Sumskaya is one of the few streets of our city that it is not tiresome to walk both up and down despite its significant length. It has historically developed as the main street of Kharkov. Not being distinguished in its width among the other large cities I main streets, it is known among national and foreign architects and city builders for a long time. It is mentioned as one of the most successful examples of solution of the central part of large city , creation on its basis of so-called "linear centre" .Let us try to look at this street, familiar to us, not with the eyes of a simple city dweller who often does not raise his sight higher than the level of show-windows and advertisement boards. Let us view it as professional architects and, may be, this will make us see it a little bit differently. Having been developed for more than 150 years, the street, similarly to a live organism, grows and changes. And today it is not what it was 10 or 100 years ago. The majority of buildings has gradually changed its appearance and function, some buildings have unfortunately disappeared. According to the way of our life, the "face" of our main street has recently changed very dynamically. Many people will agree that in perception of a pedestrian Sumskaya street is somehow divided into several, rather equal, parts. If we go from the city centre, the first part is precisely fixed in the beginning of the street with a solid building in the comer of Sumskaya and Bursatsky descent (Sumskaya street, 1) and in the end with the building of the new Opera Theater and the beginning of Shevchenko Park. Here is an active crossing of roads with Skrypnika street (turning into Rymarskaya street), and Pobedy Square creates a cosy green island -and the landscape begins rising more actively. This is the most ancient site, which was built up yet in the beginning of the XVIII century, though no building of that time has survived there. On June 2, 1709, Pyotr the First visited Kharkov. Due to the fact that Kharkov that time was an important strategic unit, built under the plan of the second "defense line" a system of fortified cities protecting the southern borders of Russian state, the tzar ordered to expand fortifications of the city and enhance them with shaft, ditch, parapet and erect five new bastions and other improvements. According to the plan of 1785, the territory of the city mostly extended in the lower western direction - to the river of Lopan, along the road to Poltava (former Ekaterinoslavskaya, Sverdlova street) and partially -to the other bank of the river of Kharkov. From the north, on the elevated part of the city's landscape, the city was protected with lunette a fortification for plains, "locking" the space between the two rivers. In accordance with the growth of the city , it was the third defense line, stretching along today's Skrypnika street (fonner Chirikovsky passage), and farther -along Rymarskaya street. There were located two stone guardhouses in the entrance to the city , and two lunettes ran from the shaft to the north. This axis, going from the northern gate of the city on the backbone of a raised cape which lowered to the confluence place of the rivers of Lopan and Kharkov, served a natural direction for development of the main street of the city .There was situated cemetery , serving three parishes of the old part of the city just outside the shaft, from the northeast side. In the cemetery the church of the Ladies-Peacebringers (Mironositskaya), one of the first stone buildings of the city was constructed. Adjacently to the Christian cemetery for people of other religions was located. Now on this place Victory square is situated. Mironositskaya church gave the name to Mironositskaya street. Gradually Kharkov lost its importance as a fortress and became an administrative and economic centre. Here fair tradings, actively developed small- scale agriculture were held. After 1765 Kharkov became a gubernian centre of Slobodskaya Ukraine, after 1780 the center of Kharkov general-governory. Since the beginning of the XIX a steep growth of the city and its development to the northeast had began, since then protective shaft had already lost their function.

Since 1837 it was recommended to build only stone buildings on the main streets. Since 1838, under the new plan, the city boundaries were moved up to the University's garden (nowadays -Shevchenko garden). Thus, we see that the first part of Sumskaya street is fixed in pedestrian perception not occasionally: it developed naturally and, obviously, gave the street its human, pedestrian scale, which later formed the basis of the network of adjoining streets: from Rymarskaya to Pushkinskaya. The fIrst construction of Sumskaya street, that was significant in scale-building N1 was the house of the former Russian-Asian (Northern) bank and Ladies' Medical courses, constructed in 1908-1910s under the project of Petersburg artists and architects 0. R. Munts and A. K. Shpigel. Its construction was carried out under the guidance of architect M. F. Piskunov. In 1925-1926s it was one floor upgraded under the project of architect i. D. Ermilov. The building was constructed in the style of modem in combination with classicism elements. As one may see on the photo of the beginning of the XX century , the build-up of Sumskaya street that time did not exceed two floors. Construction of large multi-storied buildings started here due to steep growth of industry , development of banks and insurance companies system, investments of their capital into real estate. Russian- Asian bank was one of the first buildings constructed in "metropolitan scale". It is interesting that two figures of male and female, decorating the central oriel of the main front, were created by a famous Peterburg sculptor v. v. Kuznetsov. In 1920s People's Finance Commissariat of Ukrainian Socialistic Republic worked in this building. And in 1930s the Institute of Experimental Medicine, which has played an important role in creation of national and world medical science was placed here. The building is officially put into the register of monuments of architecture. In 1980s Kharkov reconstructors carried out a complex of repair , building and preservation works on the fronts of the building, and also on the interiors of the vestibule and operational parts of the former bank with its amazing top light (senior architect of the project was v. M. Lopatko). Nowadays bank I "KharkovI" is placed here. The building in Sumskaya street, 2, where eatralny restaurant is situated on the first floor, was constructed at the end of the XIX century in the style of "French Renaissance", presumablyunder a project of architect. B. G. Mikhailovsk y. The building N4, formerly a manor of A. N. Dobrynina, nowada ys the nestle of I!Evviva I! joint-stock company, which was restored recently, has for a long time been considered the one, constructed also under a project of B. G. Mikhailovsky. But historical and archival researches, performed by Kharkov branch of UkrProektRestavratsia institute, allowed to state that the building was reconstructed and before the reconstruction it had L-shaped plan and the front was solved in classical style of exemplary projects of the a long time private clinic of professor Gatmanovich had been placed here. After the revolution in the building nestled Scientific Medical Library , since 1990 here is situated "Evviva" stomatological centre, which allocated the funds for the complex of repair and restoration works on the main front. Unfortunately, it was not possible to recreate the lost oriels and central balcony. Nevertheless, the updated building decorated the street with cleanliness of its architectural forms and strictness of its lines. The building N.5 in Sumskaya street was also constructed in 1910s. Formerly it was hotel with cinema Ampir (by architect A. I. Gorokhov). The front of this building features active plastic decision in the style of modem, and it is crowned with a flat gable of decorative form. The cinema was reconstructed in 1954 (by architects v. M. Orekhov and v. I. Pusbkaryov), entrance and foye were transferred to the house N.7, constructed for Kirova turbine factory under the project of architect Ja. Blinder in 1950s. On this spot there had been a two-storied building the house of A. R. Rubinshtein, later a property of a nobleman Brozol and a French lady G. Mersian, constructed under a project of B. S. Pokrovsky in 1873. Under the unsuccessful reconstruction attempt this building was destroyed in 1952. In 1920s beginning 1930s on the second floor there was the office of the Local Engineer B. G . Peretyatkovich, which simultaneously was a history of arts and architecture professor in the Institute of Art. An example of a house, which changed its shape completely as the result of several reconstruction, could serve the house in Sumskaya street N 6, brought into the register of monuments of architecture (former a hotel of I. I. Freiman). A competent observer can easily guess in this decayed building features of modem. For a long time the authorship of the reconstruction project of this building was attributed to architect A. M. Ginzburg -the author of the most significant constructions of the style of modem in Kharkov. But recent archival researches of architect A. Ju. Leibfreid have revealed that the author of reconstruction was a city architect B. N. Komeyenko (about 1912). Much earlier the building was upgraded by architect B. S. Pokrovsky, and its front was carried out in the style ofneorenaissance. Originally this building had only 3 floors, it was constructed in 1887 and was a property of merchant Lysikov. This previously magnificent building with rich architectural plastics of the front, loggias, oriels, wide Majolica frieze of malachite color, has been heavily damaged by both time and people and for already several years has been waiting for its turn for overhaul and restoration. There exists even a project, carried out by Kharkov branch of "UkrProektRestavratsia" Institute (senior architect of the project is V. V. Kortunov).Farther Sumskaya street has an active cross section: this axis is created with the symmetric building of the theater of Ukrainian Drama. Green particle of Teatralny square connects Sumskaya street with Pushkinskaya street, interrupting the "corridor" of high buildings. The Teatralny square was formed on the boundary of XVII-XIX centuries on the place of old ground fortifications (2nd line).

The Theater was constructed in 1841, and the square appeared in 1876. The eastern end of the square comes to Poezii square, here in 1904 a bust of A. S. Pushkin was installed. In 1909 in the western end of the square, opposite to the Theater, a bust of N. V. Gogol (by sculptor B. V. Eduards) was installed. The building of the Theater was originally constructed in the style of Russian classicism under the project of A. A, Ton, who held the post of the city architect that time, In 1843 the theater was reconstructed in the forms of French renaissance and got more active plastics of the front. On the first floor of its left wing ther~ was "Zhorzh Norman" confectionery shop.. Numerous rebuildings of the Theater had brought in large losses both of the main front and interiors. In 1928 the interiors were reconstructed in the style of constructivism (architect V. P. Kostenko, artist V. G. Miller). In 1961 to the front, coming to Rymarskaya street, was attached a 5-storied administrative building, were reconstructed the hall and the stage (architects B. G. Klein, E. A. Svyatchenko, N. S. Furmanova). Kharkov theater in the beginning of the XX century was popular among theatrical public of Russia. Famous actors M. S. Schepkin, P. S. Molchanov, P. A. Strepetova, M. N. Ermolova, Sarah Bernard performed here, one of popular drama actors of the theatre was the son of famous choreographer M. Petip. In the south-eastern corner of Sumskaya street and Teatralny square there was the building of the Regional Philarmony (former house of Gvozdikov ), demolished in 1988 after an unsuccessful attempt of reconstruction. This building was constructed in 1848, presumably- under the project of architect B. S. Pokrovsky, and reconstructed in 1897 by architect z. Ju. Kharmansky. The front entrance to the building was oriented to the corner of Sumskaya street and Teatralny square. Since 1916 here was a cinema, during the years of NEP restaurant "Renessans", at the end of 1920s - exhibition hall, in 1944 -Hebrew synagogue. On this place construction of the new building of Philarmony is supposed to be. The project has been developed on the basis of all-city competition by architects V. I. Livshets, A. Kononov (institute GIPROVUZ).

In the opposite, northeast corner of Sumskaya street and Teatralny square the strict volume of buildings of Regional office of the State Bank, constructed in 1897 - 1990s is actively distinguished. It was erected under the project of Academician of Architecture R. P. Golenischev and architect F. I. Shuster in the sty le of palazzo of Florence Renaissance. In 1932 the building was two floors upgraded under the project of architect A. N. Beketov and architect Peti. The building in the corner of Sumskaya street and Grabovsky passage (Sumskaya, 11), as one may see in the photo of the beginning of the xx century, did not differ with any architectonic advantages, but it is known by that since 1910 it belonged to the parents ofa famous architect (civil engineer) A. M. Ginzburg. On the nearby house N 4 in Grabovsky passage one may see a signboard: "Ferroconcrete. Building office of engineer A. M. Ginzburg" .It is necessary not to bypass one of the most significant buildings of Kharkov -former profitable house of "Salamandra" insurance company, constructed in 1914-1915s under the project of architect N. N. Veryovkin on the basis of competitive project, the authors of which were students of Peterburg art school of the Society of Advancement of Arts ofM. Redkin and D. Berdnikov. This building of metropolitan scale from the side of Sumskaya street has a deep fluting, now it is unsuccessful barricaded with advertisement boards. The fluting created a cozy spot for rest, in which entrances of shop to cafe are oriented, adorning this part of the street. The building is constructed in the style of neoclassicism with use of strictly proportional roman orders -Dorian and Ionian -and allegoric sculptures.

The axis of symmetry is connected to the axis of the building of Radiotechnical school (former building of the Council of Mining Businessmen of Russia). Occupying the whole width of the block and creating an interesting spatial transitions, the building comes with its other front to Rymarskaya street. It differs with the level of an accomplishment, very high for those years: it has lifts, trash pipes, internal storm water pipes. The fashionable expensive apartments were located here, after the revolution they were distributed in communal type. The front of the building was restorated in 1980. The house N.13 was constructed under the project of Academician of Architecture A. N. Beketov for the printing house of A. A. Josefovich's newspaper "Southern Territory" in 1903-1906s. He also possessed a manor in the city with a pompous private residence in Sumskaya street N.61 (nowadays the Palace ofWeddings), constructed in 1913. After the revolution the manor was naturally confiscated for the benefit of the state. It is interesting that the former publisher of "Southern territory" newspaper after the revolution did not leave anywhere from Kharkov, and modestly lived to 87 year of age in the house N.23 (former private residence merchant I.P. Ginsh), where he was given an apartment. Being a rather old man, in warm season he sat on a chair near the entrance of the house, observing the life of already after-war Kharkov and politely greeting with a number of his acquaintances. Very interesting is also the building of the Council of Mining Businessmen of Russia (Sumskaya street, 18, 20). It attracts attention first of all with severity of its architecture forms in the style of Renaissance. The building consists as it were of two parts: the southern, built in 1902 by architect B. G. Mikhailovsky, and the northern, erected by engineers I. N. Zagoskin and S. I. Zagoskin in 1906. In 1915-1916 academician of architecture A. N. Beketov carried out replanning of the building. Yet today it decorates Sumskaya street with unusual, asymmetrical front, and its preserved interiors are of large interest. The last in this line which attracts attention is the building NQ 26 in Sumskaya street a vivid example of Kharkov decorative modern, constructed under the project of architect A. M. Ginzburg in 1910s. Its front is actively distinguished in the ordinary build up of the street with its plastics and active colour solution. Oriented to the west, it looks very effectively, lighted with the beams of the sun setting down. It is a little bit spoilt with its blind end face: when seen from the comer, the front gets look of "Iaid-on screen", and the unsightly house with confectionery shop, adjacent to it, is in absolute disharmony with it both in sizes and forms. This building as though finishes the first piece of Sumskaya street, having the length of 540 meters. Having attentively observed the historical retrospective of this part of the street, the oldest and the closest to the city centre, we see that the majority of small-storeyed buildings of the former city manors and private residences by the beginning of the XX century had lost their living function, had been somehow reconstructed or upgraded. The Shops, banks, cinemas, restaurants, medical establishments had come to change living houses. Inhabited rooms remained only in large hotels, the first floors of which were also occupied with shops and offices. In the place of intersection with Skrypnika street Sumskaya street pours out into wide open space, in which a little bit other life flows.