Yusupov Palace on the Moika in St. Petersburg – history, photo, description, ticket prices 2021, opening hours, map
A historical and cultural monument of the St. Petersburg interior, characteristic of an aristocratic society, a magnificent ensemble created by the best Russian and foreign masters – the Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg. The complex has existed for more than 200 years, of which for almost a hundred years it belonged to the richest family of the Count Yusupovs. And now the architecture of the external appearance and interior decoration delights and surprises with its luxury, delicate taste and grace.
Construction history
At the beginning of the 18th century, on the site of the modern building, there was a small wooden estate of the daughter of Ivan IV – Praskovya Ivanovna Romanova. In the mid-twenties, the princess handed over the premises to the Semyonovsky regiment, which owned it until 1742. Then the building was acquired by the courtier of Elizabeth Petrovna – Count A.P. Shuvalov, who at that time was a man of great influence. In the 1770s, Andrei Petrovich began the reconstruction of an outdated building, which, after the death of Shuvalov in 1789, was inherited by his children – his son and daughter.
The young count built a new house for his family upstream of the Moika. At the end of the 18th century, Catherine the Great bought the premises and presented it to her lady-in-waiting, Countess A.V. Branitskaya. And in 1830, Nikolai Yusupov became the owner of the estate. Now the magnificent building appears almost in the same appearance as during the life of the owners, striking with the luxury of the facades and the sophistication of the interiors.
Reconstruction
From 1830 to 1838 under the leadership of the architect Mikhailov, a restructuring was carried out, during which the side wings were made three-story. A building was erected with a Banquet hall on the east side. Art galleries and a theater, a dance hall and living rooms were arranged in the combined wings. The entrance from the side of the river was decorated with a grand staircase. A garden was laid out around, garden greenhouses were built. In 1890-1916, the following reconstruction was carried out, which mainly affected the interior. The restoration was led by the architect A. A. Stepanova. At that time, sewerage, water supply, central water heating, and electricity were installed. The theater was rebuilt, several living rooms and a dining room were equipped.
In the 21st century, the survey revealed a whole range of reasons that could lead to the destruction of the building. A new extensive reconstruction was required. It was important to regulate the temperature and humidity levels, the wrong parameters of which led to the gradual destruction of the monument. To do this, it was necessary to restore the old ventilation. Scientists mathematically modeled all the processes occurring in the interior, which made it possible to maintain the desired temperature and humidity with the help of devices.
The repair program also included the temporary conservation of the monument, the preservation of the original elements of the facade, which are of artistic and historical value, and the strengthening of the load-bearing structures. Large-scale renovation work began in 2004 and was completed in 2009. During this time, the 19th century building was restored. Stained-glass windows were installed on the northern facade on the passage arch, the roof was strengthened and the coating was replaced. The parquet and stone floors were repaired, the historical coloring of the walls of the facade was restored, as well as the authentic painting of the interior.
Murder of Rasputin
The tragic story of the murder of Rasputin is connected with this place. The odious personality and the terrible death of a person still arouse genuine interest. The future seer was born in the winter of 1869 in one of the villages of the Tyumen district. Grigory Efimovich arrived in St. Petersburg in 1903 and was almost immediately introduced as a holy elder to the imperial couple. It is known that Tsarevich Alexei suffered from hemophilia (a violation of the process of blood clotting). This is a hereditary incurable disease, doctors could not help. Only Rasputin, who has the gift of healing, was able to alleviate the condition of the child.
As a result, the elder gained enormous influence over the king and his wife, sometimes interfering in the internal affairs and foreign policy of the state. Over time, he became an all-powerful person who was not denied anything. In addition, he constantly participated in drunken brawls, scandals and orgies, in which even ladies from high society were involved. Such defiant behavior caused a sharp negative reaction among the intelligentsia and in court circles. Attempts to influence the royal couple did not work, this led to a conspiracy in which five people took part.
Among the conspirators, the closest relative of the tsar is Dmitry Romanov and Felix Feliksovich Yusupov, one of the richest and noblest people in Russia. According to the developed plan, the elder was to be lured to the Yusupov estate. It was supposed to poison him with potassium cyanide cakes, and throw the corpse under the ice into a canal flowing nearby. The place was not chosen by chance: it was convenient to get rid of the body here, an invitation to an aristocratic house would not arouse suspicion in the future victim. But everything didn't go according to plan.
They brought Rasputin on the night of December 17 and asked him to wait in the basement, which was given the appearance of a secular salon. The guest ate several poisoned cakes, but they had absolutely no effect on him. After that, the owner of the house, intending to finish the job, shot at Rasputin. The doctor Lazovert, who came after him, assured him that the wound was fatal, and that he had to wait a while.
Contrary to the words of the doctor, the wounded man woke up, ran out of the house and managed to run a few steps. He was shot twice more – in the head and neck, then he was taken by car to the banks of the Malaya Nevka and thrown under the ice. When the body of the old man was found two days later, it turned out that he had been breathing for another seven minutes.
Soviet period
All private possessions of the Soviet government were nationalized after the revolution, including the Yusupov mansion, which was converted in 1919 into a museum of the life of the nobility. In 1925, the museum was closed, and the premises were handed over to the pedagogical intelligentsia of the city. This helped to keep the interiors in a satisfactory condition. After the closure, almost all valuable art objects were transferred to various museums, as a result, many unique exhibits were lost and have not yet been found.
Since 1935, the estate with adjoining buildings has been included as a monument of cultural heritage in the register of the most protected objects. The building was badly damaged during the war as a result of air raids. Immediately after its completion, restoration work began. In the 1990s, a historical and cultural center was formed here, uniting excursion, exhibition, concert and other types of educational activities.
Palace today
A lot of creative work is currently underway in the palace complex – you can listen to classical music performed by a symphony orchestra, attend vocal evenings, and watch a performance in a home theater. Various cultural events are regularly held: receptions of Russian and foreign workers of art and culture are held, meetings of academic councils are held.
The splendor of the facade of the building and the rich decoration of the interior is attractive for people who wish to hold a wedding, anniversary or corporate event within these walls – here you can rent a beautiful and cozy banquet room. Many people remember the production of “The Murder of Rasputin”, which was performed in a small room in a rather gloomy basement, where a bloody crime was committed. It is the place, as visitors recall, that makes it possible to feel the reality of what is happening, giving more drama to the action.
large scale museum
The Yusupov Palace is one of the few monuments of architecture and art in Russia that is quite well preserved – it is an art gallery, front rooms and luxurious private quarters of the owners. In its original form, a small home theater is presented, as well as exhibition rooms where you can see a large number of original art objects. An interesting exposition is set up in the basement, where a gloomy and mysterious murder took place more than a hundred years ago – an exposition with wax figures “Grigory Rasputin: pages of life and death.”
There is still a lot of interesting things in the museum: original paintings, drawings, arts and crafts and musical instruments. Antique furniture brought from Europe. The palace houses a large library with rare books. All exhibits have a special historical value.
Pedigree of the Yusupovs
In the middle of the 16th century, the sons of the Nogai Khan Yusuf arrived in Moscow to serve Ivan the Terrible. Since that time, Russia has become a home for the descendants of the Khan. Men of the clan have always actively participated in the public life of the country, they were military leaders, occupied a high position in the hierarchical ladder of the state. One of the Khan's great-grandchildren converted to Christianity, taking a new name – Dmitry Yusupov, the sovereign granted him a princely title. The prince's son Grigory was a close associate of Peter the Great, and his grandson, Nikolai Borisovich, was a holder of all orders in Russia.
By the beginning of the 20th century, the family owned almost 50 different estates and estates, four were located in St. Petersburg, including one on the Moika. Dmitry's grandson, Felix, after the death of his brother, became the sole heir to a huge fortune. In 1915, he joined the group as a conspirator whose goal was the physical destruction of the elder.
Opening hours and ticket prices
The palace is open from 11:00 to 18:00 daily. The stable wing is open during exhibitions from 11:00 to 18:00 (Monday is a day off). In the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, services are held every Wednesday, starting at 10:00.
Ticket prices (in rubles):
Self-guided tour of the front rooms with an audio guide:
Excursions to private quarters:
“The Murder of Grigory Rasputin” – exposition:
Interesting thematic excursions are regularly held in the museum. Additional events, time and ticket prices can be found on the official website.
Where is it located and how to get there
The palace is located at the address: St. Petersburg, Moika embankment, house 94.
How to get there:
Tourists visit the palace to admire the amazingly beautiful interiors, carefully preserved and restored by the painstaking work of St. Petersburg restorers. People are attracted not only by the beauty and magnificence of the interior, but also by the mysticism and secrets that shrouded the walls of the legendary building.