Embassy of Austria in Moscow
Encyclopedia
The Embassy of Austria in Moscow
is the diplomatic mission
of the Republic of Austria to the Russian Federation. It is located at 1 Starokonyushenny Lane in the Khamovniki District of Moscow
. The Consulate, located in the same building until 2007, now operates from a new nearby building at 7 Bolshoy Levshinsky Lane.
building, the Nikolay Mindovsky House, designed and built by Nikita Lazarev
in 1906. Mindovsky family originated in Kineshma
, where serf
Ivan Ivanovich Mindovsky (1781-1853) launched his own textile mill. His grandson, Ivan Alexandrovich, commissioned the first historical Mindovsky House to Lev Kekushev
(44, Povarskaya Street, present-day Embassy of New Zealand in Moscow
). Next of kin, Nikolay Ivanovich, commissioned the second Mindovsky House to Nikita Lazarev. Various other members of the clan also owned mansions and apartment blocks in the city so as of 2008 there are six extant Mindovsky houses.
Mindovsky House that became Embassy of Austria stands on a strategic corner lot visible from Prechictenka Street. In the 18th century the area was occupied by a spacious Gagarin family
estate, destroyed by the fire of 1812
, then by wooden Mukhanov estate. In 1899 the dilapidated Mukhanov property was purchased by real estate developers and split into three lots; the first two buildings were built to William Walcot
's design in 1900-1902, the third was purchased by Mindovsky.
Lazarev's Mindovsky House became a statement of neoclassical reaction against "decadent art
". The L-shaped structure extends over 32×44 meters. Its two main parts intersect at 90 degrees, while the streets actually cross at a sharper angle - this allowed placing a small garden in front of the corner rotunda
hall, but the western facade with main entrance had to be tapered to fit into street boundary. Originally all the building was single story; in 1913 the owners rebuilt the eastern living wing into two stories. Eastern wing, which housed the consulate until 2007, was regularly remodelled later while the single-story formal halls of the western wing, facing Prechistensky Lane retain the original 1906 interiors.
The Embassy of Austria moved into Mindovsky House in 1927. After the anschluss
of 1938, it was used as an exclusive villa
for foreign dignitaries, housing guests like Joachim von Ribbentrop
(August 1939, see Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
) and Winston Churchill
(October 1944). However, the rumour that Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed in Mindovsky House is, most likely, an urban legend
. In April 1955 the building was the site of Austrian-Soviet talks on the Austrian State Treaty
and then became an embassy of independent Austria for a second time.
Mindovsky House, specifically its corner hall, is also known as the site of a fictional shooting in Doctor Zhivago
by Boris Pasternak
.
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
is the diplomatic mission
Diplomatic mission
A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one state or an international inter-governmental organisation present in another state to represent the sending state/organisation in the receiving state...
of the Republic of Austria to the Russian Federation. It is located at 1 Starokonyushenny Lane in the Khamovniki District of Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. The Consulate, located in the same building until 2007, now operates from a new nearby building at 7 Bolshoy Levshinsky Lane.
The building
The Embassy occupies a listed neoclassical revivalNeoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
building, the Nikolay Mindovsky House, designed and built by Nikita Lazarev
Nikita Lazarev
Nikita Gerasimovich Lazarev was a Russian civil engineer, contractor, real estate developer and Neoclassical architect, notable for his 1906 Mindovsky House in Khamovniki District of Moscow...
in 1906. Mindovsky family originated in Kineshma
Kineshma
Kineshma is the second largest town in Ivanovo Oblast, Russia, which sprawls for along the Volga River. Population: -History:Kineshma was first noticed as a posad in 1429. In 1504, Ivan III gave it to Prince Feodor Belsky, who escaped to Moscow from Lithuania and married Ivan's niece...
, where serf
SERF
A spin exchange relaxation-free magnetometer is a type of magnetometer developed at Princeton University in the early 2000s. SERF magnetometers measure magnetic fields by using lasers to detect the interaction between alkali metal atoms in a vapor and the magnetic field.The name for the technique...
Ivan Ivanovich Mindovsky (1781-1853) launched his own textile mill. His grandson, Ivan Alexandrovich, commissioned the first historical Mindovsky House to Lev Kekushev
Lev Kekushev
Lev Nikolayevich Kekushev was a Russian architect, notable for his Art Nouveau buildings in Moscow, built in the 1890s and early 1900s in the original, Franco-Belgian variety of this style...
(44, Povarskaya Street, present-day Embassy of New Zealand in Moscow
Embassy of New Zealand in Moscow
The Embassy of New Zealand in Moscow is the diplomatic mission of New Zealand in the Russian Federation. It is located at 44 Povarskaya Street in the Arbat district of Moscow....
). Next of kin, Nikolay Ivanovich, commissioned the second Mindovsky House to Nikita Lazarev. Various other members of the clan also owned mansions and apartment blocks in the city so as of 2008 there are six extant Mindovsky houses.
Mindovsky House that became Embassy of Austria stands on a strategic corner lot visible from Prechictenka Street. In the 18th century the area was occupied by a spacious Gagarin family
Gagarin family
thumb|right|250px|The Gagarin Coat of ArmsGagarin is a Rurikid princely family descending from sovereign rulers of Starodub-on-the-Klyazma.-Origins:...
estate, destroyed by the fire of 1812
Fire of Moscow (1812)
The 1812 Fire of Moscow broke out on September 14, 1812 in Moscow on the day when Russian troops and most residents abandoned the city and Napoleon's vanguard troops entered the city following the Battle of Borodino...
, then by wooden Mukhanov estate. In 1899 the dilapidated Mukhanov property was purchased by real estate developers and split into three lots; the first two buildings were built to William Walcot
William Walcot
William Walcot was a British architect graphic artist and etcher, notable as a practitioner of refined Art Nouveau in Moscow, Russia . His trademark Lady's Head keystone ornament became the easily recognizable symbol of Russian Style Moderne...
's design in 1900-1902, the third was purchased by Mindovsky.
Lazarev's Mindovsky House became a statement of neoclassical reaction against "decadent art
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
". The L-shaped structure extends over 32×44 meters. Its two main parts intersect at 90 degrees, while the streets actually cross at a sharper angle - this allowed placing a small garden in front of the corner rotunda
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
hall, but the western facade with main entrance had to be tapered to fit into street boundary. Originally all the building was single story; in 1913 the owners rebuilt the eastern living wing into two stories. Eastern wing, which housed the consulate until 2007, was regularly remodelled later while the single-story formal halls of the western wing, facing Prechistensky Lane retain the original 1906 interiors.
The Embassy of Austria moved into Mindovsky House in 1927. After the anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
of 1938, it was used as an exclusive villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
for foreign dignitaries, housing guests like Joachim von Ribbentrop
Joachim von Ribbentrop
Ulrich Friedrich Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop was Foreign Minister of Germany from 1938 until 1945. He was later hanged for war crimes after the Nuremberg Trials.-Early life:...
(August 1939, see Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, named after the Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov and the German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, was an agreement officially titled the Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Soviet Union and signed in Moscow in the late hours of 23 August 1939...
) and Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
(October 1944). However, the rumour that Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed in Mindovsky House is, most likely, an urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
. In April 1955 the building was the site of Austrian-Soviet talks on the Austrian State Treaty
Austrian State Treaty
The Austrian State Treaty or Austrian Independence Treaty re-established Austria as a sovereign state. It was signed on May 15, 1955, in Vienna at the Schloss Belvedere among the Allied occupying powers and the Austrian government...
and then became an embassy of independent Austria for a second time.
Mindovsky House, specifically its corner hall, is also known as the site of a fictional shooting in Doctor Zhivago
Doctor Zhivago (novel)
Doctor Zhivago is a 20th century novel by Boris Pasternak, first published in 1957. The novel is named after its protagonist, Yuri Zhivago, a physician and poet...
by Boris Pasternak
Boris Pasternak
Boris Leonidovich Pasternak was a Russian language poet, novelist, and literary translator. In his native Russia, Pasternak's anthology My Sister Life, is one of the most influential collections ever published in the Russian language...
.