DOM KNIGI
Dom Knigi ("House of the Books") has been St. Petersburg's most popular bookshop for over ninety years, being a focal point of cultural and intellectual life in the city.
It's located in one of the most beautiful buildings on Nevsky Prospect, known as the Singer Company Building, innovative and sumptuously decorated in an "Art Nouveau" style.
For me, it's truly what a temple of books should look like.
This place is marvelous, not only if you are a book lover.
I remember having visiting it my first time in Saint Petersburg and since then, it remained one of my favorite places. The interior decoration and arrangement offer so much beauty for the eyes, that even if you are not keen on books, you will start wanting to read something.
I do believe that there is a book for every taste waiting for you to be found.
They recently did a big renovation work, and it got just splendid.
Dom Knigi is the kind of old institution where you lose the track of time and space, to literally disappear for hours (if you have time for that). It may actually be a place full of ghosts, as the past, present and future seem to meet all together around and through books. You feel immediately surrounded by so much knowledge about everything that can be in this world, that it brings a wind of inspiration and desire to put down your phone and start learning or reading something else, something new, something unexplored.
No description can explain these feelings, just come there, explore it yourself : it's trustworthy beautiful.
The building stands out clearly on Nevsky Prospekt 28, and for more than 100 years, it has attracted the attention of not only guests, but also city residents.
The intersection of the Griboedova Canal with Nevsky Prospekt was not chosen by chance by the American company Singer, which produced sewing machines. Built in 1902–1904, under the leadership of the architect Pavel Syuzor was credited with great trade and business potential.
Initially, it was assumed that it would be a skyscraper, like in New York, but in St. Petersburg, it was forbidden to erect buildings higher than the Winter Palace.
For these reasons, the main part of the building consists of only 6 floors, which does not contradict the requirement, and on the 7th floor, the architect erected an attic and a glass dome. He also implemented many innovations, like an elevator and an automated cleaning of roofs from snow using steam.
The dome, made of metal and glass, was an unusual creation for its time. Decorated with a large glass globe, it personifies the ambitions of the customer company - the whole world. The eagle on top appeared only during the First World War.
Made in the Art Nouveau style with some Neo-Baroque elements, the building is decorated with granite in two colors, sculptural compositions, floral patterns and iron panels.
The façade of the building contains elements symbolizing trade and industry.
Bank offices and exhibitions were located on the lower floors
store, while above, was their sewing workshop.
Since the revolution of 1917, the building has passed into new hands, and among the activities, publishing houses and book trade were added.
The House of Books officially opened for the first time in 1938.
In 2004, restoration work was carried out on the building, which lasted about 2 years.
Today, the Book House occupies the lower 3 floors of the building and offers its readers more than 120,000 books of different genres.
You can buy souvenirs, handicrafts and sweets, all made in Russia.
I advise you on your visit to stop at the Russian-French café "René" on the second floor
with panoramic windows overlooking the Kazan Cathedral, it's a beautiful and romantic place to start your day.
The bookhouse in Saint Petersburg is a magical and timeless place that allows you to travel.
It is a temple of information and knowledge. When you come in, you realize that there is more or less deep and constructive information for you, and usually what is easily accessible, like social media, doesn't always bring the usual information; on the contrary...
I am impressed by the richness of the world in which we live, and we sometimes forget, living in our comfort zone, that this world in every moment offers us the possibility of discovering, exploring and by extension, exploring ourselves.
What exists outside and what you see is nothing other than a reflection of yourself and of what is hidden within you.
But to make it possible, it requires the courage to try something you have never tried.
Découvrez,
Lisez,
Rêvez !
*Discover, read, dream !
