Martyn Brothers House, Federal heritage building on Bolshaya Sadovaya Street, Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
The Martyn Brothers House is a two-story red brick building that merges Russian and German architectural styles with Gothic Revival features on its facade. It stands at the intersection of Bolshaya Sadovaya Street and serves as a cultural venue within the grounds of the former fortress.
Built in 1893 by architect Nikolai Sokolov, the house originally belonged to Ivan Romanovich Martyn, a merchant with British citizenship. During the 1910s, his relative George Martyn hosted official receptions there while serving as United States Consul.
The house reflects the wealthy merchant class that shaped Rostov's identity in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today visitors can see how this private residence became a public space for sharing art and literature.
The building is centrally located at a busy street corner and easy to spot on foot. Be aware that it is a historic structure, so some areas may have uneven floors or narrow passages typical of 19th-century construction.
The building now hosts the Sholokhov Centre, which displays works from the State Hermitage Museum, creating an unexpected link between this private house and one of the world's largest art collections. This partnership transformed a 19th-century merchant residence into a venue for major museum exhibitions.
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