Description of the attraction
Few houses can boast of their mysterious origins, and the house of Podgorsky, better known as the "Baron's Castle", is one of them. Built in 1898, the house has for many years caused a lot of talk and controversy both among ordinary residents of Kiev and among specialists. During this time, the house was overgrown with a large number of legends, rather tenacious and, unfortunately, had no foundation. So, one of them says that the building belonged to the tobacco manufacturer Salva, who specially built it for his beloved. According to another legend, the house belonged to Baron Maxim Steingel, a well-known winemaker and entrepreneur at one time (that is why the name “Baron's Castle” was firmly entrenched behind the building). Alas, the baron had nothing to do with the house, he just lived nearby in a building somewhat similar to a mystery house. Yes, and no manufacturer Salve existed in nature - the legend simply intertwined the inscription at the entrance of the house (in Latin “Salve” means “Hello!”) And the brand of cigarettes, which had been produced in Kiev for a long time.
In fact, this house belonged to the landowner Mikhail Podgorsky, who wished to demonstrate his worth in front of colleagues and competitors. Naturally, a simple building was not suitable for such purposes, so the work was entrusted to the architect Nikolai Dobachevsky, who was distinguished by remarkable erudition and talent. The choice turned out to be more than successful - the castle that grew up in Kiev seemed to have descended from the pages of European fairy tales and knightly novels. The customer was delighted, which cannot be said about the envious architect, thanks to whose intrigues Dobachevsky was forced to leave Kiev, leaving a memory of himself in the form of his incredible and unique creation, which is now empty after the eviction of the residents of the communal apartments located in it.
