City Duma of Chichagi. Dmitry Chichagov

The building of the Moscow City Duma is adjacent to the Historical Museum and is part of a wonderful pseudo-Russian ensemble. This was the first building specially built in Moscow for local governments. Its purpose predetermined its appearance and architecture. Agree, the City Council building is very representative, but the decor of the facades is somewhat laconic and strict, which gives off an eclectic style. But there are a few particularly striking details: huge arched third-floor windows, a wide crowning frieze and an exaggeratedly massive central entrance. Perhaps the history of this house will help us understand the features of its decoration.

The City Duma appeared in Moscow in 1785 by decree of Empress Catherine II. Then it was called “six-vowel” because it consisted of the city mayor and six vowels. Over the course of a hundred years, the number of deputies and the functions of the Duma changed more than once. In 1863, the Moscow City Duma was formed by five estates. Before the 1917 revolution, Moscow's bills could be influenced by representatives of almost all major classes. The Moscow City Duma has changed its address more than once. In Catherine’s times, it occupied the building of the Provincial Government Offices on Red Square. After increasing the number of vowels, she moved to the Sheremetevs’ house on Vozdvizhenka.

In 1888, on the initiative of Moscow mayor Nikolai Alekseev, architect Dmitry Chichagov developed a design for a new building of the Moscow City Duma. Construction was completed in 1892. Chichagov used the foundation and even the southern part of the Mint, which had been located here since the 18th century. The use of the foundation predetermined the symmetry of the front facade, deployed along the square. Chichagov planned to paint the building light gray. So it’s quite possible that we wouldn’t see such familiar red walls now. They say that Nikolai Alekseev influenced the choice of wall color. Deputies met in the new building until 1917.

After the revolution, the Moscow City Duma was abolished. On the Duma building above the main entrance, instead of the coat of arms of Moscow, a round relief depicting a worker and a peasant was installed. In the 1930s, the building was converted into a museum of Vladimir Lenin. Unfortunately, the original interior decoration has been lost. It was this museum that the famous children's poet Sergei Mikhalkov wrote about in one of his poems as “a large, beautiful red house, like a palace.” Since the 1990s, the former building of the Moscow City Duma belongs to the Historical Museum. In 2012, the Museum of the Patriotic War of 1812 was opened in the courtyard.

Check out this impressive building. With all the rigor and laconism of the facade design, there is something to take a closer look at. Chichagov used numerous motifs of Russian patterns. The symmetry of the composition is highlighted by the central porch with beautiful hanging weights, which is placed strictly on the main axis of the building. The high, complex shapes of the roof are a direct connection with buildings built nearby in different eras, but in a similar style. It’s good that there is now a pedestrian zone around the former city council, and the building can be walked around from different sides. We can only hope that soon the coat of arms of Moscow will be returned to its original place - above the main entrance.

Denis Drozdov

Dmitry Chichagov was born in Moscow on September 3, 1835 in the family of architect Nikolai Ivanovich Chichagov. His father built the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Grand Kremlin Palace (design by K.A. Ton), becoming the founder of the Chichagov dynasty of architects and artists.
Dmitry Chichagov studied at the Moscow Palace School of Architecture in 1850-1859. After receiving the title of assistant architect in 1859, he remained working at the school until 1865, simultaneously collaborating with the architect N.A. Shokhin. In 1866 – 1872 taught at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture - he trained F.O., who later became famous architects. Shekhtel and I.P. Mashkov.
It became widely known in 1879, when the construction of the two-story mansion with mezzanines and six staircases of industrialist Vikula Morozov at 21 Podsosensky Lane was completed. This house resembled a painted gingerbread with its facade in the neo-Baroque style and variegated rooms decorated with marble, rare types of wood, inlays, vaulted mirror shades in different historical styles. This work brought fame and recognition to the architect Dmitry Chichagov as a master of historical eclecticism.
In 1871-1872 Dmitry Chichagov was the chief architect and chairman of the construction commission of the Polytechnic Exhibition in Moscow. He created most of its architectural structures, including examples of rural wooden buildings.
Dmitry Chichagov also participated for many years in the activities of the Commission for the Preservation of Monuments of the Imperial Moscow Archaeological Society - in particular, he made a detailed large-scale photograph of the entire ancient altar barrier with frescoes of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral. This filming was preserved in the archives of the society.
In 1888, Dmitry Chichagov, already a recognized architect, won the design competition for the construction of the Moscow City Duma building on Voskresenskaya Square with a project in the “Russian style” among other 38 projects. When the winner was announced, significant problems were discovered at the site of future construction with the foundations of the former Government places where it was planned to erect the city council building. The Duma announced a second competition among the best architects and Dmitry Chichagov won again. The new project included concrete vaults on iron beams instead of wooden floors and expanded the passage to Red Square.
In 1890, Dmitry Chichagov was accepted as a corresponding member of the Moscow Archaeological Society and in the same year began construction of the Moscow City Duma building. Initially, the building was planned to be painted light gray, but then it was decided to make it red.
Dmitry Chichagov built a large number of public buildings in Moscow, for example the Alekseevskaya school on Nikoloyamskaya street, 9 (now the music school named after G.A. Alekseev) or the now rebuilt Kaptsovsky school (1893) at Leontyevsky lane, 19. Many of them were demolished in Soviet times - in 1972, the building of the oldest city public free library-reading room named after. I.S. Turgenev at Myasnitskie Gate, 22. Dmitry Chichagov designed churches - in 1883, on Moiseevskaya Square, the chapel of St. Alexander Nevsky, erected in memory of the liberation of the Slavs from the Turkish yoke in 1878, demolished in 1922. In total, Chichagov had 33 completed projects.
Dmitry Chichagov actively participated in the creation of the Moscow Architectural Society, whose chairman he became in 1894. In the same year, he was appointed head of the overhaul of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral, where, under his leadership, the silver iconostasis was restored.
Dmitry Nikolaevich died suddenly on June 22, 1894 at a dacha in Novy Kuntsevo near Moscow. The Moskovskie Vedomosti newspaper published an obituary: “Out of a number of buildings produced by D. N. Chichagov, we will point to the new building of the Moscow City Duma, built according to his design and under his supervision. The deceased was a member of the Construction Council at the City Council and an architect at the Main Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The death of D. N. Chichagov is a great loss for the Moscow Architectural Society, which is currently busy organizing the second congress of Russian architects in Moscow" (Moskovskie Vedomosti, 1894, No. 170). He is buried at the Vagankovskoye cemetery, where a monument according to his own design was erected on his grave.

D. N. Chichagov is the son of the builder of the Grand Kremlin Palace N. I. Chichagov, the brother of the architect Mikhail and the artist Konstantin Chichagov. In 1850-1859 he studied at the Moscow Palace Architectural School. In 1871-1872 - chief architect of the Polytechnic Exhibition in Moscow. He first became famous as the builder of V. E. Morozov’s house (21 Podsosensky Lane).

In 1888 he won the first competition of designs for the building of the Moscow City Duma on Voskresenskaya Square (a total of 38 projects were submitted). After the results were summed up, problems with the foundations b. The public places where the building was planned to be located, and the need to expand the passage to Red Square. Therefore, the Duma organized a second competition among the authors of the best works of the first round, and Chichagov won again. In the new project, wooden floors were replaced with concrete vaults on iron beams. Externally, Chichagov planned to paint the building light gray, and the red color was chosen upon completion of construction (1890-1892). In addition to the Duma building, during the reign of city mayor N.A. Alekseev (which coincided with the last decade of the architect’s life), Chichagov built many public buildings in Moscow, including the Turgenev reading room at the Myasnitskie Gate, which was destroyed in the 1970s, and the surviving Alekseev school on Nikoloyamskaya street (now the music school named after N. A. Alekseev). He designed public buildings and churches for provincial cities - in total, Chichagov’s track record includes 33 completed projects.

D. N. Chichagov is one of the founders of the Moscow Architectural Society, in the last year of his life he was the chairman of the MAO. Such architects, who later became famous, as F. O. Shekhtel and I. P. Mashkov, interned with Chichagov. “In the advice of the architect D. N. Chichagov to correct shortcomings without destroying the building itself, there was that rule of state wisdom that not only my generation lacked” - V. A. Maklakov, memoirs, chapter 3.

He was married twice (his first wife, Lidia Mikhailovna, was the daughter of M. D. Bykovsky, the sister of K. M. Bykovsky. Like all men in the Chichagov family, he died relatively early, leaving behind eleven children. Five of them became famous artists - successors of the Chichagov dynasty:

Chichagov, Alexey Dmitrievich (1875-1921), architect

Chichagov, Konstantin Dmitrievich (1867-1919), art historian

Chichagova-Rossinskaya, Elena Dmitrievna (1874-1971), artist

Chichagova, Galina Dmitrievna (1891-1966), artist

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D. N. Chichagov is the son of the builder of the Grand Kremlin Palace N. I. Chichagov, the brother of the architect Mikhail and the artist Konstantin Chichagov. In 1850-1859 he studied at the Moscow Palace Architectural School. In 1871-1872 - chief architect of the Polytechnic Exhibition in Moscow. He first became famous as the builder of V. E. Morozov’s house (21 Podsosensky Lane).

In 1888 he won the first competition of designs for the building of the Moscow City Duma on Voskresenskaya Square (a total of 38 projects were submitted). After the results were summed up, problems with the foundations b. The public places where the building was planned to be located, and the need to expand the passage to Red Square. Therefore, the Duma organized a second competition among the authors of the best works of the first round, and Chichagov won again. In the new project, wooden floors were replaced with concrete vaults on iron beams. Externally, Chichagov planned to paint the building light gray, and the red color was chosen upon completion of construction (1890-1892).

In addition to the Duma building, during the reign of city mayor N.A. Alekseev (which coincided with the last decade of the architect’s life), Chichagov built many public buildings in Moscow, including the building of the oldest city public free library in Moscow, demolished in 1972. . I.S. Turgenev at the Myasnitsky Gate and the preserved Alekseevskaya school on Nikoloyamskaya street (now the music school named after N.A. Alekseev). He designed public buildings and churches for provincial cities - in total, Chichagov’s track record includes 33 completed projects.

D. N. Chichagov is one of the founders of the Moscow Architectural Society, in the last year of his life he was the chairman of the MAO. Chichagov trained such later famous architects as F. O. Shekhtel and I. P. Mashkov. “In the advice of the architect D. N. Chichagov to correct shortcomings without destroying the building itself, there was that rule of state wisdom that not only my generation lacked” - V. A. Maklakov, memoirs, chapter 3.

He was married twice (his first wife, Lydia Mikhailovna, was the daughter of M. D. Bykovsky, sister of K. M. Bykovsky). Like all men in the Chichagov family, he died relatively early, leaving behind eleven children. Five of them became famous artists - successors of the Chichagov dynasty:

• Chichagov, Alexey Dmitrievich (1875-1921), architect
• Chichagov, Konstantin Dmitrievich (1867-1919), art historian
• Chichagova-Rossinskaya, Elena Dmitrievna (1874-1971), artist
• Chichagova, Galina Dmitrievna (1891-1966), artist
• Chichagova, Olga Dmitrievna (1886-1958), artist

The creator of landmark monuments for Moscow in the 19th century - the Turgenev Reading Room, the Moscow City Duma, churches, schools and other public buildings. During the Soviet years, many of Chichagov's works were destroyed.

Biography

D. N. Chichagov is the son of the builder of the Grand Kremlin Palace N. I. Chichagov, brother of the architect Mikhail and artist Konstantin Chichagov. B - studied at the Moscow Palace Architectural School. B - Chief Architect of the Polytechnic Exhibition in Moscow. He first became famous as the builder of V. E. Morozov's house (21 Podsosensky Lane).

In addition to the Duma building, during the reign of city mayor N.A. Alekseev (which coincided with the last decade of the architect’s life), Chichagov built many public buildings in Moscow, including the building of the oldest city public free library in Moscow, demolished in 1972. . I. S. Turgenev at the Myasnitsky Gate and the preserved Alekseevskaya school on Nikoloyamskaya street (now the music school named after N. A. Alekseev). He designed public buildings and churches for provincial cities - in total, Chichagov’s track record includes 33 completed projects.

D. N. Chichagov is one of the founders of the Moscow Architectural Society, in the last year of his life he was the chairman of the MAO. Chichagov trained such architects who later became famous as F. O. Shekhtel and I. P. Mashkov. “In the advice of the architect D. N. Chichagov to correct shortcomings without destroying the building itself, there was that rule of statesmanship that not only my generation lacked” -