Being one of the main centrally located squares of St.Petersburg, St. Isaac’s square is called the main administrative due to the general court of the city, located in Mariinsky Palace on the square.

In the beginning of 18^th century the square got the name The Trade Square, because the area nearby was the city’s trading center with markets and small shops. The territory of modern Senatskaya Square was called Isaac’s Square and there existed Mariinskaya square, that was finally joined to the modern St.Isaac’s square at 1929.

The architectural ensemble of the square was forming during hundreds of years and the square changed its design several times, it was named with several names, destroyed by the fires and floods and its final look started to form in the end of 19^th century only.

In 1844 the architect Stakenschneider built the Mariinsky Palaces. In 1842 the Blue Bridge was widened to 99 meters and became a part of the square. In 1860 the garden in front of St.Isaac’s Cathedral was opened and in several years it was bounded with wonderful railings, in this time the monument to Nicholas I was also created and mounted on the square.

In 1876 the building of apartment house of S.Poggenpole was restored and became the world famous hotel Angletere. The building was totally destroyed and rebuilt as the copy of the original hotel in the beginning of 1990s.

In 1911 the second hotel Astoria (run nowadays by the Rocco Forte Collection) was built by the project of famous Petersburg’s architect Lidval. The hotel got its name after the famous luxury hotels in New-York, owned by the brothers Astors.

During the Soviet times the square was very popular with the revolutionaries – meetings, fighting and building of barricades were held on the square. In 1991 it was also occupied by the citizens of the city for a meeting is support of president Eltsin.

Nowadays the square and the St.Isaac’s cathedral are one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city and a place for public holidays also.