The Cathedral Square of Old Russa has remained the main square of the city for several centuries. Old Russa was founded in the 12th century on the left bank of the Polist River, only the oldest Transfiguration Monastery was located on the right bank of the river. A small wooden fortress and the governor`s house was located at the confluence of the Polist and Porusia rivers.
In 1763, there was a strong fire in the city, the whole city burned down. After that, Old Russa was moved to the right bank of the Polist and the main square of the city was created near the confluence of the rivers. This is how the architectural ensemble of the new city was formed.
For a long time, the Cathedral Square of Old Russa was called the Trade Square, so in the 19th century a Gostiny Dvor with shopping malls was built here. In 1909, a 50-meter water tower was built on Cathedral Square. It was built in the Art Nouveau architectural style and became a landmark of Old Russa.
The water tower was very important for supplying the city with drinking water. Despite the location of Old Russa at the confluence of two rivers, there are large reserves of salt in the soil. For several centuries, the city has been one of the centers of salt production in the Northwestern region of Russia. This worsened the properties of drinking water, so a high water tower had to be built on Cathedral Square for a stable supply of drinking water to all districts of the city. At an altitude of 38 meters, there is an observation deck on the Water Tower.
Various events are held on the Cathedral Square of Old Russa, there is a fountain and an alley of trees. From here, you can go to the bank of the Polist River to admire the beautiful view of the Resurrection Cathedral, which is located at the confluence of the rivers.
