The building was constructed under the project of architect Vladimir Rassushin to serve as a men’s school for 5 years studying. It was named after the 25th anniversary of Emperor Alexander the Third and Maria Fedorovna. In 1933 the building was completely transformed to serve the needs of Siberian University of Economics and Finances which was founded in 1930. The building got two additional floors as an extension. During the Great Civil War surgical hospital № 1476 functioned here from 1941 till 1945. The educational facility had the following changes made: Irkutsk University of Finances and Economics (1939), Irkutsk University of Economics (1965), Irkutsk State Economics Academy (1993), Baikal State University of Economics and Law (2002), Baikal State University (2015).
The building which occupies the whole block at the Lenin and Karl Marx streets corner, consists of few facilities built in different time. The first one was built in 1860 when Victor Briantsev, a first guild merchant and a city head constructed his living facility here. Siberia Hotel was located here since 1881, then it was renamed to be called Rossiya Hotel. Alexander Razgildeev was an architect. In the period of 1902-1907 architect Alexander Kuznetsov reconstructed this building. Josef Guiller, a bourgeois from Chita, bought the mansion in 1906 making extensions to the existing premises. He rented the place. Tsentral hotel, Modern restaurant and a cinema complex Globus occupied the premises together with some shops and a winter garden. After the Civil War in 1920 Fifth Red Army occupied the building. Their headquarters and political government were situated here. Some famous Soviet war leaders worked here (among them Konstantin Rokossovsky, Ieronim Uborevich and a Czech Communist writer – Yaroslav Gashek). Since 1925 till the present time the second floor of the premises is occupied by so called “Palace of Labor”. It is actually the Irkutsk regional Trade Union. Since 1937 some part of the building along Lenin street was occupied by Irkutsk Young Spectators Theatre. Then it was unsafe to perform in the building so the theatre was transferred to the building of former Musical Comedy Theatre.
The building for the first Public Assembly was built in 1891 with the project of Vladimir Rassushin (an Irkutsk architect). Its construction coincided with the visit of throne heir – Nokolay Alexandrovich who was coming back from his around the world trip. Public Assembly was one of the first social institution which united representatives of different society layers. It was established in 1890 and existed at the basis of Commercial Club. Originally the Assembly was situated in a wooden house with an ajecent concert and a dance hall. Ten years after, in 1920, Rassushin made many extensions to the building. The Assembly became one of the centers of citizen’s cultural life. Balls, concerts, theater performances and first film demonstrations happened here. After the Civil War People’s House was opened here. First provincial Congress Of the Russian Communist youth Union gathered in this building in 1920 which led to the beginning of Irkutsk Komsomol. In later years (since 1928) October Revolution Club functioned here. Musical Comedy Theatre was here since 1940 and, finally, Young Spectators was opened here in 2000. It was named after Irkutsk playwright Alexander Vampilov.
