In the 18th and early 19th century criminals were publicly flogged in the square, a fact well known due to the writings of the poet Nikolay Nekrasov. Fyodor Dostoevsky also incorporated Sennaya Ploshchad into his works. The square is the setting of pivotal moments in both Crime and Punishment and The Idiot.

In 1831 the so-called Cholera Riots broke out on Sennaya Ploshchad. As a raging cholera epidemic was tearing through Russia, rumors spread that the government and doctors had been deliberately poisoning the urban population. Thousands of people gathered on the square intending to destroy the cholera hospitals and government agencies. As armed troops with artillery closed in on the protesters, bloodshed seemed imminent. However, Emperor Nicolas I came to the square and promised protection to the demonstrators, who then dispersed.

In the 1930s the area was reconstructed and the market was moved to the top of Moskovsky Prospekt. In 1952 it was renamed Peace Square. In 1991 the area regained its original name. On the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg's founding, the area was once again reconstructed: trees were planted, a fountain was installed and the Peace Tower, an 18-meter structure with the word "peace" inscribed into it in 32 different languages, was built by French architect Jean-Michel Vilmotte. However, in 2010 the tower could not resist the strong summer heat and was dismantled.

Today there is talk of restoring the church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin on its historic location. Undoubtedly, this constantly changing and dynamic area of the city again and again surprises the residents and guests of St. Petersburg.

 Адрес: Sadovaya St and Moskovsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg, Russia