Kelch House, Mansion in Tchaikovsky Street, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Kelch House is a mansion on Tchaikovsky Street in Saint Petersburg featuring a French Renaissance facade combined with Gothic elements in its courtyard and Art Nouveau details in the service areas. The building blends multiple architectural styles throughout its interior and exterior spaces.
The mansion was built in 1903 for Alexander Kelch, replacing a two-story Baroque building previously owned by Greek Consul Grigori Kondoianaki. This construction marked a shift in the use and architectural character of the Tchaikovsky Street site.
The mansion once held one of the largest collections of Fabergé eggs outside the Romanov family, displayed in special cabinets within the Yellow Sitting Room. This collection reflected its role as a gathering place for the city's wealthy society.
The building now functions as part of Saint Petersburg State University's law faculty, with a restaurant operating on the basement level. Access may be limited since it operates as an academic institution with varying opening hours.
The mansion's design was a collaborative effort involving three different architects: Vassili Schöne created the facade, Vladimir Chagin designed the interiors, and Carl Schmidt supervised construction. This unusual partnership allowed specialized approaches to be unified within a single building.
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