On e Wall House - one of the most famous sights of the historic center of Odessa. A look from a certain angle creates the illusion of lack of side walls of the house which is just adjacent to the facade at a very acute angle and being parallel to the direction of view - simply disappears. On e Wall House was built as an apartment house in 1889 by design of Odessa architect Dmitry Klimov in Renaissance and Eclecticism style.

So why On e Wall House has a acute corner? That is because the land on which the house stands belonged to Military Descent - in old times the main street of Odessa which gave access to Black Sea - to Practical harbor and Military marina. Military Descent was the main street to deliver goods to Odessa. Military Descent crosses Odessa through Greek Square, Alexander Avenue, Old Odessa Market area and beyond.

Vorontsov Lane where stands On e Wall House was created only in 1820 along the road around Turkish Fortress. Therefore the lane is curve. Originally first was built a house with facade in form of large angle to the left of On e Wall House. Along it just passed Military Descent. Over time when the direction of Military Descent changed became a free plot of land for new house construction. The owner of the plot of land had to build a house on a plot of irregular shape - at an acute angle to the house on the left which over time was destroyed thus opened an unusual view of On e Wall House.

In 1880 there was Trading House Rafalovichy "Fedor Rafalovich and Co" - seven brothers-bankers which at that time had trade turnover of several million Russian Empire rubles and own bank turnover of tens of millions of Russian Empire rubles a year. One of brothers George Rafalovich became the owner of plot of land located at such a very expensive place near Primorsky Boulevard and near Vorontsov Palace. George Rafalovich was also the consul representing at various times in Odessa interests of Brazil, Peru and Denmark. He also owned an estate in Podolsk province with an area of 1812 acres. George Rafalovich lived in On e Wall House with two of his brothers.

In 1886-1897 in On e Wall House lived Alexander Rafalovich - the eldest of the brothers, a merchant of the 1st guild (after the death of his father - Theodore Rafalovich in 1882, he was the head of Trading House Rafalovichy "Fedor Rafalovich and Co" and chairman of Bessarabia-Tauride Land Bank. He also owned four houses in Odessa.

In 1890-1893 in On e Wall House lived another of the brothers - Artemy Rafalovich, financier and banker who later lived in Saint Petersburg.

In On e Wall House was renting an apartment from 1894 to 1902 Boris Witte - chairman of Odessa Court of Justice, deputy mayor, state councillor. He was the brother of Sergei Witte - a former finance minister in 1890 and later from 1903 until his retirement in 1906 - chairman of Committee of Ministers of Russian Empire.

Now tourists and guests of Odessa could look at magic, impressive and unusual view of On e Wall House with own eyes.

You could visit Ukraine Odessa Sights | One Wall House with Ukraine Tour South Ring