.
Almost 11 years - from 1906 to the revolution of 1917 - not far from the Cathedral there was a monument to the emperor-liberator Alexander II. The fact that this tsar abolished the shameful serfdom was not properly appreciated by the revolutionary-minded soldiers. He suffered the fate of all the monuments that were related to tsarism.
In March 1917, Yekaterinburg Square became the venue for a rally in support of the February Revolution, and a little more than a month later, a May demonstration.
Transformations after the February Revolution of 1917
For the pedestal, which remained after the demolition of the monument to Alexander II in 1917, for a long time could not find a use. For almost two years - from 1918 to 1920 - there was a statue of Liberty on it, then the bust of Karl Marx stood for some two or three months in 1920, after which in May 1920 a monument with the symbolic name "Emancipation of Labor" was erected on the pedestal. S. D. Erzi worked on the sculpture. But the demonstration of the monument took place six years later. According to the sculptor's idea, a naked man wrapped in chains, which he tried to break, was to become a symbol of liberated labor. Apparently, not all citizens liked this idea. Ekaterinburg Square sought to decorate with other buildings.
The epic with monuments and a marble pedestal was put to an end in 1930 - the structure was completely dismantled. The same sad fate befell the Epiphany Cathedral, since what it personified contradicted the ideology of Marxism-Leninism. The following facts testify to the greatness of the cathedral: height, including the spire - 66meters; the maximum number of parishioners that could accommodate the premises was 4.5 thousand. The idea of restoring the historic temple has not lost its power even now.
On the site of the dismantled pedestal with the cathedral building in 1930, a tribune of granite was built. During the festive parades, timed to coincide with the achievements of the revolution and Soviet power, the party leaders standing on it watched the columns of workers and the military with their eyes. In 1957, the square of Yekaterinburg was decorated with a monument to the leader of the proletariat V. I. Lenin.
Modern name
However, the period of the late 20s and early 30s was marked not only by the destruction of the monuments of the Russian Empire that had sunk into summer. Two tram lines appeared, and three more were completed above the existing two floors of the New Gostiny Dvor. From 1947 to 1954, through the efforts of the architect G. A. Golubev's building has changed significantly, including a major restructuring of the facade; towers were erected with a gilded surface of the spire, the chimes were heard from inside; plaster figures were placed on the roof along the perimeter.
Thanks to Ploshchad 1905 (Yekaterinburg) metro station built in 1994, visiting the square has become more comfortable. In memory of the revolutionary events of 1905, the modern name was assigned to it. Yekaterinburg develops every year. The camera (“Square of 1905” can be seen from any corner of the country and beyond) helps prevent riots and unpleasant incidents.
