There are plenty of historical buildings in the Kyiv center and on the Podil. However, most of them are in the miserable state. ‘If these are the property of the Ukrainian state, how come the state cannot restore them?!’ — you might suggest.
Unfortunately, it depends. Many of those buildings called ‘historical monuments’ belong not to the state, but to the rich private owners who nevertheless are never going to restore them as the latter is expensive and unprofitable. Much cheaper way is to switch off the electricity, the central heating and to destroy the building in a couple of years because of the ‘disrepair’. After that, when extremely expensive space in the center of Kyiv is free, a new business-center will appear there soon, sometimes matching the city exterior, sometimes not.
Taras Spivak has created a walking route which unites those historical buildings that ‘by purpose or foolishly are brought to their miserable conditions’.
GPS: 50.441187, 30.516738
GPS: 50.441187, 30.516738
Once this was a large tenement building, the tenants where famous in Kyiv scientists and people of culture.
The mansion which consists of the two façade houses and two aisles was built by order of Friedrich Michelson, a deputy of the Kyiv city council and one of the richest people in Kyiv on the edge of the XIX century. Kyiv citizens knew the name owing to ‘The Michelson’s People’s Baths’ , built right near, on the corner of Pushkins’ka and L’va Tolstogo streets (the building was destroyed in 1987, it was replaced by ‘Kyiv-Donbas’ office-center afterwards). The owner lived nearby, on the same Pushkins’ka street.
The three-floored mansion of Friedrich Michelson on Pushkins’ka street, 40 stands right behind the business-center. Nowadays the owner of the mansion # 35-37, Pushkins’ka street, is ‘Dom na Pushkinskoy’ company, whose beneficiary is Tatiana Chornak. She was the chairman of the board for Ukrainian Credit-Trade Bank before 2006. The huge mansion in the very city center of Kyiv is falling into decay. It has been idle (and with no signs of restoring) for more than 10 years despite the fact that historical monuments are usually sold with condition that the new owner will restore the building.
Once this was a large tenement building, the tenants where famous in Kyiv scientists and people of culture.
The mansion which consists of the two façade houses and two aisles was built by order of Friedrich Michelson, a deputy of the Kyiv city council and one of the richest people in Kyiv on the edge of the XIX century. Kyiv citizens knew the name owing to ‘The Michelson’s People’s Baths’ , built right near, on the corner of Pushkins’ka and L’va Tolstogo streets (the building was destroyed in 1987, it was replaced by ‘Kyiv-Donbas’ office-center afterwards). The owner lived nearby, on the same Pushkins’ka street.
The three-floored mansion of Friedrich Michelson on Pushkins’ka street, 40 stands right behind the business-center. Nowadays the owner of the mansion # 35-37, Pushkins’ka street, is ‘Dom na Pushkinskoy’ company, whose beneficiary is Tatiana Chornak. She was the chairman of the board for Ukrainian Credit-Trade Bank before 2006. The huge mansion in the very city center of Kyiv is falling into decay. It has been idle (and with no signs of restoring) for more than 10 years despite the fact that historical monuments are usually sold with condition that the new owner will restore the building.
GPS: 50.445744, 30.516466
You will certainly notice the ramshackle building on the other side of the street (odd, it has some growing trees on the last floor).
The building became unhappily famous in February-March, 2016. The owner of the building is Irina Boyko, the wife of the ex-minister of the Environmental Protection, ex-deputy Victor Boyko. Officially, the building belongs to the condominium whose member Irina is. The condominium suddenly, without any permissions, began the reconstruction of the building in the odd way: the workers were given a task to take off all the inner parts of the building leaving only the facades. Of course, the main aim was 20-floored new business-center with only facades of the old building. As a result, the building has collapsed. Two men were killed, others were saved.
The collapsed building was erected in 1884 by the most productive though not the most famous architect of Kyiv in XIX century. His name was Vladimir Nikolayev, he was pragmatic and used not to overspend the given budgets, on the contrary to his, sometimes too starry-eyed colleagues with fanciful projects. Owing to this pragmatic approach and unbelievable productivity of the architect Kiev has been given more than 150 finished buildings, including the Tereshchenko’s residence (Russian art museum nowadays), monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky, hospital ‘Okhmatdet’ and the Russian Drama theater named after Lesya Ukrainka. Also, Nikolayev has successfully finished the erection of the Volodymyr’sky Cathedral with new project. The previous project, directed by the architect Ivan Schtrom, was poor, the building had had some cracks shortly, and had been unfinished therefore for the long 9 years. Though Nikolayev won his fame as a somewhat ‘pop’-architect at the time-being, but the time passed, and the projects of Vladimir Nikolayev around the city persuade us that he was an outstanding architect for Kyiv.
GPS: 50.445744, 30.516466
You will certainly notice the ramshackle building on the other side of the street (odd, it has some growing trees on the last floor).
The building became unhappily famous in February-March, 2016. The owner of the building is Irina Boyko, the wife of the ex-minister of the Environmental Protection, ex-deputy Victor Boyko. Officially, the building belongs to the condominium whose member Irina is. The condominium suddenly, without any permissions, began the reconstruction of the building in the odd way: the workers were given a task to take off all the inner parts of the building leaving only the facades. Of course, the main aim was 20-floored new business-center with only facades of the old building. As a result, the building has collapsed. Two men were killed, others were saved.
The collapsed building was erected in 1884 by the most productive though not the most famous architect of Kyiv in XIX century. His name was Vladimir Nikolayev, he was pragmatic and used not to overspend the given budgets, on the contrary to his, sometimes too starry-eyed colleagues with fanciful projects. Owing to this pragmatic approach and unbelievable productivity of the architect Kiev has been given more than 150 finished buildings, including the Tereshchenko’s residence (Russian art museum nowadays), monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky, hospital ‘Okhmatdet’ and the Russian Drama theater named after Lesya Ukrainka. Also, Nikolayev has successfully finished the erection of the Volodymyr’sky Cathedral with new project. The previous project, directed by the architect Ivan Schtrom, was poor, the building had had some cracks shortly, and had been unfinished therefore for the long 9 years. Though Nikolayev won his fame as a somewhat ‘pop’-architect at the time-being, but the time passed, and the projects of Vladimir Nikolayev around the city persuade us that he was an outstanding architect for Kyiv.
GPS: 50.448788, 30.514818
GPS: 50.448788, 30.514818
While walking from the National Opera House to the ‘Golden Gate’ metro station your attention will certainly be drawn by the gigantic ad-banner, covering the historical buildings on the corner of the Volodymyrs’ka and Prorizna streets.
Four buildings on the corner (and the land under the three of them) belong to the ‘Zlatovlad’ company. The main beneficiary of the company in 2014 was newly-appointed main trainer of the Ukrainian football team Andrey Schevchenko. Nowadays the company shows other person as the beneficiary, but the footballer’s sister and people related to the ‘Zlatovlad’ company confirmed to the ‘Segodnya’-newspaper that Andrey Schevchenko still stands behind the company.
His intention is creation of the office center instead of the historical block. Worth admitting is the fact that no restoring will be made, the works are classified as a ‘reconstruction with retention of the façade historical view’. The so-called ‘reconstruction’ is in place for last 10 years in a row. Among the buildings meant for reconstruction there is a corner mansion built in 1867 and a building #25 erected under direction of the previously mentioned Vladimir Nikolayev in 1893, both objects in the horrible state.
While walking from the National Opera House to the ‘Golden Gate’ metro station your attention will certainly be drawn by the gigantic ad-banner, covering the historical buildings on the corner of the Volodymyrs’ka and Prorizna streets.
Four buildings on the corner (and the land under the three of them) belong to the ‘Zlatovlad’ company. The main beneficiary of the company in 2014 was newly-appointed main trainer of the Ukrainian football team Andrey Schevchenko. Nowadays the company shows other person as the beneficiary, but the footballer’s sister and people related to the ‘Zlatovlad’ company confirmed to the ‘Segodnya’-newspaper that Andrey Schevchenko still stands behind the company.
His intention is creation of the office center instead of the historical block. Worth admitting is the fact that no restoring will be made, the works are classified as a ‘reconstruction with retention of the façade historical view’. The so-called ‘reconstruction’ is in place for last 10 years in a row. Among the buildings meant for reconstruction there is a corner mansion built in 1867 and a building #25 erected under direction of the previously mentioned Vladimir Nikolayev in 1893, both objects in the horrible state.
GPS: 50.449246, 30.512255
When turning to the Yaroslaviv Val from the Golden Gate it’s hard to miss a neo-gothic building with a small tower. It’s called «’The Baron’s Castle’, it’s been standing empty for years.
In fact, the real baron and winemaker Maksim Shteingel lived in the next house, where he did quite successful trade of Crimean wine. While the Castle has been erected by the order of the landlord Mikhail Podgorsky who dreamed of something as pompous as widely known House with Chimeras or Richard’s Castle. The building which contains the motives of the neo-renaissance and gothic was created by the project of Mikhail Dobachevsky. He was very ambitious despite the very beginning of the architect carrier. (The same Mikhail Dobachevsky once broadened the above-mentioned Michelson’s mansion on the Pushkins’ka street, 35-37). He did his best but unfortunately upon the end of the project Dobachevsky suffered from the ostracism of the more experienced colleagues. The main thing he was seized upon was the lack of education, as the architect had no specific one. Dobachevsky has never studied to become an architect, all his knowledge was practical, acquired during the Panama canal construction.
Dobachevsky’s reputation was undermined. The Podgorsky’s house has become the last project for Dobachevsky. Soon after the self-taught architect sold everything he had (even his wife’s estate) and spent all the money gambling. He left the wife with their four children. The following records about him slightly reminded of that self-made architect who came to Kyiv to frighten those stilty architects of Kyiv. Two times Dobachevsky was caught on rape trials (including a little girl), then volunteered to fight in Russian-Japanese war but had never got there (though got uniformed and well paid). Besides he was accused as a strong supporter of the Anti-Jewish pogroms in Kyiv (he was repeatedly noticed when publicly supporting the pogroms participants). Dobachevsky lived in hotels, obviously, he didn’t pay for. The Baron’s Castle is idle nowadays.
There are no records about his owner in the electronic list of the estate owners but the media wrote that the building was the property of the businessman and ex-Kyivrada deputy Alexander Loyfenfeld.
GPS: 50.449246, 30.512255
When turning to the Yaroslaviv Val from the Golden Gate it’s hard to miss a neo-gothic building with a small tower. It’s called «’The Baron’s Castle’, it’s been standing empty for years.
In fact, the real baron and winemaker Maksim Shteingel lived in the next house, where he did quite successful trade of Crimean wine. While the Castle has been erected by the order of the landlord Mikhail Podgorsky who dreamed of something as pompous as widely known House with Chimeras or Richard’s Castle. The building which contains the motives of the neo-renaissance and gothic was created by the project of Mikhail Dobachevsky. He was very ambitious despite the very beginning of the architect carrier. (The same Mikhail Dobachevsky once broadened the above-mentioned Michelson’s mansion on the Pushkins’ka street, 35-37). He did his best but unfortunately upon the end of the project Dobachevsky suffered from the ostracism of the more experienced colleagues. The main thing he was seized upon was the lack of education, as the architect had no specific one. Dobachevsky has never studied to become an architect, all his knowledge was practical, acquired during the Panama canal construction.
Dobachevsky’s reputation was undermined. The Podgorsky’s house has become the last project for Dobachevsky. Soon after the self-taught architect sold everything he had (even his wife’s estate) and spent all the money gambling. He left the wife with their four children. The following records about him slightly reminded of that self-made architect who came to Kyiv to frighten those stilty architects of Kyiv. Two times Dobachevsky was caught on rape trials (including a little girl), then volunteered to fight in Russian-Japanese war but had never got there (though got uniformed and well paid). Besides he was accused as a strong supporter of the Anti-Jewish pogroms in Kyiv (he was repeatedly noticed when publicly supporting the pogroms participants). Dobachevsky lived in hotels, obviously, he didn’t pay for. The Baron’s Castle is idle nowadays.
There are no records about his owner in the electronic list of the estate owners but the media wrote that the building was the property of the businessman and ex-Kyivrada deputy Alexander Loyfenfeld.
GPS: 50.451208, 30.508776
GPS: 50.451208, 30.508776
Right behind the ‘Yaroslava’ bakery and large building made of grey bricks there is an arch leading to the yard.
The latter is really worth visiting. Of course, this yard and gloomy building ahead don’t really suggest any thoughts of the air navigation but this is the place where the first helicopter was once created and tested. This tumbling down house belonged once to the world-famous Sikorsky’s family. Exactly here aircraft designer Igor Sikorsky lived and worked before the forced emigration due to October Revolution in 1917. His heritage is ‘Sikorsky Aircraft’ company that still produces the most demanded military helicopters in the world. Again, Sikorsky’s house is not a museum nowadays but the next led to the miserable state ‘object’, under the many lawsuits. And of course, the model of the first helicopter created in that yard is kept not in Kyiv but in the museum of Washington DC. Until recent time the house belonged to the investor called ‘The museum of air navigation and aviation named by Igor Sikorsky’, owned by the deputy Nestor Shufrich.
The building was seized from him only in 2016 after 15 years of total idleness (the building had not even been insured by the investor). Now the house is in the state property, on the balance of the Ministry of Defense. However no one knows the future destiny of this historical building.
Right behind the ‘Yaroslava’ bakery and large building made of grey bricks there is an arch leading to the yard.
The latter is really worth visiting. Of course, this yard and gloomy building ahead don’t really suggest any thoughts of the air navigation but this is the place where the first helicopter was once created and tested. This tumbling down house belonged once to the world-famous Sikorsky’s family. Exactly here aircraft designer Igor Sikorsky lived and worked before the forced emigration due to October Revolution in 1917. His heritage is ‘Sikorsky Aircraft’ company that still produces the most demanded military helicopters in the world. Again, Sikorsky’s house is not a museum nowadays but the next led to the miserable state ‘object’, under the many lawsuits. And of course, the model of the first helicopter created in that yard is kept not in Kyiv but in the museum of Washington DC. Until recent time the house belonged to the investor called ‘The museum of air navigation and aviation named by Igor Sikorsky’, owned by the deputy Nestor Shufrich.
The building was seized from him only in 2016 after 15 years of total idleness (the building had not even been insured by the investor). Now the house is in the state property, on the balance of the Ministry of Defense. However no one knows the future destiny of this historical building.
GPS: 50.452425, 30.510301
This neo-gothic building stands out from the others on the Reitarska street. It was built in 1914 by Joseph Zetsker along with the nearby medical block specifically for the Medical Emergency Association.
This charitable organization appeared in Kyiv soon after the telephone had been created and came up for the emergency calls for free. The Association’s activity was successful due the regular donations from its members (alike the model of the Red Cross). In 50 years after the Medical Emergency Association’s activity the legendary surgeon Nikolay Amosov worked here. And only in had he been granted the clinic on the Batyiieva Hora where the Institute named by Nikolay Amosov stands nowadays.
This whole block built for the Medical Emergency Association nowadays belongs to the state which is represented by the Ministry of Health. Officially, the building on the Reitarska, 22 is still a part of the city endocrinological center. In fact, all the inner parts of the building were ruined long ago and it would need some huge investments to be lucky to get restored.
GPS: 50.452425, 30.510301
This neo-gothic building stands out from the others on the Reitarska street. It was built in 1914 by Joseph Zetsker along with the nearby medical block specifically for the Medical Emergency Association.
This charitable organization appeared in Kyiv soon after the telephone had been created and came up for the emergency calls for free. The Association’s activity was successful due the regular donations from its members (alike the model of the Red Cross). In 50 years after the Medical Emergency Association’s activity the legendary surgeon Nikolay Amosov worked here. And only in had he been granted the clinic on the Batyiieva Hora where the Institute named by Nikolay Amosov stands nowadays.
This whole block built for the Medical Emergency Association nowadays belongs to the state which is represented by the Ministry of Health. Officially, the building on the Reitarska, 22 is still a part of the city endocrinological center. In fact, all the inner parts of the building were ruined long ago and it would need some huge investments to be lucky to get restored.
GPS: 50.455337, 30.509841
GPS: 50.455337, 30.509841
The house #32 on the Velyka Zhytomyrs’ka street is one of the most interesting projects of the famous Kyiv architect Ignatii Ledokhovsky. It doesn’t really differ from the nearest buildings from the first sight but after a closer look at the fretworks under the balconies comes a realization what a huge work has been done by Ledokhovsky and his team. The balconies are wreathed with the chestnut leaves underneath and the leaves intertwine with the snakes under the main balcony (that’s why the house was called ‘The House with Snakes’ alike with ‘The House with Chimeras’.
Once the mansion belonged to the noble family of Chokolovy, it was built in 1912. Now the building is the property of the ‘AQUAPLAZ’ company. The CEO of the latter is Andrey Matyukha, the owner of the large gambling network ‘Favorite’, well known in Ukraine and the CIS. In 2014 Matyukha announced that the historical building would be restored to become a small hotel as the tenement building was supposed to be. ‘The works are to be started immediately!’ — said Matyukha at that time. Now, on the still unrestored building, of the gambling businessman there is a big ad-banner with the word ‘SALE’.
The house #32 on the Velyka Zhytomyrs’ka street is one of the most interesting projects of the famous Kyiv architect Ignatii Ledokhovsky. It doesn’t really differ from the nearest buildings from the first sight but after a closer look at the fretworks under the balconies comes a realization what a huge work has been done by Ledokhovsky and his team. The balconies are wreathed with the chestnut leaves underneath and the leaves intertwine with the snakes under the main balcony (that’s why the house was called ‘The House with Snakes’ alike with ‘The House with Chimeras’.
Once the mansion belonged to the noble family of Chokolovy, it was built in 1912. Now the building is the property of the ‘AQUAPLAZ’ company. The CEO of the latter is Andrey Matyukha, the owner of the large gambling network ‘Favorite’, well known in Ukraine and the CIS. In 2014 Matyukha announced that the historical building would be restored to become a small hotel as the tenement building was supposed to be. ‘The works are to be started immediately!’ — said Matyukha at that time. Now, on the still unrestored building, of the gambling businessman there is a big ad-banner with the word ‘SALE’.
GPS: 50.453629, 30.518644
The 160 m length of Alla Tarasova street to the left from the hotel look like current developers have almost destroyed them: out of three buildings in the ‘modern’ style only two left alive.
The third one falling into decay suddenly kindled in 2011. As it often happens after the strong fires the building has been destroyed. Only one building of the two left has the protective sign and the status of the architecture monument, it’s the one situated closer to Volodymyrs’ka, it can be seen from the ‘Hyatt Regency’ hotel’s parking. The second time-worn building (# 6) close to the destroyed one is not protected by law in any way and is the property of the ‘Sofiia Kyivs’ka XI century’ company. The CEO of the latter is Andriy Fartovy from Zhytomyr. Of course, this CEO is rather nominal as all the apartments in the building belong to the ‘ASTERIYA-BUD’ company founded by Tatiana Balyasnaya. This woman, along with the Kyiv raider and a friend of the former Kyiv mayor Chernovetsky Arthur Margulis is very famous in some narrow range of people. Tatiana Balyasnaya together with Arthur Margulis founded a company called ‘Promethey-Syaivo’. This company has obtained the right to restore a building in the Muzeyny lane (which kindled a couple of times, just for reference) an … erected five new floors atop the historical building! Then the company of Ms. Balyasnaya and Mr. Margulis has been prohibited to conduct any works in the historical building. The land under the building of Balyasnaya and Margulis belongs to the company ‘Pechers’ka Architectural Manufactory’, the main owner of the latter is Vasiliy Ivanchenko whose contribution to the equity was UAH 15 million, unlike the contributions of UAH 1 thousand of the other shareholders.
As was mentioned by the ‘Our Money’ (‘Nashi Groshi’) this man is the financial partner in the most projects of Andrey Belomesyatsev, ex-deputy to the main architect of Kyiv in the time of Alexander Omel’chenko cadency as Kyiv mayor. Taking into account that this falling into decay mansion near the ‘Hyatt Regency’ hotel has no protection sign and belongs to the raiders who are friends of ex-mayor Chernovetsky (while the land under it belongs to the servitors of another ex-mayor Omel’chenko), it is obvious that the building will be no more lucky than it’s destroyed modernistic neighbor of the XX century.
GPS: 50.453629, 30.518644
The 160 m length of Alla Tarasova street to the left from the hotel look like current developers have almost destroyed them: out of three buildings in the ‘modern’ style only two left alive.
The third one falling into decay suddenly kindled in 2011. As it often happens after the strong fires the building has been destroyed. Only one building of the two left has the protective sign and the status of the architecture monument, it’s the one situated closer to Volodymyrs’ka, it can be seen from the ‘Hyatt Regency’ hotel’s parking. The second time-worn building (# 6) close to the destroyed one is not protected by law in any way and is the property of the ‘Sofiia Kyivs’ka XI century’ company. The CEO of the latter is Andriy Fartovy from Zhytomyr. Of course, this CEO is rather nominal as all the apartments in the building belong to the ‘ASTERIYA-BUD’ company founded by Tatiana Balyasnaya. This woman, along with the Kyiv raider and a friend of the former Kyiv mayor Chernovetsky Arthur Margulis is very famous in some narrow range of people. Tatiana Balyasnaya together with Arthur Margulis founded a company called ‘Promethey-Syaivo’. This company has obtained the right to restore a building in the Muzeyny lane (which kindled a couple of times, just for reference) an … erected five new floors atop the historical building! Then the company of Ms. Balyasnaya and Mr. Margulis has been prohibited to conduct any works in the historical building. The land under the building of Balyasnaya and Margulis belongs to the company ‘Pechers’ka Architectural Manufactory’, the main owner of the latter is Vasiliy Ivanchenko whose contribution to the equity was UAH 15 million, unlike the contributions of UAH 1 thousand of the other shareholders.
As was mentioned by the ‘Our Money’ (‘Nashi Groshi’) this man is the financial partner in the most projects of Andrey Belomesyatsev, ex-deputy to the main architect of Kyiv in the time of Alexander Omel’chenko cadency as Kyiv mayor. Taking into account that this falling into decay mansion near the ‘Hyatt Regency’ hotel has no protection sign and belongs to the raiders who are friends of ex-mayor Chernovetsky (while the land under it belongs to the servitors of another ex-mayor Omel’chenko), it is obvious that the building will be no more lucky than it’s destroyed modernistic neighbor of the XX century.
GPS: 50.452866, 30.520742
GPS: 50.452866, 30.520742
Famous Ukrainian painter Alexander Murashko spent his childhood and youth years in this building.
There was an iconographic studio of Alexander Murashko-the Elder who was the step-father of the future painter. He took the step-son to Kyiv to have some help in the studio. Exactly in this period (on the edge of 1880-th) Victor Vasnetsov, Mikhail Nesterov, Nikolay Pimonenko and Mikhail Vrubel’ were painting the Volodymyrs’ky Cathedral.
Young Murashko was lucky to observe this process, and somehow he was noticed by the masters. The inspired young man began painting, he dreamed to become a great master. His step-father had objections against this decision as he needed help in the studio. Having suffered from severe conflicts and beatings, 15-years old Murashko left his step-father and lived on the streets. The elder Murashko had no objections. Vasnetsov and Nesterov took some efforts and reconciled the step-son with his step-father but in a couple of years Murashko-Junior went to study in St-Petersburg Arts Academy (he became a student of Illya Repin studio) and never came back to the step-father’s house since then. He came back to Kyiv in 1907, already having been a famous painter, and his step-father died in 3 years. Having inherited the mansion on the Mala Zhytomyrs’ka the painter immediately sold it and bought a small estate with a garden on the Baggovutivska street (the latter doesn’t exist nowadays so ‘The Murashko’s Mansion’ is the one left on the Mala Zhytomyrs’ka where the painter spent much less time).
Nowadays ‘The Murashko’s Mansion’ protected by the state is half-ruined. In 2015, after the owner has failed to perform the liabilities upon the building restoring, the court has returned the mansion into the property of the city Kyiv. It was promised by officials to make an art-center in the building but the mansion is still idle. The former owners connected to Vyacheslav Suprunenko (the son-in-law of the ex-mayor Leonid Chernovetsky) tried to return the property in the courts till this summer but failed.
Famous Ukrainian painter Alexander Murashko spent his childhood and youth years in this building.
There was an iconographic studio of Alexander Murashko-the Elder who was the step-father of the future painter. He took the step-son to Kyiv to have some help in the studio. Exactly in this period (on the edge of 1880-th) Victor Vasnetsov, Mikhail Nesterov, Nikolay Pimonenko and Mikhail Vrubel’ were painting the Volodymyrs’ky Cathedral.
Young Murashko was lucky to observe this process, and somehow he was noticed by the masters. The inspired young man began painting, he dreamed to become a great master. His step-father had objections against this decision as he needed help in the studio. Having suffered from severe conflicts and beatings, 15-years old Murashko left his step-father and lived on the streets. The elder Murashko had no objections. Vasnetsov and Nesterov took some efforts and reconciled the step-son with his step-father but in a couple of years Murashko-Junior went to study in St-Petersburg Arts Academy (he became a student of Illya Repin studio) and never came back to the step-father’s house since then. He came back to Kyiv in 1907, already having been a famous painter, and his step-father died in 3 years. Having inherited the mansion on the Mala Zhytomyrs’ka the painter immediately sold it and bought a small estate with a garden on the Baggovutivska street (the latter doesn’t exist nowadays so ‘The Murashko’s Mansion’ is the one left on the Mala Zhytomyrs’ka where the painter spent much less time).
Nowadays ‘The Murashko’s Mansion’ protected by the state is half-ruined. In 2015, after the owner has failed to perform the liabilities upon the building restoring, the court has returned the mansion into the property of the city Kyiv. It was promised by officials to make an art-center in the building but the mansion is still idle. The former owners connected to Vyacheslav Suprunenko (the son-in-law of the ex-mayor Leonid Chernovetsky) tried to return the property in the courts till this summer but failed.
