Circus Ciniselli opened in 1877 as Russia's first stone-built circus, set beside the Fontanka River. The building was designed for spectacle from the start, with a large ring, stables, and a richly decorated interior.
It still works as a performance venue, but the building itself is the reason to notice it even if you do not attend a show. It adds another strand to Saint Petersburg's 19th-century theatre and entertainment architecture.