Kiev Chocolate House

Chocolate house in Kiev is a small elegant house, amazing both outside and inside. What is the reason for this name? What is special about this building?

Appearance

Almost in the center of Kiev there is a cute little house, which the Kyivites nicknamed chocolate. It is made, of course, not from edible materials, but very much resembles a tile of chocolate on the external decor, and most importantly - in color.

A chocolate house was built in 1899-1901 by architect Vladimir Nikolayev, creator of the National Philharmonic Society and refectory of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. In addition to designing the building, Nikolaev also dealt with his interior.

The chocolate house is a two-storey building with a mezzanine and a basement. The architectural style repeats the features of the palace renaissance. The lateral and facial facades are symmetrical. Outside, there are lush reliefs with many small and large details. Similar houses in Kiev are not easy to find.

The windows are decorated with bas-reliefs with mascarons of lions framed with stucco flowers. On the windows of the second floor are the Caduceus - Greek and Roman symbols of the rod of Mercury, who was the patron, including merchants. These symbols corresponded to occupation of the owner of the house.

Interiors of the house

In the interior design of the house, Nikolaev revealed his talent in a new way. For all rooms was characterized by a different style. For example, Empire was chosen for the staircase: marble steps and forged rails. Ornament and colors on custom-made furniture exactly corresponded to the room in which it was located.

The White Hall is the largest. It is made in the style of French baroque. All important meetings and reception of guests took place here. In the middle of the wall hung a Venetian mirror of the XX century, decorated with stucco ornamentation.

Particular attention deserves a hall in the Art Nouveau style. The walls and ceiling are painted with oil paints with the image of semi-fantastic colors. On the arched windows there are stained-glass windows, which also depict flowers. On the ceiling is a copy of the portrait of Sarah Bernhard performed by Alfons Mucha.

The Byzantine Hall was used as a dining room. From all sides the room is decorated with stucco garlands featuring grapes, apples and berries. Novorussky style is decorated with the Russian hall. Paintings with firebirds settled on the ceiling, and on the walls were preserved patterns that were present on the royal five-ruble note of those times. The main feature of the Moorish room is carved gypsum panels on the walls. Previously, the walls were painted with six- and ten-pointed stars.

Chocolate house: history

Previously, on the site of the house was a small manor with a luxurious garden. In the 30 years of the century before last, it was owned by the military man P. Konstantinovich. After his death, the estate was divided into parts and in turn was inherited by the relatives of the owner. Finally, Baroness Ikskul-Gildenband acquired it.

The son of the Baroness in 1988 sold the corner part of the estate to a member of a bank office, and converted the rest of his estate into a lucrative home. The new owner SS Mogilevtsev decided to demolish the corner house, and at this place to build a mansion.

Until 1934 the house was residential. He was partially reconstructed, and a little later transferred to the NKVD. Afterwards the company had a cultural association with foreign countries and a bureau of the Department of Affairs of the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR. And since 1960 for 20 years in a chocolate house registered marriages. To sign here was considered an unusually prestigious event.

In 1982 he was given under the aegis of the Department of Culture and Arts.

Semen Mogilevtsev

SS Mogilevtsev was quite respected in Kiev. The merchant of the 1st Guild was born into a family of timber merchants. Having moved to the capital of Ukraine, he continued to engage in forest trade and was a city patron. To build the mansion, Mogilev chose the chief architect of Kiev. The chocolate house, made in coffee tones, surpassed all expectations.

Semyon Mogilevtsev was then the treasurer of the credit society and could afford a rather expensive mansion for various receptions, meetings and solemn events. But in the city immediately spread bad rumors.

The treasurer had no relatives in Kiev, he was single. Evil tongues immediately came up with the idea that such a chic and at the same time refined house is built for secret love encounters with a married lady. And banquets and meetings are just a cover.

Art exhibition

For a long time the house was in an extremely unacceptable condition, given its architectural value. In 2009, it carried out a thorough restoration work. After that, excursions began to take place here.

In addition to looking at the interiors, you can visit the picture gallery in the chocolate house. In the building there is a branch of the Kiev Museum of Russian Painting, so here an art exhibition with the works of Russian authors is open.

Exhibitions, housed in buildings with a peculiar history, delight doubly. Opening the massive wooden doors, the guests get into the atmosphere of the past years, looking into the old Venetian mirrors, admiring the delights of the interior details.