Chocolate House | Kyiv’s Architecture: History And Myth

The Chocolate House was the ceremonial residence of timber tycoon Semion Mohylevtsev. He received guests, held balls, and conducted important negotiations there. The mansion was designed by one of the most popular Kyiv architects of the time Volodymyr Nikolayev. This mansion cost the merchant about half a million rubles. That’s nearly as much as money as the city spent on its opulent Opera House.

The second floor has 9 rooms. Each one is done in a different style. The entrance hall is designed to look Moorish, the dining hall is Byzantine. Next – a room in the Art Nouveau style. The ladies gathered there before the balls. The walls and stained-glass windows sport Ukrainian ethnic motifs: poppies and periwinkles. But there is also something else that draws attention.

The White Hall is the largest room. It was used to hold social gatherings and evenings filled with music.

For the last few years, the Chocolate House has been used to hold classical music concerts. People’s Artist of Ukraine Natalya Sviridenko performs at many Ukrainian and foreign concert venues. She had her debut at the Chocolate House. The artist notes that the architect was well versed in creating perfect environments for sound.

Until 1982, the Chocolate House was home to the Central Marriage Office. Newlyweds signed their marriages in the White Hall. Couples had to endure a long queue to get married here.

Opposite the White Hall is the former office of the owner of the house. Here, the merchant Mogilievtsev signed large business contracts and approved charitable projects.

Like other old and storied buildings, the Chocolate House has its fair share of legends. The building also sports a caduceus — the scepter of Mercury, the ancient Roman god of commerce, a testament to Mogilyevtsev’s financial prowess. With the Chocolate House, the timber magnate offered the people of this century a glimpse at the grandeur of the last.