The Saint Petersburg branch of Rosbank is located in a building of great historical interest that has recently been restored to all its former glory.

1864 witnessed not only the creation of Société Générale but also the operational opening of the Obshestvo Vsaimnovo Kredita (OVK or Mutual Credit Company) in Saint Petersburg, which was the country’s first private credit institution.

As its initial premises in Saint Petersburg were unsuited to banking activity, a famous architect, Pavel Suzor, was appointed to design a building that could house a proper financial institution. As land for construction could not be found, a building was purchased for this purpose on the Ekaterinsky Canal.

Before starting, Count Suzor travelled extensively in France, Belgium and Germany to seek inspiration, returning with plenty of ideas for an original yet functional building that would attract the attention of architects and bankers from around the world. Work began on 1 September 1888 for two years, with the official opening of the branch taking place on 9 September 1890.

OVK operated until 1917. After the revolution, it was first used as an artists’ workshop before housing various State entities. After the war, it was once again used as a bank, and housed Gosbank (State Bank of the USSR) until the 1990s.

During this time, however, the condition of the sculptures and building as a whole deteriorated rapidly, with a lot of damage caused.

In 1995, the building was declared part of Russia’s heritage, and initial renovation was begun. As of 2006, Rosbank, the building’s most recent occupant, started financing the restoration work.

The reopening ceremony of the branch took place on June 26 in the presence of Vladimir Golubkov and Igor Antonov, respectively the CEO and deputy CEO of Rosbank, which is proud to have been involved in the restoration of a major part of Russia’s financial and architectural heritage.

Click here to consult the brochure containing photos of the restored building and its architecture.