Kuzmin R.I. (1811-1867), architect

Categories / Architecture/Personalia
KUZMIN Roman Ivanovich (1811-1867, St. Petersburg), architect. In 1826-32, he studied at the Academy of Arts, in 1834-40 studied in Europe. In 1840, he was elected a Fellow of the Academy; from 1841, he had been active as a professor of architecture. In 1863, he was elected an Associate of the Paris Academy of Arts. From 1842, he had been working in St. Petersburg for the Hoff-Commissary Office. His other activities included teaching architecture at the Academy of Arts. Among his first works was the House of the Court Clergy (1842, 32 Shpalernaya Street) and conservatories in Tauride Garden (1843-46). The encasement of the Cabin of Peter the Great (1844) should also be mentioned. He built the Russo-Byzantine Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Paris (1859-1861), and Greek Church of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica in St. Petersburg (1861-1866, not preserved). In Kronstadt, his work featured the extension of St. Andrew's Cathedral (1852-1855) and the rebuilding of the Naval Assembly (1856-58). The majority of Kuzmin's works follow the style of restrained eclecticism. They include Kochubey's mansion (1844-1846, 30 Tchaikovskogo Street) and I.O. Utin's apartment house (1858-1860, 17 Konnogvardeysky Boulevard), which was the first in St. Petersburg to contain attics. Kuzmin elaborated the project plan of a chapel built next to the trellis of the Summer Garden in the memory of Emperor Alexander II's salvation from the attempted assassination of D.V. Karakozov (1866-67, not preserved). In Gatchina, Kuzmin rebuilt and extended the palace (1845-1857), and built the St. Paul Cathedral (1846-1852), as well as with his own house. He was buried at Smolenskoe Orthodox Cemetery (the grave has not been preserved).

References: Хомутецкий Н. Материалы к биографиям архитекторов С. Л. Шустова и Р. И. Кузьмина // Архитектурное наследство. Л.; М., 1955. [Сб.]. 7. С. 197-214; Архитекторы-строители Санкт-Петербурга середины XIX - начала XX века: Справ. СПб., 1996. С. 184.

V. V. Antonov. Alexander II, Emperor
Karakozov Dmitry Vladimirovich
Kochubey Vasily Viktorovich, Duke
Kuzmin Roman Ivanovich
Peter I, Emperor
Utin Isaak Osipovich
Konnogvardeisky Boulevard/Saint Petersburg, city, house 17
Tchaikovskogo St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 30
Хомутецкий Н. Материалы к биографиям архитекторов С. Л. Шустова и Р. И. Кузьмина // Архитектурное наследство. Л.; М., 1955
Архитекторы-строители Санкт-Петербурга середины XIX - начала XX века: Справ. СПб., 1996 Academy of Arts
Academy of Arts
St. Andrew's Cathedral in Kronstadt