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The Grand Hotel Europe

Address: Mikhaylovskaya Ulitsa, 1/7

Phone: 8 (812) 329-60-00


Grand Hotel Europe in St. Petersburg

The history of the Europe Hotel located on the corner of Nevsky Prospekt and Mikhailovskaya Street begins in 1875, when architect Ludwig Fontan erected on the site of the merchant house A.S. Rogov and hotels GK Klee is a four-story eclectic building. Since then, it has been home to one of the best hotels in St. Petersburg, renowned for its luxurious interior decoration, quality of service, and a list of distinguished guests.

In the XVIII century on this place stood the two-storey house of watchmaker I.G. Bergman was built in the 1740s. The building repeatedly changed its owner, until in 1824-1825. in its place was not built four-storey profitable house merchant Rogov and Klee Hotel. In the 30th – 19th century, these two houses were rebuilt in accordance with the plans of Karl Rossi for the reconstruction of Nevsky Prospect, but their age was short. In 1871, both buildings were seriously damaged by fire, which ultimately led to the construction of an international class hotel in their place.

The opening of "Europe" took place on January 28, 1875. New hotel struck the imagination of St. Petersburg. At the service of gourmets, the hotel offered exquisite cuisine, visitors were spoiled by the latest technical innovations: an elevator and mechanisms “for raising and lowering food” in the kitchen. The hotel staff was famous for its courtesy and honesty. According to rumors, only a few spoons were lost in the entire history of the hotel. By 1891, the hotel had 267 rooms, of which 197 were luxury suites.

In 1901, "Europe" came under the control of the Swiss Joseph Wolifitz-Gidera. On his initiative, the hotel has made many improvements. At the hotel earned an antique shop, a little later, before the First World War, “Europe” had its own pastry shop. Among the initiatives Volfitsa-Gidera stands out the restructuring of the restaurant. The old room could no longer accommodate everyone who wanted to taste the dishes offered there. According to the project of architect C. McKenzie in the “Europe”, the fifth floor was completed for the restaurant. Under the name “Krysha”, this catering establishment was extremely popular in the actor’s environment and was popularly known as the “Middle Philharmonic Hall”.

Cooperation with the “Europe” of the famous architect Fyodor Lidval was also fruitful. A bright representative of the Art Nouveau school and the future builder of the Astoria Hotel, Lidval designed the Europe Restaurant, Lobby Bar, Caviar Bar, Billiard room and reading room at the hotel.

Only two times in its history "Europe" has ceased to be a hotel. In the 1918-early 1920s. its building housed the Central Children's Quarantine and Distribution Point. And during the siege of Leningrad in September 1941 - April 1942, the evacuation hospital number 991 with 1,300 beds was located in the hotel.

And in Soviet times, the hotel has maintained its high reputation. Despite the fact that the hotel was renamed the hotel “European” and transferred to the society “Intourist”, it remained “Europe” Hotel for the citizens of Leningrad. Even the service entrance to the hotel from the Iskustv square jokers called "Free Europe". Many funny stories and legends were connected with the hotel in those years.

In 1978, the price of a suite in “European” for a foreigner ranged from 50 to 100 rubles per day. A Soviet citizen paid for the same number 9 rubles. According to the writer Igor Bogdanov, the visit to the hotel was for him the equivalent of a “five-minute visit to America.” It is curious that in the 1950s the hotel staff did not take a tip. According to foreign tourists, the younger generation of employees did not even know what it was.

In 1991, the hotel returned the name "Europe" and restored. So in the courtyard of the hotel under the glass dome appeared restaurant-atrium "Mezzanine". The third stage of the hotel reconstruction took place quite recently - in 2005-2008. The author of the renovation project of the hotel was the famous French designer Michel Joinet.

Today, the Grand Hotel Europe is again a luxury sample for the upper classes. Every year, visitors to the hotel consume a half tons of black caviar. More eat only the passenger liner "Queen Elizabeth II". At the entrance to the hotel live music constantly played by the harpist. On weekends in the "Europe" are held classical concerts.

Hotel "Europe" is known outside of Russia. In 1995, it unfolded the events of the plot of the film "Golden Eye" from the James Bond film series. True, the film was filmed not in the hotel premises, but in decorations built in London.

Among the guests of "Europe" were PI. Tchaikovsky, I.S. Turgenev, I.K. Aivazovsky, A.V. Lunacharsky, M. Kshesinskaya, V.V. Mayakovsky, A.M. Gorky, V.E. Meyerhold, S.S. Prokofiev, DD Shostakovich, I.O. Dunaevsky, I.F. Stravinsky, K.G. Paustovsky, C. Debussy, I. Strauss, the Swedish king Gustav V, G. Wells, B. Show, Bill Clinton, Elton John and others.

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