In the city of Taganrog there are magnificent buildings that are in no way inferior to the royal chambers. An example is the home of one famous merchant-merchant Alferaki. The family of one of the largest homeowners of Taganrog lived in this house for about 30 years.
This is a magnificent architectural creation in Taganrog. Alferaki Palace, whose photo is presented in the article, is a monument of federal significance. A.P. Chekhov created the Museum of Local History in this palace.
A little about Taganrog
A small cozy town has access to the Sea of Azov. It is located in the Taganrog Bay. The main part of the city is located on a cape called Taganiy Rog, which means “lighthouse cape” in Turkic. This name is associated with the elongated shape of the cape.
Initially, Tagan Rog (or Taganiy Rog) occupied a not very large territory in the southeast of the Miussky Peninsula. However, the city began to expand, and today it is the second largest in the Rostov region after Rostov-on-Don.
Geographically, the city has a favorable position. 70 kilometers away is the capital of the Southern Federal District of Russia, and 50 kilometers away is the Ukrainian border. It also has the status of a port city, which determines its main focus - fishing.
History of Alferaki Palace in Taganrog
The building was built in 1848 according to the project of the architect A.I. Shtakenschneider for the landowner of Greek origin N. D. Alferaki. The appearance of the palace is attached to the building by a facade decorated with stucco molding and four Corinthian columns. In the 70s of the XIX century, the building was bought by the merchant Negroponte and subsequently leased to the club of the Commercial Assembly. At the end of the 19th century, the house completely became the property of the club.
The palace was the cultural center of the city both during the life of N.D. Alferaki and after his death. He was visited by M. S. Shchepkin and M. P. Mussorgsky. The future emperor Alexander III arranged a reception in this house. Such well-known cultural and political figures of Russia as Prince M. G. Golitsyn, P. I. Tchaikovsky and the Polyakov brothers also visited the club of the Commercial Assembly. In the largest hall of the Alferaki Palace in Taganrog, concerts and balls were held, at which A.P. Chekhov.
It should be noted that a corridor system wing was built near the house. The sons of an older brother from the Alferaki family lived in it together with tutors and teachers - Mikhail, Nikolai, Sergey and Achilles.
Unfortunately, as a result of repair work in the late 60s and early 70s of the last century, a significant part of the interior was lost. Some stucco moldings, murals disappeared, fireplaces and other excesses were removed. Something still managed to be restored, but something never returned to its place. Be that as it may, this palace is beautiful.
Description of the palace, features
The author of this remarkable project is Andrei Ivanovich Shtakenschneider, professor at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. The palace was also appreciated by Prince M.G. Golitsyn, who visited Taganrog in 1857.
The peculiarity of the palace is that in its essence, the interior and architecture of the building resembles a small Hermitage. The palace is decorated with excellent sculptural moldings, among other things, the interior contains gilding, marble and crystal.
The architecture of Alferaki Palace is an example of the southern lush neo-baroque. The building is decorated with Corinthian columns with classic capitals. On the central part of the pediment the noble coat of arms of Alferaki is installed. The roof is framed by a balustrade, and inside the building there is a marble staircase that includes 41 steps.
A light arch leads to the front hall, which consists of three sections. Arcs are laid to the center of the ceiling of the central compartment, and between them are frescoes in the form of medallions from the life of Versailles salons of the era of Louis XIV, XV, XVI. These are gentlemen and ladies in luxurious suits and wigs. Ornaments in all departments of the hall are made in the rococo style. Concerts, exhibitions, and marriages of city dwellers are often held in the well-known two-story building. Significant dates of Taganrog are also noted here.
As noted above, the palace of Alferaki was the central place of cultural life of the city. The owner arranged grandiose balls in it, to which elected representatives of the Taganrog society were invited.
Museum of Local Lore
This museum was created, as noted above, on the initiative of A.P. Chekhov. He was placed in the palace of N.D. Alferaki in 1930. Throughout the twentieth century, the exposition of the museum, like the palace itself, underwent numerous changes. Restoration work carried out in the period 1989-1996 allowed to restore the original appearance of the palace as much as possible. As a result, a new exposition was opened here, for the development of which the museum employees were awarded the Russian Prize of the Ministry of Culture.
Today the Taganrog Museum is one of the oldest in Russia and one of the most popular and beautiful in the south of the country.
In the thirteen halls of the palace, a large and interesting museum exposition is presented, the basis of which is the principle of collection display. Museum objects of stock collections are used here: “Ceramics”, “Archeology”, “Sculpture”, “Weapons”, “Metal”, “Glass”, “Painting”, “Fabrics”, “Numismatics”, etc.
Where is the palace?
The address of Alferaki Palace: Taganrog, Frunze street, 41.
It is located in the central part of the city, at the intersection of Anton Glushko and Frunze Streets. Neighboring buildings: shops, post office. Not far away is a building with a memorial plaque of N.V. Obraztsova, and in the south of the palace is the now-functioning Alexander Nevsky Jerusalem Greek Monastery.
It’s very easy to get from the Taganrog bus terminal to the palace by trams with numbers 2, 3, 5, 8. You should get to the Glushko Street stop, then walk 200 meters to the south-east.
Guest reviews
A walk through the spacious and cozy rooms of the museum for visitors becomes a real time travel, starting from ancient times, and ending with modern history.
After his visit, city guests and local residents leave the most positive and enthusiastic reviews, complaining only about some neglect of the building. And this is understandable, because the facade of the palace has not been updated for the last 15 years. However, this does not prevent the wonderful palace of Alferaki from remaining a Taganrog business card.
Modern events
The branch of the famous state Taganrog historical-architectural and literary museum-reserve is located in the palace of Alferaki. Taganrog posters constantly present a schedule of cultural events regularly held in the museum. Of particular interest are the various literary and musical evenings for children and adults, as well as sightseeing events.
Almost every year the Museum of A.P. Chekhov invites visitors to Christmas walks. In the atmosphere of ancient Taganrog, event participants have the opportunity to see the city in Christmas celebrations in the second half of the 19th century and receive exclusive information about past events. This fun and informative action is carried out with unexpected surprises.
Conclusion
It is impossible not to pay attention to this magnificent palace. It attracts with its unusual decor, heavy baroque ornaments from stucco and a portico with four columns.
Thanks to the holding of important receptions and concert events in the magnificent palace, this place has become an integral part of the cultural life of Taganrog and the region.