Architectural monuments of Moscow have captivated the eyes of both Muscovites and guests of the city for many centuries. Majestic temples and cathedrals, the unique Kremlin, palaces and estates - all this creates that amazing flavor that the Russian capital is so famous for. But even against the background of all these buildings and structures, the famous Pashkov House stands out with special charm and pomposity.
According to the architectural chronicle of the capital, this building was built in the last third of the 18th century, most likely with the direct participation of the famous architect V. Bazhenov. Such a reservation is not accidental: the whole point is that after numerous fires, uprisings and other cataclysms, no documents have been preserved about who built the Pashkov house in Moscow. But individual lines in the memoirs of contemporaries, and the style of the building itself, indicate that it was Bazhenov who designed it.
This house got its name by the name of P. Pashkov, who became famous for the fact that his father for a long time served as a batman at the veryPeter the Great. This building almost immediately became wildly popular: it was depicted in paintings and postage stamps, described in literary works, dates and duels were arranged next to it.
Pashkov's House became the first building, in addition to churches and cathedrals, which overlooked the Kremlin with its facade. Its architectural feature was that it had two facades: the front one, which descended to Mokhovaya Street, and the less solemn one, which was hidden in the old courtyard.
Another architectural decision was that Pashkov's house has a more beautiful view if viewed from afar. The thing is that if you look at it from the side of Mokhovaya or Starovagankovsky lane, it turns out that the building is located at a slight angle and therefore loses the integrity and majesty of its perception.
The first serious test for Bazhenov's creation was the occupation of Moscow by French troops in 1812. During the famous fire, all the interiors burned out, and the building itself was partially destroyed. The famous architects O. Bove and I. Tamansky restored it immediately after the trip abroad, and Alexander I spared no funds from the state budget.
In the middle of the 19th century, the house passed from private hands to state ownership. The Noble Institute, a gymnasium, and the Rumyantsev Museum were located here. Precisely in order to be able to exhibit in this museum the famous painting by A. Ivanov“The Appearance of Christ to the People”, the so-called Ivanovsky Hall was built next to the house, which then turned into a reading room of the museum library.
After the Bolsheviks came to power, the Pashkov House turned into the largest public library in the country and one of the largest public libraries in the world. At the same time, work continued to improve the external appearance of the building, which was carried out by such famous masters as L. Dahl, G. Meyendorff, A. Shchusev and others.
The last major reconstruction of the building took place in the 30s of the last century, when the outer fence was demolished, the coat of arms of the USSR was installed on the facade, and the interiors completely lost their original appearance.
