Kurortny Prospekt (Resort Avenue)

13 points1 km1 hour

Route author

Susanin Team

Things to do

📜 Learn the city's history
🏛️🕰️ Compare the eras

Route points (13)

Krell Villa in Zelenogradsk

Point on route “Kurortny Prospekt (Resort Avenue)”

Point 2

Krell Villa

🏟️ Architectural landmark • 🕵️ Urban legend

Historical Background

Krell Villa was built in the early 20th century. The exact date is unknown, but the 1903 town plan gives a clue: the villa does not appear on it yet, so it was built a couple of years later. Its first owner was Israel Pick of Königsberg, a well-known factory owner. He lived in Cranz with his wife Ida and their three daughters. Ida Pick sold the villa to Martha Krell for 31,500 gold marks. Today the building bears the name of its last owner, the lawyer and notary Max Krell, and houses the Zelenogradsk Local History Museum.

Architecture

The building was designed as a one-off. From the outside it resembles a traditional Russian house, but its upper part has Gothic elements; for example, some windows are shaped like loopholes. The villa has two entrances: a main one and a private one. Some beautiful details have survived inside. For instance, the walls on the first floor are lined with blue-painted tiles. Luckily, the original floors and wooden doors have survived too. Gertrud Lidtke, a native of Cranz, said locals called the building the “Gingerbread House.” And it really does look like one, thanks to its red brick and the patterns of white brick on its facade. The roof used to be patterned too, but those parts have not survived.

Myths and Legends

During renovation work in 2022, a unique detail was found: the imprint of a child's foot on a brick. This is part of an old Jewish tradition of preserving the footprint of a firstborn child. Hence the theory that it is the footprint of Gerda, the first child of Israel and Ida Pick. The imprint has become a new exhibit at the museum, and the staff will be sure to show it to you.