DISAPPEARED HISTORIC OPEN SPACES IN THE CENTER OF SAINT PETERSBURG

Abstract

The paper questions the official statement that the system of open spaces in the historic center of Saint Petersburg has preserved the "authenticity of its chief components". Conditions for the formation and subsequent reconstructions of Theater Square and areas adjacent to the Neva river are analyzed. The nature and scope of changes those areas undergone in the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries are identified. It is shown that Senate, Admiralty, Rumyantsev, Collegiate squares and Razvodnaya ground (used for the changing of the guard) lost their transparency which disturbed the relationship between the Neva water area and city open spaces, and that significant damage was caused to the city center panorama. It is noted that the center landscape potential was neglected due to that reason. Proposals are made to recreate the lost transparency of the city center public spaces.

Keywords

• Landscapes of the historic center of Saint Petersburg
• open spaces
• reconstruction