Excursion to Tarasov's mansion on Spiridonovka

History of the house

The customer for the construction was the richest merchant Gavriil Tarasov. The author of the project was the famous Russian architect Ivan Zholtkovsky. The appearance of the mansion was supposed to replicate the appearance of one of the Italian palaces built in the Renaissance style. Inside, the ceilings and walls were painted by artists Evgeny Lansere, Ignatiy Nivinsky, Vikenty Trofimov.

The beautiful mansion, recognized as one of the most beautiful houses in Moscow, did not wait for the owners: the customer of the work, the merchant Tarasov, died before they were completed. Even his descendants did not manage to live there, since the revolution soon began, all property was nationalized, and Tarasov’s heirs left Russia. At the moment, the last descendants of the clan live in France.

In Soviet times, the building housed the Supreme Court, then the diplomatic services of different countries. Today the mansion can be visited on a guided tour. It was nicknamed a corner of Italy, which accidentally ended up in the center of Moscow. Interior painting, exquisite decorations - all this makes an indelible impression on those who find themselves here for the first time.

We invite you on an excursion to the mansion of the merchant Tarasov. In the center of Moscow, on Spiridonovka Street, at the beginning of the 20th century, architect Ivan Zholtovsky built a mansion for the richest merchant Gabriel Tarasov. This is almost a copy of the Thiene Palace (Palazzo Thiene), built in the 16th century, in the Italian city of Vicenza, by the brilliant architect Andrea Palladio. The Tarasov House is called one of the most mysterious works of Ivan Zholtovsky, and perhaps of all architecture of the 20th century. This is a real island of Italy in Moscow. The interior decoration of the mansion makes a vivid impression - unique paintings on themes of ancient Greek mythology, copies of masterpieces by Italian Renaissance artists, rich friezes with paintings. This beauty was created by the famous theater artists Evgeniy Lanceray and Ignatius Nivinsky. Walking through the halls of the luxurious palazzo, you will hear the story of the owners of the mansion, learn about the fate of the descendants of this influential Armenian family, among whom are the famous French writer Henri Troyat, the richest oil industrialist and philanthropist Nikolai Tarasov and our contemporary, first post-Soviet millionaire Artem Tarasov. True, the Tarasovs never managed to live in the palace. And on the way to the mansion we will see masterpieces of Art Nouveau architects - Shekhtel, Nirnzee, Goncharov. And let's talk a little about their famous inhabitants. Meeting point : Pushkinskaya / Tverskaya metro station, then exit the metro towards McDonald's. The group meets at the corner of Tverskaya and Bolshaya Bronnaya streets, right next to the metro exit. duration : 1 hour on the street and 1.5 hours in the mansion.

Payment is made on the website after registration. Guide : Larisa Nikologorskaya.

Conditions for booking excursions:

• The tourist is obliged to provide the necessary correct data to establish operational communication
• For bus tours, pre-seating is not provided in the cabin - Money paid for the excursion is subject to refund in case of cancellation, replacement or postponement of the excursion under the initiative “I will show you Moscow”
• Please carefully read the terms of purchase: If it is impossible to attend the event for which the ticket was purchased, money for tickets can be returned in accordance with Federal Law No. 193. If before the start of the event: more than 10 days, the cost of the ticket is returned in full minus a service fee of 5 %; from 5 to 10 days - 50% of the ticket price is refunded; from 3 to 5 days - at least 30% of the ticket price is returned; less than 3 days - the cost is not refundable.
• In case of being late or no-show for the excursion (for any reason), the money is not refunded and the tour is not rescheduled to another date.
• During periods of deteriorating weather (snowfalls, drifts on the roads, low/high air temperatures, showers, floods, storms, etc.), the company reserves the right to cancel excursions and, in exceptional cases, change the tour program. The decision on replacement/cancellation is made by the guide.

About the excursion

While walking through the luxurious halls of the mansion, visitors will learn from the guide the interesting history of the Tarasov family, who in fact bore the surname Tarasyan. Coming from the Caucasus, over time these wealthy industrialists decided to change their surname, making it consonant with the Russian language.

No less interesting is the biography of the architect I. Zholtkovsky, which will also be briefly described to tourists. At one time he was considered the best architect of the capital; the houses of many capital millionaires of the early twentieth century belonged to his hand.

The gloomy gray walls of the mansion do not fit in with what is to be seen inside. As simple as the house is on the outside, it is just as beautiful on the inside. The ceilings and walls are painted with scenes from mythology, none of them are repeated. Other interior items are also worthy of attention: luxurious crystal chandeliers, giant mirrors, original ceilings.

Inside the mansion there are many spacious halls, each of which was intended for special occasions. There is a library, a large reception hall, a dining room, and a spacious hall. The furniture partly belongs to the Tarasov family, but most of the interiors are from the new era. As befits an Italian house, Tarasov’s mansion has a courtyard that contrasts with noisy Moscow: fountains gurgle here, cherry and plum trees grow, and lilacs bloom.

A walk through Tarasov’s mansion is a real chance for some time to get into the beginning of the last century and feel that unforgettable atmosphere.

Excursion to Tarasov's mansion on Spiridonovka

This excursion is not planned in the near future. You can book a tour for your group at any time convenient for you.

We invite you to an excursion to Tarasov’s mansion on Spiridonovka - little Italy in the center of Moscow.

We invite you on a tour of one of the most beautiful corners of the capital with a visit to the “Italian” Tarasov mansion, built in the Renaissance style.

The exterior of the house is similar to Palazzo Thiene, a palace in Vicenza from the mid-16th century, created by the great architect Andrea Palladio. The Italian mansion in Moscow was built by the famous architect Ivan Zholtovsky, slightly changing the proportions of the prototype. In the design and decoration of the mansion, an indelible impression is made by the paintings in the styles of the Renaissance masters - Tintoretto, Titian and Giulio Romano, made by theater artists Ignatius Nivinsky, Vikentiy Trofimov and Evgeniy Lansere.

“A fairy tale of bygone times,” that’s what Tarasov’s mansion was called in 1912 in the Moscow Architectural World magazine. And our contemporaries consider it one of the most unusual creations of Ivan Zholtovsky, and perhaps of all architecture of the 20th century.

Unfortunately, the customer, Gavriil Aslanovich Tarasov, did not live to see the completion of construction. And Tarasov’s descendants did not manage to enjoy the luxurious interiors - a revolution happened.

During the tour, you will learn:

• in which church Marina Tsvetaeva and Sergei Efron got married;
• where Lyudmila Gurchenko, Isabella Yuryeva, Sumbatov-Yuzhin and others lived;
• what material is the façade of Tarasov’s mansion actually made of?
• what painting using the grisaille technique looks like;
• what are coffered ceilings?
• what relation does the famous French writer Henri Troyat have to the owner of the mansion, Gavriil Tarasov;
• and much more.

During the tour, you will see:

• two masterpieces by Osip Shekhtel;
• apartment house of the architect Nirnzee;
• the estate of the architect Goncharov;
• the famous house with lions;
• and much more.

Meeting point - Pushkinskaya / Tverskaya metro station, then the sign "EXIT No. 3 Bolshaya Bronnaya Street, Tverskoy Boulevard" towards McDonald's. The group meets at the corner of Tverskaya and Bolshaya Bronnaya streets, right next to the metro exit. End – Tarasov mansion st. Spiridonovka, 30/1

Route: B. Palashevsky lane. – Trekhprudny lane. – Ermolaevsky lane. – Tarasov’s mansion on Spiridonovka

Duration: 1 hour on the street and 1.5 hours in the mansion

Cost of tickets for an excursion to Tarasov's mansion on Spiridonovka:

This excursion is not planned in the near future. You can book a tour for your group at any time convenient for you.

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The new owner is transforming the appearance of the building

When the estate was built, the fashion for architecture in the style of classicism dominated in Yekaterinburg. And even when in the second half of the 19th century the building was touched by a new fashion for eclecticism, after reconstruction it still retained the same stylistic appearance. During Tarasov’s tenure, the overall appearance of the house was transformed, and the interior premises were also rebuilt during his tenure. The merchant even improved the embankment adjacent to the estate, which was then called Tarasovskaya for a long time.

After the October Revolution of 1917, the estate was empty - the Tarasovs left it. During the Soviet period there was a Teacher's House here. In the fall of 1997, the complex of buildings that made up the estate of the merchant Tarasov underwent a large-scale reconstruction designed by the architect Arkady Zaslavsky. After this, the estate, which is one of the oldest stone residential buildings in the city, became an integral part of the architectural ensemble of the residence of the governor of the Sverdlovsk region.

Address: Ekaterinburg, st. Gorky, 21.

Location map: