Alferaki Palace

Hello. My name is Khokhlova Margarita Hello! My name is Khokhlova Margarita. I live in a very beautiful town of Taganrog. I think that my town has many interesting and great places but I want to tell you about Alferaki Palace.

In the historical part of our town it is possible to see a large building with the unusual architectural decor. This building is called Alferaki Palace, and now it houses the exposition of the city museum of local lore. Earlier this private residence belonged to the rich Taganrog landowner of the Greek origin Nikolay Dmitrievich Alferaki. Later, in 1870s the house was bought by the merchant Negroponte and leased to the club of Commercial meeting. By the end of the nineteenth century the building had completely belonged to the club.

The building was constructed in 1848, presumably, according to the project of the famous Petersburg architect A. I. Shtakenshnejder. The house facade is decorated with a stucco molding and four Corinthian columns that give it a look of a palace.

Alferaki finished the construction of the mansion in 1848 and lived in it for about 30 years. The antique molding decorating the building both outside and inside, the big hall, the ceiling painting of the drawing room made by Italian artists, approximate the building to a palace type.

A bit later the hall with two big tiers of windows, height about 9 meters, decorated with pictures, a fireplace and a massive clock appeared. In this hall Alferaki gave grandiose balls to which members of the high society were invited. All the furniture in the house was brought from abroad.

Interior of the palace

In a museum there is a hall where the real things of emperor Alexander The First and his wife are presented

After the revolution the club building was occupied with various Soviet establishments. In 1927 it was transformed into the museum of local lore. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov by right is considered the museum founder. At his active participation exhibits for the art department of the museum were collected, he also rendered financial help. Now the big hall is equipped with a planetarium. The other halls of the museum present expositions of Taganrog history, objects of everyday life and clothes.

In 1989 – 96 restoration works enabled to restore the original view of the palace . The well-known hall where concerts, exhibitions, solemn weddings take place has regained its former magnificence. In 1995 – 96 the current exposition was opened. With the renewal of traditional concerts and receptions, the museum has turned into the major center of the cultural life of the city again.

Made by Khokhlova Margarit Form 11 B School 10 Teacher:Bekedina Larisa Borisovna