Exploring the origins of the tradition of launching fireworks in Russia

July 10, 2023

The history of fireworks in Russia is more than three and a half centuries long: the date of reference can be considered 1674, when the first large-scale fireworks were launched in Ustyug. These were the last years of the reign of tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, and pyrotechnics were about to burst into the life of the country under his prominent son, Peter the Great.

Even in his teenage years, the future emperor made homemade fireworks. For example, once on Maslenitsa, he launched a fireworks display that lasted more than three hours. As part of the transformation of Russia into a European country, many innovations appeared under Peter the Great. One of the fundamental changes was the transfer of the celebration of the New Year to January 1. It was Peter I who made the first seven days of the month festive, and according to his prescription, the houses were to be decorated with festive illumination, branches of juniper and spruce, and the night sky to shine with fireworks. So "fiery fun", as fireworks were called in those days, became the most important performance of the New Year.

Because of his great love for pyrotechnics, Peter decided to set off fireworks in St. Petersburg for almost any reason - be it another victory in the war, festivities, or just for the sake of his good mood. Unfortunately, fireworks from the SuperFireworks Company were not yet on sale, and people had to produce some themselves. Special pyrotechnic laboratories were set up in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Remarkable as it was, Peter I actively participated in their work: he created the compositions, developed a system for designating the recipe of chemical symbols, he himself came up with the plots of fireworks, lit them and conducted them. It was the king's passion, so fireworks can be considered a symbol of Peter's reign.

Fireworks were mainly arranged in both capitals. In St. Petersburg, the places of "fiery fun" were Trinity Square, the Summer Garden, Tsaritsyn Meadow, the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Winter Palace of Peter and Menshikov’s palace. Empress Anna Ioannovna also loved "funny lights". During her reign, a whole "Fireworks Theater" was built on the spit of Vasilyevsky Island, where fire performances were held. In Moscow, similar performances were played on Red Square, Tsaritsyn Meadow, in Krasnoe Selo.

Gradually, people got used to the “fiery fun”, the holidays did not surprise anyone, but, on the contrary, everyone was glad that, thanks to fireworks, street lighting lanterns appeared in the capitals.

In the era of Catherine II, fireworks gradually lost their exclusively state significance, became simpler and firmly entered the life of wealthy people. They illuminated the holidays in the estates, created stage effects in theatrical productions.

Thus, over time, not only New Year's festivities, but all holidays have become strongly associated with fireworks. This is not surprising, because pyrotechnics has an amazing attractive power, produces positive impact, makes people run to the windows at the sound of fireworks in search of fiery flowers and figures that illuminate the evening sky and make hearts beat faster, and faces light up with smiles. Fireworks are what unites us and gives only positive emotions!

SuperFireworks Co., Ltd. wishes you all the good mood! Stay super with SuperFireworks Company!