House with Chimaeras

House with Chimaeras
The front façade of the House with Chimaeras
General information
Architectural style	Art Nouveau
Location	Lypky, Kyiv, Ukraine
Address	10 Bankova Street
Coordinates	50°26′42″N 30°31′43″E / 50.44500°N 30.52861°E / 50.44500; 30.52861Coordinates: 50°26′42″N 30°31′43″E / 50.44500°N 30.52861°E / 50.44500; 30.52861
Construction started	1901
Completed	1902
Cost	133,000 rubles
Technical details
Structural system	Concrete piles Continuous foundation
Floor count	3 (Bankova) 6 (Franko Square)
Floor area	3,309.5 m2 (35,623.16 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect	Władysław Horodecki

House with Chimaeras or Horodecki House (Ukrainian: Будинок з химерами, Budynok z khymeramy) is an Art Nouveau building located in the historic Lypky neighborhood of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. Situated across the street from the President of Ukraine's office at No. 10, Bankova Street, the building has been used as a presidential residence for official and diplomatic ceremonies since 2005. The street in front of the building is closed off to all automobile traffic, and is now a patrolled pedestrian zone due to its near proximity to the Presidential Administration building.

The Polish architect Władysław Horodecki originally constructed the House with Chimaeras for use as his own upmarket apartment building during the period of 1901–1902. However, as the years went by, Horodecki eventually had to sell the building due to financial troubles, after which it changed ownership numerous times before finally being occupied by an official Communist Party polyclinic until the early 2000s. When the building was vacated, its interior and exterior decor were fully reconstructed and restored according to Horodecki original plans.

The building derives its popular name from the ornate decorations depicting exotic animals and hunting scenes, which were sculpted by Italian architect Emilio Sala since Horodecki was an avid hunter. The name does not refer to the chimaera of mythology, but to an architectural style known as chimaera decoration in which animal figures are applied as decorative elements to a building. Horodecki unique architectural style earned him praise as the Antoni Gaudí of Kyiv.