13. The Mansion of the Merchant Tarasov

Gorky Street, 21
Architect M.P. Malakhov

The first owner of the mansion was Gregory Zotov who was, surprisingly, a serf. He made his career as the manager of the Verkh-Isetsky plant and created so much wealth for his owner that he was given his freedom. Zotov commissioned the mansion from the architect M P Malakhov in 1821. 

In 1837, Savva Tarasov, the most famous owner, bought the mansion. He was a well-known figure and had been elected Mayor of the City on numerous occasions. Tarasov added a church and generally transformed the appearance of the building, remodelling the interior space and extending the embankment adjacent to the mansion. His decedents lived here until the revolution. During the Soviet period the house served as the Teachers’ House and in 1997 the building was significantly restored and rebuilt as the Governor’s residence. The mansion is now the Residence of the Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region.