Sirotkin House, Kyiv
The Sirotkin House, a former apartment building, is widely acknowledged as one of the most beautiful buildings in the centre of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine and is a national historic monument. At the time it was built, 1902, it was the highest residential building in Kyiv. It is located at the corner of Volodymyrska and Prorizna streets (official address is Volodymyrska Street, 39/24 or sometimes Prorizna Street, 24/39.
Built in 1899-1902 by the architectural firm of Shiman and Gilevich in neo-renaissance style with elements of baroque and early modernism, the first owner was Pavlo Grigorovich-Barsky, but after his bankruptcy the house became the property of Alexander Sirotkin.
Designed by architect Karl Schimann, Nikolai Grigorovich-Barsky began work on this dramatic house at the end of the sugar beet boom that saw riches flow into Kyiv that drove a building boom still visible in large sections of the present city centre. By the time the house was finished in 1901, however, the boom had turned to bust with a collapse in prices in an oversaturated housing market and Grigorovich-Barsky was no longer able to pay the bills. Some aspects of the house were also frankly jerry-built. At the end of 1901 the unfinished house was sold at auction to pay his debts. Alexander Sirotkin was the successful bidder and completed the construction, exterior and interior decoration of the house in 1902-1903, provided electric lighting and built an elevator. The ground floor units became popular for upmarket retail establishments.
Under the Soviet Union, the building was nationalised, housing bars and restaurants as well as dwellings, but in the second half of the 20th century, the residential part of the house gradually collapsed, and the original interior of the house, distinguished by magnificent stucco, rough with embossed tiles, was lost. In 1985–86 residents were evicted to facilitate a restoration. However, due to the difficult economic and political situation in the country, this did not begin and the house was left uninhabited. In 1992, a fire broke out, which destroyed part of the interior. Finally, in 1997-1999, the facades were reconstructed, along with the corner tower, destroyed in the 1950s, the exterior trim and wall paintings.
In 2004, the City sold the building to private investors for a hotel development. This was also blighted by disputes and took a long time to open.
This description incorporates translations from the Ukrainian Wikipedia.
Sirotkin House, Kyiv
The Sirotkin House, a former apartment building, is widely acknowledged as one of the most beautiful buildings in the centre of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine and is a national historic monument. At the time it was built, 1902, it was the highest residential building in Kyiv. It is located at the corner of Volodymyrska and Prorizna streets (official address is Volodymyrska Street, 39/24 or sometimes Prorizna Street, 24/39.
Built in 1899-1902 by the architectural firm of Shiman and Gilevich in neo-renaissance style with elements of baroque and early modernism, the first owner was Pavlo Grigorovich-Barsky, but after his bankruptcy the house became the property of Alexander Sirotkin.
Designed by architect Karl Schimann, Nikolai Grigorovich-Barsky began work on this dramatic house at the end of the sugar beet boom that saw riches flow into Kyiv that drove a building boom still visible in large sections of the present city centre. By the time the house was finished in 1901, however, the boom had turned to bust with a collapse in prices in an oversaturated housing market and Grigorovich-Barsky was no longer able to pay the bills. Some aspects of the house were also frankly jerry-built. At the end of 1901 the unfinished house was sold at auction to pay his debts. Alexander Sirotkin was the successful bidder and completed the construction, exterior and interior decoration of the house in 1902-1903, provided electric lighting and built an elevator. The ground floor units became popular for upmarket retail establishments.
Under the Soviet Union, the building was nationalised, housing bars and restaurants as well as dwellings, but in the second half of the 20th century, the residential part of the house gradually collapsed, and the original interior of the house, distinguished by magnificent stucco, rough with embossed tiles, was lost. In 1985–86 residents were evicted to facilitate a restoration. However, due to the difficult economic and political situation in the country, this did not begin and the house was left uninhabited. In 1992, a fire broke out, which destroyed part of the interior. Finally, in 1997-1999, the facades were reconstructed, along with the corner tower, destroyed in the 1950s, the exterior trim and wall paintings.
In 2004, the City sold the building to private investors for a hotel development. This was also blighted by disputes and took a long time to open.
This description incorporates translations from the Ukrainian Wikipedia.