On the embankment of Moyka river in historic part of St.Petersburg located magnificent Yousupovsky Palace with the original interiors of XIX - beg. XX century. You can see the gala halls, unique privet theatre, cosy palace, historic apartaments where Grigory Rasputin was killed.
Open : 10:30 - 16:00
In
the mid - 18th century on Moika Embankment there was the estate
belonged to A.P.Shuvalov. In 1760's Zh.B.Vallen-Delamot completely
reconstructed the little house located on the riverbank. He
decorated the central part of the facade by monumental doric
portico, joined two lower floors and designed the middle part
of the third floor as attic, as a result the building got the
features of Classicism. The yard that was behind the house,
was divided from the regular garden by a gateway arch (they
were saved until nowadays)
In 1830 the palace became the property of Duke N.B.Yusupov,
one of the richest people in Russia. According to his wish the
architect A.A.Mikhailov II build the outhouse along the borderline
of the embankment. On the second floor there was the suite of
rooms in classicism style, including the elegant white-column
hall in the part and Rotunda in the other one. The painted shades,
decorating Rotunda, Red and Blue halls, are the brilliant samples
of the first half of 19th century. The decorated design of some
rooms, made by the project of the architect I.A.Monigetti in
1858-1859 is also very interesting.
Among them the interior of the Home Theatre, styled in Russian
Baroque style, richly decorated by golden modeling with painted
shades stands out. 
In 1910's some of the rooms of the first floor were decorated
I Neo-Classicism style, the design was made by the architects
A.P.Vaitens and A.J.Beloborodov, the painters: N.A.Tyrsa, V.M.Konashevich
and S.V.Chekhonin.
Apart the yard itself, some yard buildings are of certain interest
including the garden pavilion art officer street, built in 1750:s.
The Dukes Yusupov collected a big collection of paintings, sculptures
and works of applied art in the palace.
It includes particularly, the works of Rembrandt, Potter, Bushe,
Fragonar, Rober, Verne, Grez, Gvardi, Tjepolo and other artists.
Here in the night of 17 December 1916 the terrorist-monarchists
(the Duke Felix Yusupov, the Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich, Vladimir
Purishkevich, lieutenant Suhotin, doctor Lazarevt) killed Grigory
Rasputin - the favorite of Emperor NikolayII's family. After
the revolution the palace was nationalized and turned into museum
of court life. Now it is the House of culture of workers of
the education (The House of Teacher).
Since 1950's there was a complex restoration of practically
all interiors of the palace. Paintings, cutting, marble Venice
mirrors, gold-covered lamps, flowing silk, wallpaper, unique
furniture sets are marvelous decorations of the building.
Now at the palace there are sightseeing excursions along the
palace halls and subject excursions on the art of 19th century.
Since 1991 here opened the exposition "Grigory Rasputin:
pages of life and death"; wax figures of the terrorists
are demonstrated; you can see the figure of Rasputin in that
very cellar where this powerful old man was killed. In Yusupov's
palace halls there are concerts of Russian and west European
classical music.
Address: reki Moyki Nab., 94 see map
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