Renaming of the streets of Kiev (1869)

In the middle of the XIX century, the territory of Kiev and the number of its population increased significantly. If in 1806 there were 49 streets and 8 quarters in Kiev, in the middle of the century there were 127 streets, alleys and squares. The population of the city grew from 44.7 thousand in 1840 to 71.4 thousand people in 1865. Carrying out the improvement of the streets, the city administration was faced with confusion and disorder in the city economy: the numbering of houses was disordered, some streets had no names, others had double or people’s names not fixed anywhere, the city had streets and squares with the same names.

The Governor-General of Kiev, I. I. Vasilchikov , noted that some streets in Kiev received names that have no relation either to the location of the streets or to the adjacent significant buildings and generally to outstanding ancient monuments and recent events. Therefore, he demanded that such names be replaced with more appropriate ones.

Simultaneously with the name of the streets, considerable work was carried out to streamline the numbering of houses and indicate street names. However, residents and owners of buildings did not always provide accurate information about their addresses, and the estates eventually passed from one owner to another, so there was confusion.

In 1854, the governor ordered the City Duma to mark all existing names of streets and lanes of the city on special signs and affix them on the right side of each street, and replace old, damaged signs with new ones. For this, the city surveyor compiled in 1855 the first complete list (more than 160 names) of all the streets and lanes of the city ^[1] . However, this activity soon fell into decay and resumed only after more than ten years.

In 1866, the governor N.K. Katakazi, with the goal of "simplifying the location of people in the city", ordered the City Council to establish nameplates on those streets and alleys that do not have them. It was proposed to nail a tin plate indicating the house number on each house. The tablets were supposed to be nine colors, respectively, the number of six parts of the city and three quarters - Kurenevsky, Lukyanovsky and Zverinetsky. It was proposed to count the houses that make up the parts of the city from central streets to the outskirts. In this case, even numbers had to be indicated on the right, and odd numbers on the left side of streets and lanes.

Based on this order, a new detailed city plan was compiled, which was printed in 200 copies, a new street numbering was introduced, taking into account each estate with buildings. To add new, streamlined street names to this plan, the provincial statistical committee of 1866 created the "Commission on renaming the streets, squares and lanes of Kiev."

For discussion of the commission, projects of the professor of the Imperial University of St. Vladimir A. P. Walter and the editor of the newspaper “Kyiv Governorate of the House” N. A. Chernishev . However, disputes arose in the commission, and later a special commission was created under the chairmanship of Vice-Governor N.P. Hesse ^[2] . Finally, on July 11, 1869, the provincial statistical committee approved the project of renaming and naming the streets of the city, proposed by the researcher of Kiev P. G. Lebedintsev , with comments by N. M. Sementovsky , P. D. Seletsky , V. A. Karavaev , N. A. Chernyshev, N. Kh. Bunge , NN Balabuhi and others. This decision of the committee came into force shortly after approval by Emperor Alexander II ^[3] . The document was the first attempt to provide the name and renaming of the streets of Kiev of a certain system using geographical, historical, topographical signs and popular names. The names received streets and squares that did not have them; some long streets were divided; renamed some streets and squares that had inappropriate, double and triple names.

The central streets and squares of the city were named after the tsars, governors, Russian aristocrats, etc. Part of the streets then received historical names: Yaroslavov Val , Borichev Descent , Predslavinskaya , Rognedinskaya , Nestorivskaya , Dorogozhitskaya , Petro-Mogilyanskaya , Igorevsky Lane , etc.

Names were given to the streets of Lukyanovka , the districts of Kozhemyaki and Schekavitsi , some streets of Pecherskaya were renamed. Part of the streets was named after existing or ever existing churches, part - for significant public buildings. All were divided, received new names and renamed about a hundred streets, squares and lanes.

The commission’s proposals were published in the Parovoz newspaper on July 21 and 25, 1869July 21 and 25, 1869 roku ^{[4] [5]} . Final Renaming List Approved July 31, by Emperor Alexander II, unveiled in the newspaper "Kievlyanin" August 14 of the same year ^[6] .

In general, 97 streets, squares and lanes of Kiev were divided, renamed and received official names for this project.