House of Zinaida Ushkova (Vysotskaya) - daughter of a professor of surgery and wife of an owner of chemical plants and a tea magnate - is a splendid mansion in the centre of Kazan built in 1904 - 1908 in the eclectic style by the architect Karl Müfke. Since 1919 it is the head building of the National Library of the Republic of Tatarstan, however not everyone knows that the interiors of the house are definitely worth of visiting.
Each room as well as the fabulous Chinoiserie (Chinese alike) staircase were designed in its own unique style, and you can literally learn the history of art styles just by walking through the rooms of the mansion. Gothic, Napoleon-empire, Baroque, Rococo, Moresque, Arabic... the list might be continued.
One of the main attractions is the reading room transformed into an exotic garden with evergreen plants and streamy fountains. What a perfect place to relax with a book!