Egyptian house description and photo - Russia - Saint Petersburg: Saint Petersburg (Topic)

Egyptian house description and photos - Russia - Saint Petersburg: Saint Petersburg. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photos and a map showing the nearest significant objects.

Photo and description

The Egyptian house is located near the Chernyshevskaya metro station on Zakharievskaya street. The Egyptian house cannot be confused with other houses, at the first glance it becomes clear that this is the very Egyptian house. On both sides of the entrance there are statues of the sun god Ra, reminiscent of the statues standing at the tombs of the pharaohs, above the entrance there is a Ra bas-relief in the form of a winged sun disc. Even higher is the goddess of the sky Hathor.

The building was built by order of the wife of the state councilor, Larisa Nezhinskaya, according to the project of the architect Mikhail Songailo. M. Songailo was an adherent of the Academy of Arts, which was very popular among graduates in the early 20th century. style neoclassicism. Mikhail Songailo is a native of the Polish kingdom. In 1921 he emigrated to Lithuania, where he became the head of the Department of Architecture at Kaunas University.

Despite the fact that the building ordered by the architect was intended for rent, L. Nezhinskaya together with her husband wanted the house to be original in order to amaze everyone. In addition, at the beginning of the 20th century. most people in the arts showed a keen interest in everything related to mysticism and occultism, and Songailo was no exception. Especially, by the way, Egypt fell here. Various Masonic signs and other symbols of secret ancient teachings were popular.

Construction of the house lasted from 1911 to 1913. Nezhinskaya's wish was fulfilled - her house delighted the St. Petersburg public. Osip Mandelstam wrote in The Egyptians in 1913: “I built a house for myself.”

The Egyptian house was at that time one of the most advanced. With a lifting automated lift "Stiegler", carefully thought out layout. But, of course, his appearance made a special impression. The abundance of decor elements that echo the ancient Egyptian theme made this house an outstanding work of Russian Art Nouveau. And the proportions of the building absolutely allow us to attribute it to neoclassicism.

The facade of the building is decorated with high protruding columns with the faces of goddesses. In the center of the facade there is an arch that leads to the inner courtyard. Its walls and ceiling are adorned with images of winged solar disks and flying birds. On both sides of the arch there are two symmetrical entrances. Statues of the god Ra with crossed arms in thigh straps stand at each door. The facade of the building is abundantly decorated with bas-reliefs with scenes from life, mainly agricultural work of the Egyptians, images of gods, pilasters, half-columns, discs with mythical creatures.

The courtyard contrasts strongly with the front facade of the building. Despite the fact that the walls are also decorated with friezes, various decorative elements, and opposite the arches on both sides of the elevator are the figures of the tsar and the tsaritsa, in general it is a traditional gloomy St. Petersburg "well".

At the beginning of the Great During the Second World War, a turret with a machine gun was installed on one of the corners of the building to fire at German bombers. The house was not damaged at all during the war.

Before the First World War, the building housed the embassies of Romania and Belgium. Later, the editorial office of the Art of Leningrad was located here.

In 2007, as part of the program of restoration of the facades, the house was restored. But the repairs were carried out with gross violations, scaffolding was attached directly to the bas-reliefs, which could not but cause discontent among the architectural committees, which are responsible for the preservation of buildings. Under their pressure, repairs began to be carried out using more gentle methods. But the walls of the Egyptian house, which face the courtyard, continue to collapse, and the bas-reliefs made of textured plaster are crumbling before our eyes.

After the house was resettled and the interior was renovated, it became elite. Its courtyard is guarded. Now in the Egyptian House there is an arms shop, a cafe, offices of several companies, and there are classrooms for the Center for Technical Means for Anti-Terrorist and Operational-Investigative Activities.

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Topic: Egyptian house description and photo - Russia - Saint Petersburg: Saint Petersburg.