Astoria Hotel

Categories / City Services/Housing and Communal Services
Categories / Architecture/Architectural Monuments/Public Buildings and Edifices
ASTORIA HOTEL (39 Bolshaya Morskaya Street). The six-story building, featuring elements of the Art Nouveau and Neoclassical styles, was constructed in 1911-12 (architect F.I. Lidval, engineer N.P. Kozlov, engineer-architect K.G. Eylers). The lower floors are faced with granite, the 3rd - 5th floors are united with wide fluted pilasters, carrying a greatly protruding cornice. The reserved decor (engraved granite oval medallions with garlands, masks above the windows, and relief vases) is in harmony with the modest architectural treatment of the facades. Architect V.A. Schuko took part in the design of the interior decor. Until 1917, the Astoria remained one of the best hotels of Russia; at various times, such notable people stayed there as writer Andrey Bely, American journalist G. Kennan, English writer H.G. Wells, general A.I. Denikin and many others. In August 1917, the Astoria was renamed the Petrograd Military Hotel, and housed the headquarters of General L.G. Kornilov. On the night of 25 October 1917, Red Guards and sailors burst into the building through the windows of the first floor, and after an exchange of fire, disarmed officers and cadets and arrested a group of high-ranking officers from the General Headquarters. In September of 1918, the Astoria became the "First House of the Petrograd Soviet" (since 1924, the "First House of the Leningrad Soviet"), where top Soviet officials lived (V.I. Lenin, E.D. Stasova.), and later writers A.N. Afinogenov, M.A. Bulgakov, Evg. Petrov, and director A.Y. Tairov. In 1941-43, the Astoria housed Surgical Hospital № 108, where scientists, literati, architects (among them are L.V. Rudnev, L.A. Ilyin, I.A. Orbeli, P.A. Serebryakov, K.I. Eliasberg, B.A. Gorin-Goryainov and many others) and other notable cultural figures who were ill and dying of starvation were sent. After 1945, writers P.P. Bazhov, M.A. Sholokhov, singer L.O. Utesov, actor A.A. Mironov, chess player G.K. Kasparov, ballet dancer M.M. Plisetskaya, prime minister of Great Britain M. Thatcher and other prominent figures stayed at the Astoria Hotel. In 1988-91, the Astoria was fully renovated (architect A.I. Pribulsky), and today it offers 436 rooms for 450 guests.

Reference: Богданов И. А. Старейшие гостиницы Петербурга. СПб., 2001.

I. A. Bogdanov. Afinogenov Alexander Nikolaevich
Bazhov Pavel Petrovich
Bely Andrey (real name Bugaev Boris Nikolaevich)
Bulgakov Mikhail Afanasievich
Denikin Anton Ivanovich
Eliasberg Karl Ilyich
Eylers Konstantin Germanovich
Gorin-Goryainov Boris Anatolievich
Ilyin Lev Alexandrovich
Kasparov Garry Kimovich
Kennan George Frost
Kornilov Lavr Georgievich
Kozlov P.F.
Lenin (real name Ulyanov) Vladimir Ilyich
Lidval Fedor (Iogan Friedrich) Ivanovich
Mironov Andrey Alexandrovich
Orbeli Iosif Abgarovich
Petrov (real name Kataev) Evgeny Petrovich
Plisetskaya Maya Mikhailovna
Pribulsky Anatoly Isaakovich
Rudnev Lev Vladimirovich
Serebryakov Pavel Alexeevich
Shchuko Vladimir Alexeevich
Sholokhov Mikhail Alexandrovich
Stasova Elena Dmitrievna
Tairov Alexander Yakovlevich
Thatcher Margaret
Utesov Leonid Osipovich (real name Weisbein Lazar Iosifovich)
Wells Herbert George
Bolshaya Morskaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 39
Богданов И. А. Старейшие гостиницы Петербурга. СПб., 2001 Kornilov Affair
1912