Interesting facts about the hotel

Our hotel is located on the embankment of Griboedova channel (till 1923 it was Ekaterininsky channel) in a five-storey building that was designed by the architect Keiser and raised in 1879. The Russian Society on pharmaceutical goods trade placed here its offices and storehouses.

In 1998 American producers shot episodes at our front staircase for a film based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and punishment” with participation of famous actors Patrick Dempsey and Julie Delpy.

The name of our hotel came from a mythical creature – griffin. Griffin sculptures situated on the Banking Bridge are an ancient symbol of Saint Petersburg.

About griffins

Griffins are mythical creatures which unite heaven and earth, good and evil. They can be defenders and protectors as well as furious animals at the same time.

The most ancient image of griffin was found close by the Assyrian town Shush (at present time it is the territory of Iran). This animal was pictured on a stamp related to 3000 B.C.

Griffins were famous in ancient Egypt. In the Fifth dynasty’s time the Pharaoh was portrayed as a griffin which threw down the enemy (it was a symbol of regent power). Griffin always was possessed of excellent worrier features.

Long before the first record of griffins, it was pictured on ivory, stony, bronze, silk manufacture and coins. You could find it everywhere, beginning from vases in palaces to mosaic in burial-vaults.

In Greece you can find griffins on statues of prehistoric Crete as well as in Sparta. The Greeks associated them with gods: Dionysus, Nemesis and Apollo who was often portrayed riding on a griffin or racing in a chariot harnessed with griffins.

In the Middle Ages griffins appeared on emblems, walls of cathedrals, pages of manuscripts. Now this animal revives in books and films in fantasy genre.

Look and temper of the griffin are different for each culture. In many cases a back part of trunk looks like lion, tail is similar to dragon or snake. A front part of the griffin looks like bird, sometimes with ears. In rare instances beak of the griffin was adorned with very sharp teeth, there were horns or tuft on a head and thorn or lush mane on a neck of the griffin.

Due to essential distinctions in appearance of griffins they were classified by three types: griffin-bird, griffin-snake and griffin-lion.

By temper the griffin is proud, brave, freedom-loving animal and does not recognize somebody’s domination. All these features make him the best guard as we know from legends and myths.

That is why the Banking Bridge is decorates with Griffins as they were guards of the Assignment Bank situated near the bridge. The hotel “Grifon” is located just 50 meters from the famous Griffins and 5 minutes walk from Nevsky prospect.

At our hotel the griffin will guard your quite stay in fuss of the big city.