Beneath our feet lies history. It is layered like the pastries once sold here at \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436. We are standing before \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436. It is an elite department store on Nevsky Avenue. \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436 is more than just a shopping destination. It is a cultural landmark. Its story is woven into the fabric of St. Petersburg.
Imagine St. Petersburg in the mid-19th century. Trade flourished here since the city’s founding. Before \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436, shops and warehouses dotted this very spot. Then, Count Essen-Stenbock-Fermor envisioned something grander. He wanted an elite shopping mall for Russian nobility. Thus, \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436 was born.
The name \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436 comes from the French word for passage. A vast gallery connected Nevsky Avenue and Italianskaya Street. This created a main passage through the mall. An arching glass and steel roof covered the gallery. This made it one of the world’s first shopping malls.
\u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436 opened on May 9, 1848. It was a marvel of its time. It was one of the first structures in Russia to use gas for lighting. An underground floor housed an electric station in 1900. \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436 specialized in luxury goods. Jewellery and expensive clothes filled its displays. Common people flocked to see this fashionable shop. Admission was even limited by a 50 kopeck fee.
But Count Stenbock-Fermor had bigger ambitions. He saw \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436 as a social hub. It became a cultural center. Coffee-houses and confectioneries enticed visitors. There were panorama installations and even a small zoo. Fyodor Dostoevsky even described it in his work “The Crocodile”. The concert hall hosted literary readings. Dostoevsky, Turgenev and Taras Shevchenko attended.
The 20th century brought change to \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436. In 1897, Princess Nadezhda Boryatinsky took ownership. A fire in 1898 caused major damage. Cr\u00e9dit Lyonnais funded renovations. In 1900, a new storey was added. The building was refaced in Radom sandstone. The concert hall became a theatre. Vera Komissarzhevskaya became its artistic director. The Soleille cinema opened in 1908.
After the Russian Revolution, \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436 reopened as a supermarket in 1922. In 1933, it became a “model department store”. It was the only one in Leningrad. It offered 30,000 types of goods made in the USSR. The Children’s World section was very popular.
During the Siege of Leningrad, \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436 remained closed. Employees stayed to protect it. The glass roof suffered heavy bombing. Yet the interior had little damage. \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436 reopened in 1947. Since 1961, it has specialized in goods for women.
Today, \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436 is privately owned. Renovations meet modern standards. Showrooms are expanded. It has partnerships with international brands. An upscale food market is in the basement. A restaurant on the upper level offers panoramic views.
From elite shopping mall to Soviet showcase, \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0436 has seen it all. It stands as a testament to St. Petersburg’s resilience. It blends history with modern luxury. As you explore its corridors, remember the stories within these walls.