In 1857, an English entrepreneur Thompson opened a metallurgical enterprise in St. Petersburg. Over the years, the plant has repeatedly changed its specialization: in 1864, it was engaged in legal proceedings on the initiative of mining engineers V. A. Poletiki and P. F. Semyannikov, and the next two decades passed from hand to hand and, depending on the preferences of the owners, changed the field of activity.

During the Russo-Japanese War, the company was engaged in combat shipbuilding: it was here that the armored cruisers Zhemchug and Izumrud were produced, which took part in the Battle of Tsushima, and also the legendary destroyer “Steregushchy”, which died during one of the battles, unable to cope with the superior force of the enemy.

In 1905, workers of the plant organize a large-scale protest action, which drags on for 110 days. Thus, they have achieved the establishment of an 8-hour working day. By the time of the beginning of the October Revolution, there were about 3000 workers here. We can say that the revolution began within the walls of this enterprise: it was here that Vladimir Ilyich Lenin wrote his first leaflet, and Nadezhda Krupskaya worked as a teacher at a Sunday school for workers this plant. In 1922, Nevsky Shipyard was named after Lenin.

In 1926, the first bronze monument to the leader of the proletariat Lenin in our country was created at the expense of workers. The work was entrusted to sculptor Matvey Kharlamov, who only a couple of times saw the iconic figure of the revolution live. Despite this, he managed to recreate a realistic image of Vladimir Ilyich. The fact that the Lenin monument is the first of its kind in the Northern Capital saved it from dismantling in the 1990s and allowed it to survive to this day.

Nevsky Zavod has experienced major milestones in the history of our country. In the most difficult times, the factory workers worked continuously for the benefit of the fatherland. During the Great Patriotic War, as well as during the siege of Leningrad, the company was engaged in the manufacture of military products, many workers went to the front. There is a monument to the workers who died in World War II on the territory of the plant.

Currently, Nevsky Zavod is engaged in the production of electrical equipment, but in the minds of the city's residents, the plant is still blessed with a romantic, sad halo of the past days. Its connection with history, contact with an incredible number of people who have done so much for future generations, cannot be deleted from the book of life in St. Petersburg.