Nikolsky Rows (Nikolsky Market) is a historical complex of commercial buildings in St. Petersburg.
Today, the historical restored Nikolsky market, which is called Nikolsky Rows, is a shopping and entertainment complex.
Nikolsky rows are located near the intersection Kryukov Canal and Griboyedov Canal. They occupy a block bounded by 62 Sadovaya Street, 1 Nikolsky Lane, 4-6 Shchepyaniy Lane and 18 Kryukov Canal.
The facade of the Nikolsky rows is made in the style of classicism. They include an open outdoor gallery, a basement with a gallery and 18 sections of the building formed by arched spans.
Within the walls of Nikolsky rows there are: cafes, restaurants, hotels, shops.
From hotels:
The 4 - star Holiday Inn Express - St. Petersburg-Sadovaya, an IHG Hotel offers a restaurant, a bar, free Wi-Fi, facilities for disabled guests, family rooms,a business center, meeting facilities and an ATM.
All rooms are equippedwith air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with Smart TV technology, bottled water, an electric kettle, a refrigerator and a private bathroom.
Breakfast is included in the room rate. Link to the hotel
Holiday Inn St Petersburg-Theatre Square is a 4-star hotel with a lobby, free Wi-Fi, a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk and facilities for disabled guests.
The roomsare equipped with a flat-screen TV with a USB port, a private bathroom with a shower and a hairdryer.
A buffet breakfast can be included in the room rate. Link to the hotel
The center of Nikolsky Rows forms an open courtyard, which is a space where concerts, fairs (including New Year's and gastronomic ones), festivals, sports events, lectures and seminars are held.
In the courtyard of the Nikolsky rows there are: an observation tower with a height of 21 meters (the ascent is paid), a mini-golf, a summer amphitheater, a coffee shop, a slide in winter, etc. The objects of the Nikolsky Rows courtyard change depending on the summer or winter seasons.
Near the Nikolsky rows
Nikolsky Rows are located near the Staro-Nikolsky, Krasnoarmeysky and Pikalov bridges, which are part of the" Semimostye " - a unique panorama of St. Petersburg that attracts many tourists, photographers and artists.
Standing on one bridge of Semimostya, you can see six more bridges, or even see more.
Semimostye is also a place of power and has the ability to fulfill the most cherished desires. Learn more about Semimostye and wish fulfillment…
View of the Nikolsky rows from Semimostya
A brief history of the Nikolsky Rows
Nikolsky Rows were built as a market in the Kolomna district, which was inhabited by merchants. The construction was carried out in 1788-1789 at the expense of financing by the merchants themselves, according to a project (the author is not exactly known) approved by Empress Catherine II.
The place for construction was not chosen by chance - the proximity of two water transport arteries contributed to brisk trade: the Catherine Canal (now the Griboyedov Canal) and the Kryukov Canal. The first floor of the market was intended for retail premises, and the second floor housed offices and warehouses. The halls of the Nikolsky market were united by a common gallery. The sections were isolated from each other, each shop had an exit to the courtyard and its own staircase to the second floor.
Initially, the market was called "Ochakovsky" - in honor of the capture of the city of Ochakov by the troops of A.V. Suvorov. In 1825, the market building burned down, but it was quickly restored and was named "Nikolsky Market" - in honor of the St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral, located nearby.
In addition to the shops selling traditional meat and vegetables, there was a "herring row" at the Nikolsky market, where they sold fish supplied directly from the water, as well as pottery and hardware products.
The Nikolsky market was widely known for the fact that an unofficial labor exchange was previously located near the market. Before the abolition of serfdom (1861), at the intersection of Sadovaya Square with the embankment of the Griboyedov Canal, there was a dusty square where serfs were traded. Later, ordinary people began to flock here in search of work, including women who came to be hired as nurses or cooks.
Workers of various specialties gathered surrounded by Nikolsky rows from four o'clock in the morning. According to contemporaries, up to 50 thousand people came to this labor exchange in the summer.
At about the same time, the "Gluttonous Row" appeared on the Nikolsky market - a place where the poorest segments of the population who came in search of work ate. Lunch in the Gluttonous Row cost 5 kopecks (which corresponds to modern 87-88 rubles). Lunch included bread and some offal. And although the trade in the Gluttonous row was called "penny", the daily earnings of the owner of the outlet reached 10 rubles.
Since the 80s of the 19th century, the market building has been repeatedly rebuilt, including the third and attic floors were added, the interior rooms were rebuilt.
As a market, Nikolsky Rows functioned until the revolution of 1917. After that, various enterprises were located in the market building, as a result of which the structures of the building were recognized as worn out; two 15-ton containers with fuel oil were buried in the basement, and part of the basements was clogged with glass cans with concentrated acid, often broken.
In 2007, the territory of the Nikolsky market was closed for reconstruction, during which several unique finds were made: an 18th-century well was discovered, frescoes and porcelain shards with paintings dating back to the 18th century, Dutch smoking pipes, wine and beer bottles of Peter's time and a woman's slipper were found.
The project to restore the complex lasted for eight years, during which it was possible to preserve the maximum possible volume of the historical building. After the reconstruction, the project received a diploma in the nomination "Restoration object of the Year" within the framework of the ceremony "Petersburg and Petersburgers-2018".
Practical information
Address of Nikolsky Rows: 62 Sadovaya Street, Saint Petersburg.
Coordinates of the Nikolsky rows: 59°55'15.0"N 30°18'06.0"E (59.920833, 30.301667).
Nearest metro stations: "Sadovaya", "Sennaya Ploshchad", "Spasskaya" and "Technological Institute".
We recommend that you check all the detailed information about the Nikolsky Rows, including opening hours, organizations and events, on the official website of the Nikolsky Rows: sadovaya62.
All accommodation facilities in St. Petersburg, including in the city center, near Nikolsky Rows and more remotely from those, can be viewed and booked here
