Kushelev-Bezborodko, Houses of

Categories / Architecture/Architectural Monuments/Mansions
KUSHELEV-BEZBORODKO, HOUSES OF (1-3 Gagarinskaya Street), architectural monuments of Eclecticism. The first house was built in 1774-1775 (unknown architect) for General I.I. Meller-Zakomelsky, in the 1830s it was bought by Count A.G. Kushelev-Bezborodko, the third floor was added, the interiors were changed (1835, architect I.P. Skotty). In 1846, the house was enlarged (architect. L.V. Glama). In 1857-1858, architect R.R. Henrichsen modified the inner and outer decor and made the facades in the Neo-Renaissance style. The ground floor was finished with a dummy joint; the upper floors were adorned with pilasters. The first floor was marked with large windows and decorated with bas-reliefs. In 1872-1874, the front staircase and the entrance hall were rebuilt (architect N.L. Benois); in 1893-94, some other interiors were partially changed (architect A.K. Hammerstaedt). After the Count's death (1855) the house was handed down to the elder son Grigory (1832-1870), who was visited by many famous writers. Here Kushelevskaya Art Gallery (nowadays its collection is housed in the State Hermitage and other museums) and a concert hall were arranged. The last owner of the house was A.G. Eliseev. The house is currently used as regular apartment housing. House number 3 was rebuilt in 1857-1862 (architect E.Y. Schmidt) on Shpalernaya Street for the youngest son of Count A.G. Kushelev-Bezborodko - Nikolay (1834-1862). The facade was faced with Ruskolsky marble. The ground floor was finished with facetted bosses; the upper floors are decorated with pilasters and Venetian windows of various shapes. Along the edges of the third floor open terraces emphasising the central volume of the building with its strict symmetry were arranged. Capitals of pilasters, lion mascarons and awnings are wrought from cast iron. The interiors of the gala halls are lavishly decorated in the style of Ludwig XIV and Rococo. In 1882-1913, the house belonged to Countess E. M. Yuryevskaya, the morganatic wife of Emperor Alexander II. Nowadays the building houses the European University.

References: Андреева В. И. Малый мраморный дворец // Памятники истории и культуры Петербурга. СПб., 1994. С. 6-20; Иванов А. А. Набережная Кутузова. М.; СПб., 2003. С. 110-129.

S. V. Boglachev. Abaza Alexander Aggeevich
Alexander II, Emperor
Benois Nikolay Leontievich
Eliseev Alexander Grigorievich
Glama Leonard (Leonty) Vasilievich
Hammerstaedt Alexander Karlovich
Henrichsen Roman Romanovich
Kushelev-Bezborodko Alexander Grigorievich, Count
Kushelev-Bezborodko Grigory Alexandrovich
Kushelev-Bezborodko Nikolay Alexandrovich, Count
Meller-Zakomelsky Ivan Ivanovich
Schmidt Eduard Yakovlevich
Scotti Iosif Petrovich
Yuryevskaya Ekaterina Mikhailovna, Gracious Princess
Gagarinskaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 3
Gagarinskaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 1
Shpalernaya St./Saint Petersburg, city
Пунин А. Л. Архитектура Петербурга середины XIX века. Л., 1990
Андреева В. И. Малый мраморный дворец // Памятники истории и культуры Петербурга. СПб., 1994 Hermitage
Hermitage
European University, St. Petersburg