Countess Karlova's mansion, Baroque Revival mansion on Fontanka River, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Countess Karlova's mansion is a Baroque Revival structure along the Fontanka River in Saint Petersburg, decorated with ornate architectural elements and intricate details across its facade. The property sits at number 46 on the embankment and overlooks the river with the characteristic features of late 18th century design.
The structure was built in 1790 during a period when Saint Petersburg's nobility commissioned grand residences along the river embankments. This era under Catherine the Great's rule shaped the city's development and established it as a center of refinement and power.
The building now houses the Prince Golitsyn Memorial Library with collections of historical texts and documents. Visitors can experience this space as a working library where scholarship and intellectual life from centuries past remain active today.
The site opens to visitors during set hours so you can explore its architecture and library collections. It helps to check ahead since it functions as a working library with possible restrictions in certain areas.
The mansion carried different names through history and was eventually attributed to Countess Karlova, reflecting its complex past. Today it bears the name of Prince Golitsyn, whose library collection gave it new purpose.
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