One of the outstanding architectural landmarks of Rostov-on-Don is the Chernova House, built in 1899 by the famous architect Nikolai Alexandrovich Doroshenko. The original owner of the house was the renowned actress Margarita Nikitichna Chernova, who received it as a gift from the wealthy merchant Elpidifor Trofimovich Paramonov.

Margarita Chernova charmed the 55-year-old widower Paramonov so much that he was willing to do anything for her. He often visited her home, showering her with compliments and flowers, but she remained aloof. Eventually, Elpidifor Trofimovich made her a lavish gift, commissioning a house built by the best architect in the city, complete with underground passages.

Later, this house was visited by such celebrities as Shalyapin and Gumilev. The latter, after the revolution, tried to help Margarita's daughter, who also became an actress, escape with other actors to Petrograd. However, soon the poet was shot, and the troupe was dispersed, leaving no trace of Chernova's daughter.

After the construction was completed, Margarita Nikitichna rented out the first floor to commercial organizations while living on the second. Balls, social receptions, concerts, and performances were held here. The house was located on the central street of the city, Bolshaya Sadovaya, with its windows facing it. The reception hall featured high ceilings and luxurious decor. In the corner of the hall was a stage, and from the corridor, one could access a balcony. Along the facade on Khalturinsky Lane were the dining room, living room, bedroom, and other rooms adorned with stucco and paintings. Unfortunately, all of this was destroyed during the Soviet era.

The main entrance to the building is located at the corner of Bolshaya Sadovaya and Khalturinsky Lane. On either side of it are false windows with stucco decorations. Above the corner part rises a belvedere with a dome, which is the centerpiece of the mansion's composition. The facade is richly decorated with stucco: decorative vases, atlantes, caryatids, medallions, seashells, garlands, and plant ornaments. Even today, the house impresses with its beauty.

In 1920, after the arrival of Soviet power, Chernova and her family were evicted. She tried to reclaim her property but was unsuccessful. In these attempts, she lost her health and soon died.

On the first floor and in the basement of the building, "Pharmacy No. 2" was located, while on the second, "Children's Commune No. 5". In 1926, a sewing and tailoring school was established on the second floor, and on the first, "Pharmacy No. 2", "Joint Stock Company Leather Raw Materials", and residents of nine families living in cramped conditions. This led to the destruction of the house's former decor.

On February 2, 1926, the mansion was transferred to the Regional Prosecutor's Office, and later it housed a party club. Since 1940, it was home to the party archive of the Rostov region, and after the collapse of the USSR, the State Archive of the Rostov region. As a result, the building fell into disrepair, but in 2001 it was restored using original decorative elements.

Today, the building houses a branch of VTB Bank, and the mansion itself is listed as a cultural heritage site of regional significance and is protected by the state.