Before the advent of cars and railways, horses were the main means of transportation. A good horse was considered a symbol of high status in society. City dwellers would usually go to Fair Square to buy thoroughbred horses, where the Penza-I station is now located.

In the 18th century, there was a vast wasteland here, stretching almost to the modern Bus Station. Fair Square emerged as part of the Lower Trade. Horses were sold here only twice a year, in winter and summer. The main sellers were Tatars, who drove entire herds to Penza. During sales, dozens of military repairmen and officers came here to purchase horses for their regiments. In the summer of 1825, a young lieutenant, Ivan Annenkov, was also looking for racehorses. None of the sellers could have guessed that a future star of Russian history was standing among them. In December 1825, part of the regiments refused to swear allegiance to the new emperor Nicholas I, and Annenkov played an active role in the Decembrist uprising. However, the rebellion failed, and the court sentenced him to 20 years of hard labor.

By the way, in Penza, the lieutenant met the designer Polina Göbl. She was in love with him and followed Annenkov to the Nerchinsk mines. Thus, the term 'Decembrist's wife' was born.