Singer House
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| Singer House | |
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| Дом компании «Зингер» (Russian) | |
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| Alternative names | House of Books |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Art Nouveau |
| Location | Nevsky Prospekt 28, Saint Petersburg, Russia |
| Coordinates | 59°56′9″N 30°19′32″E / 59.93583°N 30.32556°ECoordinates: 59°56′9″N 30°19′32″E / 59.93583°N 30.32556°E |
| Completed | 1904 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Pavel Suzor |
Singer House (Russian: Дом компании «Зингер»), also widely known as House of Books ((Russian: Дом книги)) is a historical landmark building located at intersection of Nevsky Prospekt with Griboyedov Canal, just opposite to the Kazan Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is officially recognized as an object of Russian historical-cultural heritage.
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[edit] History
The building was designed by architect Pavel Suzor for the Russian branch of the Singer Sewing Machine Company. Initially, the management of the Singer Company had ambitions to construct a skyscraper, similar to the Singer Building - company headquarters being built at that time in New York. However, the building code of Saint Peterburg center did not allow structures taller than 23.5 meters (the height of the Winter Palace - tzar's residence). The architect found an elegant solution - the seven story building featured a tower on the top crowned with a glass globe.[1] This tower makes an impression of high rise, but due to its lightness, it doesn't shadow neither the Kazan Cathedral nor the Church of the Savior on Blood. The sculptor was the Estonian Amandus Adamson.
After the October revolution, the building was given to the Petrograd State Publishing House in 1919. It quickly became the city largest book store and earned the nickname of "House of Books". The bookstore remained functioning during the Siege of Leningrad until November 1942. It reopened again in 1948. The building was closed for reconstruction during 2004-2006.[2]
- Singer House
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Frontal view
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Side view
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The tower with the globe on the top
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Entrance
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Sculptures on the facade
[edit] Sources
- Рубашкин А. И. (2003) (in ru). В Доме Зингера и вокруг него. Logos. pp. 568. ISBN 5-87288-255-6.
- Вознесенский А. (2008) (in ru). Дом компании "Зингер" - Дом Книги. Коло. pp. 44. ISBN 978-5-901841-53-4.
[edit] References
- ^ "Дом Книги (Дом Зингера)" (in Russian). http://walkspb.ru/zd/nevskiy28.html.
- ^ "The House of Books, the Book Shop". Saint Petersburg Encyclopedia. http://www.encspb.ru/en/article.php?kod=2804028412.
[edit] External links
Media related to Singer House at Wikimedia Commons
