Gosbank on Bolshaya Pokrovskaya: a photo essay from inside the "fairy-tale terem"

      28 September 2025 12:06 Culture and Leisure NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" - Anastasia Nazarova

      In the very center of Nizhny Novgorod stands a building that townspeople often call the "fairy-tale terem." Built for the local branch of the State Bank in 1913 to mark the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov, it still amazes with its scale and beauty. The project’s architect was Vladimir Pokrovsky, who was inspired by ancient Russian traditions.

      Outside — gray Finnish granite, white Ural stone and gilded eagles on the doors. Inside — murals based on sketches by the artist Ivan Bilibin, majolica tiles, bronze lamps and a marble staircase. The main banking hall hides a true wonder: its ceiling is held up without a single column, and the bright paintings create the feeling of having stepped into a princely chamber.

      The bank also has a "magic" mirror. Make a wish — and it will come true. The main thing is that it should not be material.

      Today the historical complex houses the Volga-Vyatka Main Directorate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. The main building is a federal monument of history and culture. Anyone can take a free tour (0+) there by prior reservation.

      Photo: Anastasia Nazarova

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