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Egyptian House, (Egipetsky Dom)

Egyptian House in St Peterburg

Near the metro station Chernyshevskaya on ulitse Zakharyevskaya, the house is located at number 23. But none of Petersburgers mention this house when they mention this house, just say Egyptian House, (Egipetsky Dom) and everything becomes clear. At one glance, associations with the tombs of the pharaohs, mysterious pyramids, sphinxes, myths and legends of the ancient world arise.

The construction of the house began in 1911. The wife of State Councilor L. Nezhinskaya ordered the house of architect M. Sohailo, and although it was intended for ordinary renting, the customer and her husband certainly wanted something original that could hit everyone. Sogaylo was a follower of neoclassicism and modernism, moreover, like all people of art, he showed an increased interest in mysticism, occultism, masonic signs, symbols, and the teachings of antiquity, characteristic of that time. In 1913 construction was completed. As Nezhinskaya wanted, this created a sensation, it became a real event in the life of St. Petersburg. The house was advanced for that time - with a rationally thought-out layout, a lifting automated elevator of the Stigler system, but most of all it impressed everyone with its appearance.

To this day, it remains a unique example of Russian modernity, it is called not by the name of the creator, but by its characteristic features. The facade is decorated with high protruding columns with faces of goddesses. In the center there is an arch leading to the courtyard, the ceiling and the walls of the arch are completely decorated with images of flying birds and winged solar disks. On both sides of the arch are two symmetrical entrances, at each door there are statues of the sun god Ra in loincloths with arms crossed. The whole facade is generously decorated with bas-reliefs with images of goddesses, scenes from life, mainly agricultural works, disks with mythical creatures, semi-columns, pilasters.

The courtyard is very different from the front facade, this is the usual gloomy Petersburg well-yard. Although the walls are also decorated with friezes, various decorative elements, opposite the arch are massive figures of the king and queen on both sides of the elevator. In 2007, the facade was restored.
The house is almost completely preserved in its original form, only in the basement windows appeared. You can look at it from the opposite side of the street for a long time, examine it near the face of mythical creatures, absorbing the breath of history, carrying your thoughts to the “shores of the sacred Nile”. Now it is an elite residential building, offices, shops and cafes are located on the first floors.

Egyptian house (Egipetsky Dom) in St. Petersburg definitely has some strange atmosphere. For example, in 1941, a machine gun was mounted on one of the columns in the corner of the house, methodically shelling enemy aircraft. The area was bombed very carefully, but the walls of this building were not completely damaged by the blows. Even after the First World War, the house did not change much. The only thing that has been lost is the author's glassbelt, as well as some metal elements of the decor and design of the facades. The house itself remains one of the most beautiful on the territory of St. Petersburg, superficially resembling a real textbook on Egyptology.

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