Eliseyev Emporium (Saint Petersburg)

Elisseeff Emporium in St. Petersburg is a large retail and entertainment complex constructed in 1902-1903 for the "Elisseeff Brothers".Located at 56 Nevsky Prospekt, the complex consists of three buildings although the corner one is the structure that is referred to as Elisseeff’s store or shop (Елисеевский магазин). Designed by architect Gabriel Baranovskii (Baranovsky, Baranowski, Гавриил Васильевич Барановский), it is one of most striking examples of St. Petersburg Art Nouveau architecture although at the time of its construction the building was considered controversial.

Name

Elisseeff or Elisseieff is the spelling favored by Elisseeff family (rus. Елисеев). Alternate and incorrect spellings are Eliseev, Elyseeff, Eliseyev, Eliseef, Eliseief, Eliseieff, Yeliseyev, Jelissejew and Jelissejew.

Architecture

The architect managed to incorporate some parts of older buildings in this structure, made the entire building appear as if it were one giant shop window. Over one half of the façade consists of a single arch. The arch is a giant stained glass window that opens several floors to the street. The Art Nouveau stained glass contrasts with granite surface of the building adorned by allegorical sculptures of Commerce, Industry, Science and Arts by Amandus Adamson.

Inside there were three large retail halls. Above ready clothing and general retail space, bank, public commercial courses (college level business classes funded by Elisseeff and open to general public), and a performance theater. The theater is still there albeit its lavish Art Nouveau interiors were destroyed in a 1960s renovation. Underneath the building were walk-in and drive-in coolers and refrigerator rooms for storage of provisions and some of Europe’s best wine cellars.

The hall on the lower floor has one of the best preserved Art Nouveau interiors in the city.

References

* Nevsky Prospekt - the architectural guide (Boris Kirikov, Ludmila Kirikova, Olga Petrova) - Centropoligraph, Moscow, 2004 -(Невский проспект - Архитектурный путеводитель, Б. М. Кириков, Л.А. Кирикова, О.В. Петрова), Центрополиграф, Москва, 2004
* Petersburg - A Guide. Naum Sindalovskii, St. Petersburg 2000 - (Петербург. Путеводитель. Наум Синдаловский. Санкт-Петербург. 2000
* St. Petersburg, A Guide, Kurbatov (Kourbatoff) - 1913. Петербург - путеводитель, Курбатов, 1913