Theatre Square, square in Moscow
Theatre Square is a stone-paved public square in the Tverskoy District of central Moscow, framed on three sides by the Bolshoi Theatre, the Maly Theatre, and the Russian Academic Youth Theatre. The open space has benches and trees along its edges, with the theatre facades forming a near-continuous line of historic architecture around the central area.
The square was laid out during Moscow's reconstruction after the fire of 1812, which destroyed a large part of the city. From 1919 to 1991 it was renamed Sverdlov Square, and it reverted to its current name after the Soviet Union ended.
The square takes its name from the three theatres that line its edges: the Bolshoi Theatre, the Maly Theatre, and the Russian Academic Youth Theatre. On evenings before performances, visitors in formal dress gather outside, giving the space a particular energy that sets it apart from other plazas in the city.
The square is within walking distance of several metro stations, making it easy to reach from most parts of the city center. The paved surface is open at all times, though evenings before theatre performances tend to be notably busier than daytime hours.
Beneath the square flows the Neglinnaya River, channeled underground during the 19th century and invisible from the surface. Its hidden path under this part of the city helps explain why the square and the streets around it were built in this particular layout.
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