Description of the attraction
The building of the passage was built in 1881 according to the project of the architect-draftsman V. Starchenko. The roof over the inner space of the passage was made of glass, and its heating was central and produced by steam, both of which were the first experience in the arrangement of large buildings in Saratov.
It was the best trading establishment in Saratov at that time, where many prominent Saratov merchants rented premises for the arrangement of shops and shops. The passage building was beautifully finished - rich stucco on the walls and ceilings, bronze door handles, lacquered railings, mirrored glass, parquet floor. The Passage was very popular with middle and upper middle class buyers. Until 1890, a merchant exchange operated in the passage building (in the corner part). The second floor was rented by reputable services and structures (notary offices, trade and insurance agencies), and the upper floors were intended for apartments.
Until 1892, the shopping arcade belonged to the merchant E. K. Laptev, and later - to his relative I. E. Yurinkov, who in turn passed it down to his daughter, M. I. Sibrina. After the revolution, the commercial purpose of the building was significantly changed, disfigured by all kinds of partitions and extensions, until it fell into a disastrous state. Until the 90s, the building turned into a communal abode of unknown tenants, and all the former luxury of the passage became a distant memory. Now, after a relative revival, decent shops and a pharmacy have opened in the Laptev shopping mall building on the first floor, and part of the premises on the second floor has been renovated, where reputable organizations have moved in. However, the general condition of the formerly best trading establishment in Saratov, due to the lack of a single owner, leaves much to be desired.
