A Soviet double-view postcard from 1984 depicting Karl Marx Street (now Velyka Perspektyvna) in Kirovohrad (now Kropyvnytskyi).
What is shown on the postcard
The top image shows the modernist Main Post Office building from Karl Marx Street, fronted by a large flowerbed with red salvia and evergreen trees. In the background, the side wall of an adjacent building features a Soviet mural reading ‘1917’ with the Aurora cruiser. Pedestrians walk along the sidewalk. The bottom photo captures the perspective of the street with a ZiU-9 trolleybus (fleet number 145) under overhead lines, flanked by Soviet-era administrative and residential buildings.
Historical note
Karl Marx Street (historically Velyka Perspektyvna) has always served as the main compositional axis of the city. During the Soviet era, it underwent significant reconstruction, with new administrative structures like the Main Post Office and the House of Communications erected. In the 1980s, key trolleybus lines connected the city center with residential suburbs along this avenue.
Present day
In 2016, the street’s historical name, Velyka Perspektyvna, was restored. The Main Post Office continues to serve as the central branch of Ukrposhta. The Soviet ‘1917’ mural on the adjacent building has been dismantled in accordance with decommunization laws.
Location (map)
Address: 50 Velyka Perspektyvna St, Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine
Coordinates: 48.510300, 32.266200
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Main Post Office on Velyka Perspektyvna Street (formerly Karl Marx Street).
Questions and answers
- Which street is depicted on the postcard? The postcard depicts Karl Marx Street, which was renamed back to its historical name, Velyka Perspektyvna Street, in 2016.
- What transport is visible in the bottom photo? The bottom photo shows a Soviet ZiU-9 trolleybus with fleet number 145 running along the main street.
- Does the ‘1917’ Aurora mural still exist? No, the Soviet propaganda mural ‘1917’ on the side wall of the neighboring building was removed during decommunization.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Kropyvnytskyi from 1984.
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