Cultural and leisure center "Izhora"

This is how the Palace of Culture was conceived by architects A. Gegello and D. Krichevsky in the distant 30s of the last century.

The Izhorets newspaper then wrote that it would be a grandiose structure worthy of its era: “The building will be three-story, and a 10-meter tower will give it a complete architectural appearance. Its purpose is scientific - an observatory will be built at its very top. Together with the tower, the height of the Palace will be 25 meters. Particular attention will be paid to finishing. Marble and granite chips, valuable types of wood, artistic painting and bas-reliefs will decorate the new building inside and out.” According to this option, construction began.

By mid-1941, its first phase was 70% completed. But the Great Patriotic War began. From eyewitness accounts, films, and books, we know how courageously the Izhorians defended their city. For some time, the unfinished building of the Palace housed the headquarters of a tank division; the tower was used as an observation post, where the fire of our anti-aircraft guns was adjusted. But for the Nazis, who were stopped by our troops just a few kilometers from Kolpin, this tower was a good landmark. By the end of the war, the unfinished Palace was almost destroyed, and only the semi-basement premises for a long time provided shelter for the Kolpino residents who were left without a roof over their heads. The country, the city, the plant lay in ruins, but along with the task of restoring the workshops of the Izhora factories, the speedy restoration of the housing stock, the issue of building the Palace of Culture was resolved on an equal footing. In 1947-1948, the design of the building was reworked, the decoration of which was now more modest.

But, nevertheless, the columns, bas-reliefs, painting of lampshades, made by one of the best restoration artists Treskin, the main spiral staircase - all this is unique and inimitable. On December 19, 1949, the Izhorets newspaper reported that by December 21, the 70th anniversary of I.V. Stalin - the builders completed the first stage. Pyotr Nikolaevich Poluboyarinov, who headed the Winter Theater in Kolpino before the war, was appointed director then. This is how Zakhar Zakharovich Mishchevsky, the oldest director of the art studio of the Izhorsky Palace of Culture, recalled about the first director: “Petr Nikolaevich Poluboyarinov was an open and kind person. Very erudite and the first in all endeavors, he was the soul of the team. Amateur groups already existed in the city, he managed to organize their work under the roof of the House of Culture. This man had a talented way of getting along with people, was always decent in everything. In his youth, he fought in the civil war, went through the entire Patriotic War and was wounded in the North Caucasus. He was a modest man by nature and never talked about his military exploits. He headed the Palace from 1949 to 1958, and then remained deputy director of the House of Culture for a long time.” It is impossible to mention all areas of work of the Palace of Culture in the fifties of the last century.

Here are some figures from the 1954 report: 262 lectures were held on socio-political, natural science and industrial topics; 108 workshop evenings of rest took place; 21 excursions to historical places of Leningrad and the Leningrad region were organized. For almost 20 years, from 1958 to 1977, Nikolai Ivanovich Ustinov supervised the work of the Palace. Everyone who knew Nikolai Ivanovich noted his amazing responsibility. His working day began at nine in the morning. During the day, he resolved all organizational issues, and in the evening, when workshops, concerts, and dance evenings were held, he considered it his duty to attend the events. And while the lights were burning in the Palace windows, the director was there. In 1980, by decree of the Secretariat of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions, the Palace of Culture was renamed the Palace of Culture and Technology, which fundamentally affected its work.

The plans of DKiT included events of the society of inventors and innovators, and the department of scientific and technical propaganda was activated. The director then was Vladimir Anatolyevich Alexandrov, who led the Palace from 1977 to 2001. During this period, a significant event took place for the residents of Kolpino - in 1988, the grand opening of the theater and concert hall took place, which the residents of our city immediately called “our little Oktyabrsky”. Time made it possible to realize an old dream: spacious foyers, decorated with marble, pink tuff, a beautiful stage with a turntable, the latest sound and lighting equipment - all this greatly contributed to the fact that both artists and spectators sincerely fell in love with it and remained faithful to it for many years hall But, unfortunately, over time, everything requires updating: what was new becomes outdated, and the problems of repairs and acquisitions become relevant and pressing. In April 2001, the Izhora Palace of Culture and Technology, which previously belonged to the Izhora plant, was transferred to the city and received the status of the St. Petersburg state institution “Izhora Cultural and Leisure Center”, the director of which was Vera Alekseevna Burova, who previously headed the House of Culture. Leisure". In December 2009, the Izhora Cultural and Leisure Center, which was and remains a Palace for Kolpino residents, turned 60 years old. More than a thousand residents of our city are involved in its creative teams and amateur associations. Adults and children of any age have the opportunity to develop their talents and fill their lives with reasonable leisure. The repertoire of the theater and concert hall will satisfy the most demanding viewer. Both renowned theater groups and high-level pop performers enjoy working on the stage of this hall. All regional holidays, show programs, and concerts of creative groups are held in the same hall. Almost two hundred thousand citizens annually attend performances, concerts, festive evenings, exhibitions, and creative meetings. The institution is accessible to children and adults with limited mobility.