Prominently positioned opposite St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Konnogavrdeyskiy Manege, the riding school of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment, was built at the very beginning of the 19th century as part of a series of projects to create two more major central spaces in St. Petersburg – St. Isaac’s Square and Senate Square.One of the last works of the renowned neoclassicist Giacomo Quarenghi, the Konnogvardeyskiy Manege was built 1804-1807 and boasts arguably the finest classically-inspired facade in St. Petersburg.The Manege was designed to host official parades and dressage demonstrations, as well as for training cavalry officers and, as it belonged to one of the most elite regiments in the Russian army, the Imperial family were regular visitors to the building.
