Video: What secrets does the 19th century merchant tower keep in Nizhny Novgorod and how it has survived to this day
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
For a long time this house-teremok on Dalnaya Street remained a unique example of the ancient wooden architecture of Nizhny Novgorod. Now we can only see a copy of it. The original is preserved in photographs. This "fairy house" is unique in that it is the only wooden building of Nizhny Novgorod, erected in the "ropetovschina" style and decorated with such a rich decor, which stood in the city until the 2010s. True, they began to actively restore it only when the president was "reminded" of the mansion. Alas, it happened a little late.
The house was built in the style of Ivan Ropet (the real name of the architect is Petrov), one of the founders of the neo-Russian trend in architecture. Alas, many buildings of this talented architect in Russia have not reached us (only drawings and sketches remained), and even those buildings that have survived to this day are gradually being destroyed. So it happened with the house in Nizhny Novgorod, which, presumably, was also the work of Ropet (or the architect Hartmann, who designed in a similar style). That "teremok" that residents and guests of Nizhny Novgorod can see now is nothing more than a replica. So what was this patterned mansion in the style of "ropetovschina" originally like?
The house was built in the pseudo-Russian style, which arose against the background of a general rise in interest in national architecture that captured Europe and our country at the end of the nineteenth century. The stylized teremok is characterized by elegant "lace" platbands, hipped roofs and a combination of volumes and windows of different sizes.
The one-story wooden building with planks was built in the 1890s. According to some sources - for the local merchant Vasily Smirnov (it was this version that gave the mansion its name - "Smirnov's House"), and under another, for the daughters of the tradesman Viktor Popov. The architecture of "Teremka" was strongly influenced by industrial and art exhibitions, which were just taking place in Nizhny in 1896.
The mansion was so picturesque and elegant that it was constantly compared to a fairytale tower. So this "nickname" was attached to the Smirnov's house.
The basement of the house was built of stone; the attic decorated with balconies, in which the bedrooms were equipped, is very characteristic. On the ground floor there are large windows that let in a lot of light, while the upper windows are small. According to the "laws" of the Ropet style, the house was abundantly decorated with saw-cut carvings (for example, cornice and platbands, the ornament of which resembled shutters) and decorative elements. On the profiled cornices of the windows of the first floor, a drawing was depicted (half the sun, a fan, etc.). The building has a turret and a pediment. In general, the house has a very complex volumetric-spatial composition.
After construction, Vasily Smirnov rented this house. At the beginning of the last century, the Forerunner City Primary School operated on the attic top floor of the mansion, and a mini-factory for the production of parquet worked on the main one.
In Soviet times, a kindergarten was housed here (probably, the children were lucky, every day they go not to an ordinary kindergarten, but to a “fairytale house”!). A fencing school also worked here, which is also very suitable for such an old mansion.
In Smirnov's house all these years one could see the preserved unique stucco molding (partially), as well as a stove and wooden stairs.
Alas, the wooden house gradually fell into a deplorable state. In 2016, a request from local residents to restore the mansion reached Putin - at a forum in Yoshkar-Ola, a representative of the Nizhny Novgorod city protection movement reported it to the president. She explained that a project for the restoration of the roof is already ready for the building, money from the budget has been spent, but for some reason the implementation of the project itself has been suspended. Putin then said: "I am sure that Valery Pavlinovich (Shantsev, at that time the governor of the region - editor's note) will hear us out of respect for you and me." It is clear that after such words of the president, the issue was dealt with immediately: the governor urgently called a meeting on the salvation of the unique house, and soon the start of work was announced.
Alas, when the specialists took up the building, it turned out that there was nothing to save: it was a wooden "teremok" so destroyed that it was not subject to restoration. I had to disassemble the architectural masterpiece and rebuild a "copy" in its place. Only a few details have survived: a tent, a door, and wooden decor.
Of course, the replica, although beautiful, no longer represents such a value. The color of the "teremka" has also changed - earlier it was warm orange, now it is dark brown.
Fans of wooden houses-teremki will certainly be interested to read about "Lace" masterpiece mansion in Tomsk: a house with a tent, which was restored by the Germans. By the way, it has survived to this day.
Recommended:
What secrets does Point Nemo keep - the most mysterious place on Earth, which has become a cemetery of spaceships
Point Nemo is the most remote place on Earth from land. As you might guess, it was named after the well-known captain from the novel by Jules Verne. The perfect place to hide a spaceship. It was here, under the waters of the Pacific Ocean, that the ships found their last resting place, plowing the vast expanses of our Universe. Surprising facts about the lifeless pole of inaccessibility, where the cemetery of the dead ships was arranged, further in the review
What secrets does Malbork Castle keep, and why it is considered one of a kind
The castle of the Teutonic Order, Malbork, in northern Poland, is not only the largest in the world in terms of area, but also the largest medieval brick castle! It's huge and incredibly impressive. All this brick Gothic, towers and courtyards, secret stairs and rooms with surprises! The atmosphere of the castle keeps memories of the formidable Teutons who carried Christianity to these pagan lands with fire and sword. What secrets of the crusaders do these ancient walls keep?
What secrets does the "Masonic mansion" keep in St. Petersburg and what do the secret symbols on its facade mean?
As soon as this house is called - and "Masonic mansion" and "casket house" and "brick castle". Schreter's house on the Moika Embankment in St. Petersburg immediately attracts attention. It was as if it was brought to us from some old European street. Who built it here and why? Even more mysterious is the fact that on its main facade you can see Masonic symbols - stucco images in the form of a triangle and a compass
What secrets from the life of maids keep the paintings of European masters of the 19th century
It is generally accepted that the life of servants in rich houses in the old days was not sweet. However, the artists of the 19th century unanimously refute this opinion. Lovely maids in the paintings of recognized masters of genre painting usually look quite satisfied with their lot. Moreover, judging by many canvases, they were not bored at all at work and were not exhausted by slave labor
"The Young Lady and the Hooligan" is the only film with Vladimir Mayakovsky that has survived to this day
Mayakovsky is known as a rebel, "petrel of the revolution" and a futurist poet, who left a bright mark in the literature of the 20th century. In addition to poetry, he clearly showed himself as a playwright, screenwriter, film director, film actor, artist. The only film with his participation that has survived to this day is "The Young Lady and the Bully" - a story in which youthful love and social insecurity are woven into a poetic story about a rebellious and touching rebel