October Street 36, Executive Committee of the City (a building of Province Assembly House)

First of all we’re gonna make a short excursus into the history of State authority bodies of the beginning of 19th century. On the ground of manifesto from September 8th, 1802 the first eight ministries were created in Russian Empire, namely: Ministry of Military-Land Forces, Ministry of Naval Forces, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Public Education, Ministry of Justice and the State Treasury as an equal with other ministries entity. Governor was at the head of local administration, and performed his duties with the help of such administrative institutions: Governor’s Chancellery, Province Administration as well as several committees, commissions and assemblies. Assemblies were deliberative bodies consisting of province officials, once in a while representatives of municipality were called to partake in conferences. Some indispensable members of Assembly were elected directly by Ministries. Due to its intrinsic nature, Assembly was an ideal instrument in Governor’s hands to closely inspect the implementation of State internal policy in many different fields of social life. In the middle of 19th century, there were several assemblies dealing with peasants’ problems, factory-and-works industry, recruitment for the army, public houses (since alcoholic drinks were still most lucrative income item for the State), and committees for statistics gathering and so on. The building of Poltava Province Assembly House (nowadays Executive Committee of the City) was constructed in classicism style in accordance with architect F.Zakharov’s design in 1810. The colonnade’s appearance was determined according to the function this building had to fulfill as was the case with all buildings around architectural complex called “Round Square”.

In this case the colonnade was constructed at the edge of roomy terrace with principal staircase. By judging the spacious halls of the first and second floors and pretty much wide principal staircase, we can surmise on how many guests this house should have been receiving. Initially, this house wasn’t that big, it didn’t occupy the whole quarter between Monastyrskaya Street and Mostovaya (October) Street. Approximately at the place where windows of the first and second floors are bricked up, the building ended and stone fencing with two symmetric gates was running at its both sides up to quarter’s end. So, in its original shape this quarter looked much like a quarter where the house of General-Governor stood (regional trade union council). In 1866 (other sources indicate 1854) in line with the project of Kharkov architect F.I. Danilov the building was fully completed as we see it today.

In the first decade of 19th century in this building were accommodated: Province Administration, State Chamber, Charitable Institution, and Superior Court. Province Administration had to “deal with the questions concerning municipal improvements, public foodstuffs, and to control the work of subordinate institutions”. Charitable Institution on the other hand was occupied with charity, namely – maintenance of hospices and drugstores, orphans’ upbringing and education. In 1818-1821 our great countryman Ivan Petrovich Kotlyarevsky frequently visited this institution, at that time he served as a guardian in Poltava educational establishment for the children of impoverished nobility and later as hospice guardian.

State Chamber was busy with government revenue accounting, taxes collection and book-keeping. Vice-Governor was Head of the State Chamber. Panas Yakovlevich Myrny (Rudchenko) worked as accountant in State Chamber from 1871. For his long service in Chamber he got promotion to State Councilor, which fitted the rank of General excellently. Superior Court in this building consisted of two departments with chief judges specializing in criminal and civil cases at their heads.

Leonid Vladimirovich Pozen – gifted Ukrainian sculptor worked as attorney’s assistant in Superior Court from 1876 till 1891.

Pozen was born in village Obolon of Semenovskiy region. Having finished first Poltava gymnasium (now secondary school #3) he continued his studies in department of law of St Petersburg University. Being excellent lawyer, he made a present to our city – two beautiful monuments to I.P. Kotlyarevsky an N.V. Gogol.

Famous historian Vasiliy Efstafievich Buchnevich (Ostapovich) who wrote a splendid monography “memoirs about Poltava and its monuments” worked in this Court as police officer’s assistant. This house remembers a lot of prominent figures who visited it at different times. They were: painters N.A. Yaroshenko, I.K. Zaytsev, G.G. Myasoedov, historians I.F. Pavlovsky and M.Y. Rudinsky, writers I.A. Bunin, V.G. Korolenko, politicians M.I. Kalinin, and G.I. Petrovsky.

Many years ago there was Treasury department in this building, where Panas Myrny worked - classical author of Ukrainian literature, author of novel “Do the Oxen Low When the Manger Is Full?”

In the summer of 1868, manager of the department of National bank A.I. Pal’m, whose family hosted his closest friend S.F. Durov, was transferred to Poltava. Both friends attended a circle of Russian Utopist-socialists in 1847-1849 at the head of which was M.V. Petrashevsky – native of Gadyach district of Poltava province. Some future academicians participated in circle’s activities; writer F.M. Dostoevskii, literary novices M.E Saltykov, A.N. Pleshcheev, A.P. Maykov and others were among them. The circle contributed to the distribution of revolutionary- democratic and socio-utopian ideas.

In April of 1849 the circle’s participants were arrest, 123 persons found themselves under examination. Court martial sentenced more active participants to death, including F.M. Dostoevsky, but later the sentence was lessened to jail terms and correctional service. In 1856 prisoners were granted amnesty. But anyway for S. Durov and A. Pal’m (who resumed their literature activity) police and censorial surveillance lasted all their life. Their poems were published in Soviet times in collection “Petrashevsky’s poets”. A. Pal’m’s novel “Alexey Slobodin” is devoted to this group of people. A. I. Pal’m and S.F. Durov many times visited Province Assembly House on official business.

Almost for 30 years (from May of 1866), manager of controlling chamber V.D. Ahsharumov served in Poltava. He was considered a man of progressive ideas, got in contact with Petrashevsky’s circle, was interrogated but avoided a penalty. His poems can also be found in collection “Petrashevsky’s poets”. In 1908, a small book “Poems” by V.D. Ahsharumov saw the light of the day in Poltava, author sent one copy of his book to L.N. Tolstoy. “I enjoyed immensely reading it” – was Lev Nikolaevich’s reply.

After 1917, province executive committee was set up in this building, and when Poltava province was abolished in 1925 – Soviet communist authorities moved in. In post-war period (1948-1952), ruinous building was restored according to a project of architect Gol’dinov.

In February of 1922, when arrived in Poltava, Chairman of central committee on famine fighting (young Soviet Union’s scourge) together with Chairman of CEC M.I. Kalinin and Chairman of UCEC G.I. Petrovsky spoke at a meeting of Poltava executive committee. They conducted organizational works for bread collection for the workers of hungry regions. During 1922, 204 thousands poods of foodstuffs (around 3330 kg.) were sent to the fund to help starving people.

In 1974 another commemorative plaque was placed on the building. It bears an image of an order of Red Banner for the labor achievements with the text from a decree of Supreme Soviet Presidium, July 11th 1974: “for great progress of workers in economical activity and cultural life and in connection with 800th anniversary of Poltava foundation, the Poltava city is awarded with the order of Red Banner for the labor achievements”.

Nowadays it is the working place for many offices and departments of executive committee. Such is the history of one of the nicest landmarks of our city which in 2010 will bee 200 years old.