Today we will go over the most luxurious (as I guess)
hotel of Saint-Petersburg-"Evropeyskaya". It is called now Grand Hotel Europe, it
is owned by the group of stockholders and it is managed by "Kempinski
Hotels & Resorts".
It has its own history - it was built in 19th century by the famous
architects. It concerns to the facades and to interiors too.
The Hotel is situated
between Nevsky prospect and Iskusstv Square.
The entrance from the Mikhailovskaya
street.
In 1824 the building facing Nevsky
prospect was built, in 1825 - two buildings on Mikhailovskaya street,
and also in five years they were connected by the same facade projected
by K.Rossi. Then only one building - "Hotel of G.Klee" - was a hotel.
The second building was a A.Rogov`s profitable house, the third was used
for small shops.
In 1870th after the reconstruction leaded
by L.F.Fontana all the buildings were united, and the new hotel of 260
rooms was opened. Then were made four lifts - two for the tenants, one
for the luggage and one for "rasing and lowering of food".
In 1905 the German architect Makenzen
made the trimming of the main restaurant and the hotel premises.
From
1908 to 1914 by the plan of F.I.Lidval were changed the interiors of the
main stairs, hall, reading-room and the restaurant, also he build on
dwelling unit - the mansard where the restaurant "Krysha" ("Roof") and a
garden were created.
After the Revolution (the Great October
Socialist Revolution -1917) the hotel was renamed as "The House of
Soviet Workers", but soon in 1918-1920 the shelter for homeless children
was situated here.
In the N.E.P.(new economic policy) times the hotel
was again opened.
(on the picture - the "Lobby Bar" illumination
apparatuses)
In 1932-1934 it was reconstructed
for comparatively modest rooms for soviet workers.
Then it was given
to the "Intourist" agency.
( on the picture - the reading-room)
Till the war with Finland (1939) the
headquarters of the Red Army was situated in the hotel.
In the
blockade (1942-1944) - it was a hospital for 1300 wounded.
In the times of Great Patriotic War the shell hited the facade of the
hotel facing Nevsky prospect. When they made a conclusion of
reconstruction there was a question: what to reconctruction?
The facade made by Fontana (eclecticism) or the classical facade
created earlier by Karl Rossi which to restore the piece of Karl Rossi's
project but to leave the last part of the building with facades of
Fontana.
(on the picture - the front stairs on the second floor
and a view to "Evropa"("Europe") restaurant).
At the end of Reconstruction in Soviet
Union in 1989, the hotel itself was closed for restoration. It was made
by "Intourist" with Swedish firms "SIAB" and "RESO".
The project of
architect B.E.Struzman.
The whole cost of restoration - nearly $100 mln..
(on the picture - entrance to the "Caviar Bar"
restaurant)
.The restoration was completed in 1991.
The hotel was renamed as Grand-Hotel "Evropa" ("Europe") and privatized.
After the restoration it has 6 restaurants and bars, 300 rooms. By
classification it is five-stars hotel.
This work was estimated by the State Russian Reward.
In the hotel lived various presidents,
premiers, famous people.
At the old times - I.S.Turgenev,
P.I.Tchaikovsky, V.V.Mayakovsky, I.F.Stravinsky.
(on this and next pictures - the hall of the second
floor)
At the last years - the Price of Wales
Charles, presidents G.Shiraque, B.Klinton, ex-presidents of USA
R.Nickson, J.Karter and also M.Rastropovich with G.Wishnewskaya,
M.Pliseckaya, M.Kabalye.
Some interiors and objects can easily
rival with the palace luxury.
This modest corridor leads to the rooms.
The way to closed inside yard - atrium.
It is of course modern - the was no any
atrium earlier.
The yard is formed by several buildings.
The balconies are retained.
Of course they are not for underwear drying. :-)
Below you can see tables with talking and
reading people. They apply to "Mezonin".
In the centre of the yard - such a
temporary entertainment for kids.
Temporary because in the west
countries at that time celebrate Easter, and the rabbit is the symbol of
this holiday.
