The photo depicts the city garden of Krasnoyarsk at the beginning of the 20th century. For almost two centuries, this has been one of the favorite leisure spots for townspeople. The ‘Guide to the whole of Siberia and Central Asian possessions in Russia’ of 1895 has these lines: ‘City Garden. The best not only in Siberia but also in European Russia.’
The city garden was created in 1828 by order of the first governor of the Yenisei province, Alexander Stepanov. He decided to fence a plot of coniferous forest on the bank of the Yenisei, then cut through alleys and improve the territory: plant flowers, install benches, install lighting. Townspeople immediately paid attention to the new picturesque place and were drawn to it.
The official opening of the city garden took place in 1882. Under Governor Vasily Padalka, the garden was landscaped: a rotunda, a Chinese gazebo with colored glass and a ‘dragon’ weather vane, a bowling alley were built, and a terrace on the bank of the Yenisei, from where a beautiful view of the river and the right bank of it opened up. In addition, the garden was surrounded by a fence, and new footpaths were laid on the territory. In 1885, part of the garden was set aside for the construction of a theological seminary with all auxiliary services. Today, the Garrison Military Hospital is located in this building. Then Beregovaya Street (now Dubrovinsky Street) passed through the city garden, cutting it off from the Yenisei River.
In 1891, the Public Assembly, which was in charge of the city garden for some time, opened its club there and began to organize performances of amateur groups. In particular, the orchestra of folk instruments, created by the bandmaster Elsky, performed at the club. At the end of the 19th — beginning of the 20th century, a fee was charged to enter the garden, which caused serious public outrage. Townspeople insisted on free access to the park, and its owners held a different point of view.
Later, a wooden building of the ‘Kinemo’ cinema was built on the territory of the garden, which in Soviet times received a new name — ‘Luch’ (ray of light). In 1936, the first Russian children’s railway with a length of more than a kilometer was opened in the park. Various rides appeared as well: carousels, roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, and others. During its almost two-hundred-year history, the park has been repeatedly reconstructed and changed. Pines, birches, shrubs were cut down in it, wester spruce and flowers were planted. Pavilions and rides were replaced. Now the Krasnoyarsk City Garden has a new name — Central Park.
The city garden was created in 1828 by order of the first governor of the Yenisei province, Alexander Stepanov. He decided to fence a plot of coniferous forest on the bank of the Yenisei, then cut through alleys and improve the territory: plant flowers, install benches, install lighting. Townspeople immediately paid attention to the new picturesque place and were drawn to it.
The official opening of the city garden took place in 1882. Under Governor Vasily Padalka, the garden was landscaped: a rotunda, a Chinese gazebo with colored glass and a ‘dragon’ weather vane, a bowling alley were built, and a terrace on the bank of the Yenisei, from where a beautiful view of the river and the right bank of it opened up. In addition, the garden was surrounded by a fence, and new footpaths were laid on the territory. In 1885, part of the garden was set aside for the construction of a theological seminary with all auxiliary services. Today, the Garrison Military Hospital is located in this building. Then Beregovaya Street (now Dubrovinsky Street) passed through the city garden, cutting it off from the Yenisei River.
In 1891, the Public Assembly, which was in charge of the city garden for some time, opened its club there and began to organize performances of amateur groups. In particular, the orchestra of folk instruments, created by the bandmaster Elsky, performed at the club. At the end of the 19th — beginning of the 20th century, a fee was charged to enter the garden, which caused serious public outrage. Townspeople insisted on free access to the park, and its owners held a different point of view.
Later, a wooden building of the ‘Kinemo’ cinema was built on the territory of the garden, which in Soviet times received a new name — ‘Luch’ (ray of light). In 1936, the first Russian children’s railway with a length of more than a kilometer was opened in the park. Various rides appeared as well: carousels, roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, and others. During its almost two-hundred-year history, the park has been repeatedly reconstructed and changed. Pines, birches, shrubs were cut down in it, wester spruce and flowers were planted. Pavilions and rides were replaced. Now the Krasnoyarsk City Garden has a new name — Central Park.
