I became interested in the history of Grigori Rasputin's apartment during my visit to the Yusupov Palace, where he was killed. According to the guide at the palace, Rasputin's last residence was purchased by a private individual, and now you can visit apartment No. 20 at 64 Gorokhovaya Street with a guided tour.
How to Join the Tour
You can visit the apartment only as part of a group tour; there are no individual visits. I booked the tour through the agency "Unusual Petersburg." The cost of the visit was 700 rubles (spring 2019).
The Rasputin Apartment Tour
The journey into history from a hundred years ago begins at the modern gates of the building and goes through the courtyard, the main stairwell, and into the apartment itself, including the office and kitchen. Currently, the apartment is under restoration, and unfortunately, it's not possible to access rooms like Rasputin's daughters' bedroom. In the hallway, you can see an interesting exhibit — a section of the wall with several layers of wallpaper from different years, one of which was used to cover the rooms in the early 20th century.
The location of the apartment in this part of the city is no coincidence. Just a few minutes away is the Vitebsky Railway Station, which during Rasputin's time was called the Tsarskoye Selo Station. As the name suggests, trains from here went to Tsarskoye Selo, where the residence of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II's family was located.
It is well known that Grigori Yefimovich was highly favored by Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, and living near the station allowed him to quickly reach the Alexander Palace. The rent for the apartment was even paid by the treasury, and rent was managed by the Empress’s lady-in-waiting, Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova.
Some elements of the pre-revolutionary interior have been preserved. For example, in the main stairwell, you can see the original floor covering and the inner wooden entrance doors. During Rasputin's time, large crowds of so-called "petitioners" lined up on the stairs — people hoping for Rasputin's help. Some believed in his healing powers, while others hoped for the support of the Imperial family.
It's also noteworthy that during the tour, you can see the back staircase, where Felix Yusupov came to fetch Rasputin on that fateful night in 1916. The door here is unique in that many old elements have been preserved. However, the apartment number on the outside was removed by Rasputin's admirers.
During the tour, you’ll hear a different version of Rasputin’s murder, which contrasts with the one most people know. While the Yusupov Palace follows Felix Yusupov's version of poisoned pastries, here you’ll learn that no poison was found during the autopsy, and the story of Rasputin’s resistance to poison is likely a demonized image crafted by Felix. Moreover, according to the famous historian Edward Radzinsky, Rasputin didn’t even eat sweets, so he couldn’t have been poisoned by pastries.
The tour lasts about an hour, during which you can learn many new and fascinating details about Grigori Yefimovich’s life. And if you haven't yet visited the aforementioned Yusupov Palace on the Moika River, it's the perfect time to do so — there's an exhibition there dedicated to Rasputin’s murder.
In summary:
- A fascinating journey into history in pre-revolutionary interiors;
- Some guides offer tours without entering the apartment, only around the building, so it's worth clarifying this when buying tickets;
- Photography is allowed inside the apartment, so you can capture some great historical shots.
