The most authoritative publication about obscure toursim in the world, the Atlas Obscura, put the Yusupov palace in St. Petersburg on the list of Top-50 places to visit this year. The gorgeous building by Jean-Baptiste de la Mothe is in the very heart of St. Petersburg, its very nice and pleasant appearance hides one of the greatest mysteries of the XX century — the murder of Grigory Rasputin.
The Atlas Obscura writes about the murder of Rasputin in details, we’re not going to repeat the well covered story, just tell you that the atmosphere surrounding the personality of the Siberian mystic is so strong that it still attracts historians and tourists. Rasputin has its contemporary followers who even hold a service every year on the day of his murder. We visited one of such services held at the last apartment of the mystic.
It’s very often that murders, plots, plotted murders and events like these get too much mysticism due to their nature and the desire of human beings for secrets. For example, the figure of killed Rasputin is said to be regularly seen at the Yusupovsky palace, which is a thing that happens in every house where someone was killed. And, of course, we should take it as a joke, but there are really some things connected to Rasputin which are hard to explain. We will cover them in one of our posts dedicated to the 1917 theme throughout this year, so follow our blog. No doubt that Rasputin was part of the historical process of 1917 no matter he was killed at the end of 1916.
The Yusupov palace museum is open 10.00 — 17.00
Address: 94, Moika river embankment
Website: http://www.yusupov-palace.ru/en
The nearest subway stations: Admiralteyskaya and Sennaya ploshad/Sadovaya/Spasskaya (all three are located at the Sennaya square).
P.S.
By the way, you remember that world famous disco band Boney M and their «Ra-Ra-Rasputin, lover of the Russian queen» etc.? The participant of the band, Bobby Farrell, who tended to perform as Rasputin with beard and dressed up in a Russian-like red shirt on the scene, died… in St. Petersburg in 2010.
All the more, it happened on December 30, the same day as Rasputin was killed 94 years earlier.
And this is not the whole story! Farrell died at a hotel located not very far from the Yusopov palace. To be accurate, within a 15 minute walk, just 880 meters by direct line and 1300 if walk on foot.
So, yes, the Atlas Obscura is right, the place is definitely worth visiting.
P.S. One more place to be visited is the Rasputin`s apartment.
