Singer House, also widely known as the House of the Book is located at the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and the Griboyedov Canal, directly opposite the Kazan Cathedral. It is recognized as a historical landmark, has official status as an object of Russian cultural heritage and serves as the headquarters of the VKontakte. #singer #house #st.petersburg #house #of #book

• De afbeelding wordt gepresenteerd Helen Ast

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The building was designed by architect Pavel Suzor for the Russian branch of the Singer Sewing Machine Company. The management of the Singer Company initially intended to construct a skyscraper, similar to the Singer Building, the company headquarters under construction at that time in New York City, but the Saint Petersburg building code did not allow structures taller than the Winter Palace (the Emperor’s residence). #singer #house #st.petersburg #house #of #book

• De afbeelding wordt gepresenteerd Puja Lin

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Suzor found an elegant solution to the 23.5-meter height limit: the six-story Art Nouveau building is crowned with a glass tower, which in turn is topped by a glass globe sculpture created by Estonian artist Amandus Adamson. This tower creates the impression of a substantial elevation but is subtle enough not to overshadow either the Kazan Cathedral or the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. #singer #house #st.petersburg #house #of #book

• De afbeelding wordt gepresenteerd Oleg Illarionov

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