Pyotr Romanovich Nikitin (1727, 1784) was at the origins of Russian urban planning during the era of Classicism. He was the son of painter Roman Nikitin and the nephew of the famous artist Ivan Nikitin, from whom he received his initial artistic education while staying with them in Tobolsk in 1732 and 1742. In 1742, he began working in the police chief's office in Moscow, and in 1748, Count Francesco Rastrelli certified him as a graduate in architecture. From 1749 to 1763, Nikitin worked in Moscow, where he mainly focused on street regulation and the reconstruction of old buildings. His knowledge of pre-Petrine Russian architecture helped him successfully address the challenges of preserving the historical appearance of cities during their redevelopment. During this period, he followed the Baroque style and taught at the architectural school of Dmitry Ukhtomsky, where one of his students was Matvey Kazakov, who later worked under his guidance in Tver. In 1760 and 1763, Nikitin held the position of chief architect of Moscow.

In Tver, he, together with A. V. Kvassov, developed the project for the first regular city planning and the designs of buildings that defined its appearance. Under his participation, the squares were planned and built: Octagonal (now Lenin Square) and Semi-Circular (now Mikhail Tverskoy Square). In Tver, Nikitin also constructed the Volga embankment and built the Imperial Palace, the governor's house, and the post office. Catherine II highly appreciated his work, calling Tver the second most beautiful city after St. Petersburg.