Taganrog

Taganrog is a city in the Rostov region. Located on the northern coast of the Sea of Azov, 50 km from the confluence of the Don River into the sea. The population is 282,000 inhabitants (2001). The city was founded in 1698 on a desert cape, long called Taganrog. It was here, on the orders of Peter I, that it was decided to build a harbor of the Navy. Taganrog is known as the birthplace of A. P. Chekhov. In the city there are many places associated with the name of the writer: Chekhov’s House, Chekhov’s Shop, gymnasium.
One of the main attractions of Taganrog is the Alferaki Palace. This Baroque building was built in 1848 by architect Stackenschneider. The owner of the palace was the merchant N. D. Alferaki. In July 1863, actor M. S. Shchepkin stayed at Alferaki’s house. In the late 1870s, the Alferakis went bankrupt and the palace and garden became a merchant club. In the big hall concerts were held with the participation of visiting celebrities.
Tchaikovsky and Chekhov visited the club, who captured him in the stories “Ionich”, “Mask” and “My Life”. In 1927, the building of the club was transferred to the local history museum. In Taganrog, in a house on Greek Street in 1825, Emperor Alexander I died. This mysterious death was the basis of various versions and rumors. In the same house stayed during their trips Emperor Nicholas I Pavlovich and his brother Mikhail Pavlovich, V. A. Zhukovsky, N. Raevsky, M. N. Volkonskaya, A. S. Pushkin, I. K. Aivazovsky.
Another attraction of Taganrog is the Stone Staircase, built in 1823. During the Crimean War on its steps was repulsed landing Anglo-French troops. Near the Stone Staircase is the house of Hippolyte Tchaikovsky, the brother of the composer. There is also a sundial built during the reign of Baron Otto Romanovich Frank, who served in this post in 1832-1844. The clock dial in the form of a marble slab with divisions carved on it is installed in a horizontal plane. The arrow is the shadow cast from the triangular metal pointer. The Museum of Urban Planning and Life is located in the Art Nouveau building, built according to the project of academician architects F. O. Shekhtel and decorated with stucco and tiles according to Vrubel’s sketches.
The Taganrog art gallery contains paintings by S. F. Shchedrin, F. S. Rokotov, A. K. Savrasov, I. K. Aivazovsky, A. I. Kuindzhi, I. E. Repin, I. I. Shishkin, I. I. Levitan, K. A. Korovin, Z. E. Serebryakova. Taganrog is the birthplace not only of Chekhov, but also of the Peredvizhnik K.A. Savitsky, actress F.G. Ranevskaya, poet Mikhail Tanich, actor Zinovy Vysokovsky.