This strict building with a lookout tower was built in St. Petersburg in the 19th century. Before its construction, the local land was covered by the swampy Smolensk field. Construction began in 1884 under the leadership of architect Vladimir Shalamov. He wanted to build a solid and functional building for the needs of the city administration: the police, the arrest house and the fire department.

The latter is still working for its intended purpose, and the Konchaev Fire and Technical Exhibition is located in the vacant premises - the oldest specialized museum in Russia, opened in 1957 and named after one of its founders. For more than half a century, the exhibition has been welcoming visitors interested in the history of the fire and rescue service in St. Petersburg. Here you can see all the milestones of its development, from the fire brigade founded in 1803 to the present day. Several halls of the museum house expositions from different years, and it also houses the largest collection of rare firefighting equipment in Russia. You can get to the museum for free, but only by appointment and as part of an excursion group.

A monument to firefighters was erected right in front of the building in 1995 — the monument symbolizes the feat of firefighters who died in the line of duty during the siege of Leningrad.