Esders and Scheefhaals building, Art Nouveau department store on Moika Embankment, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The Esders and Scheefhaals building is a multi-story Art Nouveau department store on Moika Embankment featuring elaborate ornamental details across its facade. The structure spans addresses 73-79 on the embankment and displays curved lines and richly decorated surfaces typical of the style.
Architects Vladimir Lipsky and Constantin de Rochefort completed this commercial building in 1907 for a French-Russian trading company. The international trading function ceased after 1919, and the structure transitioned through various uses during the Soviet period.
The building represents a meeting place where French merchants and Russian customers came together in the early 1900s, creating a blend of shopping traditions. You can still see how the sales spaces were organized to attract both wealthy locals and foreign visitors.
The building sits prominently on Moika Embankment and is easy to locate from street level, where the facade ornaments are clearly visible. Since the structure houses commercial spaces, access to interior areas may be limited, so check ahead if you want to see inside.
A decorative cupola that was removed in the 1930s to preserve sightlines to the Admiralty tower was reconstructed during the 2012 restoration. This restoration returned the building to its original profile and shows how restoration work can reverse earlier urban changes.
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