Gorky Park (Taganrog)


The Gorky Park is a municipal park of culture and recreation in the city of Taganrog, Russia.

History

On June 30, 1806, the first trees were planted for the Taganrog’s "Chemist’s garden" and "botanical garden" by the order of Taganrog’s governor baron Balthasar von Campenhausen. In 1825, Russian Emperor Alexander I and the Empress Consort Elizabeth Alexeievna often went for a walk in the garden during their stay in the city. Anton Chekhov who frequently visited the garden in his youth years and during his visits to Taganrog wrote in one of his letters to his sister Maria Chekhova: Was in the garden. The music played. The garden is magnificent. In 1895 the project of the new garden’s planning according to new European standards was approved.
In 1903, Monument to Peter the Great was placed on Petrovskaya Street in front of the main entrance to the park. In the early 20th century, a rotunda with a concert hall facing the Petrovskaya Street was built.
In 1924, the Peter the Great monument was dismantled and removed. In 1932, the municipal garden became the Park of Culture and Recreation and in 1934 it was named Gorky Park after Maxim Gorky. In 1941-1943, during the Occupation of Taganrog, the City Park was partially destroyed and was used by the occupation forces of Nazi Germany as a cemetery. In 1963, the Taganrog’s Gorky Park was awarded the title of “The Best Park of Culture and Recreation of the Soviet Union”. In 2006, the Gorky Park celebrated its bicentenary anniversary. In 2008 a sculptural composition "The Egyptian Pyramid" dedicated to Anton Chekhov's "Kashtanka" short story was unveiled at the entrance to Gorky Park from Maliy Sadoviy Pereulok.

Old and modern views of the Gorky Park