Bugrov Homeless Shelter

Bugrov Shelter is a four-story brick building near the Kremlin towers with typical 19th-century Russian architectural details, including symmetrically arranged windows. The structure now serves as the office of the Federal Migration Service for the city.

A wealthy patron named A.P. Bugrov funded the building's construction between 1880 and 1883 as housing for homeless people. This project marked an important turning point in how Russian society understood social responsibility in the 19th century.

The building inspired Maxim Gorky to create a major theatrical work depicting the lives of poor people during that era. It stands as a testament to how society addressed social problems through this institution.

The building stands on Rozhdestvenskaya Street near the Kremlin and is easy to reach on foot from the city center. Keep in mind that it now functions as a government office, so public access may be limited.

The building was one of the first organized systems to help homeless people in 19th-century Russia and showed a shift in how welfare was handled. This early form of institutional aid was uncommon in a country that only later developed such social programs.

Location: Nizhny Novgorod

Inception: 1880

GPS coordinates: 56.32948,43.99743

Latest update: December 8, 2025 21:03