Vladislav Gorodetsky
Encyclopedia
Vladislav Gorodetsky or full name Leshek Vladislav Dezidery Gorodetsky ( in Sholudky, Podolia Governorate
— January 3, 1930 in Tehran
, Iran
) was an architect and big-game hunter, best known for his Art Nouveau
-style buildings, namely the House with Chimaeras
, the St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Cathedral
, the Karaite Kenesa, the National Art Museum of Ukraine
, and many others in Kiev
, the capital of Ukraine
.
Gorodetsky was born in a noble Polish
szlachta
family in the Podillia
region (now Nemyrivskyi Raion, Vinnytsia Oblast
, Ukraine
). He graduated from the Imperial Academy of Arts
in St. Petersburg in 1890, and moved to Kiev, where he lived for almost 30 years. In 1920 he emigrated to Warsaw
, and in 1928 he moved to Tehran
where he died and was buried in 1930. His epitaph is humbly inscribed in Polish
with only the phrase professor architektury, which translates into English as "Professor of architecture".
One of Kiev streets, designed by Gorodetsky, (between Maidan Nezalezhnosti
and House with Chimaeras
) was named after him in 1996. Historically, the street was named as Mykolaivska, and in Soviet times it was known as Karl Marx
street.
Podolia Governorate
The Podolia Governorate or Government of Podolia, set up after the Second Partition of Poland, comprised a governorate of the Russian Empire from 1793 to 1917, of the Ukrainian People's Republic from 1917 to 1921, and of the Ukrainian SSR from 1921 to 1925.-Location:The Podolian Governorate...
— January 3, 1930 in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
) was an architect and big-game hunter, best known for his Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
-style buildings, namely the House with Chimaeras
House with Chimaeras
House with Chimaeras or Gorodetsky House is an Art Nouveau building located in the historic Lypky neighborhood of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. Situated across the street from the President of Ukraine's office at No. 10, Bankova Street, the building has been used as a presidential residence for...
, the St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Cathedral
St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Cathedral, Kiev
The St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Cathedral is the second Roman Catholic cathedral built in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. It was constructed from 1899–1909 and was built in a Gothic type construction, by Kiev architects V. Gorodetsky and E. Salya...
, the Karaite Kenesa, the National Art Museum of Ukraine
National Art Museum of Ukraine
The National Art Museum of Ukraine is a museum dedicated to Ukrainian art in Kiev, Ukraine.-Architecture:Constructed in 1898, by architect Vladislav Gorodetsky, the building was originally designed as the museum for the local society of patrons of arts and antique lovers...
, and many others in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, the capital of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
Gorodetsky was born in a noble Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
szlachta
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
family in the Podillia
Podolia
The region of Podolia is an historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, corresponding to Khmelnytskyi Oblast and Vinnytsia Oblast. Northern Transnistria, in Moldova, is also a part of Podolia...
region (now Nemyrivskyi Raion, Vinnytsia Oblast
Vinnytsia Oblast
Vinnytsia Oblast is an oblast of Ukraine. Its administrative center is Vinnytsia.-Geography:The area of the region is 26,500 km²; its population is 1.7 million....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
). He graduated from the Imperial Academy of Arts
Imperial Academy of Arts
The Russian Academy of Arts, informally known as the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, was founded in 1757 by Ivan Shuvalov under the name Academy of the Three Noblest Arts. Catherine the Great renamed it the Imperial Academy of Arts and commissioned a new building, completed 25 years later in 1789...
in St. Petersburg in 1890, and moved to Kiev, where he lived for almost 30 years. In 1920 he emigrated to Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, and in 1928 he moved to Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
where he died and was buried in 1930. His epitaph is humbly inscribed in Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
with only the phrase professor architektury, which translates into English as "Professor of architecture".
One of Kiev streets, designed by Gorodetsky, (between Maidan Nezalezhnosti
Maidan Nezalezhnosti
Maidan Nezalezhnosti is the central square of Kiev, the capital city of Ukraine. One of the main city squares, it is located on the Khreschatyk Street...
and House with Chimaeras
House with Chimaeras
House with Chimaeras or Gorodetsky House is an Art Nouveau building located in the historic Lypky neighborhood of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. Situated across the street from the President of Ukraine's office at No. 10, Bankova Street, the building has been used as a presidential residence for...
) was named after him in 1996. Historically, the street was named as Mykolaivska, and in Soviet times it was known as Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
street.