Isaakievskaya ploshchad 1
Tel. 312 2243, 571 4157
Bus: 3,
22, 27
Tram: 5, 22
Horseguards' Manege was constructed in 1804- 07 under supervision of architect Giacomo Quarenghi. Being of Italian origin he obviously was influenced by ancient Roman basilicas and used its features in a layout of this enormous indoor riding school of the Life Guards' Mounted Regiment. Additionally he included the statues of Greek mythological gods riding wild horses. These sculptures were exact copies of Quirinale Palace in Rome. They didn't stood here for long though. The Holy Synod, government ministry in charge of the Russian Orthodox Church was scandalized by a such indecent display of naked human bodies so they were removed. In 1954 however they were brought back.
In Soviet times, the Manege was rebuilt as a garage for the NKVD car park, and since 1977 the building has been used as an exhibition hall.
The arena was built in the era of the Napoleonic Wars,
and very quickly, in order to be in time for the return of the Horse
Guards Regiment from Europe. St. Isaac's Square was already then
conceived as an important architectural landmark of St. Petersburg, so a
lot of money was allocated for the design of the arena.
By the
end of construction in Italy, reduced copies of the antique marble
sculptures of the Dioscuri were ordered, standing in front of the Roman
Quirinal Palace (see Dioscuri Fountain). However, it took three years to
make them and another six years to deliver them to St. Petersburg. Only
in 1816 were sculptures installed on both sides of the portico; this is
how the whole composition of the facade arose. Later, a simple box for
eminent spectators was first installed inside the arena, and in 1873,
during the reconstruction of the arena under the guidance of academician
of architecture D. I. Grimm, a special royal box was equipped.
Subsequently, the arena was rebuilt several times, under the Soviet
regime it was used as a car garage for the NKVD troops (the
restructuring was led by N. E. Lansere), and during the war the building
was badly damaged. In 1977, the arena was converted into an exhibition
center. At the same time, its facade was thoroughly restored in
accordance with the original plan of Giacomo Quarenghi.
On
November 5, an exhibition of works by Leningrad artists, dedicated to
the 60th anniversary of the Great October Revolution and held under the
motto "Art belongs to the people", opened the Central Exhibition Hall
"Manege". Since then, it has been the city's most popular venue for
exhibitions.
The building is two-storey (after the
superstructure of 1931), decorated with pilasters in the corners,
completed with an entablature. The walls and columns are brick, but
plastered. The roof is iron.
The main facade is skillfully
decorated with a portico, which is a loggia bounded by a Doric order
and consisting of 8 columns, a frieze and a triangular pediment. In
front of the portico there are sculptures by Paolo Triscorni. The
pediment was originally decorated with terracotta bas-reliefs by the
sculptor David Jensen, which were dismantled during the Soviet era.
At the same time, instead of the imperial eagle, a sickle and a
hammer were placed in the tympanum. After the collapse of Soviet
power, Soviet symbols from the pediment were dismantled. During the
restoration, it was decided not to restore the bas-reliefs and leave
the pediment empty.
In 1806, Quarenghi ordered from Italy
smaller copies of the marble statues of Castor and Pollux, which
adorn the famous Fountain of the Dioscuri. Each composition
represents a young man taming a horse. Sculptural groups are known
largely because of their plasticity and monumentality. Both figures
were completed by Paolo Triscorni in 1810, but were delivered to
Russia in Kronstadt only in August 1816. In 1817, the Dioscuri were
installed on granite pedestals on both sides of the main facade of
the arena.
After the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral,
the clergy demanded that the figures of naked pagan deities standing
next to it be removed. In this regard, in the period from 1844 to
1954, the Dioscuri stood at the Horse Guards barracks along
Konnogvardeisky Lane, where their granite pedestals are still
preserved.
Central Exhibition Hall "Manezh". The main activity of
Manege is the organization and holding of non-commercial art
exhibitions. Monthly "Manezh" presents new art projects, different in
nature and content, in design and presentation of material. The range of
exhibitions is very wide:
Retrospective exhibitions of works of
painting, graphics, sculpture, arts and crafts, theatrical and
decorative art, photography, printed publications, medal art.
exhibitions dedicated to the cultural and spiritual heritage of St.
Petersburg;
exhibitions held in collaboration with museums and
archives of St. Petersburg and its suburbs (Petrodvorets, Pushkin,
Lomonosov, Gatchina, Pavlovsk);
exhibitions from private collections,
giving a rare opportunity to get acquainted with the works of domestic
and foreign masters belonging to St. Petersburg collectors;
exchange
exhibitions organized in cooperation with domestic and foreign partners;
personal exhibitions and exhibitions of creative groups and
associations; ("Mitki", "Ozerki", "Art Center "Pushkinskaya, 10"")
cycle exhibitions (“Fates”, “Artistic Dynasties”, “Close Up”, “The Ark”,
“Zooart”).
Exhibitions of contemporary art, representing traditional
trends and the latest art trends - installations, performances, computer
graphics and design, video art.
exhibitions of St. Petersburg artists
(Annual exhibition of new works by St. Petersburg artists "Petersburg"
(held since 1993);
exhibitions of contemporary artists of Russia and
CIS countries;
exhibitions of children's creativity;
exchange
exhibitions organized in cooperation with domestic and foreign partners;
personal exhibitions and exhibitions of creative groups and
associations, introducing the names of our contemporaries;
international exhibitions (International Biennale of Contemporary Art
"Dialogues" (held since 1993), "Festival of Experimental Arts and
Performance" (held since 1994).
The Manege Central Exhibition Hall is the largest
exhibition space in the center of St. Petersburg. The main activity of
the Manege is the holding of art exhibitions and related events -
lectures and master classes, seminars on art and culture, film
screenings and concerts.
In 2013-2016 The restoration and
technical re-equipment of the Manezh was carried out by the
architectural workshop "Compass" under the direction of Alexander
Kriventsov. As a result, the hall acquired a new image and began to meet
the most modern requirements for exhibiting. In 2015, a new director of
the Manezh was appointed - Pavel Sergeevich Prigara.
For many
years, the Central Exhibition Hall "Manezh" formed a fund of works by
Leningrad artists with the aim of creating a Museum of Modern Art in St.
Petersburg. The result of the work on the acquisition, accounting,
storage and public presentation of art objects was the opening in 2016
of a branch of the Manege - the Museum of Art of St. Petersburg of the
XX-XXI centuries (MISP).
1977
Exhibition of works by Leningrad artists
dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Great October Revolution
1978
"Interpressphoto - 77". International Exhibition of
Photography
1978
Personal exhibition of A. A. Plastov.
Painting
Exhibition of young artists of Leningrad for the 60th
anniversary of the Komsomol
Personal exhibition of N. M. Romadin.
"Artists of Russia - for children"
Autumn exhibition of works by
Leningrad artists
XVIII diploma exhibition of graduates of art
universities of the USSR
1979
XVIII diploma exhibition of
graduates of art universities of the USSR
Art of Soviet Estonia
From the funds of the Central Naval Museum
"The Man of Labor in the
Works of Leningrad Artists"
8th exhibition of Leningrad book graphics
"Our contemporary".
Exhibition of works by Leningrad artists
"Decoration of Leningrad for the Olympics - 80"
Agitation-mass art of
the first years of October
New discoveries of Soviet restorers
Protection and restoration of architectural monuments of Leningrad
"We are building BAM." All-Union Art Exhibition
Personal exhibition
of I. S. Glazunov. Painting, graphics
Autumn exhibition of works by
Leningrad artists
"Blue Roads of the Motherland". All-Union Art
Exhibition*
1980
"Blue Roads of the Motherland". All-Union Art
Exhibition
"Petersburg - Petrograd - Leningrad in the works of
Russian and Soviet artists"
Exhibition of works by Leningrad artists
dedicated to the 110th anniversary of the birth of V. I. Lenin
IV
All-Russian Poster Exhibition
"Petersburg - Petrograd - Leningrad in
the fine arts"
Zonal exhibition of works by Leningrad artists.
Painting, sculpture
Zonal exhibition of works by Leningrad artists.
Painting, sculpture
Art of Soviet Georgia
Art of Yaroslavl
XIII-XIX centuries
1981
Art of Yaroslavl XIII-XIX centuries
"Our contemporary". Exhibition of works by Leningrad artists dedicated
to the XXVI Congress of the CPSU
"Combat pencil - 40 years"
Art of
Soviet Kazakhstan
"We are building communism." All-Union Art
Exhibition
"Young Artist" Exhibition of children's creativity
Autumn exhibition of works by Leningrad artists
"CPSU in the struggle
for peace". Poster exhibition dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the
birth of L. I. Brezhnev
1982
Russian graphics of the XVIII-XX
centuries. From the collection of Ya. E. Rubinshtein and I. V. Kachurin
Portraits of Russian and Soviet Artists of the First Half of the 20th
Century. From the collection of Ya. E. Rubinshtein
New discoveries of
Soviet restorers
Kukryniksy. political satire
Exhibition of works
by Leningrad artists for the 60th anniversary of the USSR and the 50th
anniversary of the Leningrad Union of Artists. Painting, sculpture
Exhibition of works by IN Maslennikova. Graphic arts
Exhibition of
works by N. S. Kochukov. Sculpture
Exhibition of works by A. M.
Gerasimov. Painting
Garden and park art of Leningrad in the works of
artists and architects
Art of Soviet Ukraine
"In my own country".
Republican exhibition
1983
Art of Finland (1900-1960). Finland
builds (1976-1981)
"Monumental art in urban planning". Exhibition of
Leningrad muralists
"Man and nature in modern painting and graphics".
Germany
New discoveries of Soviet restorers
"On Guard for the
Gains of Socialism". All-Union Art Exhibition
Art of Soviet Latvia
Autumn exhibition of works by Leningrad artists
1984
"Battle
for Leningrad". To the 40th anniversary of the complete liberation of
Leningrad from the enemy blockade
"Physical culture and sports in the
visual arts". Based on the materials of the All-Union Exhibition
Personal exhibition of V. K. Nechitailo. Painting, graphics
"Defend
the world." Exhibition of Leningrad artists
"A. S. Pushkin and his
time in fine arts. From the funds of the All-Russian Museum of A. S.
Pushkin
Restoration of art treasures in the USSR
Art of Soviet
Armenia
"Our Leningrad". Exhibition of works by Leningrad artists
1985
"Our Leningrad". Exhibition of works by Leningrad artists
"I praise you, the land of Leningrad." Exhibition of creativity of
amateur artists
"40 Years of the Great Victory". Exhibition of works
by Leningrad artists
"People". Y. Rost. Photo
“Arrangement of the
Russian folk print” (A. Maksimov, N. Voronkov, L. *Kurzenkov). Graphic
arts
Exhibition M. and F. Primachenko. Painting
Exhibition T.
Yufa. book graphics
"Peace and Youth". Exhibition of young Leningrad
artists dedicated to the XII World Youth Festival in Moscow
Exhibition of the project and model of the monument to the October
Revolution
Art of Soviet Uzbekistan
Zonal exhibition dedicated to
the XXVII Congress of the CPSU
Russian art of the 18th - early 20th
centuries from private collections in Leningrad
1986
Russian
art of the 18th - early 20th centuries from private collections in
Leningrad
"Young Artist" Exhibition of children's creativity
Spring exhibition of works by Leningrad artists
"Theater. Images and
relics. From the funds of the Theater Museum
Personal exhibition of
I. S. Glazunov. Painting, graphics
"Our contemporary". Exhibition of
works by Leningrad artists
Personal exhibition of Yu. N. Tulin.
Painting, graphics
1987
From the funds of the Russian Museum.
Painting, arts and crafts
"A. S. Pushkin and his contemporaries.
Inter-museum exhibition
"I praise you, the land of Leningrad."
Exhibition of creativity of amateur artists
"The Art of the Kostroma
Land"
Exhibition of works by BV Shcherbakov. Moscow. Painting
All-Union exhibition of philately
"Artists of Leningrad". To the 70th
anniversary of the Great October Revolution
Exhibition of competitive
projects of the monument in honor of the Great October Socialist
Revolution
Indian contemporary art of the last three decades from the
collection of the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi. Painting,
graphics, sculpture
1988
Exhibition of competitive projects of
the monument in honor of the Great October Socialist Revolution
Contemporary Indian Art of the Last Three Decades from the Collection of
the *National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi. Painting, graphics,
sculpture
"Restoration and Research of Works of Art". All-Union
Research Institute of Restoration, Moscow
"Rescued Frescoes".
Restorers Grekovs. Novgorod
Exhibition of works by Yu. P. Kugach.
Moscow. Painting, graphics
Russian theatrical and decorative art from
the collection of Nikita and Nina *Lobanov-Rostovsky
Contemporary
textiles and Indian tribal textiles showing clothing patterns
Exhibition of works by E. A. Nikolaev. Sculpture, graphics
"World
Press Photo - 88"
IX All-Union Exhibition of Young Artists
Exhibition of I. S. Glazunov. Painting, graphics
"Contemporary Art of
Leningrad". Exhibition of Leningrad artists
1989
"Contemporary
Art of Leningrad". Exhibition of Leningrad artists
Russian painting
and graphics of the late XIX - early XX centuries. Decorative and
applied art of Russia and Western Europe of the 18th-19th centuries from
the collection of I. M. Ezrakh
"Musical Petersburg - Petrograd -
Leningrad"
Milan from morning to evening. Fashion and everyday goods.
Milan in projects
Exhibition of works by A. Shilov. Painting
The
main directions of Italian art. Rome, 1947-1989
"American Design"
1990
"The World of Pushkin". Inter-museum exhibition
Exhibition M. Kulakov. Italy - USSR. Painting
"Forgotten
Masterpieces". Western European painting of the XV-XVIII centuries. From
the museums of the USSR
"Forgotten Masterpieces". One Hundred Years
of Russian Art (1889-1989). From private collections in Moscow and
Leningrad
"Forgotten Masterpieces". Russian and Soviet painting
(1900-1930). From the funds of the Museum of Fine Arts of the Kirghiz
SSR
"Forgotten Masterpieces". Nikolai Mylnikov and Fyodor Tulov -
Russian portrait painters of the 19th century
"Forgotten
Masterpieces". Posters of the first years of the revolution. From
private collections in Moscow and Leningrad
Exhibition of works by 26
Leningrad and Moscow artists. Painting, graphics, sculpture
Finland
Today. Painting, graphics, sculpture
Modern sculpture of Germany
Exhibition of I. S. Glazunov. Painting, graphics
Festival of
Leningrad galleries. ("Anna", "Ariadne", "Delta", "Palette",
"Contemporary Art", "10-10", Association "Mir", LTSH "Nevsky 20",
Leningrad Gallery Fund)
"10 + 10". Soviet-American Youth Exhibition.
Painting
"Heaven and firmament". Exhibition of Leningrad artists.
Painting, sculpture, DPI
"Young Artist" Exhibition of children's
creativity
2016
“Contemporary Russian artists are participants
of the Venice Biennale. Favorites".
"Flickering smooth jasper".
Exhibition of artist Cui Ruzhuo. (China).
Exhibition-festival of
optical illusions in visual art "FocusFest"
Lexus Hybrid Art.
Anticipation. Constructor of the future»
"Genii Loci. Greek Art from
1930 to the present.
2017
"Chinese army". Exhibition of
Contemporary Chinese Artists
Project "#Attraction". Winzavod
Contemporary Art Center in St. Petersburg
"War and Peace of Vadim
Sidur"
"Jean Prouvé. Constructor" on the square near the Western
facade of the Manege
Installation "Deep inside"
“70s.
Participation". Leningrad fine arts in the 1970s
"Petrograd, 1917.
Chronicle of events"
Street art project "Needless Man"
"85 years
of the St. Petersburg Union of Artists"
"Nose. Quarenghi" on the
square near the Western facade of the Manege
2018
"Overcoming". Exhibition of young artists from Japan and Russia
"Touch". Inclusive exhibition project
"Other Shores". From the series
of projects "#Attraction"
"Petersburg 2103"
"Parts of the Walls":
street art in the Manege
Museum and theater project "Keep forever"
"Modern Qatar: Art and Photography"
2019
"Christ in the Dark"
"Beauty: plus / minus"
"Life After Life"
AES+F. Predictions and
revelations"
Dmitry Kavarga. "Toxicosis of Anthropocentrism" within
the framework of the Museum Line project
Recycle Group street
project. "You have reached your destination"
Street project
"Thirty-three Sounds"
"Deineka/Samokhvalov"
Street project "Walks
inside yourself"
Andrey Lyublinsky's street project "The most
beautiful horses in the world"
Street project by Igor Revelis / Klone
“Do you see me?”
2020
«Laboratory of the Future. Kinetic art
in Russia»
Street project “New ruins. Granite"
“A different look.
Portrait of the country through the lens of the Magnum agency»
"Nemoskva is not far off"
Street project "Thirty-three signs"
“Utopia Saved” is the first exhibition in Russia by South Korean artist
Lee Bul
Street project "ArtAntarctica"
Street project "Hope"