This 1978 Soviet postcard depicts the Palace of Pioneers in Irkutsk, originally the mansion of merchant A. F. Vtorov, built in the Neo-Russian style.
What is shown on the postcard
The image shows the corner facade of a two-story brick building featuring a prominent corner tower topped with a dome and a spire. The facade is decorated with stylized kokoshniks, arches, and pilasters. Snow-covered trees and snowdrifts in the foreground emphasize the Siberian winter landscape against a clear blue sky.
Historical note
The mansion was built in 1897 for the prominent Irkutsk merchant and industrialist Alexander Fyodorovich Vtorov. Designed in the Pseudo-Russian (Neo-Russian) style, the project is attributed to architect S. V. Koptev (or by other accounts, V. A. Rassushin). In November 1917, the All-Siberian Congress of Soviets convened in this building. Since 1937, it has housed the Irkutsk Palace of Pioneers and Schoolchildren.
Present day
Currently, the building retains its historical educational purpose and architectural appearance. Today, it houses the Municipal Palace of Children and Youth Creativity of Irkutsk. The building is recognized as a federal monument of architecture and is protected by the state.
Location (map)
Address: 5 Zhelyabova Street, Irkutsk, Russia
Coordinates: 52.289650, 104.288220
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Coordinates of the former Palace of Pioneers (Vtorov Mansion) building in Irkutsk.
Questions and answers
- Whose mansion was this originally? The building was constructed in 1897 as the private residence of merchant Alexander Fyodorovich Vtorov.
- What institution occupied the building during the Soviet era? Starting from 1937, the building housed the Irkutsk Palace of Pioneers and Schoolchildren.
- What is located in the building today? Today, the building houses the Municipal Palace of Children and Youth Creativity of Irkutsk.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Irkutsk from 1978.
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