A contemporary metropolis is not only skyscrapers and tall buildings, but also an active life with a lot of entertainment. As part of the series of posts "Walking around Yekaterinburg with the Library", we are going to the epicenter of the spectacles – the Yekaterinburg Circus.

It is considered to be one of the best constructed buildings in Europe: it is adapted for the most complex productions, includes two rings (for performances and rehearsals) and 2,5 thousand seats. Its interior is decorated with Ural stone. The circus is named after a talented trainer from Yekaterinburg, People's Artist of the USSR – Valentin Filatov.

The first stationary circus in Yekaterinburg goes back to the 1880s. However, it did not have a permanent site. In the 30s of the 20th century, the circus received its first own premises in Kuybysheva Street. It had excellent acoustics and a large number of seats, but it was wooden, and in a few decades it was destroyed by fire. Construction of a new building began immediately, it opened in 1980. Its lattice openwork dome attracts the attention of tourists and creates good acoustics.

Many famous artists, both Russian and foreign, performed at the circus ring. The circus art festival is held annually since 1996. The circus hosts shows, festivals, events and charity performances for children. You can conveniently track the circus posters on VK and Telegram.

Throughout the years, a lot of stationary circuses have been built in Russia in modern architecture styles, with the most advanced technical capabilities. You can find many books about different circuses as well as about circus masters and workers in the University Library collection. And for those who are interested in the history of the development of circus art, we recommend the book by Russian theater critic Yuri Dmitriyev – “Circus in Russia. From the origins to 1917”. The book is presented in the Library's collection. You can check the availability of the book at circulation desks and in reading rooms in the Electronic catalog.