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15/1 Khelbny Pereulok.
V. Gribov's city estate
The history of the stylish pale-yellow mansion located in Khlebny Lane (number 15), dates back to the first half of the 18th century. According to the Census Books of Moscow of that time, the 600 square meters large estate converged out of multiple courtyards owned by Prince Ivan Baryatinsky. In 1755, the property passed to Prosecutor Afanasy Ofrosimov, who expanded it significantly: there was a garden in the western part of the yard, while the eastern part was built up with wooden corner wings.
After the fire of 1812, the estate was bought by colonel and cavalier Aleksandr Afrosimov and his brothers. In the next three decades, no construction has been seen there.
In 1893, the two-story house went to Titular Councilor Ionason Burtsev, but radical ownership changes occurred in the early 20th century. By that time this part of the city (Zaneglimenye) got its appearance from large estates owned by Moscow nobles and high bourgeoisie.
In 1909, the property was bought by hereditary honorable citizen Vladimir Gribov, one of the owners of the N.F. Gribov & Sons, a company that sold paper goods. The new owner ordered a “stone two-story master mansion with a semi-basement” to be built. According to some reports, Mr. Gribov, brought up in conservative merchant traditions, did not approve of new architectural trends, and wanted to build a house “in the old style”, following the Moscow Empire and imitating the tastes of the nobility. Gribov chose the mansion of Prince N. Gagarin on Novinsky Boulevard as his model. A magnificent creation of architect O. I. Bove, that house, unfortunately, has been lost. Architect Boris Velikovsky was invited to make those plans reality. Velikovsky is little known now, but in the early 20th century, his workshop was the starting point for numerous designs, including famous houses of I. Kuznetsov and Gostorg on Myasnitskaya Street (number 15 and 47, respectively). It was also the launching pad for the brothers Vesnin who had a hand in implementing multiple projects Velikovsky authored. Velikovsky was also famous for his ability to find common ground with his customers and realize their wishes as best as was possible. Gribov’s house was one such case. Copied almost exactly from Gagarin’s mansion, it nevertheless managed to get its own look and mood. The new house was a Neo-Classicist, opulently decorated building with striking interiors and façades and an Empire style portico featuring eight paired Ionic columns and lions in front of the entrance. A variety of plaster mouldings on its façade, with high relief sculptures on antique subjects, ornamental cornices and hood molds, were stunning indeed.
The interiors were Classicist. Elegantly painted ceilings featured Classical graces in oval medallions; walls had stylish ornamental mouldings. After 1917, the mansion was nationalized. In the following two decades, it housed workshops of the Institute of Military Cartography of the Red Army Military Topography Department, a Soviet Communist Party school, and, starting from the post-war years, the residence of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium.
After the fire of 1812, the estate was bought by colonel and cavalier Aleksandr Afrosimov and his brothers. In the next three decades, no construction has been seen there.
In 1893, the two-story house went to Titular Councilor Ionason Burtsev, but radical ownership changes occurred in the early 20th century. By that time this part of the city (Zaneglimenye) got its appearance from large estates owned by Moscow nobles and high bourgeoisie.
In 1909, the property was bought by hereditary honorable citizen Vladimir Gribov, one of the owners of the N.F. Gribov & Sons, a company that sold paper goods. The new owner ordered a “stone two-story master mansion with a semi-basement” to be built. According to some reports, Mr. Gribov, brought up in conservative merchant traditions, did not approve of new architectural trends, and wanted to build a house “in the old style”, following the Moscow Empire and imitating the tastes of the nobility. Gribov chose the mansion of Prince N. Gagarin on Novinsky Boulevard as his model. A magnificent creation of architect O. I. Bove, that house, unfortunately, has been lost. Architect Boris Velikovsky was invited to make those plans reality. Velikovsky is little known now, but in the early 20th century, his workshop was the starting point for numerous designs, including famous houses of I. Kuznetsov and Gostorg on Myasnitskaya Street (number 15 and 47, respectively). It was also the launching pad for the brothers Vesnin who had a hand in implementing multiple projects Velikovsky authored. Velikovsky was also famous for his ability to find common ground with his customers and realize their wishes as best as was possible. Gribov’s house was one such case. Copied almost exactly from Gagarin’s mansion, it nevertheless managed to get its own look and mood. The new house was a Neo-Classicist, opulently decorated building with striking interiors and façades and an Empire style portico featuring eight paired Ionic columns and lions in front of the entrance. A variety of plaster mouldings on its façade, with high relief sculptures on antique subjects, ornamental cornices and hood molds, were stunning indeed.
The interiors were Classicist. Elegantly painted ceilings featured Classical graces in oval medallions; walls had stylish ornamental mouldings. After 1917, the mansion was nationalized. In the following two decades, it housed workshops of the Institute of Military Cartography of the Red Army Military Topography Department, a Soviet Communist Party school, and, starting from the post-war years, the residence of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium.
