Manege of the First Cadet Corps

Since 1734 there was a wooden building of the manege of the First Cadet Corps. This building quickly deteriorated. The new building appeared in 1756-1759 in the Baroque style according to the project of the architects I.G. Borchard and I.Ya. Schumacher.

The sculptural design of the facades was done by I. Just according to the model of the Menshikov Palace, as it was in the middle of the 18th century. For example, the semicircular pediment with which the facade of the arena was decorated was at that time at the Menshikov Palace, but the palace was later rebuilt.

The building of the arena consists of two buildings, arranged in the form of the letter T. The front body served as a lodge for the high guests, who watched the training of cadets for horse mastery.

From the middle of the XIX century in the building of the arena of the Cadet Corps the General Directorate of Military Educational Institutions, an archive, and a printing house were located. In the Soviet times, the arena continued to belong to the military department. After the restoration of 2003-2005, a restaurant and an exhibition hall were opened here.