Kirov State Circus

The Kirov State Circus on Oktyabrsky Avenue was opened on December 23, 1977, and its first performance, "Merry Stars," was seen by the builders who had been constructing the building for almost ten years. The main engineering challenge during construction was the installation of a dome weighing about 250 tons, which was assembled from 48 reinforced concrete elements that the installers nicknamed "watermelon rinds." Over 35 years of operation, by 2014, the circus had been visited by about 13 million spectators, where 290 programs were presented and approximately 8,500 shows were held. The building's foyer features two large panels on a circus theme.