23 Dr. Davydovsky City Clinical Hospital (Moscow)

 hospital, conjunto, interesting place, object of cultural heritage of regional importance (Russia)

Andrei Rodionovich (1724-1799) and Ivan Rodionovich Batashev (1732-1821), brothers, were the wealthy owners of a samovar factory in Tula, an iron works in the Urals of central Russia, numerous other properties and thousands of "souls" or serfs. Their iron works cast the sculptures for the Moscow triumphal arch, details for the fountain at Resurrection Square as well as other pieces in Moscow. To build this manor, the Batashev brothers had to buy up the land of six small lanes and alleys. A small church was located within the property boundaries that they desired, but were unable to purchase it or the adjoining residence and small buildings, hence the awkward shape of the site. The Batashev Manor was designed by Rodion Kazakov (builder of the Church of St. Barbara on Varvarka Street and pupil of Matvei Kazakov) and perhaps built by the serf architect M. Kiselnikov between 1796-1805. It has been said that the architect was able to turn the drawback of the site's peculiar shape into an advantage in that the layout, while unusual, is quite successful.

On the crest of a hill, overlooking several churches, the main building is set into the depth of the property and is an excellent example of classical architecture. Notice the small courtyard with two detached wings flanking the six Corinthian columns of the portico that sits above a rusticated ground floor and is topped by a pediment filled with molded stucco decoration. Also of particular interest is the fence cast at the Batashov factories with its granite pillars and cast iron decorations including urns, niches and crouching lions that were a very popular decorative detail at the time this manor house was built.

Andrei Batashev had quite a reputation. He was considered a very greedy and unsavory individual who took advantage of his workers, held orgies, deposited bodies down mine shafts when people crossed him, and bribed officials to overlook his outrageous behavior. Catherine the Great heard about his disgraceful exploits and sent an official to investigate. Legend tells that Batashev locked the inspector in a filthy room overnight and the next morning offered him a plate of fruit sitting upon a heap of money along with a note that said, "Eat the fruit, take the money and remove yourself, while you are still alive." The investigation reportedly went no further. Years later, during renovations, carpenters are said to have opened a passageway in the cellar where they found a set of human bones.

Interestingly, the house suffered little during the fire of 1812 because the Neapolitan King Myurat, who was one of Napoleon's generals, stopped here with his entourage. Having outlived his children with a life of almost ninety years, Ivan Batashev passed the house to his granddaughter, Daria who married Pyotr Shepelev, a general of the War of 1812. After her death in the mid 19th century, the house became a hospital for the "common" people. Formerly the 23rd City Hospital, today it is called "Medsantrud."