In Starokonyushenny Lane there is an unremarkable mansion, as if it came out of a Russian fairy tale about a hut on chicken legs. This house does not stand out too much from other buildings, but this does not prevent it from being a valuable cultural object of federal significance. This unpretentious building is the Porokhovshchikovs' mansion, which has been the place of residence and work of many talented and creative people. Next to it is another house, more pretentious in its appearance. It also belonged to Alexander Porokhovshchikov, a well-known philanthropist and public figure, and was the place where great decisions were made and incredible ideas were put into practice.
Location of the mansion
The last house of the Porokhovshchikovs is located in the very center of Moscow, at the address: Starokonyushenny lane, house 36. Today it is a cultural heritage site of Russia and a tourist attraction. A photo of Porokhovshchikov's house is available below.
The mansion was built next to an already existing apartment building on the Arbat, at that time transferred to the Russian Society of Doctors. Only the new house was facing thelane Starokonyushenny. The old mansion was also preserved, but no longer belonged to its owner.
External appearance of the house
The House of the Porokhovshchikovs in Starokonyushenny combines two extremes in its appearance: a picturesque architectural view and fairly large dimensions. The building was built on an ancient wooden foundation in the 19th century, which has not been restored until modern times, leaving it in its original form. The mansion itself consists of massive logs stacked on top of each other.
The photo of the Porokhovshchikovs' house on the Arbat shows that the building looks more pretentious compared to the neighboring one. It is made in the Gothic style, has three floors, towering above the rest of the mansions.
Profit houses of the Porokhovshchikovs have a rich cultural heritage. At one time, many famous people lived and worked here. Therefore, today the house of the Porokhovshchikovs is a place of excursions for many lovers of cultural values.
Mansion architecture
The house on Starokonyushenny was built on an ancient wooden foundation, which has been preserved in its original form to this day. Large logs are stacked on top of the foundation, forming an example of Russian architecture of that time. In addition, the entire appearance of the mansion is made in the national style. There are decorations on the walls - carved cornices, patterned architraves and valances.
Despite the rather unobtrusive appearance, the Porokhovshchikovs' house in Starokonyushenny gained fame forall over the world thanks to traditional architecture. It was presented at the World Exhibition in Vienna in 1873 as a contestant. And even won one of the main prizes in the field of architecture.
The mansion was designed by architects D. V. Lyushin and A. L. Gun. The house of Alexander Porokhovshchikov, a public figure and philanthropist, was created by his personal order. It was built in 1871, and later the famous wood carver Kolpakov created a complete look for the mansion, decorating it with patterns. The building is the architects' and builders' own interpretation of Russian folk art. The appearance of the house does not copy the elements of traditional architecture, but creates their transformed look.
Creator of the mansion project
Gun Andrey Leontievich, the main author of the project of the Porokhovshchikov House, was born in 1841. He was educated at the Imperial Academy of Arts in architecture. Since 1907 he became its full member, took an active part in the development of many projects of buildings in St. Petersburg. There he was a teacher at the School of Civil Engineers. Along with this, he participated in improving the appearance of his native city.
Nevertheless, some of A. L. Gun's projects are also found in Moscow. One of his most famous works is the construction of part of the building of the restaurant "Slavyansky Bazaar" along Nikolskaya Street. There, Andrey Gun decorated the concert hall, creating its original interior. Unfortunately, this work has not survived to this day. Therefore, Porokhovshchikov's house in Starokonyushenny Lane is the mosta clear example of the author of the style of architecture in Moscow.
Place for a house for rent
Alexander Porohovshchikov outlined a project to create his apartment building on the site of an existing building - the old mansion of State Councilor and public figure Nikolai Griboyedov. It was a close relative of the famous classic, whose house was also a historically important place. It was visited by great people, famous personalities lived here.
At one time, the Griboyedov mansion was home to Denis Davydov, a poet whom Pushkin himself called his mentor. Alexander Sergeevich said that "Denis Davydov himself taught him to be original and not become anyone's imitator." While still a lyceum student, the poet often went to the house on the Arbat, struck by the firm principles and worldview of its owner. Davydov, a general, commander of the partisan movement, happily hosted the young Pushkin, giving him valuable advice and life lessons.
Building process
In 1869, Porohovshchikov buys a piece of land on the Arbat and, according to the design of the architect Robert Gedicke, builds a new house there, so unusual for the inhabitants of the street. It was a building in the Gothic style, decorated with spiers and carved fences, made with the usual scope for a patron of the arts. The photo of the Porohovshchikovs' house on the Arbat shows that the mansion consists of three floors, has windows of various shapes and looks out of place among other buildings - representatives of the classicism style.
Next to this plot, Porokhovshchikov is building another house for rent, also different fromsurrounding architecture. It will be a traditional Russian hut, designed by A. G. Gun. Only unlike the first, this mansion remained in the full ownership of the owner until the end of his life.
History of the Porokhovshchikov mansions
The history of the Porokhovshchikov House is rich in famous names and significant dates. The mansion on the Arbat was originally built as a rental property. For a long time, Russian doctors worked here, occupying most of the area. After some time, philanthropist Alexander Porokhovshchikov gave the building to medical workers for private use, leaving only the mansion in Starokonyushenny.
Initially, the building, outwardly very similar to a hut, was intended for the residence of members of the Porokhovshchikov family. But some time later, it also turned into a kind of tenement house, giving shelter to many well-known public figures.
Apartment house
Porohovshchikov's house in Starokonyushenny looked small. But in fact, at different times, there was an agency for the sale of Chikolev's sewing machines, the editorial office of a well-known newspaper, a society of educators with a school attached to it, and many other organizations. Later, the philosopher Sergei Trubetskoy lived in the house for a long time. In Soviet times, there was a public library named after Dobrolyubov and a museum of glory named after the 77th division.
The house on the Arbat "sheltered" the Society of Russian Doctors, who received patients and performed operations here.
Society of Russian Doctors
In the middle of the 19th century in one of the buildings on the ArbatThe Society of Russian Doctors settled down. One of the central pharmacies was located there, as well as a public hospital where doctors diagnosed patients. But soon the medical workers were forced to leave their homes due to disagreements with the owner of the rented premises. Therefore, they had to look for a new place for the hospital, and moreover, nearby, so that later there would be no disagreements with competitors. This place was the profitable house of the Porokhovshchikovs on the Arbat.
The creation of the Society of Russian Doctors was a response to the existence of the Society of German Doctors who wished to monopolize medicine in Moscow in order to increase earnings. Moscow doctors, on the other hand, took about 20 kopecks for seeing a patient, which was a symbolic amount. If the patient had no money at all, he was treated for free. The pharmacy at the hospital also provided medicines to patients free of charge.
The Society of Russian Doctors has become the place where many famous scientists in the field of medicine began their activities. Fyodor Inozemtsev, the founder of the society, performed the first surgical intervention under general ether anesthesia. The famous oncologist Pyotr Herzen, as well as the creator of the healing water Smirnov, began their practice here. The first physiotherapy room was equipped in the hospital.
Drawing Lessons
Doctors from the Russian society, who settled on the Arbat, not only treated the sick, but also published newspapers, gave lectures. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Arbat was inhabited by physicians and doctors, and not by people of art, as is commonly believed. At the same time, artists and writers coexisted with doctors andcreated their works, being in the next room. Thus, the "Drawing and Painting Classes" were also located in the Porokhovshchikovs' house on the Arbat and here they put their plans into practice. The second floor of the mansion was occupied by creative people who worked under the guidance of Yuon and Dudin.
The painters, in addition, were not alien to politics. And when, in 1905, numerous members of the "Drawing and Painting Classes" took to the barricades to defend their views, the society was almost closed down.
On the third floor of the house on the Arbat there were furnished rooms. The famous mathematician Luzin, the founder of the school of independent thinking, once lived here.
House on Starokonyushenny
The first renter of the Porokhovshchikov mansion on Starokonyushenny was Chikolev, who set up an agency for the sale of neck machines here. After him, the publishing houses Gatsuka Newspapers and the Calendar newspaper settled in the building.
At the end of the 19th century, there was also a school of the Society of Nurses and Teachers, where lessons in mathematics, science and singing were taught. Later, the mansion was converted into rented housing for we althy people, where the philosopher Trubetskoy lived and worked for a long time.
In Soviet times, the Dobrolyubov Library and the Museum of Military Glory of the 77th Rifle Division were located in the house on Starokonyushenny. There are many legends that during this period a secret object of the Soviet authorities was located in the basement of the building. Here, torture was carried out on people with valuablegovernment information. But the veracity of these stories remains unproven.
At the end of the 20th century, the house on Starokonyushenny fell into disrepair. Cultural objects were no longer housed here and famous people did not live there. To this day, it is in disrepair, requiring a large amount of material costs for restoration.
A home in the modern era
The House of the Porokhovshchikovs on the Arbat, once transferred to the Society of Russian Doctors, has become a valuable cultural object. It houses a museum of corporal punishment, where exhibits are placed showing the technique of killing people in different eras and times. Thus, the building is still a valuable object for the city of Moscow. For the sake of its rich history, it is often visited by tourists and guests of the city.
The house of Alexander Porokhovshchikov on Starokonyushennoye in 1995 becomes the property of the direct heir of the family - the famous actor Alexander Shalvovich Porokhovshchikov. During his lifetime, he wanted to equip it with a museum on the history of children's toys, but this required a lot of money. The mansion was in a deplorable state and required a large amount of finance for repair and restoration. In order to earn this amount, the actor arranged a room next to the house for renting out housing. But unfortunately, he did not have time to complete his goal: in 2012, Alexander Porokhovshchikov died, leaving the fate of the house in an unknown state.
