The Chocolate House, Kiev
The Chocolate House is an 18th century Venetian Renaissance style building, commissioned by Semen Semenovich Mogilevtsev. It was erected in the 1890s to a design by famous architect Vladimir Nikolayev. The exotic name derives from the exterior of dark brown colour which resembles chocolate.
Similarly to the House of Chimeras, the Chocolate House, initially (for over fifteen years), had served as a private residence (for the Mogilevtsevs), and thus allowed no access for the general public. During the Soviet period, the building hosted the Central Civil Registration Office and, in 1986 - the Children’s Picture Gallery.
The house’s history took a positive turn in 2009 when it was put under the jurisdiction of the Kiev Museum of Russian Art and subjected to restoration. Three of its rooms - The White, the Art Nouveau, and the New Russian Room - have already been finished and opened to the public; completion of the rest of the building is still in progress. The original wall paintings and wood inlays have been widely applied, wherever possible, to recreate the original interior. After the restoration is over, the building is set to host the Museum of Paintings, Private Collection Museum, and a picture gallery.
Similarly to the House of Chimeras, the Chocolate House, initially (for over fifteen years), had served as a private residence (for the Mogilevtsevs), and thus allowed no access for the general public. During the Soviet period, the building hosted the Central Civil Registration Office and, in 1986 - the Children’s Picture Gallery.
The house’s history took a positive turn in 2009 when it was put under the jurisdiction of the Kiev Museum of Russian Art and subjected to restoration. Three of its rooms - The White, the Art Nouveau, and the New Russian Room - have already been finished and opened to the public; completion of the rest of the building is still in progress. The original wall paintings and wood inlays have been widely applied, wherever possible, to recreate the original interior. After the restoration is over, the building is set to host the Museum of Paintings, Private Collection Museum, and a picture gallery.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Kiev. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
The Chocolate House on Map
Sight Name: The Chocolate House
Sight Location: Kiev, Ukraine (See walking tours in Kiev)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Kiev, Ukraine (See walking tours in Kiev)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Kiev, Ukraine
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Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
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According to a legend, there was once a sea where the Dnieper River now flows. When Saint Andrew, the Apostle came to Kiev and erected a cross on the spot where St... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.6 Km or 0.4 Miles
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