Walking around Pavlodar, you can find old buildings, many of which belonged to merchants. For example, in the center of the city, behind the Central Department Store, there is a beautiful carved house built in the 19th century and owned by the merchant Zaitsev. Now it is the regional Museum of literature and art named after Bukhar Zhyrau. Therefore, this house is unique not only outside, but also inside too.
A tour guide with extensive experience, deputy head of the Museum of literature and art Magzia Abenova says that Zaitsev has got this beautiful house, listed in the register of architectural monuments as the house of merchant, from another entrepreneur - Abdulfattah Ramazanov.
"This house was built by the famous Tatar merchant Fattah Ramazanov. He decided to build it in 1897 at his own expense. Fattah Ramazanov traveled a lot around the cities of the Russian Federation, and wherever he went, he saw beautiful architectural openwork structures everywhere. And when he decided to build a mosque for the people of Pavlodar, he said that it should be in such a beautiful openwork decoration. That's why he spent a long time looking for artisans. He brought craftsmen from Slavgorod. These are Kosarev and Chechetkin - people who worked miracles out of wood. He hired workers, fenced off a huge plot of land on the outskirts of the city of Pavlodar, on a vacant lot," said Magzia Abenova.
The construction of the house began in 1896, the guide notes. At this time, A. Ramazanov was not there, he was leaving on business. Coming back a few months later, he saw the building and realized that it did not conform to the canons of Islam. For example, the input gate must be turned to the East, and here it was different. That is why the customer sold the building to the merchant Petrov. Then the object was resold several more times. The last owner before the Soviet power was a well-known Pavlodar merchant Zaitsev.
It is said that when the Soviet power was established in Pavlodar, all the property of merchants were confiscated. That is why Zaitsev went to Omsk. But the house remained.
"The fact that this house was originally built as a religious temple, as a mosque, is demonstrated by these beautiful halls. The fact is that about 100 years ago, houses were built small. There were no radiators and batteries, so they built houses with small rooms to make it easier to heat, says Magzia Kairbekovna.
M. Abenova even told that the Museum named after Bukhar Zhyrau has a beautiful fireplace, and also two Dutch ovens. The first can be seen by any visitor and tourist. However, the second two are now "sewn" with drywall. However, they still exist. In 1992, during a fire, the entire exposition could be destroyed. Fortunately, the flames came out through a working chimney, which saved the exhibits of the wonderful Museum from soot, burning and smoke. On the mantelpiece there were ceramic tiled floors. It was brought to Pavlodar by the merchant and philanthropist Abdulfattah Ramazanov.
According to the guides, this area was visited by Sultanmakhmut Toraigyrov: in the 1920s, he worked in the Bayanaul district. The poet came here, met with his friend, colleague Zhigarev.
In the Museum you can find a lot of things belonged to famous writers who were born or worked in the Pavlodar Priirtyshye: their manuscripts, notebooks, ballpoint pens or pens with ink, entire desks, and so on. Here you can wander around, looking at unique things, or just sit, listening to the silence and imagine how people lived here 100-120 years ago.
"Our Museum has more than 55,000 exhibits in its collections. We tell in the Museum about the representatives of Kazakh literature, poetry, art", - says Magsi Abenova.
How do I find it? Address of the Museum: 97 Margulan street. If you find yourself on the main Pavlodar street Satpayev, then find the Central Department store-TSUM. At the back is a beautiful one-story Museum building with carved patterns and a green roof. Buses 1, 1E go to the Museum, 10, 18, 21, 22, 27, minibus # 126.