Hotel "Versailles"

One of the dark stories is connected with the place where the Sberbank building is now located. Older people can still remember the old two-story house that once stood at the intersection of Chicherina-Lenin streets.

Its purpose during construction was peaceful: before the revolution, guests stayed at the rich Versailles hotel, noisy cheerful companies gathered for a banquet. During the Civil War, the hotel was chosen for the counterintelligence headquarters by Japanese interventionists, who were famous for their cruelty.

Anyone suspected of supporting the Bolsheviks was arrested. In order for the detainees to testify, the Japanese used sophisticated torture, and those who withstood the bullying were shot in the basement of the house.

Fate was merciless to the house, for many years it stood abandoned, scaring away local residents with black empty eye sockets of windows and stench. After all, especially fearless, but in need, turned it into a public free toilet.

By the 130th anniversary of the city, the house was demolished and a modern concrete and glass building was built in its place. But until now, on particularly dark nights, unexplained sounds are heard in this area: people think they hear Japanese speech and the clanging of bolts.