In the center of St. Petersburg near stations Nevsky Prospect and Gostiny Dvor on horse guards Boulevard at number 7 is the Kochubey mansion, which is often due to the shapes of Oriental beauties adorning the front grille, called the house of the Moors.

In the 18th century, the blocks between the current horse Guards Boulevard and galley street were busy Spinning the yard, which was under the authority of the Admiralty shipyard. Over time, the cable car building plant Spinning yard was converted into barracks for sailors. During the construction of the residence of Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich had destroyed them. Another part of the Spinning of the yard after closing it, was divided into plots which are allocated for residential homes. In 1850 one of these parcels acquired merchant Solodovnikov. He built a 3-storey stone house, which in 1852 bought the actual state Councilor, member of the Board of Trustees, Prince M. V. Kochubey.

Surname Kochubey has a long history. The founder of a family consider the Crimean Tatar Kuchuk-Bey Christianized in the 17th century. His descendants served in the court, played a prominent political role. During the reign of Nicholas I the genus Kochubey gave the Prince the title.

After the acquisition of houses and land, Prince Mikhail V. Kochubey decided to rebuild and reconstruct the building. To this end, he appealed to the well-known German architect Harald Bosse. Taking into account the refined taste of Prince Kochubey, the boss at work turned to the style of the early Italian Renaissance, with elements of eclecticism. The project was ready by August 1853 and was approved by the Emperor Nicholas I. Ended the construction of the mansion in 1857.

The Boulevard of the house facing two-storey façade and the courtyard three floors. The base of the building was granite, adorned the facade of balconies and columns, holding a cast-iron canopy. The building had Central heating and running water. Original grille with busts Moorish beauties, which gave the house an exotic appearance, produced a sensation among the citizens. Of great artistic interest and the internal division of the mansion. In some areas up to our days there were filled with sketches the boss caryatids, modeling. Contemporaries marveled at the carving on the oak doors and decorative fireplaces. Dining room walls were paneled with oak. Of great artistic value is the painting of the ceiling.

In 1867 the Palace was sold to Prince Kochubey merchant of the first Guild Fedor Rodocanachi. He rebuilt the house to your liking. The reconstruction project was made by the academician of architecture C. F. Muller. In 1868 over the wing in the courtyard was built on the ground floor, there are new commercial buildings. The winter garden was converted to formal dining room. However, despite the internal changes, exterior house remained untouched by the new owner.

After the revolution in 1917, the mansion was nationalized. It housed a military Tribunal. Fully cemented ventilation ducts and bends stoves were converted outbuildings and cellars.

In 60-ies of XX century there was a new reconstruction of the building. Here endeared Institute of beauty.

In 1987, the House of the Moors was taken under state protection as an architectural monument, and the clinic moved to another location. In 1990, the first open competition for the best programme on the use of the building won the team of CJSC "Icarus". In 1993, began its restoration – the first in Russia, held not at the expense of the state. The mansion was restored and became a citywide private cultural center. In 1994 the House of the Moors received the status of a monument of Federal value.

In our time in the Kochubey mansion is representative of a number of commercial and public organisations: JSC "Icarus", club "300 years to St. Petersburg" and others.