Владимирский Пассаж

Amidst the grandeur of Saint Petersburg, the Vladimirsky Passage stands as a testament to the city’s rich history. The Vladimirsky Passage isn’t just a shopping mall. It’s a captivating journey through time. The Vladimirsky Passage’s story begins in the early 18th century. The location, nestled on Nevsky Prospekt, was a bustling hub of trade, housing various shops and warehouses. In 1846, Count Essen-Stenbock-Fermor envisioned a grand shopping arcade for the elite. He purchased the land and set about creating the Vladimirsky Passage. The Passage derived its name from the covered gallery connecting Nevsky Prospekt and Italianskaya Street. This glass and steel-roofed gallery served as the main thoroughfare. This innovative design made the Vladimirsky Passage one of the world’s first shopping malls. It joined the ranks of iconic arcades like the Passage du Caire in Paris and Burlington Arcade in London. On May 9, 1848, the three-story Vladimirsky Passage opened its doors. Gas lighting illuminated the luxurious interiors, a novelty in Russia at the time. Another unique feature was the underground floor, which later housed an electric station in 1900. While the Passage specialized in luxury goods, it also drew crowds of curious onlookers eager to glimpse the latest fashions. An entrance fee of 50 kopecks was eventually implemented to manage the crowds. Count Essen-Stenbock-Fermor envisioned the Vladimirsky Passage as more than just a shopping destination. He saw it as a cultural and social center. Coffee houses, confectioneries, and panorama displays filled the space. There was even an anatomical museum, a wax museum, and a small zoo, which Dostoevsky famously described in his short story “The Crocodile.” The concert hall within the Vladimirsky Passage hosted renowned literary readings, attracting luminaries like Dostoevsky, Turgenev, and Taras Shevchenko. In 1897, ownership passed to Princess Nadezhda Boryatinsky. A fire in 1898 led to significant renovations. Crédit Lyonnais, a French bank, financed the restoration and leased a substantial portion of the building. In 1900, another story was added, and the façade was redone with Radom sandstone. The former concert hall was transformed into the Komissarzhevskaya Theatre under Princess Boryatinsky’s ownership. The Soleille cinema, one of the city’s largest, further enhanced the Passage’s appeal in 1908. After the Russian Revolution, the Passage briefly became a supermarket before being designated a “model department store” in 1933. It showcased Soviet-made goods and housed the popular Children’s World section. During World War II, the Passage remained largely intact despite the Siege of Leningrad. It reopened in 1947 and has since continued its legacy as a prime shopping destination. Today, the Vladimirsky Passage has been modernized, yet it retains its historical charm, continuing to attract locals and tourists alike.