The Alferaki Palace is the most beautiful building in Taganrog. It was built in 1848 by merchant Nikolay Alferaki. The palace was built in the neo-Baroque style, which replaced the strict features of classicism. Architectural features have become magnificent again, and the facade has a decor like on the palaces of the 18th century.
Nikolay Alferaki was not only a successful merchant in Taganrog, but also served as the mayor of the city for several years. He entrusted the construction of his palace to the architect Andrey Shtakenshneider. Contemporaries noted that the architectural style of the palace resembles the buildings of Paris, where neo-Baroque became widespread. Nikolay Alferaki gave luxurious balls in his palace, where all the high society of Taganrog gathered. He died in 1860, at the age of 45.
In the second half of the 19th century, concerts were held in the Alferaki Palace, then the City Administration was located here. In 1927, the Alferaki Palace was transferred to the Local History Museum. This museum was created in 1898 on the initiative of Anton Chekhov.
He turned to his friend Ilya Repin with a request for help in creating an Art Museum. At the same time, the formation of the collection of the Local history museum began. Initially, the collections of both museums were housed in the Alferaki Palace, but since 1970 the Art Museum has moved to the mansion of merchant Anton Handrin on Alexandrovskaya Street. The exposition of the Local history Museum remained in the Alferaki Palace.
In addition to the exposition of the Local History Museum, the interiors of the palace are of great interest. They have been preserved in their original form. At the entrance you can see a large marble staircase with 41 steps. From the stairs through the archway, visitors enter the Main Hall. It is made in the style of luxury French apartments of the Louis 15 era. The ceiling is painted with frescoes on themes from the life of the Palace of Versailles. The ornament of the hall is decorated in the style of French Rococo. There is another large hall in the Alferaki Palace. It hosts chamber concerts.
The historical exposition of the museum in the Alferaki Palace is of great interest. In several halls there are artifacts found during archaeological excavations in the steppes of the Don and Dnieper. There are finds here dating back to the Paleolithic era, and to the time of the Greek colonization of the Azov and Black Seas.
A separate exhibition is dedicated to the reign of Peter the Great. In 1698, he founded Taganrog and, under the protection of the Azov Fortress, began to develop trade on the Black Sea. Of no less interest is the exposition dedicated to Emperor Alexander I and his tragic death in Taganrog in 1825. There is a Palace of Alexander I in Taganrog, where the tsar died. In the 19th century there was a museum there, but now it houses a children`s sanatorium. Some of the exhibits of that museum can be seen here
