Ivanovo is the most magnificent city of the Golden Ring. And in this material I am determined to prove to you why. About seven years ago I decided to visit all the cities of the Golden Ring and put this plan into practice, but I did not stop in Ivanovo. From where? All my friends told me that there is no specific Russian, gold, dome and all that with which such a route is associated.
And as it turns out, everything only has its time. In the same seven years, I moved to the most architecturally avant-garde district of Moscow and became seriously influenced by this avant-garde. I went to libraries, went on excursions, studied catalogs of the 30s and became well informed about constructivism, brutalism and the avant-garde in Soviet architecture. Then I come across a book devoted to Ivanov’s constructivism. Ivanovsky? What?
All that remains is to pack your things, plan your route (it takes only 4 hours on the new toll highway from Moscow) and choose a place to stay. Frankly, I am not a supporter of paradise at the dacha, and there were no five-star hotels in Ivanovo. Until recently! And now, right in the historical centre, the five-star Alchemist Hotel has opened its doors.
Live like a textile maker or collector
It turned out that the hotel has two buildings – a modern and a restored 19th century mansion, an architectural monument, the former house of the manufacturer PP Kryukov. I like such an unobtrusive connection between times and decided to choose a room in a historical building. To tell the truth, I started to be surprised at the entrance. In fact, you don’t really expect the level of premium boutique hotels from the region. And that’s exactly it.
“The Alchemist” is an intimate place (21 rooms), but its space is designed like a real art gallery. There are even permanent exhibitions and temporary exhibitions. And in the corridors, in the secret library with the vinyl record player and the restaurant, here and there you can find old furniture, Tarot cards, old receipts and documents. The new art press and glossy magazines, in which the author of this text also writes columns, bring us back to reality. Beautiful? No doubt.
Tens of thousands of steps along the architectural monument
I arrived in Ivanovo almost at sunset, so I decided to first sleep on snow-white sheets and happily “smother” in lush pillows (does anyone know this phenomenon of hotel beds?) and only then start exploring the city. By the way, I found a free audio guide on the Internet and a tourist route for the “Red Thread”, the main constructivist buildings, and thanks to this I managed not to miss anything.
I think you still must have a question – why Ivanovo?
But the truth is that this city bore the unofficial nickname “Motherland of the First Soviet” because it was the site of the establishment of the first citywide Council of Workers’ Deputies in Russia in 1905, during the First Russian Revolution. Ivanovo is also the capital of the weaving industry. During the Tsarist period, they paid little, worked hard, and thus their revolutionary ideas shone like a match. So, during the heyday of constructivism, the Soviet authorities wanted to make Ivanovo one of the symbols of the Soviets and turn it into an exemplary socialist city. Why were the most famous architects brought in?
Metaphor houses begin to appear in the city (for example, the ship house is on the list of the 10 most beautiful constructivist buildings in Russia), commune houses, kitchen factories, a constructivist railway station (the only one in Russia) and much more.
Be prepared to walk until your feet thunder; In almost every block you will discover new and new geniuses of architectural flight of thought.
Of course, not all buildings have been preserved in good condition and I really hope that the city authorities will protect this heritage from loss. After all, great contemporaries such as Zaha Hadid and Rem Koolhaas said that Soviet architects of the 20-30s influenced them.
Visualize your impressions
I rewinded this day and went back to “The Alchemist” and kept all the corners, balconies, windows and symbols in my head.
And even when I went to dinner in the hotel restaurant (by the way, in terms of service and food it is in no way inferior to those in the capital), I analyzed it and admired it.
I spent the rest of the evening in the hotel library. An amazing place that can only be visited by invitation. The hotel attendant takes you there and leaves you alone with the books and records. Of course, I turned on “Monsters” and thought that everything in the world happens in its time – seven years ago Ivanovo would not have impressed me at all. And now I’ve been able to make not only my subscribers fall in love with it, but I hope you too.
The article Falling in love with metaphors: A journey to Ivanovo appeared first on The Fashion Vibes.
Source: People Talk
Errol Villanueva is an author and lifestyle journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a passion for exploring the latest trends in fashion, food, travel, and wellness, Errol’s articles are a must-read for anyone interested in living a stylish and fulfilling life.
