The Yusupov Palace on the Moika River is one of the 57 palaces owned by this princely family in Russia. Many of us know the building primarily as the place where Grigory Rasputin was murdered, although its history is much broader and more fascinating. In my personal ranking, it holds one of the leading positions among the palaces in the historical center of St. Petersburg. Public opinion on Felix Yusupov's actions is highly controversial, but today we will focus not on him, but on this magnificent architectural monument.
How to Get There
The nearest metro stations to the Yusupov Palace are "Admiralteyskaya" and the transfer hub "Sadovaya" – "Sennaya Ploshchad" – "Spasskaya." It will take about 20-30 minutes on foot from these stations.
The palace offers a wide variety of guided tours, all of which can be found on the official website. I started with the "State Yusupov" tour, which takes place on the second floor's state rooms. The cost of this tour is 450 rubles (winter 2019), and you can pay by bank card.
Tour of the Palace
A major advantage of the "State Yusupov" tour is that it is conducted with a guide. Finding detailed information about the site on your own can be challenging, but here, a knowledgeable specialist shares the history of the palace and the Yusupov family, enriched with fascinating facts. However, I'm not sure if the palace offers tours in languages other than Russian.
The tour starts at the grand staircase and passes through numerous state rooms, including the Grand Rotunda, Blue, Red, and Green Drawing Rooms, the Dance Hall, the White Column Hall, and even the private theater.
In the 18th century, a palace belonging to Peter I’s niece stood on the site of the Yusupov Palace. The current building was constructed in the 1770s, designed by Jean-Baptiste Vallin de la Mothe, a French architect known for designing the Gostiny Dvor and the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg.
The Yusupov family owned the palace for over 80 years, beginning in 1830. Five generations of the family lived here. The palace's fate after 1918 is noteworthy: it initially hosted the Museum of Noble Life before being transferred to educators and turned into a Teacher’s House. Remarkably, the palace still holds this status and is not officially listed as a museum. This status has prevented the return of historical items belonging to the Yusupovs that are currently housed in other museums, like the Hermitage.
The private theater, visited at the end of the tour, deserves special mention. It is one of the most unique and beautiful spaces I’ve seen in St. Petersburg's palaces. Sergei Yesenin recited his poems from this stage, and Arkady Raikin performed here early in his career. The box on the right of the second floor was reportedly favored by Nicholas II. Notably, performances continue in the theater to this day.
As mentioned earlier, the palace is perhaps best known as the site of Grigory Rasputin’s murder. I will dedicate a separate article to this exhibit. If you still have the energy and time after the palace tour, you can take a stroll to another Yusupov family landmark just 15 minutes away: the small but cozy Yusupov Garden.
In summary:
- A fascinating walk through impressive interiors,
- A rich selection of guided tour programs,
- The private theater will leave a lasting impression.
- Part 2: Yusupov Palace on the Moika River: "The Murder of Grigory Rasputin" Tour
- Part 3: Yusupov Palace on the Moika River: "19th Century: Through the Princes' Private Quarters" Tour
