Sasha Kizik's lecture will show how old maps of St. Petersburg help read the city's history. Participants will explore the secrets of the Obvodny Canal area, why its names changed, and how life in different eras developed near train stations, factories, and historical sites. City maps can tell about the past just as much as archival documents or old photographs. They preserve street names, outlines of neighborhoods, vanished objects, and traces of changes that have occurred in St. Petersburg over decades. The lecture will discuss the history of the territory around the Obvodny Canal - an area where industrial development, transport routes, and the everyday life of citizens intertwined. Participants will learn about the types of maps that existed in different periods, why they were created, and what information can be found through careful study of urban plans. The lecturer is Sasha Kizik, an engineer, local historian, and guide. We will suggest places to visit for free in St. Petersburg.