In 1703 the first blast furnaces of Peter’s factory were built not far from this place. Later the administrative buildings, the Church of St. Peter and Paul, gun shops and an observation platform were built eastwards. In the southern part the living houses were located. Since 1777 (the completion of the building of Alexandrovskiy factory) 2 cathedrals were constructed here. After the emperor Alexander II visited Petrozavodsk the monument to him was placed in the center of the square. In 1918 it was sent for remelting.
After the revolution the square have been called the Square of Freedom for 5 years. Since 1923 till 1925 it was named the Republican square.
On December 12 , 1936 the monument to S. Kirov was put at the place of one of the cathedral. In 1956 the collectives of the Theater of Russian Drama and Music Theater entered the theater building. They are working there till nowadays. The decoration of the building and its interior were made by the projects of S. Konenkov. The west part of the square is limited by the building of the National Theater, which was built in 1965. Nowadays the building of the theater is reconstructed for the second time. The Puppet Theater is in the same building.
All the constructions on the square are connected with arts. The former gymnasium is now used as Karelian State Arts Museum. A one-story building of a primary school now belongs to the City culture house.
Nowadays Kirov square is the place of holding concerts, festivals, exhibitions and performances.
