In Staryi Selo near Sumy stands a stone house called “Teremok” — the residence of the Sumy colonels Kondratiev. It was built in the first third of the 18th century and is the oldest manor house in Slobozhanshchyna. The two-story building with thick walls, vaults, and iron doors looks more like a small fortress than a nobleman’s house.
A house that grew floor by floor
The stone house was part of the estate of the Kondratiev colonels — the founders of Sumy. In 1753, it was rebuilt by Colonel Stepan Kondratiev, and the Mykolaivska Church was built nearby. Research by architect Mykhailo Tsapenko in the 1950s showed how the house grew: initially, it was one story with a basement and box vaults; in the mid-18th century, another chamber with a basement and flat ceiling was added, and later a second floor was built over the entire building. These stages are still clearly visible today: the rusticated corners of the first floor ended up inside the added chamber.
Baroque and iron doors
The western side of the house has an entrance and two small windows between rusticated pilasters. The window casings and cornices with small “dryers” are characteristic of mid-18th century Baroque. On the lower floor, iron-leafed doors have been preserved, and the windows have iron grilles. The monument was examined by Heorhii Lukomskyi and Stefan Taranushenko in 1914, and later measured in detail by Tsapenko.
What happened to it
In the first half of the 19th century, the estate passed to the Zboromyrskyi family, and from the 1860s to V. Lykhachov. At that time, the house was used as a grain storeroom; wooden galleries and annexes were added. People lived here until the 1980s, after which the building was conserved. It is currently in a neglected state; restoration is planned along with the reconstruction of the Mykolaivska Church.
How to get there
Staryi Selo is in Sumy Raion, near Sumy. The house is in the center of the village.
What to consider
The building is unsafe, so view it only from the outside. Sumy region regularly experiences shelling — check the security situation before your trip.
