Theater Square in Moscow

Teatralnaya Square, one of the recognizable symbols of Moscow, is located in the central part of the capital. The most famous sights of the square are the building of the Bolshoi Theater and the fountain erected for the 850th anniversary of Moscow.

During its 200-year history, Theater Square has changed its name several times. She managed to visit Petrovskaya and Sverdlov Square. In 1990, its historical name, Teatralnaya, was returned to it.

History of the creation of the square

Osip Bove has been designing the square since 1816. In his project, he provided a place for shopping malls and a parade ground, where ceremonial events were held, including those with the participation of members of the imperial family. 

According to Beauvais's plan, the Bolshoi Theater was to become the dominant feature of the square. The previous theater building burned down at the end of the 18th century. In the Beauvais project, the quadriga of Apollo was located facing the viewer, and the grandeur of the building was emphasized by the strict rectangular shape of the square. 

For many years, the square remained inaccessible to the ordinary citizen. It became open at the beginning of the 20th century, and after the revolution it was called Sverdlov. Over the years, monuments to Ostrovsky, Karl Marx were erected on it, as well as the Moscow Hotel.

Theater Square today 

Today you can get to the square on foot from the metro station “Teatralnaya” or “Revolution Square”. There are two squares here - one in front of the Bolshoi Theater, and the second - closer to Revolution Square.

The name of the square speaks for itself - in addition to the Bolshoi Theater, the Maly Theater and the Russian Academic Youth Theater are also located here.

Over the past decades, the square has hardly changed its appearance. But the main change that adorned the place is a new fountain, which is popularly called the Theater. It consists of three bowls with vases, located on the podium. Around the fountain there are places for rest of citizens and guests of the capital, as well as flower beds. 

The second, more distant square is decorated with alleys with linden trees, as well as a fountain with a long history called Vitali and a multi-ton monument to Karl Marx.

The Metropol Hotel plays an important role in shaping the appearance of Theater Square. It was built in Art Nouveau style on the initiative of a wealthy industrialist and philanthropist Savva Mamontov. Over the years, such prominent personalities as Marlene Dietrich, Bertolt Brecht, Mao Zedong, John Steinbeck have stayed at the hotel.