Nikita Lovrov's Lodge

Nikita Lovrov's Lodge Lóže Nikity Lovrová Ложе Нікіти Ловрова
Neighbourhood in Miensk
Nickname:  Perebanká
Country	Bistravia
Kraj	Miensk
District	Housné
Area
• Total	0.54 km2 (0.21 sq mi)
Population
• Total	2,014
• Density	3,700/km2 (9,700/sq mi)

Nikita Lovrov's Lodge (bi. Ложе Нікіти Ловрова, Lóže Nikity Lovrová), often shortened to Lovrov (bi. Ловров, Lovrov) and popularly known as Perebanká (bi. Пєрєбанька) is an apartment complex and a neighbourhood in the Housné district in Miensk, the capital of Bistravia. It is located in the eastern part of the city, approximately 13 kilometres from the city centre. It is currently populated by 2014 people.

Etymology

The name of the complex is directly derived from its creator, Nikita Lovrov, Soravian-born architect residing in Miensk. He designed several other tenements and landmarks in the city, as well as throughout Bistravia. The term "lodge" is based on a fact that the project involved cutting down several hectares of oak forest that had served historically as hunting grounds for the nearby villages. During Lovrov's life, the complex was simply referred to as "forest tenements" (bi. лесне камєніце, lésne kaménice), however, after the architect's death, the buildings were officially named in 1929 in honour of the designer.

As the more affluent Soravian population moved to the apartments, the neighbourhood contrasted with the nearby suburban residential districts, inhabited mostly by Bistravians or Radushians. Because many of these resident could not understand Bistravian, they often used an expression perebačte (excuse me in Soravian) when involved in a conversation with the local population. The colloquial name of the area, Perebanká, is derived from this often repeated phrase and loosely means "the place where people who excuse live". First mentioned in 1937 in a local, Bistravian language newspaper, it has been adopted by the citizens of Miensk and even incorporated in art - Jan Vásny 1967 song, "Na Perebánce", tells a story of a Soravian woman not being able to understand that a cabbage seller loves her.

History

Until 1912, the area around the neighbourhood was covered by dense forest belonging to the city of Miensk, used mostly by nearby rural population, who were allowed to hunt animals and forage there. Late, albeit rapid industrialization of Bistravia focused on the coast of Lake Min resulted in an influx of Soravian elites: entrepreneurs, scholars and army officers. Seeking place to live in, the city council recruited Nikita Lovrov to design a space for the "bright individuals and their families", a place in a proximity to important facilities but offering relative peace and quiet. The first residents moved into the complex in 1920.

Nikita Lovrov died in 1927, when around 70% of the tenements were completed - the rest would never be constructed and garage spaces would be formed instead. Lovrov's Lodge, despite its distance from the centre of Miensk, had access to all necessary amenities, such as electricity, sewerage and water - something that even parts of Miensk proper did not have. The neighbourhood attracted a lot of would-be homeowners, mostly from Soravia, as well as investors, who would buy nearby plots and raise other low-rise buildings. Increasing population demanded connection to rest of the city - in 1930, a fully paved road was created between the neighbourhood and the city centre and in 1931 a bus route 31 started operating between the area and the Imperial Square (now the Independence Square).

Several army officers resided here during or after the Great War, including Martin Olmáček (1879-1937), Hrihor Doudbá (1866-1939) and Aloš Petruvný (1897-1969). In 1951, a commemorative plaque was installed on Olmáček's home in memory of him and other figures that fought for the unity of Soravia and Euclea.

During the 50s and 60s, the apartment complex and its neighbourhood underwent some changes, as more improvements were added - a primary school, first in 1951 and another one in 1963, a high school built in 1957 and a police station in 1955. A need for leisure and entertainment activities caused the construction of the Minko cinema in 1960, "Barká", the first restaurant, in 1966 and a park in 1969.