The profitable house of Volkonsky

The address: embankment of the river of Moika, the house 12

Photo:

Gallery

The Location on the map of the city:

The History of the house:

The building was built in 1720s, and it was reconstructed in the beginning of the 19 century.

Since 1806 the house belonged to the family of Volkonsky.

From October 1836 till the 29th of January 1837 the Great Russian poet Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin lived in the house.

Pushkin’s apartment was on the first floor. Right there, in his study , which today takes the main place in the museum exposition, Pushkin finished the story " The Captain's daughter ", was writing the "History of Peter the Great", and also wrote his last poem.

In the study you can see a collection of more than 4000 books in different languages, a desk and Pushkin's armchair, and also a number of his own things: an inkwell decorated with a figure of the small Arabian boy, a plume, a waistcoat in which the poet was shot by Dantes.

Besides the post mortal mask of the poet and the medallion with a part of his hair are presented in the expositions of the museum. Also in the museum you can see portraits of Pushkin, his wife, children and friends.

Except of the unique exhibits concerning to the Pushkin there is nothing from former conditions.

In 1937 one-hundred anniversary from the date of Pushkin's death his flat in Moika 12 with 7 rooms were opened to visit, they restored according to the plan drawn by A. Zhukovski after Pushkin's death, and also to other documents. Besides it was possible to restore a part of the main stairs destroyed during the house reconstruction.

In 1950a in the yard of the house the monument to A. S. Pushkin was put. It is the work of the sculptor N. V. Dydykin. On the wall of the house you can see a memorial board, reminding that in this house one of the most well-known poet of Russia lived and died.

It’s a tradition of holding literary and musical parties in the museum-apartment in Moika 12. The 10th of February (the 29th of January according the old calendar) has the special meaning because it’s The Memory day of Pushkin. Every year in this day exactly at 14:45(it’s the time when the heart of the poet “stopped beating”) the minute of silence comes.

Nowadays the museum-apartment of A. S. Pushkin is the unique memorial museum of the poet in St. Petersburg, in honour to the last period of his life and creativity.

Reference:
http://www.saint-petersburg-hotels.com/russian/museumpushkin.htm