Is it an optical illusion or clever architecture? Look closely at the building before you. This is \u0414\u0432\u043e\u0440-\u043a\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0446\u043e \u0432 \u0434\u043e\u043c\u0435 \u041f\u0435\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0432\u044b\u0445. It is also known as the House of Petrovs. Or the House of the Ring.
\u0414\u0432\u043e\u0440-\u043a\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0446\u043e \u0432 \u0434\u043e\u043c\u0435 \u041f\u0435\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0432\u044b\u0445 stands as a unique architectural monument in Saint Petersburg. Its address is 92 Fontanka River Embankment. Also, it is 59 Gorokhovaya Street. This building is a testament to the city’s rich history.
In the early 19th century, an unknown architect remodeled two small two-story houses for the merchant Ustinov. This project shaped the ensemble of the square. The idea was to design front squares on the Fontanka River. The Commission on Stone Construction of Saint Petersburg and Moscow conceived this in the 1760s. However, only the design at Semyonovsky Bridge came to fruition in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Private ownership of land interfered with realizing the idea.
The building is symmetrically positioned. It mirrors the Glebov House. Its design is concise. The facade of the four-story residential building faces the square. It lacks prominent divisions. Three-part windows are above the arched entrances in the central section. They encompass the two upper floors. The lower two floors are rusticated. Female masks are placed above the second-floor windows. Garlands adorn the third floor.
In 1822, I.I. Sharleman constructed a circular building with a circular courtyard on the site. This was commissioned by Ustinov. It is Saint Petersburg’s first and only round building. Wide arched openings lead into the courtyard. The facade lacks decorative elements. Construction finished in 1827.
In the mid-19th century, the house belonged to the merchant G.M. Petrov. A three-story extension was added to the circular house in 1861. This addition was later removed during the Soviet era. Today, fragments of the original interiors remain. One apartment features a portal framed by four pilasters. These pilasters are made of faux pink marble. Two freestanding columns support an entablature with a small cornice.
The structure of most staircases remains intact. A three-flight staircase from Gorokhovaya Street features semicircular niches on the landing. From May to autumn 1827, Alexander Pushkin visited his parents who lived in this house.
\u0414\u0432\u043e\u0440-\u043a\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0446\u043e \u0432 \u0434\u043e\u043c\u0435 \u041f\u0435\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0432\u044b\u0445 is more than just a building. It is a landmark. It represents St. Petersburg’s architectural ambition. The ring-shaped structure creates a unique atmosphere. This distinctive structure is part of the city’s cultural heritage. It has been for almost two centuries.