Nevsky Prospekt 26

Architect Luigi Rusca lived here in the early 1800s although nothing remains visible from the 18th century building.

The appearance of the present large eclectic structure dates from 1873, when Norwegian-born entrepreneur Hermann Hansen commissioned St. Petersburg architect Vasiliy Kenell to build a new retail and office center which he completed in 1875.

Despite its eclectic coquetry, even hints of baroque, newest (for 1870s that is) technology was used throughout construction. Supports are all steel, steel beams separate floors and walls and partitions are made of concrete.

First floors of 26 Nevsky had luxury retail shops, ateliers, tailors salons, restaurant, and operational branches of Moscow Commercial Bank and Azov Don Commercial. Roomy operational halls were paneled in marble and the famous firm of San Galli designed and built a special safe. Upper floors were let out as hotel style furnished rooms.

Between 1882 and 1891 the building housed Russia s first public telephone exchange, also designed by Vasiliy Kenell, a trendy architect noted for the city's circus building.

In 1912 architect Karl Karlovich Schmidt altered the old (1870s) interior of the public spaces and redesigned them in Art Nouveau style, which by 1912 was already on the way out.