The Yusupov Palace is an old mansion on the Moika River in St. Petersburg, the walls of which keep many secrets. For two and a half centuries, its status and appointments have changed several times. At various times, it housed the prince's residence, the Museum of Noble Life, the Regional Teacher's House.
Favorite place of tourists
The Yusupov Palace is marked as a "must-see" in a number of tourist guides. Although this architectural building of the 18th century is not at all considered a famous landmark of the Northern capital. Nevertheless, there are always a lot of tourists near the walls of the Yusupov Palace. This is one of those St. Petersburg mansions in which the state apartments, art halls, and a miniature theater have survived.
However, this is not the only thing that attracts tourists. One of the strange murders of the 20th century took place within the walls of the palace. In it, they dealt with Grigory Rasputin, a peasant from Siberia who became a friend of the imperial family. The murder took place on the night of December 17, 1916. Rasputin's body was found the next day in the waters of the Neva. The examination showed that he was not drowned, but was thrown into the water already killed.
Prince Dmitry Pavlovich, Felix Yusupov and the Black Hundreds Vladimir Purishkevich were implicated in the murder. What happened in the mansion that December night is not known for certain even now. Participants in the murder have repeatedly changed their testimony.
Mystical mansion
The Yusupov Palace is considered one of the mystical places of St. Petersburg. According to legend, people periodically see how the face of the murdered Rasputin appears in the mirror in the room where he was killed. It also houses a thematic exposition. There you can see the wax figures of Rasputin and Yusupov.
Construction history
The Yusupov Palace originally belonged to the son of Pyotr Shuvalov, Count Andrei. It was he who, in the 70s of the 18th century, sold his father's mansion and built another house next to him, upstream of the Moika River, to his liking. This is how the palace appeared, which later became Yusupov. Since then, the mansion has changed significantly.
The project was commissioned by Jean-Baptiste Wallen-Delamot, the first professor of architecture in Russia, the author of many buildings that define the appearance of St. Petersburg.
The Yusupov Palace was built in the then fashionable style of classicism, in the plan it looks like the letter "P". The central part has three floors, the side ones have two. The entrance arch overlooks the Moika and leads to the front yard. On the opposite side, there is a triumphal gate in the form of an arch, which has survived to this day.
The Yusupovs bought the palace in 1830. Until 1917, five generations of an eminent noble family lived there.
Interior decoration
The interiors of the palace are striking in luxury. Particularly noteworthy is the White Column Hall, which opens the front suite along the Moika Embankment, two stories high. Rows of snow-white columns, a vaulted painted ceiling - all this creates a solemn atmosphere.
The mansion has a unique Palace Theater. This is a miniature copy of the classic European theater. In it, gilded stucco molding, scarlet velvet, a painted shade, a luxurious princely box, a richly decorated curtain appear.
The interiors of the palace can be seen with your own eyes during the tour.
