The National Bank of Ukraine

National Bank of Ukraine

National Bank of Ukraine is the central bank of Ukraine. Its headquarters building, constructed between 1902 and 1934, is located at no. 9 Institutska St., in Kiev-History:...

(then called: Office of the (Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

n) State Commerce Bank) opened in Kiev

Kiev

Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....

, Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

 in 1839.

By the end of the nineteenth century the bank's expansion meant that new premises were required. In 1900 the Petersburg State Bank (which controlled the Kiev branch) and Sergei Witte

Sergei Witte

Count Sergei Yulyevich Witte , also known as Sergius Witte, was a highly influential policy-maker who presided over extensive industrialization within the Russian Empire. He served under the last two emperors of Russia...

 (the Minister of Finance at the time) initiated a competition for construction of a new building. The competition was won by the architect O. Kobolyev won the competition and work began several years later. The main facade was designed by O. Verbitskyi, who joined the project shortly after construction started. The Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 sculptor Emilio Sala

Emilio Sala

Elia Sala also referred to as Emilio Salya is an Italian sculptor known for his sculptural work with Vladislav Gorodetsky architect on the House with Chimaeras, the building of the National Bank of Ukraine and others in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine.-References:...

 (who also worked on the House with Chimaeras

House with Chimaeras

House with Chimaeras or Gorodetsky House is an Art Nouveau building located in the historic Lypky neighborhood of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. Situated across the street from the President of Ukraine's office at No. 10, Bankova Street, the building has been used as a presidential residence for...

) was invited to create the interior decorations. The style is inspired by the palazzos of the Italian Renaissance

Renaissance

The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...

.

On August 1, 1905, the building was completed and the bank's day-to-day business was transferred to it. The new building featured electrical lighting and ventilation and a central heating system. In 1933, when the capital of Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

 was transferred from Kharkiv

Kharkiv

Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...

to Kiev, two more stories were added to the building to handle the growth.