Haven’t you ever wondered how Kazanskiy Island got its name? The answer is connected to one of Russia’s most venerated icons.
Kazanskiy Island is more than just a piece of land surrounded by water. It’s a place steeped in history. It once served as an affluent area in the heart of Saint Petersburg.
In 1865, Saint Petersburg was divided into twelve police sectors. One of these was the Kazanskaya Sector. This sector was named after the Kazan Cathedral. The sector covered Kazanskiy Island. It was surrounded by the Moyka River, the Yekaterinsky Canal, and the Kryukov Canal.
Settlement of Kazanskiy Island began in the 1720s. Non-Orthodox churches moved here away from Admiralty Island. During the 1730s, lands were assigned for the Imperial Stables. These stables and the parishes formed a small urban center. Staff of the Admiralty Board later settled the southwestern parts. They were resettled due to fires in Saint Petersburg.
The Kazanskaya Sector bordered other sectors. These were the Admiralty, Spassky, and Kolomensky Sectors. By the late 1800s, it was bourgeois-aristocratic. Government offices were also located here. An 1883 travel guide described the area as full of palaces and elegant shops.
The Kazanskaya Sector was divided into three police precincts. Each precinct had two neighborhoods. The First Neighborhood stretched to Nevsky Prospekt. The Second Neighborhood was between Nevsky Prospekt and Gorokhovaya Street. The Second Police Precinct stretched to Voznesensky Prospekt. Areas north of Kazanskaya Street formed its First Neighborhood. The area south of Kazanskaya Street was its Second Neighborhood. The Third Police Precinct reached the western edge of the island. Ofitserskaya Street divided its First and Second Neighborhoods.
After the February Revolution, police sectors became districts. The Kazansky District was home to important institutions. These included the State Council, banks, and the Mariinsky Theatre. The Saint Petersburg Conservatory was here too. So were military academies and the editorial offices of Pravda. While lacking large industries, the district had many poor residents. Its population grew rapidly in 1917.
The Kazansky District Soviet was founded in April 1917. It had a Socialist-Revolutionary-Menshevik political line. In May, it merged with the Kolomensky Soviet. The Kazansky Soviet became a sub-district soviet. It disappeared in November 1917.
In the May 1917 election, the Kadet Party won the most votes. The Socialist Bloc came in second. Bolsheviks also gained seats. The Kadets and Socialist Bloc each won 22 seats. The Bolsheviks secured 5 seats. House-Owners Committees won 2 seats. Employees in Educational Institutions got 1 seat.
The August 1917 Petrograd City Duma election saw the Kadets win again. The SRs and Bolsheviks followed. Voter absenteeism was significant. In the 1917 Russian Constituent Assembly election, the Kadets dominated. Bolsheviks and SRs followed. The Kazansky District had unique voting patterns. The SRs had a higher vote share than the Bolsheviks there.
After the October Revolution, District Dumas disappeared. Local governance shifted to the District Soviets. The Second City District replaced the Kazansky District.
Today, Kazanskiy Island stands as a testament to Saint Petersburg’s complex history. From its early settlements to its role in political upheaval, it remains a captivating part of the city’s story. It is a place where the echoes of the past resonate with the present.