Until recently, the area around St. Petersburg's Ploshchad Muzhestva was only associated with massive, austere Soviet-era residential buildings. So, I was quite surprised when a friend told me about an interesting architectural landmark in the area that resembles a small castle. I’m sharing this unusual place with you.
A Bit of History
The house we are visiting today has two names. Officially, the building is listed as the D. A. Kotlov Mansion, but it is often referred to by locals as "Shalyapin's Dacha." Some sources claim that the famous Russian singer visited here; others insist that Shalyapin had no connection to this place. I’ll just note that merchant Kotlov is known as a patron of the arts and theater, and he allocated funds for the construction of a 700-seat theater in this area, so it's entirely possible that the singer did visit the mansion.
The Kotlov Mansion was designed by Nikolai Ivanovich Tovstoles. Most of his works in St. Petersburg are apartment buildings, primarily in the Ligovsky Prospect area. Among other buildings by the architect are a bathhouse, another mansion, a complex of industrial buildings, and the aforementioned theater. By the way, the theater no longer exists today.
The Kotlov Mansion was built in 1913–1914. A few years later, the building was nationalized. Initially, it housed a school, later a library.
The Modern Life of Kotlov Mansion
In 2014, the mansion acquired a new owner, who carried out renovations and restored its historical appearance. Since 2016, the building has been listed as a cultural heritage site in the city. Initially, the owners planned to establish a medical center in the historic building. This, by the way, reminded me of the story of S. N. Chayev's mansion. Firstly, it resembles Kotlov's house, and secondly, it also houses a medical facility.
Over time, the original plans changed: the owners decided to open a cultural space in the mansion. Today, the "Shalyapin Dacha" houses the restaurant "•19•14•" and the "Fonarik" theater, which stages performances for children.
The former Kotlov Mansion is located at 8 Toretza Avenue. It’s easy to reach by metro, with the "Ploshchad Muzhestva" station just a few minutes' walk away. There aren’t many tourist attractions in this area, but on a nice day, you can walk to Piskaryovskoye Park or the park of the Forestry Academy.
Finally, I’d like to point out that not all of the city's historical buildings have been restored or repurposed. Recently, I was thinking about the magnificent Brusnitsyn Mansion on Vasilievsky Island. For many years, the building was in decline, although just recently, there have been reports in the media about its restoration in the future. I suggest you take a look at the interiors of this wonderful building with me.
Have a nice trip!
