The Singer House (the house of the Singer company), also known as the" House of the Book", is a famous historical building that has long been one of the symbols and attractions of St. Petersburg.
The Singer House is an architectural monument of federal significance.
Within its walls are located: the House of Books, the cafe "Singer" and premises for rent. There are also guided tours of the building, which include access to the Krusha, which offers panoramic views.
The Singer House is located in the center of St. Petersburg, on Nevsky Prospekt - one of the most visited streets of the city.
The building was built in 1902-1904 by architect Pavel Suzor for the "Singer Joint Stock Company in Russia". Singer is an American corporation (Singer Corporation).
The location for the construction was not chosen by chance - the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and the Catherine Canal (today the Griboyedov Canal), was, and is, a lively point of commerce and walking in the center of St. Petersburg.
The building belonged to the company" Singer " until 1917, part of the premises were leased to the bank. Since 1919, the building was the "Petrogosizdata". After that, other publishing houses were also located, and an active book trade was conducted.
In 1938, the "House of Books" was opened in part of the building, which is still located in the Singer house today.
Today, this corner Singer building is not easy to pass by, it is located directly opposite Kazan Cathedral and stands out in the Art Nouveau style with neo-Baroque elements and numerous decorations on the facades, which, on the one hand, create the impression of heaviness and congestion of the building, and on the other-distinguish it from the surrounding buildings and bring color.
When planning the construction, and due to the fact that the number of leased premises directly depended on the profit, and the land in the city center was expensive, it was assumed that the building would be high-rise, as in New York. However, the height restriction of the buildings under construction at that time made it impossible to build a building higher than 11 fathoms (23.47 meters), which was determined by the height of the Winter Palace.
But Pavel Suzor circumvented this prohibition without breaking the law. Since the ban on high-rise construction applied specifically to the facades of buildings, the Singer house was built in 6 main floors with the addition of an attic and a dome, which were already higher than 11 fathoms. So at one time, the house of the Singer company became a kind of skyscraper that cut through the architectural ensemble of the center of St. Petersburg.
During the construction of the building, a number of technical innovations were introduced and used: a metal frame was used and an atrium was created - a glass-covered courtyard. The building was also equipped with the most advanced technologies of the time: elevators and automatic cleaning of the roof from snow.
The facades of the Singer building are decorated with granite in two colors, decorated with sculptures and sculptural compositions, floral ornaments and swirls, mascarons, as well as small balconies with architectural wrought-iron fences and bars.
The Baroque style in the decoration of the facades of the Singer house is clearly visible in the sculptural allegories - bronze groups of two valkyries. One of the Valkyries holds in her hand the wand of Mercury-a symbol of trade, and the other-in one hand a spindle-a symbol of light industry, and under the right elbow is a sewing machine-the object of the main products of the company "Singer".
The upper central part of the building is crowned by a large glass dome, on which two female figures hold a "globe".
From the west (Nevsky Prospekt) and north (Griboyedov Canal embankment) On the sides, the Singer building is adjacent to the neighboring buildings, and on the southern and eastern sides - it is open to Nevsky Prospekt and the Griboyedov Canal.
Interior and observation deck in the Singer house (roof)
Today, part of the premises in the former Schinger house are rented out. The House of Books is located on three floors, and the Singer cafe is also located in the building.
The entrance to the House of Books is from the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and the embankment of the Griboyedov Canal.
Through the large windows of the Book House, you can enjoy views of Nevsky Prospekt and the Kazan Cathedral.
On the second floor of the House of Books there is a cafe "Singer". The entrance is through the House of Books.
You can also visit the internal historical (now restored) premises of the Singer company building, climb the dome and go to the roof, where you can enjoy panoramic views of Nevsky Prospekt, Kazan Cathedral, Griboyedov Canal, Saved on Blood and St. Isaac's Cathedral, under the dome of which there is an observation deck.
You can visit the Singer house with a guided tour, which usually includes a visit to the building itself and access to the roof.
Practical information
The address of the Singer house: Nevsky Prospekt, 28.
The nearest metrostations are Nevsky Prospekt, Gostiny Dvor, and Admiralteiskaya.
All accommodation facilities in St. Petersburg, including in the city center and on Nevsky Prospekt, can be viewed and booked here
