Zinaida Morozova Mansion

The Zinaida Morozova Mansion on Spiridonovka is an outstanding example of late 19th-century neo-Gothic architecture. The building, created by the talented architect Fyodor Shekhtel, still amazes with its majestic appearance and rich history. Today, this architectural masterpiece serves as the Reception House of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia and remains an important center of international diplomacy.

Location and how to get there

The mansion is located at: Moscow, Spiridonovka Street, 17. The building is situated in the Presnensky District of the Central Administrative Okrug of the capital. The nearest metro stations are Barrikadnaya and Krasnopresnenskaya, from which the mansion can be reached on foot in a few minutes. Its convenient location makes this place accessible for visits as part of architectural walks through Moscow’s historic center.

History of the mansion’s creation

From the Aksakov estate to the Morozov ownership

Before the famous mansion appeared, a modest estate belonging to Nikolai Aksakov — the brother of the famous Russian writer Sergei Aksakov — stood on this site. Zinaida Morozova, the wife of industrialist and patron Savva Morozov, purchased the land plot in the early 1890s. The family decided on a complete reconstruction of the existing building, wishing to create a luxurious residence in the fashionable English style.

Fyodor Shekhtel’s work

In 1893, the young architect Fyodor Shekhtel, who was not yet widely known in Moscow circles at the time, began designing the mansion. Savva Morozov, who had studied at Cambridge and was familiar with English architecture, wanted his house to be built in the spirit of medieval British castles. Shekhtel brilliantly fulfilled the task, producing more than 600 detailed drawings in just two months of work. Construction of the mansion lasted five years — from 1893 to 1898. The result was a magnificent building that contemporaries called an architectural miracle. This project became one of Shekhtel’s first major works and brought him well-deserved recognition.

Architectural features of the building

Exterior appearance

The mansion is executed in the neo-Gothic style with clear influences of English medieval architecture. The façade is adorned with characteristic Gothic elements:

• Pointed towers reaching skyward
• Lancet windows with elegant tracery
• Decorative battlements reminiscent of fortress walls
• Sculptural images of lions and chimeras
• Hand-carved stone details

The main building was connected to the service structures by an underground passage. The estate grounds included servants’ quarters, a boiler room, a laundry, and even its own power station — the height of technical progress at the time.

Interior decoration

The interiors of the mansion represented a unique combination of several architectural styles. Shekhtel masterfully united Gothic, Classicism, Baroque, and Empire styles to create a harmonious space. The layout included numerous rooms:

• Several spacious drawing rooms for receptions
• A ceremonial dining room with rich decoration
• A billiard room
• The mistress of the house’s boudoir
• Savva Morozov’s study
• Children’s rooms for the heirs

Particular attention was drawn to the ceremonial hall with carved wooden panels and paintings. The staircase railings were decorated with images of snakes and fantastic creatures, made at the factory of Pavel Schmidt — the official supplier to the imperial court.

Mikhail Vrubel’s contribution

The young artist Mikhail Vrubel, who would later become one of Russia’s greatest painters, participated in the interior decoration. For the mansion he created a stained-glass window depicting a victorious knight and a sculptural composition based on Meyerbeer’s opera “Robert the Devil.” These works became true masterpieces of decorative art.

Social life at the mansion

Zinaida Morozova’s salon

Zinaida Grigoryevna Morozova turned the new mansion into the center of Moscow’s cultural life. Her salon was visited by outstanding figures of art and members of high society. Among the guests were singer Fyodor Chaliapin, writer Anton Chekhov, director Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, and artist Alexander Benois. Even members of the imperial family, including Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, honored the house with their presence. Contemporaries described the mistress of the house as a woman of extraordinary intellect and impeccable taste who received guests with royal dignity. Prince Sergei Shcherbatov recalled Zinaida Morozova as a lady adorned with marvelous pearls and possessing innate tact.

Savva Morozov’s modesty

In contrast to his wife, Savva Morozov himself preferred solitude and simplicity. His personal rooms were furnished modestly, without excessive luxury. The industrialist spent most of his time at his Nikolskaya manufactory, tending to business. Writer Maxim Gorky noted the discomfort of Morozov’s study and bedroom, which resembled a bachelor’s dwelling more than the quarters of the owner of a luxurious mansion.

Shelter for revolutionaries

At the beginning of the 20th century, Savva Morozov became fascinated with liberal ideas and sympathized with the revolutionary movement. The mansion became a venue for secret meetings of illegal political parties. Bolshevik Nikolai Bauman, a comrade of Vladimir Lenin, hid from the police in the house. There is an amusing fact: once Moscow’s governor-general Anatoly Reinbot dined at Morozov’s house, unaware that the wanted revolutionary was hiding in the adjacent billiard room.

The mansion under new owners

Sale to Ryabushinsky

The Morozovs lived in the mansion for eleven years. After her husband’s death in 1905, Zinaida could not continue maintaining the luxurious residence. Moreover, she claimed that at night she heard strange sounds from her late husband’s study — his footsteps, coughing, and shuffling. In 1909, the mansion was sold to entrepreneur Mikhail Ryabushinsky.

Art collection

The new owner practically did not alter the building’s appearance, preserving Shekhtel’s work. The only exception was the large drawing room, for which artist Konstantin Bogaevsky painted three decorative panels. Ryabushinsky placed his rich art collection in the mansion, which included:

• Paintings by Alexander Benois and Mikhail Vrubel
• Works by Ilya Repin and Edgar Degas
• Sculptures by Auguste Rodin
• An extensive collection of Eastern porcelain

After the revolution, Ryabushinsky emigrated to England, where he lived until the end of his life. He donated part of the collection to the Tretyakov Gallery and hid another part in a cache inside the mansion’s walls, hoping to return to Russia.

Soviet period

Nationalization and new purpose

After the 1917 revolution, the mansion became state property. The building was used for various purposes. In 1918, a session of the Moscow Soviet Congress with Vladimir Lenin’s participation was held here. In the 1920s, the premises were given to an orphanage for children and refugees from Romania. During the renovation, a cache belonging to Mikhail Ryabushinsky containing part of his art collection was discovered in the wall.

Reception House of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

In 1929, the building was transferred to the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs. From 1938, the mansion began to be used as a venue for receiving foreign delegations. It was here that the most important international meetings took place and historic documents were signed:

• The 1943 Moscow Declaration on the union of the USSR, USA, and Great Britain in the fight against fascism
• The 1963 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapon Tests
• Numerous bilateral negotiations with statesmen from different countries

Restoration and losses

Restoration of historic interiors

In 1973, Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko ordered the restoration of the mansion’s historic appearance. Over the years of Soviet rule, the interiors had been severely damaged: walls were repainted many times, and part of the furnishings were destroyed. The director of the Reception House, Evgeny Baikov, personally searched for early 20th-century furniture, dishes, and paintings in antique shops. The restoration lasted fourteen years — until 1987.

The 1995 fire

In 1995, a devastating fire destroyed almost three-quarters of the premises. Priceless works of art perished in the flames — pieces by Mikhail Vrubel and Konstantin Bogaevsky, the ceremonial staircase with carved railings, and the unique furnishings of the hall. Restoration was made possible thanks to preserved photographs and Fyodor Shekhtel’s original drawings. Just one year after the tragedy, the interiors were recreated, and in 1996 the mansion hosted sessions of the G8 summit.

Connection with the novel “The Master and Margarita”

Literary scholars consider the Zinaida Morozova mansion one of the possible prototypes of Margarita’s house in Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel “The Master and Margarita.” The text mentions a Gothic mansion with a garden not far from the Arbat where the heroine lived with her engineer husband. The building on Spiridonovka fully matches this description. Bulgakov scholars believe the writer may have been inspired by the architecture and history of the Morozov mansion when creating his work.

Current state

The building’s functions today

At present, the mansion continues to serve as the Reception House of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. High-level international meetings, negotiations with heads of state and foreign ministers of various countries are held here. Economic and political forums and important diplomatic events are organized in the ceremonial halls.

Restoration work

The exterior façade of the building was restored in 2019, preserving the mansion’s unique architectural appearance. Internal restoration is planned in the coming years to keep the historic interiors in proper condition.

Accessibility for visitors

Due to the building’s diplomatic status, the mansion is closed to the public. It is practically impossible to get inside, as official state events are held here. However, the estate is included in the list of sites participating in cultural heritage days, when rare organized tours are possible.

What to see nearby

The surroundings of the mansion are rich in attractions and interesting places:

• Patriarch’s Ponds — the famous location described in “The Master and Margarita,” within walking distance
• Monument to Ivan Krylov — a sculpture of the great fabulist at Patriarch’s Ponds
• Woland’s Bench — the place where the action of Bulgakov’s novel begins
• Tarasov Mansion — another architectural masterpiece on Spiridonovka
• Malaya Bronnaya Street — a historic street with interesting buildings

Interesting facts

• Fyodor Shekhtel created more than 600 drawings for the mansion in just two months
• Savva Morozov sheltered revolutionary Nikolai Bauman in his house; Bauman hid in the billiard room while the owner entertained the Moscow governor-general
• Zinaida Morozova sold the mansion, claiming the ghost of her late husband would not let her rest
• In 1995, a fire destroyed three-quarters of the premises, but the building was restored in just one year
• Negotiations with U.S. Secretaries of State Condoleezza Rice and Rex Tillerson were held here
• The house is occasionally used for haute couture fashion shows
• During the 1970s restoration, 17–19 layers of paint were discovered under the whitewash

Practical information

Address: Moscow, Spiridonovka Street, 17 Year of construction: 1893–1898 Architect: Fyodor Osipovich Shekhtel Architectural style: neo-Gothic (pseudo-Gothic) Nearest metro stations: Barrikadnaya, Krasnopresnenskaya District: Presnensky, Central Administrative Okrug Current status: Reception House of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation The Zinaida Morozova Mansion remains an outstanding monument of Russian architecture at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries and continues to play an important role in the country’s political and cultural life. This building is a living testament to the brilliant era of Russian Modernism and the talent of one of Russia’s greatest architects.