THE LEGACY OF THE MERINGS: Splendor and Decline of the Palace in Stara Pryluka
The Main Entrance to the Mering Palace / wikipedia.org
There is a small town in Vinnytsia region called Stara Pryluka. It was first mentioned in the Hypatian Chronicle around 1146 as the property of Prince Volodymyr of Halych. At that time, the town was simply called Pryluka, but over time it expanded and developed. By the mid-19th century, it had split into Stara (Old) and Nova (New) Pryluka.
It is in Stara Pryluka that this historical landmark — the palace — stands, bearing a striking resemblance to Kyiv’s Mariinsky Palace. For a long time, Pryluka was under Polish rule, and as a result, it was owned by successive Polish families, including the Zbaraski, Warzycki, Bozhytsky, and Zdykhovsky families.
The first mentions of a palace at this location date back to the late 18th century. It was originally a one-story building constructed by Count Alexander Maciej of the Bozhytsky family. He also laid out a park in the area and built a chapel.
The estate’s second-to-last owner was Czesław Zdykhovsky, who took possession in the second half of the 19th century. In 1862, he renovated the palace. At that time, the estate housed a collection of paintings, including works by German and Spanish artists, valued at 100,000 silver rubles. Rumors circulated that some of these paintings later appeared in the Tereshchenko collection. Additionally, Zdykhovsky built a distillery nearby.
THANKS TO A TALENTED FATHER OR PURE LUCK?
The last owner of the palace — and the estate — was Sergey Fedorovych Mering (1862–1920), the son of the renowned physician Friedrich (Fedor) Mering. Sergey was an industrial magnate who established various enterprises here, including a brick factory, a distillery, and a mill.
As for his father, Friedrich Mering was, without exaggeration, a luminary in medical science — one of Kyiv’s most prominent and influential doctors and a professor at St. Vladimir University in Kyiv. Almost all of Kyiv’s elite of that time were his clients. However, while he charged the wealthy substantial fees for his services, he often treated the poor for free. The income he earned honestly was invested in real estate — not only in Kyiv but beyond.
Mering owned a large estate of more than 10.5 hectares in the center of Kyiv, between Khreshchatyk, Instytutska, Bankova, and Luteranska streets. Around Khreshchatyk, there were rental properties, but a significant part of the land was occupied by a patriarchal estate with a garden, vegetable plots, and, earlier, a pond and a bathing area. Originally from Saxony, Friedrich Mering built an impressive medical career in Kyiv.
As for his son, Sergey Mering held the position of Minister of Trade and Industry of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UNR) during the rule of Hetman Skoropadsky, starting in October 1918. However, following the fall of the Hetmanate in December 1918, Sergey resigned and left for Austria. He had a solid education, having studied in England, and was fluent in English, German, French, and Spanish.
Returning to Stara Pryluka, there is reason to believe that the palace was purchased by Mering Sr., who later gifted it to his son. Another more intriguing version suggests that Mering Jr. won the Pryluka Palace in a card game.
NEW IDEAS OF THE NEW OWNER
In 1905, Sergey Fedorovych Mering became the owner of the estate in Stara Pryluka. Thanks to his efforts, the palace took on its present appearance — a more intimate, warmer replica of Kyiv’s Mariinsky Palace.
The Merings had a taste for luxury and an appreciation for fine craftsmanship, which was reflected in Sergey Fedorovych’s architectural preferences. After acquiring the estate, he began renovating both the property and the palace itself to suit his vision. He enlisted the renowned architect Karl Maevsky, a native of Zhytomyr, for the project.
Sergey Mering, who had previously lived near Kyiv’s Mariinsky Palace, was captivated by its architecture and decided to incorporate some of its elements into his estate.
The style of the Mering Palace is Neo-Baroque, while its interiors showcase an exotic Neo-Moorish design. These can still be admired in the palace’s vestibule today. Visitors are struck by the intricately carved arches, the stunning geometric stucco patterns on the ceilings, and the tiles with floral motifs. The wrought-iron railings of the staircase leading to the second floor are equally impressive.
SPECULATIONS, RUMORS, DISCOVERIES
Legends abound about the estate’s hidden treasures. It was said that immense riches belonging to the magnate were concealed somewhere on the grounds, that an underground passage allegedly connected the palace to the former noble park, and that there was a large wine cellar. To this day, none of these have been found.
Rumors also claim that after World War II, a niece of Mering visited the USSR as part of a group of tourists from France. She requested permission to see her family’s estate. She inspected all the rooms, descended into the basement, and even visited the boiler room that heated the palace. However, she took nothing and revealed nothing to anyone.
After her visit, Soviet authorities conducted a thorough inspection of the estate using specialized equipment and metal detectors but also found nothing.
Some treasures were discovered during renovations in the 1950s. These included valuable jewelry, antique paintings, and a significant amount of gold. Among the discoveries was a particularly fascinating item — a portrait of Fedor Mering, Sergey’s father, painted by the renowned artist Nikolai Ge. The collection also featured exquisite Persian rugs, with some containing hidden tsarist coins sewn into their fabric. All of these artifacts were transferred to the local history museum.
Locals tell another tale — this one from the 1960s — of an excavator operator who reportedly pulled a chest full of gold straight out of the river. He is said to have fled immediately, and his fate remains unknown.
RELENTLESS TIME
Since the 1950s, the Mering Palace has housed the Staropryluka Boarding School for children with special needs. However, within the palace itself, only the library, gym, a few staff offices, and a storage area remain in use. The other rooms stand empty. The school’s classrooms are located in buildings constructed during the Soviet era.
In earlier times, the palace was surrounded by an ancient park dating back to the late 18th century. It once boasted rare trees, fountains, and statues of lions. Today, only the blue spruces and one fountain have survived. Part of the former park is now occupied by a sports field.
According to the school administration, the last renovation of the palace’s façade took place in 1993. Now, the building’s intricate stucco work is cracked and crumbling, moisture has seeped into the walls, and mold has begun to spread. This architectural masterpiece is gradually falling into disrepair — slowly but surely fading away.
Such is our beloved Ukraine — so rich in history and so full of remarkable people!
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