On Pushkinskaya Street, there is a courtyard that is especially dear to me. In this corner, two magnificent houses are hidden, from which it is impossible to look away. Their decorations include female heads, exquisite stucco, and the letter 'M', reminiscent of the estate's owner, Friedrich Mikhelson, whom the residents of Kyiv called the silent millionaire.

Friedrich Mikhelson arrived in Kyiv from a small German town, with a poor command of the Russian language, and it seemed that his chances of success were slim. He began buying and selling plots for construction, as well as building rental houses, like many others. However, Mikhelson realized that for successful construction of rental houses, it was better to have his own bricks, glass, and fittings, so as not to depend on price fluctuations. Thus, he first opened a brick factory, then a glass factory, actively built, and eventually became a very wealthy man. In addition to rental houses, he owned banks, newspapers, and even baths. He was called the silent millionaire because, having sat for almost forty years in the City Duma, he never missed a meeting but never spoke or made remarks; he remained silent, yet managed to be everywhere.

When a young architect, Nikolai Dobachevsky, arrived in Kyiv from St. Petersburg, all the local wealthy wanted him to build for them. Dobachevsky was known for his participation in the construction of the Panama Canal and for receiving gold cufflinks from the emperor for his work in St. Petersburg. Everyone sought to secure his services, but first, as always, was the silent Friedrich Mikhelson. It was Dobachevsky who built these two magnificent houses in Mikhelson's estate on Pushkinskaya. Houses that are not visible from the street but amaze with their beauty when you peek into the courtyard.