Individual tours of Astana.

“He who puts his own worth never stints”

Shopping centers in Astana.

The building of the trading house of the merchant Matvey Konstantinovich Kubrin (now the Astana store), located at an altitude of 352 meters above sea level, is located in the central, historical part of the city at the intersection of Kenesary and Azerbaijan Mambetov streets, 50 meters east of the Belarusian Embassy, 90 meters northwest of the building of the Ministry of Agriculture in the city of Astana.
The building was specially built as a trading house for the partnership “Matthew Kubrin with sons and Co”, and almost always it was used for its original purpose.
After the revolution in different years in it there was the Central City Library, Centropechat, the district economic department. Over time, the building received back its original purpose. In the building there was a drapery, then a grocery and a book store. After it became the central department store.
n 1944, during a fire all the wooden structures had burned, and the store was not used for almost a decade. Local authorities first decided to build on this site a cinema, and then they changed their minds in favor of a regional drama theater.
n 1950 the executive committee adopted a new decision - to restore the burned-out department store - a small section designed in the same architectural style, was attached to the porch of the restored building. There was a bakery products store.
Almost half a century in this building there was a deli, and “Rainbow” grocery store. Today here there is “Astana” shopping center. Architectural style of the single-story building 1905-1907 refers to the style “modern”.
The facade wings are placed along Kenesary and Bukeikhan Streets. In place of their corner connection there is the main entrance, over which there is a tetrahedral cupola dome. Pilaster strips with consoles between window openings with arched finishing, a profiled cornice, and parapet columns create a unique image of the trading house.
You can determine the Petersburg architectural school according to general architectural style and architectural details. The style of the building is closest to the creative style of the outstanding Petersburg architect A. Gauguin.
The building connected originally by an underground passage to the other former home of Kubrin - a merchant of the1st guild, and the passage were built almost simultaneously by the same craftsmen. Corner solution of the building plan is explained due to location of it on the corner of the quarter.
orner solution of the building specified placing of the main entrance to the building from the corner. The entrance was accentuated by hipped dome-shaped coverage on the principle of cloistered vault and was interpreted as a principal axial center, symmetrical to composition of the building.
The wings of the building, located along the streets have additional entrances with decorative attics that are orchestrated in organic connection with the general solution of a parapet. These techniques are a tribute to the traditions of the classical style in architecture.
However, characterization of parts of the building as a whole is typical for the style “modern”. This is evident by the presence of the following features. Traditional pilaster strips between the window openings have ridge-like consoles with vertical slits, a simplistic cornice (compared to classic), figured columns with oval outlines and vertical slits.
Oval shaped lintels of the window openings as distinguished from semicircles in the classical style. In the lower part of the building under the level of the windows there are square lugs - a common decorative technique typical for shopping malls and other buildings, widespread in Russia since the XVIth century.
atthew Konstantinovich Kubrin - a merchant of the 1st guild in Akmolinsk town, the creator of the trading house “Matthew Kubrin with sons and Co”. Apart from Akmolinsk, his stores were also opened in Atbasar and Kokchetav.
In the Siberian Trade and Industry Yearbook it was stated that “in 1913 the company of M.K.Kubrin engaged in the trade of pharmaceutical products, manufactory, haberdashery, jewelery, stationery goods, office supplies, as well as clothing, shoes, hats, watches, tea and sugar”.
ter 1915 M.K.Kubrin opened his office in Moscow, and handed over the trading house in Akmolinsk to his son Basil. Matthew Konstantinovich Kubrin - a merchant of the 1st guild in Akmolinsk town, the creator of the trading house “Matthew Kubrin with sons and Co”.
Apart from Akmolinsk, his stores were also opened in Atbasar and Kokchetav. In the Siberian Trade and Industry Yearbook it was stated that “in 1913 the company of M.K.Kubrin engaged in the trade of pharmaceutical products, manufactory, haberdashery, jewelery, stationery goods, office supplies, as well as clothing, shoes, hats, watches, tea and sugar”.
After 1915 M.K.Kubrin opened his office in Moscow, and handed over the trading house in Akmolinsk to his son Basil.    In 1915, to improve the cultural and educational level of the society the association of employees on equal footing “Matthew Kubrin with sons and Co” was organized.
At the association there was a working library, mutual benefit fund, as well as lectures and literary evenings were held. Matthew Kubrin was repeatedly elected to the city council as his native brother Andrian, and was known as a generous sponsor - patron of Akmolinsk three-class specialized school.
The Wife of Matthew Konstantinovich was Matrena Kubrina. In his large family there were sons Basil, Michael, Vladimir, Konstantin; daughters - Elizabeth, Nadezhda, Yelena, and Claudia.
Geographical coordinates of trading house Kubrina: N51°09'54.89" E71°25'22.66"

Authority and photos:
http://direkt-15.kz/arxitektura/zdanie-torgovogo-doma-kupcza-m.k.kubrina-1905-1907gg,-ul.k.kenesaryi,.html