The book tells about the history of the development and development of one of the oldest and most interesting areas of St. Petersburg - the northeastern quarters of the Foundry, bounded by the Neva from the north. Kirochnaya street from the south, Liteiny Prospekt from the west and Tauride Garden from the east. The narrative covers the period from the founding of the city until October 1918. The author traces the transformation of the brilliant "palace suburb" first into a military-industrial suburb, and then into a prestigious area of ​ ​ the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie, statesmen and politicians, representatives of the scientific and artistic elite of Russia.