Private residences

Private residences of XIX - beginning of XX century located in the historical center of Kungur, can tell much about the merchant past of the city. In the street Kittara (nowadays - Charles Marx), which was central street of the city there are many buildings connected with representatives of Kungur merchant class and other outstanding natives of the city. In one of them in 1784 the researcher of Alaska, the writer, director of the Russian-American Company, first Urals native - member of the Russian academy of sciences - Cyril Timofeevich Hlebnikov was born. Hlebnikovs’ dynasty has left an appreciable trace in history of Kungur. K.T.Hlebnikov’s grandfather - Ivan Mihaylovich (1713-1774) was the president of Kungur City Council and headed the defense of city during Pugachev’s attacks in January, 1774. He gave significant monetary donations on construction of Assumption and Transfiguration temples which we can see now in Kungur. After K.T.Hlebnikov’s death in 1838, according to his will, his extensive library and archive were given to the city of Kungur. Now, in a private residence, which earlier belonged to merchant Sofronov, there is K.T.Hlebnikov’s city library. K.T.Hlebnikov’s grandnephew - Alexander Timofeevich was the first who started to make public excursions to the Ice cave which has become a tourist symbol of Kungur known to all the country.

In the same street there is private residence of merchant Gribushin. Kungur merchant Michael Ivanovich Gribushin (1832-1889) was engaged in an exchange of Kungur tanning products on tea. He had the tea shops in many cities of Russia. One of the largest shops - Small court yard, was constructed by Gribushin in Kungur. According to his order, half of incomes went to city treasury, and another half was endowed on the maintenance of students from the poorest families of city. On Michael Gribushin's donations orphan’s house was founded. The private residence where Michael Gribushin's family lived was constructed in the second half of XIX century. The initial shape of a building was in traditions of classicism, however the reorganization which were carried out at the beginning of XX century introduced some elements of modernist style. Now there is the maternity house in this building. Near to it, there is a building built by Gribushin for warehouse needs on which facade the initials "MG" are laid out.

Kuznetsov’s manor, one the most interesting samples of merchant architecture of Kungur, was constructed in 70th of XIX century under the project of architect N.Chernitskiy. On memoirs of contemporaries, interiors of the private residence were decorated with refinement of furniture, on its second floor there was winter garden with songbirds and aquariums. Alexander Grigorevich Kuznetsov was the grandson and the heir of one of the most significant representatives of Kungur merchant class of XIX century - Alexey Semenovich Gubkin. Dynasty of Gubkin- Kuznetsov’s has brought the powerful contribution to the development of tea trade not only in Kungur, but also in many other regions of Russia. In 40th of XIX century A.Gubkin started to import tea from Kyakhtas into Kungur. In 1916 tea trade turnover of the company owned by his heirs reached 65 million rubles that was about one third of all tea sales volume in Russia. Representatives of Gubkin- Kuznetsov’s dynasty were philanthropists and patrons of art. In 1860-70 Alexey Gubkin founded a shelter for girls-orphans – Elizabeth school and technical school. Alexander Kuznetsov gave a donation for construction on the place of the tomb of his glorified grandfather Nikolskaya church.