This house was formerly the exchange, which appeared a few years after the founding of Odessa.
In 1890 D. Lemma proposed a construction plan and began the search area. The owners of houses offered their homes and assistance from those who did not rebound. Interest was aroused by the place, which is our Philharmonic hall, located on the rose Pushkin Bunin. A competition was announced for the building project, the I place was awarded to the project "Commerce architecture" V. Prohaska (Vienna) and E. Leavener (Odessa), II – G. Landau-Gutenberg, III– J. Dmitrienko, who in consequence built in Odessa more than 40 buildings under the General heading of "Mekuriy".
The Foundation was laid August 23, 1894, accompanying the opening ceremony of start of construction, it put a small box with the latest Newspapers, the census, publication "Past and present of Odessa," book V. Kalinskogo "Odessa 100 years", the last produced coin and bread.
To complete the construction was planned in 1898, but it happened on June 29, 1899. This fact sometimes confuses tourists, as the main body of the building hangs a plaque with an estimated date of completion of construction.
New exchange city merchant cost nearly a million, while building the Opera house was worth three hundred thousand. Luxury made the discovery, from Peter came Director of the Department of trade and manufactory V. Kovalevsky. In the lighting of the building was also attended by count Musin - Pushkin, head of the city P. Green, merchant's Association, the Governor of the Kherson region, the painter N. Karazin and many others.
The decoration of balconies were brought from Austria, put the German glass, Italian marble covers a large number of raw materials brought from other countries. And already in 1946 the building was occupied by the Odessa Philharmonic, on its first stage were Zhvanetsky, Valley, Kartsev and other notable stars. In Imperial times, in the Latest exchange held balls and concerts. There stood Fyodor Chaliapin.
When the social. system, the exchange was not active and resumed its operations with the coming to power of the NEP in 1923. After that it was used for meetings of the local government, recitals and the people called this house the city Council. It was the last performance of ardent revolutionary Vladimir Mayakovsky.
Most interesting is that a year later the building decided to rebuild and topped it Bernardazzi. Decided to make a glass vestibule, to build the broad stairs to the lobby, to make ventilation. Odessa citizens were outraged, going for the signature petitions that supported the elite of the city. In honor of the fiftieth anniversary of professional activities of Bernadazzi in the wall of the loggia he has erected a monument.
He loved to keep up with the times, so the new building was of brick and concrete expensive "Koine". The facades are made of marble and terracotta tiles. The building completely changed its appearance, architectural frieze on the roof is not preserved, the coats of arms of Odessa provinces were removed.
Odessa Philharmonic continues its work today, collects large halls fans and pleases all visitors.
The auth or of the article @vpodessa