Lost to time and fire, the Efremov Dacha whispers stories of a bygone era. This wooden structure once stood proudly in Sestroretsk. It is now a ruin.
The Committee for State Control sanctioned a decree. This decree excluded the Efremov Dacha from the list of cultural heritage sites. This happened under Sergey Makarov’s leadership.
This decision faced controversy. An anti-corruption assessment was carried out. The wooden dacha of Vasily Efremov was excluded from the registry. It was located in Sestroretsk. Jan Gubin conducted a historical and cultural examination in March 2021. He was commissioned by OOO “Ripristino”. His conclusion deemed the inclusion unnecessary. The fire in 2011 is the main reason for this decision. Only ruins remain of the Efremov Dacha after it.
The three-story building was constructed in 1913. It later served as a holiday home during the Soviet era. Later still, it became the “Aybolit” pioneer camp. The Efremov Dacha burned down in 2011. The land and ruined buildings were transferred to the Gorodskaya Bolnitsa N40 Kurortnogo Rayona in 2013. The institution refused the property.
In 2021 the building was put up for auction. It was bought for 86.6 million rubles.
Evgenia Tvardovskaya paints idyllic pictures. These pictures show Petersburgers relaxing against a backdrop of samovars and cozy homes. Pre-revolutionary wooden dachas are disappearing. Attempts to stop the destruction are being made.
Architect Maximilian Messmacher designed a dacha for his brother Georgy in the 1870s. Georgy was a well-known lawyer in Petersburg. The house combined modern style and Russian elements. The initials G.M. were placed on the north-eastern tower. It is speculated that the numbers 1902 represent the construction date. However, others say this is impossible because the brothers left Russia in 1897.
Currently, the dacha is assigned to FGUP “VNIITokov of High Frequency named after V.P. Vologdin”. Employees used to live there. It is now empty. The Institute lacks funds for restoration. Approximately 25 million rubles are needed.
The wooden carved building was a landmark of the Vyritsa settlement. The house belonged to the father of the science fiction writer Ivan Efremov. Efremov officially went by Ivan Antonovich. He hid his connection to the house.
After the revolution, the dacha was nationalized. In 2000, the landmark status changed hands often. No one cared for its architecture. A fire in 2014 destroyed it.
For 15 years, the building looked abandoned. Vandals damaged windows. A spire was missing. Some believed it was arson.
Today, the Efremov Dacha is secured. It is attached to VNIITokov. There are plans for restoration.
The Kurortny District aims to preserve wooden buildings. They want to include the Efremov Dacha on a restoration program. The regional administration will consider social needs. It could become housing for budget employees. It could also become a library.