One of the most popular topics among tourists visiting Saint Petersburg is the legends and myths of this historic city. Knowing this, many guides organizing tours around the Northern Capital will tell you about the ghost of Emperor Paul at Mikhailovsky Castle or the underground passage leading from Matilda Kshesinskaya's mansion to the imperial residence.
Among the top mystical places in the city on the Neva, I would include the famous Griffins Tower on Vasilievsky Island and the rotunda in the building on Gorokhovaya Street, where we’ll be heading today.
How to Get There
The address of the building with the rotunda is 81 Fontanka River Embankment, Gorokhovaya Street, 57. Nearby, you’ll find a major metro transfer hub: Sadovaya – Sennaya Ploshchad – Spasskaya.
To reach the rotunda, turn off Gorokhovaya Street into the passageway leading to the building’s inner courtyard. Then, go left and proceed directly to Staircase No. 5. Visiting hours are from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., with tours held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (as of winter 2020). For more information, check the rotunda’s VKontakte group.
A Bit of History
In the register of cultural heritage sites, the building at 81 Fontanka River Embankment, 57 Gorokhovaya Street is referred to as the Yakovlev House or the A. F. Evmenev House, referencing two of its owners. The first, Savva Yakovlevich Yakovlev, owned several butcher shops, and his family held the property until the late 1870s.
The last owner, honorable citizen Alexander Fadeevich Evmenev, was a brick factory owner. In the early 20th century, there were plans to renovate the building, but World War I prevented them from being realized. The property also had other owners between Yakovlev and Evmenev.
The building itself dates back to 1780–1790, although the architect is unknown. The famous rotunda was added in a reconstruction in 1856, led by architect Yegor Ivanovich Winterhalter, who designed or remodeled nearly two dozen residential, public, and religious buildings in the Northern Capital.
Despite its 160-year-plus history, the rotunda is known less for its architectural value or its notable owners. Its fame comes from its mystical aura, with countless legends surrounding the place. One legend claims it once housed a Masonic lodge; another describes a secret brothel operating here. A third tells of Grigori Rasputin coming here to “work his magic.” The rotunda’s many mystical labels include “center of the universe,” “devil’s staircase,” and “portal to a parallel world.” Because of these beliefs, the rotunda has become a wish-granting destination among mystery enthusiasts.
In the latter half of the 20th century, the rotunda became a cult place among Leningrad’s informal youth culture. According to contemporaries, Viktor Tsoi, Yuri Shevchuk, Yanka Dyagileva, and Alexander Bashlachev all visited here. Today, the building on Gorokhovaya Street is still residential, with several apartments on the upper levels of the rotunda. During our visit, one of the residents casually walked past us up to her floor, showing the locals have long grown accustomed to the flow of visitors.
With that, I’ll end this short story about this iconic place.
In summary:
- A popular destination among fans of mysteries;
- Located in the central part of the city;
- Offers the option to visit independently or with a guide’s story.
