Mariupol Dram Theater is famous not only for its performances, but also for its green park — an island of nature in the very center of the industrial city.
There are quite a lot of green park areas in Mariupol: City Garden, Gurov Park (former Lugopark), Primorskij Park and others. But if you are just passing through the city, you can limit yourself to a stroll through Theatrical Square, which is located at the intersection of two important traffic arteries of Zhovtnevyi district of Mariupol — Lenin Avenue and Artema Street.
According to the city’s local historians, the park was laid almost simultaneously with the foundation of the city. Earlier it was named Alexandrovskaya Square, Svobody Square, Central Square.
Its territory now has the shape of a circle, is near the main historical sights of the city: the old water tower, houses with spires, the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God under construction and many others.
In summer the central city fountain operates in the park (by the way, the first fountain in the park was built in the early XX century), children’s attractions, shooting gallery and other entertainment for children and young people. You can simply enjoy ice cream on a bench in the shade of trees or feed bread crumbs and grain to pigeons, a flock of which lives under the roof of the Drama Theater facade.
The older generation (mostly men) also find entertainment here. For many years, fans of chess and other board games have gathered at the same place. Perhaps it is a summer branch of the city chess club. After all, in the warm season it is much more pleasant to spend evenings outdoors than indoors.
But Mariupol Theater Square is known not only as a place of rest. In its history there is also a tragic, not yet turned over, page. During the Second World War on its territory there was a cemetery of soldiers of the German army, who still rest under the alleys of the square. Attempts to rebury them have been made more than once, but it has not yet been possible to complete this endeavor and clear the place of rest from the heavy historical legacy.