Demidov Mansion

The mansion at 4 Gorokhovsky Lane in Moscow was built between 1789 and 1791 by Mikhail Kazakov for a retired brigadier called Ivan Demidov. The decor of the facades and state apartments was designed by the architect in the Austere Neoclassical style. The rusticated ground floor added a touch of monumentality to the outer appearance of the building. The main facade had a solemn six-columned portico.

The ground floor contained the state vestibule, grand staircase and the auxiliary premises. The state rooms ran along the main facade on the first floor. They were known as the Golden Rooms after their carved and gilded wooden decor. This enfilade consisted of three drawing rooms and a state bedroom. Fretwork, mirrors, marbles, paintwork and moulding were widely used in the decor.

The original plans envisaged parquet floors in all eight state apartments. At the present time, they have only survived in three rooms – the State Bedroom, Blue Drawing Room and Crimson Drawing Room.