Alferaki Palace

Alferaki Palace is a mansion in Taganrog, Russia, originally the home of rich merchant Nikolay Alferaki. It was built in 1848 by the architect Andrei Stackenschneider in the downtown Taganrog on "Frunze Street" (formerly "Katolicheskaya").

The building is decorated with a portal featuring four Corinthian columns and stucco moulding in baroque style. Inside was created suite of rooms, and a spaceous hall with ceiling-painting.

History

The first owners of the palace were Nikos Alferakis, who was born in Taganrog and his family.
Mikhail Shchepkin stayed In Alferaki Palace in July 1863. In 1870s after the Alferaki family went bankrupt, the palace was sold to the Greek merchant Negroponte. Its garden was sold to merchant community. It re-opened as "Commercial Assembly". Anton Chekhov (as a student of The Boys Gymnasium) visited concerts given at the commercial club's in 1876, and later mentioned the palace in his novels "Ionych", "Mask" and "My life".

From February to April 1918 the mansion became the headquarters of the Soviet Workers' council of Taganrog.

Later during occupation in 1918 it housed German war hospital, and in 1919 – Anton Ivanovich Denikin's staff.

After establishment of Soviet power in Taganrog, the building accommodated various institution, after 1927 it housed the Museum of Regional Studies (founded in 1898 by Anton Chekhov).

Alferaki Palace was renovated in 1991-1996 and is now open to public as Museum of Regional Studies, though more commonly known under the name "Alferaki Palace".

The spacy hall with amazing acoustics is also used by the Municipality in the official ceremonies, especially the annual ceremony of honoring the best school graduates by the Mayor of Taganrog.

Views of the palace

Museum collection

The basis of museum collections is formed with funds related to famous historical or artistic personalities, including authentic personal belongings of the Russian tsars Alexander I of Russia and Peter I of Russia, playwright and poet Nestor Kukolnik, the founder of Russian heraldry Alexander Lakier, the great actress Faina Ranevskaya, author of children's books Ivan Vasilenko, romantic composer Achilles Alferaki, general Paul von Rennenkampf and many more.

ee also

*Achilles Alferaki
*History of Taganrog
*List of people in Taganrog

External links

* [http://www.taganrogcity.com/arts_culture.html Taganrog Arts & Culture Council, Municipal website]

References

* Taganrog Encyclopedia (Энциклопедия Таганрога), 2nd edition, Taganrog, 2003