House with Chimaeras

The House with Chimaeras is one of Kyiv’s most recognisable buildings, located next to the Ivan Franko Theatre. It stands out for its richly decorated facade covered in sculptures of animals and fantastical creatures — rhinoceroses, elephants, crocodiles, frogs, lizards, dolphins and sea monsters can all be spotted among the stone details.

The house was created by Vladyslav Horodetskyi, one of the most talented architects of his time. He also designed St Nicholas Roman Catholic Cathedral, the National Art Museum of Ukraine and the former Karaite Kenesa. Horodetskyi built the House with Chimaeras in 1903 as his private residence, successfully tackling a challenging site that many of his colleagues considered unsuitable for construction.

Horodetskyi was passionate about hunting, and this is clearly reflected in the building’s decor: the exterior features wild animals, while the interiors were designed around hunting themes. Over the years, the building has served different purposes, including residential apartments and a hospital. Today, it functions as the Small Presidential Residence of Ukraine. Because of this, the interior is not open to visitors, but the facade can be seen from the street near the Franko Theatre.

Photos: from Wikipedia