Rumyantsev's mansion in St. Petersburg: history and modernity

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

In 1802, Count Rumyantsev bought the building on the English Embankment from the Golitsyn family. Subsequently, this house, under the leadership of the count, became a center of science and a repository of historical artifacts.

Backstory

When Rumyantsev was abroad on duty, he began to collect items of Russian culture and history, paying special attention to the first printed books, old manuscripts, church books, government documents. He managed to recreate collections that surprise with quality and richness.

Historical background

In 1814, Rumyantsev submitted his resignation and fully engaged in the study of Russian history. He gathered scientists around him, the result of their scientific work was the publication of several dozen books and the founding of the museum.

In 1824, the count began the reconstruction of the house. Rumyantsev's mansion was decorated with a majestic 12-column portico. Under the roof of this luxurious building was placed a high relief by the famous sculptor I. Martos with a scene from ancient Greek mythology. This is how the palace appears before us in our time.

In 1826, Count Rumyantsev passed away, instructing his brother to make from home with everyonemuseum with his collections. The Count's wish was fulfilled, and a museum was founded in the house, the exhibits of which included all the items collected by the Count. Visiting the museum for some time remained completely free, and anyone could go inside and get acquainted with the presented exhibits. But after the death of the count's brother, on whose money the museum lived, a period of regression began in the history of the mansion.

Toward the end of the 19th century, the museum was moved to Moscow. The Rumyantsev mansion itself changed many owners. After 1917, its rooms and halls were dismantled in a variety of structures.

In 1938, the Rumyantsev mansion was handed over to the Museum of the History and Development of Leningrad.

Modernity

By 2003, the Rumyantsev mansion in St. Petersburg was completely restored. The interior of the halls was restored according to their appearance and decoration in the 1880s. Today, the mansion houses the expositions of the Museum of the History of St. Petersburg, thematic exhibitions and musical evenings.

The Rumyantsev Mansion, or rather, the museum inside, has 4 permanent exhibitions: "History of the building and its owners", "NEP. The image of the city and man", "From weekdays to holidays. Sketches from the 30s. " and "Leningrad during the war".

In the premises of the first exhibition, you can see historical documentation related to the mansion itself, copies of its architectural plans, see the interior of the mansion at the beginning of the 20th century, get acquainted with the data on allowners of this house and see their faces in the portraits. One of the subsections of the exposition tells about Count Rumyantsev himself.

The second exposition reflects the times of the NEP in the history of the city. Typical views of St. Petersburg of that time are recreated in the premises and rooms: "Shoemaker's Workshop", "Restaurant", "Modist's Atelier", "Communal Kitchen" and others. The sounding music and the city newsreel running on the screen allow visitors to fully immerse themselves in the atmosphere of those years. In addition, the exposition has various printed materials: movie posters, calendars, newspapers, books.

The third exhibition will tell guests about the 30s. Here you can see the clothes of those times, household items and photographs, products that were produced by the factories of that period.

The fourth exposition is dedicated to the siege of Leningrad. Here you can see the bomb shelter and the famous notebook of schoolgirl Tanya Savicheva, considered at the Nuremberg trials, as well as evidence of famine during the war - food substitutes and blockade bread.

Rumyantsev's mansion in St. Petersburg: reviews

This place really deserves attention. Residents of St. Petersburg and guests of the city highlight the interesting collections that the Rumyantsev mansion has. The photo is in the article, and we can say that the building itself has a truly impressive view.

Conclusion

Count Rumyantsev's mansion has become the center of the social and cultural life of the Northern capital since its foundation. The Count performed an invaluableeducational work on a gratuitous basis: he collected a unique collection of various historical objects, ancient manuscripts, church books and other monuments of Russian history and culture.