The Gorodetsky House is one of the strangest buildings in Kiev, and the most famous in the world of architectural design. It was designed by the eccentric architect Vladislav Gorodetskyi (Gorodetskyi) and completed in 1902. The building has a distinctive design that is similar to castles and huge palaces with pointed mashrabiyas and high ceilings. The building derives its common name from ornate carvings depicting exotic animals and hunting scenes in an architectural style known as Chimera decoration, where animal shapes are applied as decorative elements to the building.