The oldest in the republic square, which was at different times called Round Square, Square of the 25th of October, is now named Lenin square. It is the only in the city ensemble of stone architecture of 18 century. It includes 2 semicircular buildings and 2 outbuildings. The style is classicism. Initially, according to the project of E. Nazarov 3 separate houses were built in each side of the square in 1775. They were meant to play the central role in the image of Petrozavodsk. The main streets were to disperse from the square. At first, Olonets mining committee was located here.
After Olonets province was formed in 1784 the buildings were rebuilt and reconstructed.
In 1778-1779 the side buildings were connected with the central ones and all of them formed two huge buildings. The first one was the governor’s residence, the second was used as an office. In 1839 V. Tukhtarov changed some architectural constructions of the buildings.
In 1873 the monument to peter the Great was placed in the center of the square. It was taken away in 1918. In the Soviet time the square got a new name – Square of the 25th of October. Since 1918 Party Committees were located in the buildings. In 1933 monument to Lenin was built in the center of the square, since 1960 the square bears his name. In 1919 the protectors of the city were buried in the square. On the day of the 20th anniversary of the Victory a memorial complex "Eternal fire and the communal grave" was opened here.
Nowadays, Karelian State Museum of Local Lore, the Ministry of Culture of Karelia and lower organizations are situated on the square.
