Apraksiny-Trubetskie House, Baroque mansion in Basmanny District, Russia
The Apraksiny-Trubetskie House, known as the "Commode House", stands at 22 Pokrovka Street in Moscow's Basmanny District. Built in 1766 for Count Matvei Apraksin, its pale blue facade has white trim, a rounded central bay with a curved pediment, white columns between windows, a balustrade at the upper storey, a first-floor balcony with dark railing, and a rusticated stone base. A stone gateway with a dark metal gate and a blue pedestrian sign stands at the right end.
The house was built in 1766 during the reign of Catherine the Great for the Apraksin family. It later passed to the Trubetskoy princes, which is why it carries both family names today.
The building carries the names of two noble families, the Apraksins and the Trubetskoys, reflecting who once lived there. The ornate street-facing facade was a deliberate display of social rank, as was common among wealthy Moscow households of that century.
The building is easy to spot from Pokrovka Street in central Moscow and the facade can be viewed from the pavement at any time. Parts of the interior are used for commercial purposes, so it is worth checking in advance which areas are open to visitors.
The building officially carries the names of two separate noble families who never lived there at the same time. This kind of double naming is uncommon in Moscow and helps trace the history of ownership changes across the 18th and 19th centuries.
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