Saint Petersburg is an extraordinary city. You can endlessly enjoy its architectural landmarks, from magnificent palaces to country residences, from mansions to apartment buildings. Today, let's talk about Bajanov House on Marata Street (formerly Nikolaevskaya Street), which houses perhaps the most beautiful fireplace in St. Petersburg.
A Bit of History
Construction of the house began on June 29, 1907, and continued for two and a half years under the guidance of architect P. F. Aleshin. It was built for the trading and industrial partnership of F. G. Bajanov and A. P. Chuvaldina. Today, such a building would be called a multifunctional center. The front part of the building and the adjoining wings housed a large apartment for the managing director and the partnership’s board of directors, along with a large hall for meetings. The buildings that extended into the depth of the property formed three inner courtyards, which were designated for apartments, a dormitory, and a dining hall for employees.
The house was equipped with the latest technology of the time, including steam heating. All utility rooms, such as firewood storage, were located underground, beneath the courtyards. All service stairs were equipped with lifts to deliver wood and food supplies.
The facade of the house facing Marata Street is entirely covered with red Gangut granite, which highlights its nobility. The only decoration on the plain walls is a frieze with reliefs of oak leaves, also carved into the granite. All wings and inner passages are decorated with light tile and blue-green ceramic tiles, which soften the oppressive feeling of the inner courtyards.
Tour of the Interiors
Since 1984, part of the former Bajanov apartment has housed the Children's Library of the History and Culture of St. Petersburg. Its staff carefully preserves the interior decoration of the apartment and conducts tours. It is amazing how seamlessly the bookshelves have been integrated into the historical interiors.
Our visit began with the magnificent white marble staircase leading to the second floor. A skylight once sat above it, but was later enclosed for safety reasons. The tour began in the former owner’s reception room, where the main decoration is a mesmerizing fireplace adorned with a majolica composition of "Mikula Selyaninovich and Volga," created by Peter Vaulin based on a design by M. A. Vrubel. By the way, the fireplace is operational, but it cannot be used due to fire safety concerns.
As we continued our tour of the interiors, we noticed that nearly every room has a fireplace, which is why the house is often called "the house with fireplaces." Wooden panels made of various precious woods are often used for decoration. It is worth mentioning that most of the doors and handles in the rooms are original, adding special charm. Speaking of doors, special attention should be paid to the entrance door, which was custom-ordered in England. It was designed so that it could only be opened from the inside, with no handle on the outside. This is not the only unique feature of the apartment; it is said that there was a hidden, fireproof safe room, but it has never been found.
The penultimate room we visited was the former dining room, once decorated with the "Bogatyr Frieze" by N. K. Roerich. The cycle consisted of eight panels on themes from Russian epics, and since 1964, it has been housed in the Russian Museum. The tour ended in the former ballroom, decorated in light tones. It is connected by a sliding partition to the dining room. In former times, guests could easily transition from dinner to entertainment.
How to Visit
Bajanov House is located at Marata Street, 72. Free tours are conducted by the library staff by prior appointment. Contact phone: +7 812 315 42 62. The nearest metro stations are "Zvenigorodskaya" and "Ligovsky Prospekt."
By the way, since we are talking about libraries, I suggest you take a trip to ancient Ephesus to see what remains of the remarkable Celsus Library.
Have a nice trip!
