The article talks about the emergence of a street lighting system in the metropolis of St. Petersburg shortly after its founding before the 1917 revolution. The purpose of the study: a detailed analysis of all types of street lighting elements that appear in the structure of the rapidly growing St. Petersburg, including oil, gas, with an alcohol-containing mixture, kerosene lamps, lamps with arc lamps and incandescent lamps, street kerosene lamps. For each type, stylistic characteristics and technical differences are indicated, and the role of the lamp as an element of improvement is determined. In addition, architectural details and profiles that make up the luminaire volume are taken into account. Research methods: research of archival and library materials, historical maps, iconography. Results: the use of research materials can be both in the theory of architectural forms, and for the preservation and reconstruction of the historical environment of St. Petersburg, for the use of historical principles in new areas - analogues of historical lamps can be used as a standard in the improvement of open urban spaces, taking into account the existing scale, stylistic solutions, technological innovations