ISAAKIYEVSKAYA  (ST. ISAAC’s) SQUARE

 St. Isaac’s Square was the last of the central squares to take shape in Petersburg.
It was started in the 1730s-1740s. It was then named Torgovaya Square. Its overall design and 
appearance took shape mainly during the construction of St. Isaac’s Cathedral.
To a design by A.Montferrand the House of Duke Lobanov-Rostovsky was erected next to the 
cathedral in 1817-20, which was later occupied by the Military Department.
In 1839-44 A.Stakenschneider erected the Mariinsky Palace in the square. In 1844-51 N.Yefimov 
went on working on the architectural ensemble putting up two houses for the Ministry of State Property 
on both sides of the square. The two buildings are similar in design, which gave the square a unified 
architectural pattern.
In 1856-59 a monument to Nicholas I was erected there. After that the square was called 
Nikolayevskaya for a rather short period of time. Then it was named Mariinskaya (after the Mariinsky 
Palace). But soon it was given the name Isaakiyevskaya (St. Isaac’s), the name which it is called up to 
this time.