Friends, I invite you on another walk through the interesting residential buildings of beautiful St. Petersburg. This time we will stroll along the streets near Liteiny Prospect. The architectural walk begins at the “Chernyshyovskaya” metro station, which is currently closed for reconstruction, but according to media reports, the work is expected to be completed by the end of this month.
The first stop on the route is the Z. M. and A. A. Zaitsev's House. Its address is 11 Furshatskaya Street. The building was constructed in 1880–1881 by architect N. F. Becker. The master designed more than thirty residential and public buildings in St. Petersburg. The Zaitsev's Apartment Building stands out among the neighboring structures due to its abundant decoration. The building is done in the Neo-Russian style. The letter “Z” on the façade serves as a reminder of the house’s owners.
We walk past the Annenskirche and turn onto Kirichnaya Street. Here stands I. M. Yekimov’s apartment building. This building is an architectural monument from the early 20th century. The project was designed by Wilhelm Ivanovich Van-der-Gucht. The building is notable for its façade with rows of bay windows and a sculptural composition above the entrance to the lobby. The address is 6 Kirichnaya Street.
We head to Liteiny Prospect. At the intersection of this major street and Pestelya Street is the Kosikovsky (A. M. Tupikov) House. The building’s address is 21 Liteiny Prospect; 14 Pestelya Street. I’ve written about this building before and referred to it as the “house with dragons.” In addition to dragon figures, you can also find peacocks, griffins, and mascarons with human faces on the façade.
We continue along Pestelya Street to Mokhovaya Street and turn left. About 120 meters from the intersection, you’ll see the large courtyard of the Russia Insurance Company Building. The building may be familiar to those who watched the film “Heart of a Dog.” In the movie, Professor Preobrazhensky’s apartment was located here.
Another interesting building with a huge inner courtyard is the Y. V. Ratkov-Rozhkov Apartment Building, located just a three-minute walk away at 13-15 Pestelya Street. There are several buildings in the city named after the prominent St. Petersburg officials and entrepreneurs, the Ratkov-Rozhkov family. They owned around 30 houses and mansions, and one of them is located nearby.
After a stroll along the northern part of Mokhovaya Street, we come to the former house of E. M. Buturlina. This is a monument of Neo-Baroque architecture. The building was designed by architect G. E. Bosse and constructed in 1857–1860. The master worked on over forty projects in St. Petersburg. In my photos, taken a few years ago, the building was painted turquoise, but after recent renovations, the façade color has changed to beige. I’ve read that this is the color Bosse originally intended for the building.
The next building on my list is known as the Egyptian House. It is located at 23 Zakharyevskaya Street. In my opinion, this is one of the most interesting buildings in this part of the city. The building, originally owned by L. I. Nezhinskaya, was constructed between 1911 and 1913 by architect M. A. Songailo. The name gives away its connection to Egypt. There are many references to the country throughout the building: you can find bas-reliefs of pharaohs’ profiles on the façade, and the entrances are guarded by figures of Egyptian gods.
We pass by “Chernyshyovskaya” again and come to a house that once belonged to the Ratkov-Rozhkov family. It was built by the famous architect P. Yu. Syuzor. His most significant works include the building of the joint-stock company “Singer & Co.” The courtyard entrance is gated, but the interior space can still be seen through the gate.
The final stop on my route today is the S. F. Anglares' House, located on Sapyorny Lane. Anyone who has visited this place will remember the unusual figures of atlases, whose heads are covered in animal skins. The Anglares House was built in 1880–1881 by architect Pavel Petrovich Deineka (Deineko).
This is where my walk ends. A collection of interesting buildings in St. Petersburg can be found in a special selection.
Have a nice trip!
