What is the largest square in Europe? What country is it located in? Let's figure it out.
Battle for superiority
The question of what is the largest square in Europe by area often causes a wave of controversy. This is often called the front square in Warsaw. However, it is difficult to call it correct, because most of its territory is occupied by two shopping centers and a high-rise building.
Freedom Square also claims to this place in the Ukrainian city of Kharkov. It occupies 11.9 hectares. Its shape is not rectangular, so it stretches in length from 690 to 750 meters, and in width - from 96 to 125.
Despite its considerable size, it is not a champion. The largest square in Europe is actually located in Samara. The confusion with Freedom Square entrenched itself in Soviet times. Perhaps she appeared thanks to the writer Oles Gonchar, who called her "the widest and largest."
Then Kharkov was one of the most powerful industrial centers, the pride of the local population, which could also affect the active maintenance of this legend. This belief is deeply rooted, therefore many Kharkiv landmarks are still considered the largest.
The largest square in Europe
The largest is Kuibyshev Square in Samara. Krasnoarmeyskaya, Galaktionovskaya, Vilonovskaya and Chapaevskaya streets flock to it. The area covers as much as 17.4 hectares, of which only 8. are asphalted. There are many objects on the territory.
In size, it significantly exceeds not only the Freedom Square in Kharkov. As well as Red Square in Moscow, Palace in St. Petersburg. This is truly a record breaker. From all four corners, the largest square in Europe is framed by small squares with flower beds, lawns and shrubs.
In its center is a monument to the party leader and revolutionary Valerian Kuibyshev. Its author is the famous architect Matvey Manizer, who worked in the style of socialist realism, and also created the death mask of Stalin.
The main object of the square is considered the Samara Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. The building covers more than two hectares of territory. It was built in 1931. The theater belongs to the pilonad style, it is considered a classic example of neoclassicism of the 30s.
History
Before, Kuibyshev Square had other names. Throughout its history, she managed to visit the Cathedral and the Communal. This place was identified for her back in 1853. Samara was a rather prestigious city, so a decent size square should have been present in it. The planned parameters were 525 by 325 meters.
On the site of the musical theater was the Cathedral, which accommodated 2500 people. Its construction lasted from 1869 to 1894. Then the squares were laid, named Nikolaev in honor of the tsar’s heir.
After the revolution, the area changed slightly. It became known as the Communal, and its size increased. To destroy the cathedral, the new government took two years. It was replaced by the House of Culture, which housed an empire hall with 1250 seats, a library and a museum.
In 1935, the largest square in Europe began to bear the name of Kuybyshev. In 2010, there was an attempt to return its historical name, but the city authorities decided not to support this idea.
Significant Events
Placing the House of Culture on the square made it an important center of urban life. During the war, performances were given here many times. In 1941, a military parade took place on the territory of the square at the same time as the parade on Red Square in Moscow.
In 1942, at the Kuibyshev Theater, Shostakovich first performed the legendary 7th or “Leningrad” symphony. He began to write the second part of the symphony during the siege of Leningrad, and it was in Samara that he completed his work.
One of the high-profile events is also a rally during the perestroika period. It occurred on June 22, 1988 and, according to many historians, marked the beginning of the end of the USSR.