Bobruisk. Katznelson Merchant's House

The house of the merchant Katsnelson in Bobruisk is a monument of wooden architecture of the early XX century. This unique architectural object is included in many sightseeing routes and deserves special attention due to its unusual history.

In 1912, an unusual wooden mansion was built, belonging to the merchant Pae-Bryna Katsenelson, known not only in Russia but also abroad. Being engaged in the timber trade, she could afford expensive purchases. According to one version, Katsenelson saw a mansion she liked in the Baltic States, bought it and ordered it to be delivered in parts to Bobruisk, where the building was assembled as a constructor. The mansion is a prime example of a well-to-do citizen. The wooden Art Nouveau building has an L-shaped shape and a gable roof. The main facade is decorated with two two-storey towers with tents, and in the center there is a round attic with access to a balcony. The layout of the house provides for a corridor type with two-sided placement of rooms of various sizes.

Unfortunately, the merchant Katsenelson did not live in the house for long: shortly before the revolution, she left the mansion and moved to her son in St. Petersburg. In November 1918, with the advent of the new Soviet government, the building was occupied by the revolutionary Committee of the Bobruisk district. The house miraculously survived the war and in the 70s it housed the Gorky City Library. In 2007, the mansion was recognized as a historical and cultural value and included in the State List of Belarus.

Since 2014, the Katsenelson house in Bobruisk has ceased to function: the library has moved, and the building has been recognized as an emergency. In December 2020, the Bobruisk City Executive Committee decided to find a new owner for the unique building. The competition for the best offer for the use of the house was won by the Prestige advertising agency, which plans to carry out major repairs and open an office in the building, as well as sell souvenirs. In the future, they intend to open a street museum here, telling about the amazing history of the house.

The interest in the Katzenelson house prompted researchers to study the history of the surname more deeply and find many interesting facts. Many Internet sources mistakenly call the merchant's surname Katsnelson, although the correct spelling is Katsenelson. Pai-Bryna's son, Nison Khaimovich Iosifovich Katsenelson, was a well-known public figure, a deputy of the State Duma and the head of the Jewish Colonial Bank in London. After the 1917 revolution, he settled in Latvia and continued the timber trading business. 

The house of the merchant Pai-Bryna Katsenelson is a typical representative of a residential building of a wealthy merchant family of the early 20th century. Its architectural style can be described as eclectic with elements of modern and Russian merchant architecture. Although the house is in a difficult condition, its recent sale gives hope for the restoration of its former greatness. This historical and architectural monument is of great value, and it is important to preserve it for future generations.