Russian Fair Travel

The Mansion of Baron Kyolkh


      A piece of land where the mansion is situated belonged to different people to the end of the 18th century. One of the landowners was a Greek consul general Kondoyanaki whose son later was conferred a noble title. On his order two-storied mansion in baroque style was build on this plot in 1858. Nobody knew that soon this part of St. Petersburg would be one of the most fashionable. A few years later the mansion was bought by one of the richest families in Russia-the Kyolkhs. Varvara Kyolkh inherited gold – mines in Siberia. Her husband died soon, the enviable bride of Russia married his younger brother Alexander Kyolkh.
      Only in 1896 the couple moved into the mansion. Talented, famous architects Chagin and Shene were invited to restore the building. They changed the mansion completely. New beautiful facades and interiors made the mansion a real phenomenon in the city architecture: high hipped roof and French Rainessanse style facade, Gothic dining room and the main staircase with marble handrails, luxurious plafonds, fire-places, sculptures, outstanding dancing hall. Even now when visit the mansion it seems one can hear ball dresses rustling…
      In 1905 the Kyolkhs went bankrupt, their marriage broke off, Varvara left for Paris. Alexander after the revolution worked at the chemical factory, then sold cigarettes, etc. In 1930 he was arrested and disappeared in Stalin’s gulag.
      At different periods after the Revolution the Kyolkh mansion was a house for The Red Cross, the school of cinematography, Communist Party of the district, the juridical faculty of St. Petersburg University.
      The mansion of Baron Kyolkh is certainly a gem among mansions of St. Petersburg!