A square is an urban matrix. Magistratska (later Soborna) square located in the coastal part of the city took the leading position in the life of Mykolaiv. A representative public center was established on this square prior to the end of XVIII century. This square had a long axis outstretched along the Inhul and opened to the river with a wide side. At present Soborna square is a favorite place for meetings and walks and it has its own turbulent history.
A square is an urban matrix. Magistratska (later Soborna) square located in the coastal part of the city took the leading position in the life of Mykolaiv. A representative public center was established on this square prior to the end of XVIII century. This square had a long axis outstretched along the Inhul and opened to the river with a wide side. At present Soborna square is a favorite place for meetings and walks and it has its own turbulent history.
It is a public building erected at the beginning of XX century in which V.V. ...
The House of the Black Sea Fleet Commander, where the Museum of Shipbuilding ...
The design of the square ascribes to architect Ivan Starov but no document can prove this fact. Military engineer Ivan Kniazev was likely to design the square; he was the author of the first real city plan. Location of the square next to the steep over the Inhul was not chosen accidentally: there was the main entrance to the city over here.
The organization center of the square was the Magistrate built in severe classicism in the middle of 1793 under Ivan Starov’s project. In 1794 the Magistrate was expropriated by the Maritime Company and its different establishments were located there: Old expedition, Main detention room (as a result, the building went down in history as the Detention Room), since 1914 it was the building of V.V. Vereshchagin Museum of Fine Arts, later on – the Natural and Historical Museum. The Magistrate's Building was demolished in about 1936 with the purpose to expand the area. In 1909 the monument to Peter I was erected before the Magistrate devoted to the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Poltava. The monument was made hurryingly, so over the course of time it was getting destroyed that caused its demolish.
In 1898 a small garden was set out between the Magistrate and Morskoy Boulevard; it was surrounded by a lovely cast-iron grill. The garden was destroyed at the same time as the Magistrate. From the western side of the square the whole residential block was occupied by long one-storey buildings – so-called "stone benches" with a watchtower and a look-out tower which were built in 1793 under Ivan Starov’s project. Fifteen years later, they were probably no longer used for their intended purpose, because the benches were no longer mentioned in the city plan of 1808. Due to old age, the benches were dismantled and in 1826 the Office building (Kontora) above the port was constructed in classical style in their place (Fedor Vunsh was likely to be the architect). This building was destroyed during World War II.
In 1954, the building of the Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU) was built in place of Kontora. Nowadays Mykolaiv City Council and its executive bodies, as well as editorial offices of local newspapers are located here. From the northern side of the square was Morskoy Boulevard surrounded by an openwork cast-iron lattice with entrance ticket barriers, the Boulevard was set out in 1826 by order of Alexey Greig. Nowadays it is the Flotskyi Boulevard (Fleet Boulevard).The cast-iron lattice was removed after the war and, according to Yu.S. Kriuchkov, well-known researcher of Mykolaiv history, partially installed on the territory of the former Fleet Officers’ Club (now the Mykolaiv Palace of Culture and Arts).
A railway bridge built in 1916 could be seen from the square above the Inhul descent. After the regional railway had been liquidated in the 1970s, the
bridge was demolished.
In the northeast of the square, above the hill there was the Cathedral of St. Grigory of Greater Armenia constructed in 1793 (in 1798 it was renamed and became the Admiralty Cathedral). It was the main Cathedral of the Black Sea Fleet. During the Soviet times the Revolution Museum was opened in the Cathedral. Around 1937-1938, the building of the former Cathedral was demolished and a parachute tower was built in its place. The garden around the Cathedral
was transformed into a cycling track where Mykolaiv cyclists used to compete.
In 1944 a cemetery with graves of paratroopers was located in place of the Cathedral and, besides, a park was set out there. In 1946, a monument to paratroopers was erected near the grave (sculptor A.M. Izmalkov, architects A.K. Marochinskyi and I.I. Peisahis). In 1974 after reconstruction, the monument, tombstones, eternal fire and the surrounding square were united into the Memorial Complex, and the monument was replaced by a new one. (sculptor Yu.P. Pommer, architect A.N. Dushkina). Mykolaiv architects Vadym Popov and Olha Povova were authors of the Memorial Complex.
From the southern side of the square in 1810 the building of the City Duma was constructed instead of the Magistrate being expropriated by the Maritime Company. The Police Department was located there as well. Fedor Vunsh was likely to be the project author. The fire observation tower was erected above this building later on. In 1908 the City Duma burned down. In 1911 a new building of the City Duma was built instead under the project or architect Yevhen Shtukenberg. The City Council was located here after the Ukrainian revolution. The building was destroyed during World War II. In its place in the 1970s the Communication House (now Ukrtelecom) was built.
In 1830 an accessory one-storey building was constructed next to the City Duma. Nowadays it is the House of Regional Trade Union. The square was crossed at right angles by two main streets of the city - Admiralska Street, which was located along the lands of the Maritime Company, and Soborna Street, which connected the city with Elisavetgradsky Schlyakh.
In 1873 the monument to Alexey Greig by M.O. Mikeshin and A.M. Opekushin was erected at the intersection of Admiralska Street and Soborna Street. In 1922 the monument was destroyed. Later on, the pedestal of Greig’s monument was used as a pedestal for Lenin statue by sculptor V.V. Kozlov, that was destroyed by the Germans under occupation of Mykolaiv. A new Lenin statue was erected at the same place under the project of sculptor M.H. Manizera. In the course of time the monument was moved to Pervomaisk. In 1957 a new monument (sculptor Sh. Mikotadze, architects A.Marochinskiy and others) was erected in place of the destroyed Magistrate. On February 22, 2014 during mass toppling of Lenin statues all over Ukraine, Lenin statue was pushed down from the pedestal; in 2016 the pedestal was also dismantled after the status of cultural heritage
object had been abolished. Another reconstruction of Soborna square was started in 2019.
The design of the square ascribes to architect Ivan Starov but no document can prove this fact. Military engineer Ivan Kniazev was likely to design the square; he was the author of the first real city plan. Location of the square next to the steep over the Inhul was not chosen accidentally: there was the main entrance to the city over here.
The organization center of the square was the Magistrate built in severe classicism in the middle of 1793 under Ivan Starov’s project. In 1794 the Magistrate was expropriated by the Maritime Company and its different establishments were located there: Old expedition, Main detention room (as a result, the building went down in history as the Detention Room), since 1914 it was the building of V.V. Vereshchagin Museum of Fine Arts, later on – the Natural and Historical Museum. The Magistrate's Building was demolished in about 1936 with the purpose to expand the area. In 1909 the monument to Peter I was erected before the Magistrate devoted to the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Poltava. The monument was made hurryingly, so over the course of time it was getting destroyed that caused its demolish.
In 1898 a small garden was set out between the Magistrate and Morskoy Boulevard; it was surrounded by a lovely cast-iron grill. The garden was destroyed at the same time as the Magistrate. From the western side of the square the whole residential block was occupied by long one-storey buildings – so-called "stone benches" with a watchtower and a look-out tower which were built in 1793 under Ivan Starov’s project. Fifteen years later, they were probably no longer used for their intended purpose, because the benches were no longer mentioned in the city plan of 1808. Due to old age, the benches were dismantled and in 1826 the Office building (Kontora) above the port was constructed in classical style in their place (Fedor Vunsh was likely to be the architect). This building was destroyed during World War II.
In 1954, the building of the Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU) was built in place of Kontora. Nowadays Mykolaiv City Council and its executive bodies, as well as editorial offices of local newspapers are located here. From the northern side of the square was Morskoy Boulevard surrounded by an openwork cast-iron lattice with entrance ticket barriers, the Boulevard was set out in 1826 by order of Alexey Greig. Nowadays it is the Flotskyi Boulevard (Fleet Boulevard).The cast-iron lattice was removed after the war and, according to Yu.S. Kriuchkov, well-known researcher of Mykolaiv history, partially installed on the territory of the former Fleet Officers’ Club (now the Mykolaiv Palace of Culture and Arts).
A railway bridge built in 1916 could be seen from the square above the Inhul descent. After the regional railway had been liquidated in the 1970s, the
bridge was demolished.
In the northeast of the square, above the hill there was the Cathedral of St. Grigory of Greater Armenia constructed in 1793 (in 1798 it was renamed and became the Admiralty Cathedral). It was the main Cathedral of the Black Sea Fleet. During the Soviet times the Revolution Museum was opened in the Cathedral. Around 1937-1938, the building of the former Cathedral was demolished and a parachute tower was built in its place. The garden around the Cathedral
was transformed into a cycling track where Mykolaiv cyclists used to compete.
In 1944 a cemetery with graves of paratroopers was located in place of the Cathedral and, besides, a park was set out there. In 1946, a monument to paratroopers was erected near the grave (sculptor A.M. Izmalkov, architects A.K. Marochinskyi and I.I. Peisahis). In 1974 after reconstruction, the monument, tombstones, eternal fire and the surrounding square were united into the Memorial Complex, and the monument was replaced by a new one. (sculptor Yu.P. Pommer, architect A.N. Dushkina). Mykolaiv architects Vadym Popov and Olha Povova were authors of the Memorial Complex.
From the southern side of the square in 1810 the building of the City Duma was constructed instead of the Magistrate being expropriated by the Maritime Company. The Police Department was located there as well. Fedor Vunsh was likely to be the project author. The fire observation tower was erected above this building later on. In 1908 the City Duma burned down. In 1911 a new building of the City Duma was built instead under the project or architect Yevhen Shtukenberg. The City Council was located here after the Ukrainian revolution. The building was destroyed during World War II. In its place in the 1970s the Communication House (now Ukrtelecom) was built.
In 1830 an accessory one-storey building was constructed next to the City Duma. Nowadays it is the House of Regional Trade Union. The square was crossed at right angles by two main streets of the city - Admiralska Street, which was located along the lands of the Maritime Company, and Soborna Street, which connected the city with Elisavetgradsky Schlyakh.
In 1873 the monument to Alexey Greig by M.O. Mikeshin and A.M. Opekushin was erected at the intersection of Admiralska Street and Soborna Street. In 1922 the monument was destroyed. Later on, the pedestal of Greig’s monument was used as a pedestal for Lenin statue by sculptor V.V. Kozlov, that was destroyed by the Germans under occupation of Mykolaiv. A new Lenin statue was erected at the same place under the project of sculptor M.H. Manizera. In the course of time the monument was moved to Pervomaisk. In 1957 a new monument (sculptor Sh. Mikotadze, architects A.Marochinskiy and others) was erected in place of the destroyed Magistrate. On February 22, 2014 during mass toppling of Lenin statues all over Ukraine, Lenin statue was pushed down from the pedestal; in 2016 the pedestal was also dismantled after the status of cultural heritage
object had been abolished. Another reconstruction of Soborna square was started in 2019.