The first circus building was built at Izhevsk factory in 1895. It was a small wooden building near Bazarnaya Square, at the corner of the existing Borodina and Militsionnaya Streets. This circus was burnt down during the Civil War. Izhevsk residents could not visit circus performances for some time. A new circus building was constructed at a square near Sennoy Bazar only in late summer 1926. It was called ‘Kolart’, i.e. the Russian abbreviation of ‘a group of performers’. It was a wooden, plank-built structure with stove heating and initially lit with kerosene lamps. The first performance took place on September 21, 1926. Thereafter, not only individual performers but also circus groups started visiting Izhevsk every autumn and winter.
The illusionist EmIl Kio and the wrestler Ivan Poddubny performed among others in the circus building near Sennoy Bazar in the 1920s–1930s. Anatoly Durov, an outstanding circus actor and animal tamer, came to Izhevsk on tour in 1928. Durov’s show was famous and admired not only in Russia. He successfully performed on tours in 14 countries. In the 1920s, he was the absolute leader in his genre. An unexpected event happened in Izhevsk. On November 19, on a day off, the animal tamer went hunting for hares. There, in an absurd coincidence, was accidentally shot by another Izhevsk hunter. Years later, in 1933, Izhevsk State Circus was named after Anatoly Durov.
In summer 1940, the shabby wooden circus building was dismantled. Construction of a new building began on the same place. The new stone circus 1,811-seat building opened in November 1943. It became the first in Udmurtia dome structure with metal elements. The circus was one of the best ones in Russia by the size, convenience, and style.
The modern circus building with a capacity of 1,800 spectators was constructed in 2003. The Moscow architect MikhaIl Vesnin designed it. The International Circus Art Festival has taken place in Izhevsk since 2008. The annual festival has become the regional hallmark, one of the most important events in the republic’s cultural life.
The illusionist EmIl Kio and the wrestler Ivan Poddubny performed among others in the circus building near Sennoy Bazar in the 1920s–1930s. Anatoly Durov, an outstanding circus actor and animal tamer, came to Izhevsk on tour in 1928. Durov’s show was famous and admired not only in Russia. He successfully performed on tours in 14 countries. In the 1920s, he was the absolute leader in his genre. An unexpected event happened in Izhevsk. On November 19, on a day off, the animal tamer went hunting for hares. There, in an absurd coincidence, was accidentally shot by another Izhevsk hunter. Years later, in 1933, Izhevsk State Circus was named after Anatoly Durov.
In summer 1940, the shabby wooden circus building was dismantled. Construction of a new building began on the same place. The new stone circus 1,811-seat building opened in November 1943. It became the first in Udmurtia dome structure with metal elements. The circus was one of the best ones in Russia by the size, convenience, and style.
The modern circus building with a capacity of 1,800 spectators was constructed in 2003. The Moscow architect MikhaIl Vesnin designed it. The International Circus Art Festival has taken place in Izhevsk since 2008. The annual festival has become the regional hallmark, one of the most important events in the republic’s cultural life.
