Дача А.В. Верещагина

Deep in the heart of Saint Petersburg, where the Okkervil and Okhta rivers meet, stands Utkina Dacha. A hidden gem, Utkina Dacha whispers tales of love, rejection, and artistic connections. This 18th-century estate, also known as Utkin’s Dacha, holds a special place in Russia’s architectural and cultural heritage. Utkina Dacha was originally part of the land near Nyenschantz fortress. It was owned by Swedish colonel Okkervil before Saint Petersburg was even founded. The land later belonged to Andrey Ushakov, chief of the Secret Chancellery. In the mid-18th century, the estate was granted to Agafokleya Poltoratskaya and her husband, Mark, for their contributions to opera. Their daughter, Agafokleya Sukhareva, managed the Okkervil Manor. She even owned the adjacent land upstream on the Okhta River. One of Sukhareva’s daughters, Elizabeth, married Alexey Olenin. He would later become president of the Imperial Academy of Arts. Another daughter, Anna Olenina, caught the eye of the renowned poet Alexander Pushkin. He was so smitten that he proposed marriage in the summer of 1828. Sadly for Pushkin, his proposal to Poltoratsky’s granddaughter was rejected. Some believe that the acclaimed architect Nikolay Lvov designed Utkina Dacha. A service building was added to the estate between 1820 and 1830. After the 1917 Russian Revolution, Utkina Dacha’s purpose shifted. The Commissariat of Health took control, and it became home to the Malookhtinsky office of the 2nd psychiatric hospital. In the late 1930s, parts of Utkina Dacha were converted into residential apartments. Other sections were used by various organizations. Today, Utkina Dacha is a branch of the State Museum of Urban Sculpture. Though neglected for a time, its history remains a vibrant part of Saint Petersburg’s rich tapestry.