This urban area was once a working-class suburb. And even earlier, when there was no city yet, there was an ancient settlement on this place. Our city was founded in 1703, and the history of this village can be traced by archival documents to the XV century. After the foundation of St. Petersburg, this area became the centre of attention of new urban settlers.
The palace of Empress Catherine I was built near the old village, as well as two mansions for princesses. A large park was laid out near the palace. But urban planning tendencies developed in such a way that the city centre was arranged upstream of the Neva, and the palaces and mansions in these places began to be perceived as suburban. People's festivals on holidays were held in the park. And the village continued to live its life.
The next centuries did not bring any major changes in the life of the locals. The city continued to grow, but there was enough unoccupied land to build new neighbourhoods. No one was in a hurry to buy out the old wooden houses from the settlers to build new streets. Photographs of the early 20th century have been preserved, on which you can see how Volynkina village looked at that time.
Changes came in the middle of the twentieth century. In the 1950s, new stone two- and three-storey cottages were erected in place of the dilapidated wooden houses. In the 1960s, several five-storey blocks were built here as a densification development, and at this point construction work stopped again for many years. The village became a full-fledged urban area, but retained a leisurely rhythm of life.
In early summer it is especially pleasant to walk along these quiet streets. Cherry and apple trees blossom in the yards, lilacs bloom on the boulevards, crocuses and tulips bloom in the flowerbeds in the front gardens. The petals of apple trees fall slowly, like summer snow. The air after a short rain is clean and full of fragrance.
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| Smartphone | Google Pixel 3a |
| Location | Saint Petersburg, Russia |
This is my entry for the #WednesdayWalk challenge by @tattoodjay.
