The romantic story of the Sandunov baths, which Pushkin himself used to visit

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Russian people have always loved to take a steam bath. And the larger the city was, the more actively baths multiplied in it. In Moscow, baths most often appeared along the Neglinnaya River. Baths at that time were wooden, they were heated, as a rule, "in black", but this did not bother the people - everyone was steaming, warming up, enjoying and being treated. This was the case until 1737, when another fire in Moscow destroyed almost all the baths. And then the legendary Sanduns appeared today, and the history of these baths is really fascinating.

Actor's novel and the count in love

The founders of the Sandunovsky Baths were a couple of actors from the theater of Catherine II in love. Power Sandunov and Elizaveta Uranova met on stage and a spark flashed between them. But a serious obstacle arose for their love. Count Bezborodko, having visited the play and saw Liza, was carried away by her. At first, he tried to please the beauty, gave her gifts and invested money in bouquets. However, the actress was not impressed, she decided to connect her life with the Force. Upon learning of this, the count made a cardinal decision: he sent the young rival to Kherson, and decided to secretly bring Elizabeth to his chambers.

But Lisa decided to resist the lordly will. Once in the opera, right from the stage, the actress sang a song about the girl's share, told about the master, who, with the help of gifts and money, is trying to seduce a young beauty. At the end of her speech, she extended a complaint to the Empress. Catherine was imbued with sympathy for the actress and ordered Sila Nikolaevich to return to the stage, and to marry the young.

In February 1781, the dream of the young came true - Liza became Sandunova. However, this did not stop the count, he decided to continue to seek reciprocity from the girl. He showered her with expensive gifts, including diamond jewelry. To stay away from the obsessive boyfriend, the young couple decided to change their place of residence and moved to Moscow. However, the conditions in which they found themselves were far from ideal.

New Moscow baths

When the couple bought the house, it turned out that there was no bath in the house. Sila Nikolaevich wanted to please his young wife and build a wonderful bathhouse. And then a question arose in his head, what if we build a public bath. After all, it was possible to make good money on this. Having collected gifts from an unlucky admirer, the husband erected a bathhouse, which was named Sanduny in his honor.

This is how the first Sandunovskie baths appeared in 1808. At that time, the building was looked upon as a miracle. The owner tried to foresee everything. Firstly, the building was made of stone, which protected it from fire (and at that time fires were a frequent problem in Moscow). And inside there were three departments - "noble", "common people" and "merchant". Each of them was divided into female and male territory, everywhere there were not only "soap" rooms, but also steam rooms.

The building was supplied with water supply. The most experienced bath attendants and servants were hired. And in the buffet they sold various drinks. This institution was radically different from other Moscow baths. The young wife asked her husband to make dressing rooms instead of a dressing room, which were several times larger than dressing rooms, and even mirrors and sofas were installed in prestigious offices. Clients got the opportunity not only to wash, but also to communicate in a pleasant atmosphere.

Not a single ferry …

A year later, "bath" clubs began to form. The innovation quickly gained popularity, and representatives of the English Club were already gathering in Sanduny. Sometimes Pushkin also went there. The attendants knew this client well. He liked to take a good steam, then plunge into an ice bath and return to the steam room. One bathhouse attendant did not always cope with the poet's needs, and after a while he was replaced by another bathhouse worker.

For young girls, Sila Nikolaevich also came up with various entertainments. Several bands made of silver were especially popular with the ladies. Of these, young brides washed themselves before their betrothal. It was believed that these gangs were made by Sandunov especially for his wife. And here is another service that was no less in demand by rich ladies. Coming to Sanduny, they took their little dogs with them, which the servant washed with them.

A new history of the Sanduns

At the end of the 19th century, the Sandunov baths passed into the hands of new owners - the Gonetskys. During this period, the institution is experiencing a second rise. Alexey, the new owner, turns them into luxurious three-story palaces, real entertainment halls. The interior of the baths was collected from all over the world. Many came not only to wash, but also to look at this beauty. Such celebrities as Bunin, Chekhov, Chaliapin have become frequent clients of the institution. Moreover, Fyodor Ivanovich said that the steam room miraculously affects his voice, and helps to restore the ligaments after performances.

Not only rich people could visit Sanduny. Here it was possible to get a service for both 5 and 50 kopecks, depending on the wishes and capabilities of the client. The poor compartment was not so perfect, but there were also mirrors, upholstered furniture and other decorations. But a loofah and a broom in the bathhouse could be obtained free of charge.

Commoners often visited institutions far from being for entertainment, it was there that they treated various diseases. Here you could get a massage or get a dentist's service.

During the revolution, many clients of the Sandunov Baths were forced to immigrate. The institution gradually lost its popularity. In the bath, they were no longer so much steamed as they were used as an interior during the filming of a film. For example, "Battleship Potemkin" was filmed in the Sanduny basin. In these baths, Yuri Kara filmed the scene of the great ball with Satan for his "Master and Margarita".

In conclusion…

In conclusion, it should be said that the owners of the baths never skimped on materials: tiles were brought from England and Germany, and marble from Italy. They also did not skimp on wealth and intricacy: decorator Kalugin and architect Freudenberg turned the bath rooms into a series of magnificent stylistic sketches. In the halls of the baths you can see Rococo, Neo-Rococo, and Neo-Gothic. And this is more than just merchant chic. It was such bath establishments that at that time appeared in the capitals of Europe, the owners and creators of the Sanduns in 1896 really revised all Western examples of the genre. Only in Paris or Vienna it would never occur to anyone to say that public baths are one of the main city attractions. Whereas Sanduns have been considered a national treasure for more than a century.

After years of neglect, the Sandunov Baths, the most famous public baths in Russia, have been restored to their former splendor. Located near the Kremlin, the 100-year-old baths were popular with members of the Communist Party. Today they have become a favorite meeting place for businessmen and not poor people.