Rejoice, Russian state!
World, listen to our happiness!
And you, Catherine's glory,
Shout forever throughout the earth!
A.P. Sumarokov

Not otherwise than "Minerva on the Throne" Russian called Sumarokov Catherine the Great. The same comparison comes to mind when you get to Ekaterininsky Square on the former Alexandrinsky Square. The bronze figure, frozen in an imperious and ceremonial pose, holds in his hands a scepter and a laurel wreath - symbols of power and glory. The posture of the autocrat is imperious, but not harsh. This is an important detail, because the Empress is the mother of the whole fatherland, a strict but fair mother. The scepter and the wreath in the hands of the queen are attributes not only of power, but also of the glory of the country. On the shoulders of the autocrat is a mantle of ermine (royal animal). The succession from the Great Peter is indicated by the order that flaunts on Catherine's chest - this is the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, established by the first emperor.

At the feet of the empress lies a crown, and Catherine the Great in a flowing mantle rises above the figures of her entourage, which are located on the lower tier of the monument, at its base. These people are the support and hope of the empress, her associates are G. Potemkin, Rumyantsev, A.V. Suvorov, E. Dashkova, Derzhavin, A. Orlov and others. The names of these statesmen are engraved on the pedestal, which is presented in the form of a bell.

The images of these people are displayed with maximum portrait similarity and their poses express the main occupation. So, Dashkova, for example, bent over a book - the director of the Academy of Sciences of St. Petersburg and the president of the Academy of Language and Literature of Russia, and A.V. Suvorov froze in a pose with a sword.

The urban folklore of the capital, however, pretty jokes about these figures, hinting at the amorousness of the empress and the number of her favorites. There is a legend that sometimes these "companions" on harsh December nights "escape" from their "mentor" in a St. Petersburg snowstorm, setting off to look for new romantic adventures. Then the autocrat sadly leaves her historical pedestal and sets off to look for "true" friends in order to return them to her "Catherine's bench."

How was the monument to Catherine II created?

The history of this monument is interesting.

It should be noted that his idea was "rushed about" even during the reign of the empress. What it was - flattering subservience or real respect for her power - we do not undertake to judge. However, at that time Catherine herself rejected this idea. The question of its construction arose again only in the reign of her grandson and was already associated with the centenary of the beginning of the reign of the majestic grandmother. However, the monument was already opened on the "110th anniversary", as it took a whole decade to build.

By the millennium of the state (1862), a competition was announced in Russia for the design of a national monument on this subject, which, to the surprise of everyone, was won by the artist, and not the sculptor - M. Mikeshin. The situation is amusing, since it is this artist who later wins the competition for the design of the monument to Empress Catherine. Of course, it was not Mikeshin who sculpted the figure of the statue, this is the work of M.A. Chizhov, but A.M. Opekushin sculpted all 9 courtiers.

So in 1873, this monument was erected on the square in front of the Alexandrinsky Theater. Near the perimeter there are 4 lanterns with bronze decor.

As it later became known, all the bronze details of the monument (laurel wreath, commemorative plaque) and lantern candelabra took 50.8 tons of bronze.

The monument itself has a height of 10 meters, and the figure of the autocrat on it "occupies" less than half - 4.35m.

The costs of the state treasury for the monuments of Catherine II amounted to:

• The monument itself - 316 thousand
• Opening events and commemorative medals - 140,896 thousand.

The marble for the pedestal was brought from Karelia.

What did the people say?

Immediately after the construction of the monument, a large urban mythology of this monument was born. For example, folklore actively "discussed" its location. Among the "arguments" was the opinion that it was on this square that the dissolute queen should have been installed, i.e. facing the brothel (allegedly such an institution was then “unofficially” on the site of Eliseev’s store), and with its back to high art, i.e. to the theatre. As a result, the folklore "resume" was compiled as follows - in the form of a riddle:

Where is this lady
Behind which is drama
On the left, enlightenment
On the right is entertainment
And the front is not accessible to everyone?

Even the Public Library (on the left) and the Leisure Garden (on the right) were taken into account in this riddle. Later, the play on words was preserved in it, even when instead of the “brothel” opposite the monument to Catherine II, the Eliseevsky store began to appear. Its mention was especially relevant in Soviet times, when the prices in it were not accessible to everyone.

Monument plus Ekaterininsky Square - a new view of Nevsky

But Alexander II wanted to expand the Catherine Garden with a kind of pantheon of all the great people of the reign of this great empress. This was to include not only statesmen and military men, but people of science and creative crafts. There were serious discussions about the persons of this pantheon, from which, alas, it was not possible to get down to business.

The Catherine Square itself arose immediately after the completion of the construction of the Alexandrinsky Theater, which is located in the depths and its appearance from Nevsky Prospekt is heavily blocked by a monument to Catherine. The square, (aka the garden), like the Alexandrinsky Theatre, was designed by K. Rossi. On the one hand, the square is adjacent to the architectural complex of the Anichkov Palace, and on the other hand, to the National Library of Russia.

Despite such a solid environment and the monumentality of the monument to the main figure of the square - Catherine the Great - in common parlance, Catherine's Square is called much more simply - "Katkin's Garden". All sorts of bohemia often hustle here - artists sell their works, at one time amateurs and not only leaned over chessboards here, and this garden has long been chosen by representatives of non-traditional orientations.

One amusing and disturbing legend for many is also associated with Catherine's Square. It is believed that under the base of this monument is a treasure trove. Allegedly, at the opening of the monument, the strength of the artistic impact of the monument was such that one of the ladies, in a state of emotional shock and affect, threw off a diamond ring from her hand right into the foundation pit. Her exalted example, however, was followed by a mass of the most distinguished Petersburgers, in connection with which they even had to wait with the completion of the work until everyone who wished to part with the jewelry.

According to rumors, all the treasures from "grateful descendants" to this day lie, if not at the feet of Great Catherine, then, in any case, at the foot of her monument.

By the way, under the Soviet authorities, who allegedly also wanted to find these treasures, attempts were made to almost transfer the monument to Catherine from the square to another place. Folk legends tell that "objective-aesthetic reasons" were allegedly put forward to justify such actions. Their essence was that the monument, and especially its Catherine Square, block the view of the theater itself, located behind the monument, which “spoils” the idea of ​​the brilliant Rossi. On the one hand, such “legends” had a narrow-minded justification - there were precedents not only for the transfer of historical masterpieces to other parts of the city (for example, the Monument to Alexander III), but also for their demolition in general (for example, the Intercession Church in Kolomna).

But there were real "warnings" of the experts: the ensemble of the Alexandrinsky Theater, which included spatial compositions of two squares that were connected by a street, was indeed recognized as the pinnacle of this architect's urban planning creativity. Therefore, both the erected monument and its square were actually considered "violators" of the integrity of this compositional solution.

But the monument remained in place, moreover, it became another beautiful accent of the central highway of the Northern capital - Nevsky, and the mythology of the "Katka's garden" and its "mistress" continues to master and create a new generation of young citizens. So, St. Petersburg students of all categories know exactly the recipe for the successful passing of any tests - you just need to touch the monument to the kind and omnipotent "mother sovereign", reaching out to her royal bronze heel ...

Ekaterininsky Park is not big and not small, clean, tidy, well-groomed city park in Moscow. Dostoevskaya metro station is located near the main entrance to the park. Already at the entrance it is clear that this park is worth a visit: the paths are tiled, the fallen leaves (it was autumn) were removed, there are flower beds everywhere and an arch with the name of the place.

Almost immediately at the entrance hangs background information about the park: its history, plans for the future, a set of rules of conduct and a conditional diagram with all the signs.

A brief historical note, printed in small letters on this stand, reads:

The historical territory of the "Ekaterininsky Park" had no buildings for a long time, the Naprudnaya River, a tributary of the Neglinnaya, flowed here. Along its course there were several ponds. In the XIV century, the Exaltation of the Cross Monastery was transferred to the area of ​​the Naprudnaya River, in 1492 the church of St. Tryphon was built, and in the 1630s the stone church of John the Warrior was built. Most of the territory during this period was occupied by groves, meadows and pastures.

In the 18th century, a country estate of Count V.S. was built next to the Church of John the Warrior. Saltykov, who later passed to his son Count A.V. Saltykov, who was one of the close nobles of the Empress, as well as a participant in the Suvorov campaigns.

In 1777, the possession of A.V. Saltykov was purchased by the treasury for the device of the Invalid House to restore the health of veterans of the Turkish company and other defenders of the Fatherland. In 1802, after the transfer of the Invalid House to Matrosskaya Tishina, all of its vast possessions were acquired by Empress Maria Feodorovna for the device in it Moscow School of the Order of St. Catherine(aka the Moscow Catherine Institute for Noble Maidens), for noble maidens, daughters of officers who were wounded or died in the war.

From the end of 1860, the Catherine Institute began to lease the former garden lands located to the north of the pond. By the end of the 1880s, a system of small lots had formed to the northeast of the institute's property. For the entrance to them, new streets are being laid: Bolshaya and Malaya Ekaterininsky. Another plot within the boundaries of the property in 1888 was rented by an honorary citizen, commerce adviser, Alexander Immer, and created an experimental seed station and a plant nursery, with greenhouses and hotbeds.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the building arose in the area of ​​​​Trifonovsky Lane in the immediate vicinity of the Naprudnaya River, which in 1920-30. lies in a pipe, after which the site began to gradually be built up with wooden residential buildings. In the 30s. the church of John the Warrior is being demolished, and seven-story buildings of the TsDKA hotel are being erected within the boundaries of the church property.

In 1935-1941. The Theater of the Red Army was built on Ekaterininskaya Square. In 1979, the Olympic Avenue was laid through the territory of the park, which completely violated the historical structure of the area. All the old buildings were demolished.

Below on the stand it is indicated that the park is a valuable urban landscape, so it is planned to carry out a lot of work on the restoration of water bodies, landscaping and giving a historical look. In the park you can admire the garden of continuous flowering, the garden of coastal and aquatic plants, the garden of lilacs. A variety of walking routes, designed for all age groups, will provide a change of impressions and increase the space of the park.

It sounds tempting, after such words I wanted to visit this park during the flowering period.

The next booth helped to navigate the terrain and even made me happy! The park prohibits the use of alcoholic beverages, smoking, pollution of the territory, walking dogs and much, much more. By the way, cycling and rollerblading in the park is also prohibited. Restoration work is visible in the background.

We move deep into the park: flower beds, flowers, benches, lanterns are also everywhere. The place is very calm.

And here is the Great Catherine's Pond with an overgrown island for ducks.

There are a lot of ducks here, everyone can feed them.

A walk around the large pond will not take long, however, it will be wonderful moments of peace, especially in sunny weather.

Rotunda (round building with a dome) of Catherine II.

Then there is another entrance - the eastern one - with the inscription "Moscow for life, for people!" And then, as confirmation of what was written, a descent for wheelchairs and for the disabled, steps with railings, tiles instead of shabby asphalt. You can bring here both children in a stroller and girls in high heels, which, in fact, can be seen in the photo.

Swimming in the pond is prohibited.

The view of the autumn pond from the other side is just a picture!

Next to the Big Pond is the Small Pond and the Reading Pavilion.

The small pond was without water, only one huge puddle and a flock of crows. But we read at the entrance that the park is just being equipped!

A stone estuary is brought to the Small Pond, through which a miniature bridge is thrown.

Even further away is the sculpture "To the Stars". It is strange to see this sculpture here, because the planetarium is located in a completely different part of the park. And behind the monument you can see the Moscow House of Veterans of Wars and the Armed Forces, which is connected to a social rehabilitation center.

We go to the northern part of the park. How harmoniously the new "glass" houses fit into the old landscapes of the Catherine Park.

Chapel to Alexander Nevsky and the Holy Martyr John the Warrior - instead of the one demolished in the 30s. stone church.

Near the gazebo for vacationers.

And then the bust of A.V. Suvorov.

“This glorious year has passed, but the exploits committed in it will not pass”- so says the inscription on the stone. This is a quote from the manifesto of Alexander I on the occasion "the expulsion of the adversary from the borders of Russia" dated January 4, 1912: “THIS IS A GLORIOUS YEAR THIS IS PASSED, BUT THE FEATS OF DEALING IN IT WILL NOT PASS” The stone was installed in 2012, on the 200th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812.

Gold autumn! Last look at the wonderful park.

We leave through the North Gate, passing by the Moscow House of Veterans of Wars and the Armed Forces and the social rehabilitation center. The whole walk took about an hour, but the owners of free time can spend the whole day here.

The Ekaterininsky Garden park is located almost in the heart of Moscow and serves as an excellent place for family vacations, daily walks for mothers with their babies and just spending quiet and relaxing leisure time. Its area is small, but a local resident or a guest of the capital will certainly find something to do here. You can learn a lot about this cozy place from this article.

History of the territory

In ancient times, in these places there was a cascade of ponds along the Sinichka River or, as it is also called, Nadprudnaya. In the sixteenth century, the Holy Cross Monastery was transferred here, and a little later a temple was built in honor of John the Warrior.

A century and a half later, Count V.S. Saltykov decided to build a manor on this territory. The building was supposed to be surrounded by a large one. After the completion of construction work, Catherine II decided to buy this country house from its owner and place low-income officers in it for permanent residence.

Then, in 1808, this estate was reconstructed into a building, and the surrounding area, which by that time was already a vast square, was called "Catherine's Garden."

In the twentieth century, the territory of the park area was significantly reduced, the river was enclosed in a pipe, and only the Small and Large ponds remained. Since 1929, in the building of the institute, for the armed forces of Russia, it was located in the past, which had the name of the Main House of the Red Army.

In 1999, the city authorities decided to carry out work on the improvement of the park, since a year earlier, the "Catherine's Garden" was badly damaged by a hurricane. In 2005 the restoration was completed.

Description of the square

After reconstruction, this park is a monument of garden art and covers an area of ​​sixteen hectares. This place can rightly be considered the most popular among the local population, which has placed on its territory the Meshchansky district of the city of Moscow.

Here you can always see a lot of people walking slowly along the clean, paved alleys. Also, it cannot leave indifferent any visitor who came to the Catherine's Garden, a pond located in the central part of this park, on the banks of which cozy summer pavilions and various cafes are built.

In addition, in this place you can see majestic monuments and a chapel erected in honor of Alexander Nevsky. In the northeast of the park area there is a museum dedicated to the Russian army.

What can you do?

This natural complex is a great place for active and passive leisure. For example, there is a small marina where you can rent a catamaran or a boat and spend a few hours on the water without plunging into the hassle of everyday life, but simply enjoying the surrounding landscapes of this place.

For fans of football and active games in nature, there is a well-groomed small field with artificial turf, as well as several tennis courts and many outdoor simulators. In addition, a summer stage was built on the territory of the park, so various concerts and other entertainment events are often held there, and retro dances for the elderly are organized on weekends.

Young visitors will not get bored here either, as this natural complex has many playgrounds and a field with a special soft surface designed for rollerblading, scooters and skateboards.

There is also a planetarium in this park, which can be visited during the school year by appointment. In winter, there is also something to do here, since at the first frosts a free skating rink, ice slides and sculptures with beautiful illumination in the evening appear in the park.

Further development of the square

But the city authorities do not plan to stop there. They want to develop a project in the near future, according to which they will acquire the Muscovite cultural and entertainment center, a social rehabilitation sanatorium for veterans of the Armed Forces and a new temple, which will be located on the territory of this park.

In addition, it is planned to further expand the Ekaterininsky Garden zone in order to be able to plant more green spaces here.

The small Catherine Park is located in the Meshchansky municipal district of Moscow. It is located between the streets of the Soviet Army, Olympic Avenue and Suvorovskaya Square.

In every city there are places about which there is nothing special to say, no bright events are connected with them, and there is nothing interesting for most people in them. Well the park. Well, a pond. And what? Whether it's a museum of erotica on the Arbat! And here? Trees? Ducks? But these are not boring places, but we are, and we will be so until we learn to enjoy any flower.

A long time ago, in the 12th-13th centuries, there was the village of Sushchevo, which later became the Sushchevskaya Sloboda. On the territory of the park there was a chain of ponds in the bed of the Naprudnaya River (other names are Samoteka, Sinichka), which flowed into the Neglinnaya.

One of the first buildings in the park was the church of Tryphon. It was erected in 1492. The Exaltation of the Cross Monastery was also moved here and the stone church of John the Warrior was built.

In the second half of the 18th century, next to the church of John the Warrior, the country estate of Count V.S. Saltykov was founded. After the death of the count, the estate passed to his son, a participant in the Suvorov campaigns, Count A.V. Saltykov. The new owner of the estate was one of the close nobles of Empress Catherine II.

Soon the empress bought the estate. It was rebuilt into the building of the Invalid Home for soldiers of the Russian army, which later became the Ekaterininsky Institute for Noble Maidens, and the park was named Ekaterininsky.

In 1802, already in the reign of Emperor Alexander I, instead of the Invalid House, the Ekaterininsky Institute for Noble Maidens was located in the estate. But it is called "Catherine" not in honor of Empress Catherine II, but in honor of St. Catherine. The new building for it was built by the architect Ivan Gilardi.

The war of 1812 greatly disfigured the estate and the park, and Ivan Gilardi's son, Dmitry Gilardi, was already engaged in their restoration.

Already in the 20th century, the Naprudnaya River was enclosed in a pipe along its entire length, with the exception of a large pond. The Church of John the Warrior was demolished, and Ekaterininskaya Square (now Suvorovskaya Square) was enlarged at the expense of part of the park. The Catherine Institute since February 1928 was renamed the Central House of the Red Army.

In 1979, the eastern part was cut off from the park, along which the Olympic Avenue was laid. On the site of the church of John the Warrior, destroyed in the 30s of the 20th century, the TsDKA hotel (now the Slavyanka hotel) was built.

Immediately to the left of the entrance is a stage, a dance floor. A lot of old people are dancing the waltz. We looked. Amazingly touching and lovely picture. They are not at dominoes, they don’t hand over bottles, they don’t discuss neighbors on the bench, they go dancing. God bless them.

On the left side of the park is the statue "To the Stars" by sculptor Grigory Postnikov. In the monument, Grigory Nikolayevich captured a young half-naked titan launching a rocket into the sky.

The very idea of ​​launching a space rocket by hand, and not by equipment, is beautiful and patriotic. We can do everything! And on the other hand, it can be understood as follows: launch a rocket, even with your hand, even with any technique, the result will be the same.

Not far behind the trees we see the Armenian Cathedral of Surb-Khach, built a few years ago on Olimpiyskiy Avenue.

We go to the northwest corner of the park, and we pass into its "appendix", fenced with new buildings and connected to the park itself by a narrow isthmus.

There is a memorial stone dedicated to the bicentenary of the victory in the war with Napoleon in 1812.

The Chapel of Alexander Nevsky and John the Warrior is part of the memorial complex dedicated to Generalissimo A.V. Suvorov.

The monument to the great Russian commander A. V. Suvorov, who made many glorious victories and campaigns, was erected in 2006 in Catherine's Park next to the chapel.

Once on this place was the Church of John the Warrior. In the 1920s, the temple was destroyed by the Bolsheviks.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich - the great Russian commander who did not suffer a single defeat in his military career (more than 60 battles), Prince of Italy (1799), Count Rymniksky (1789), Count of the Holy Roman Empire, Generalissimo of Russian land and sea forces , holder of all Russian orders of his time, awarded to men, as well as many foreign military orders.

“He was a man of short stature, thin, frail, badly built, with a monkey face, with lively, sly eyes and grips so strange and hilariously funny that it was impossible to see him without laughter or pity; but under this original shell lurked the gifts of a great military genius. Suvorov knew how to make the soldiers idolize themselves and be afraid. (King Louis XVIII of France)

In the same part of the park is the "Social and Rehabilitation Center for Veterans of Wars and the Armed Forces." It is probably a pleasure to lie down for treatment here, especially in spring, but the proximity of Prospekt Mira raises doubts about the purity of the air.

Jasmine blooms. He is one of the last to bloom. The sun has already passed its climax, and the daylight hours have begun to decrease, and it is in bloom.

This year, due to illness, I missed the flowering of bird cherry and lilac, but I will not miss jasmine.

There is a rotunda here, in which, as the legend says, “The Empress liked to drink tea with Count Saltykov. In a nearby greenhouse they grew lemons for their tea.” True, which empress and with which of the Saltykov counts is not specified.

This pavilion is called "The Rotunda of Catherine II". The rotunda is located on the bank of the Great Ekaterininsky Pond. This wooden arched structure was erected on the site of an old rotunda.

Now renting this pavilion costs 1,000 rubles per hour, people like to arrange photo shoots there on wedding days, and in summer you can often meet brides in dazzling white dresses in the park. And my missus is in green, the color of the rotunda.

Catherine Park is literally squeezed from all sides by the Olimpiysky sports complex, the Theater of the Russian Army, the Museum of the Armed Forces, the Cultural Center of the Armed Forces, Suvorovskaya Square and Durov's corner.

There is only one restaurant, which is on the water on the Big Pond. We did not go into it.

The park has two entrances - Central, from the side of Suvorovskaya Square and Dostoevskaya metro station, and from the side of Olimpiyskiy Prospekt opposite the stadium.

Hidden in the depths of the garden is a planetarium built in 1958. A special astronomical apparatus is installed here, thanks to which visitors can see comets, stars, planets and eclipses. Unfortunately, the planetarium is not designed for a large number of visitors, so prior registration is required to visit it. And you thought there was only one planetarium in Moscow? I thought so too.

This horse does not belong to the main attractions of the park. So what? She was created to give people joy, so I do not regret taking pictures for her.

The approaching houses are simply crushing. What freedom in Kolomenskoye, and what non-freedom here.

Here it is, the former Catherine's Institute for Noble Maidens. As it should be for all institutions of noble maidens, a bust of Frunze was installed in front of its entrance. Now here is the Cultural Center of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Opposite the entrance we see the building of the Theater of the Soviet Army. It was the first theater building built after the revolution. From a bird's eye view, the building looks like a regular five-pointed star. "Invented" such a form, oddly enough, Kliment Voroshilov.

Voroshilov, completely desperate to explain to stupid architects how to build a theater, somehow grabbed an ashtray in the form of a five-pointed star from the table, slapped it on a sheet of paper, and said: "That's how to build it!" So they built it, but the building turned out to be extremely inconvenient for the theater.

Near the park and the theater is the Central Museum of the Armed Forces (former museum of the Soviet Army), it was founded in 1919.

In 1924 the museum became known as the Central Museum of the Red Army and Navy. Since 1951 - the Central Museum of the Soviet Army, since 1965 - the Central Museum of the Armed Forces of the USSR, since 1993 - the Central Museum of the Armed Forces. Remembering all this is impossible, and no one needs to.

The monument to the dead sailors of the Kursk nuclear submarine (sculptor L. Kerbel) was opened on August 12, 2002 to the right of the building of the Central Museum of the Armed Forces, 2 years after the tragedy on the nuclear submarine.

Map of the Catherine Park.

The history of the creation of the Catherine Park

The construction of the square began in 1820 and lasted almost a decade. The development of the project and its implementation were entrusted to the architect A.A. Menelas and landscape painter I.A. Ivanov. But the square was opened to the public only in 1873. The most interesting thing is that the monument to Empress Catherine II appeared in the park only 50 years after the start of its construction. During the Great Patriotic War, the square was almost completely destroyed, so it required a large-scale reconstruction. The restorers managed to almost completely restore the original pre-war appearance of the square. In 1989-2001, another reconstruction of the square was carried out, after which it really acquired the layout of 1878.

Monument to Catherine II

By the centenary of the descent of Catherine II to the throne, it was decided to erect a monument to the Empress. The author of the monument was the artist M.O. Mikeshin, who presented it in 1873. By the way, it took ten years to create this monument. The monument is a whole composition, consisting of several elements. Namely, in the center of this composition stands the figure of Catherine II, cast in bronze. She is wearing an ermine mantle on her shoulders, and at her feet lies the crown of the Russian Empire. On the chest of the Empress, you can see the order of St. Andrew the First-Called.

Around the pedestal there are nine more figures of the most significant figures of the era in which Catherine II ruled. These include the figures of Grigory Potemkin, Alexander Suvorov, Pyotr Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky, Gavriil Derzhavin, Vasily Chichagov, Alexei Orlov-Chesmensky, Alexander Bezborodko, Ekaterina Dashkova.

Ekaterininsky Square today

To date, the total area of ​​​​the Catherine's Garden is about 19 thousand square meters, its length reaches 140 meters, and its width is 70 meters. The garden is fenced with a lattice, on the wings of which there are decorative monograms with the monogram of Catherine the Great. Catherine's Garden is one of the most popular places for recreation among the townspeople. Tourists also visit the park, as there are many famous attractions in it and its surroundings. Therefore, during your visit to the city, be sure to look into this old square.