In 1866, the new city theatre building was erected by the Italian architect Londeron. Thanks to the excellent acoustics of its hall, the Taganrog Theatre gained a nationwide glory. The plays of Anton Chekhov, Maxim Gorky, A.N. Ostrovsky, William Shakespeare were performed here. The special pride of the citizens was the Italian opera, financed by the local merchants, patrons of art. Taganrog theater had its own Italian opera from 1866 to 1875. In 1876, the first City Library was opened by the governor Johan Hampus Furuhjelm. In 1898 the regional museum was founded. In 1907 the first "Mirage" cinema was built, a few years later the wooden building of the circus was erected. In 1871 the first private newspaper "Azovski Vestnik" ("Azov Bulletin") was established, later renamed "Taganrogski Verstnik" ("Taganrog Bulletin"). Among the city intellectuals were artists, musicians and columnists.