Back

Near the Blagoveshchensky (Annunciation) Bridge on the English Embankment the Rumyantsev`s Mansion is located, where there are several expositions of the museum of the history of St. Petersburg. 

The exhibition «Leningrad in the years of the Great Patriotic War» is in the larger part of the mansion, as well as the exposition «From weekdays to holidays. The sketches of the 30th» telling about the era of NEP (New Economic Policy). Historical interiors of Rumyantsev`s time have been preserved in some rooms.

The development of the English Embankment (originally, it was called the Lower Embankment) began in 1715. According to an order of Peter I, the facades of the houses had to overlook the Neva, and entrance arches had to be on the Galernaya Street. In such a way luxurious houses with inner courts and gardens began to appear there. By 1732 most of the houses on the English Embankment were bought up by Englishmen, as under a deal between England and Russia these houses were exempted from taxes. There appeared the English Club and the English Theatre, and the Lower Embankment was renamed the English Embankment. 

Eventually, this place became very prestigious, and rich noblemen began to build their houses there. Every day splendid balls were held in the houses on the English Embankment. Lev Tolstoy described one of such balls, «the first ball of Natasha Rostova», in his novel «War and Peace».

The Chancellor of the Russian Empire Count Rumyantsev built one of the most beautiful mansions on the English Embankment in 1802. After retirement he took interest in Russian history and began to create a museum of antiquities. He died in 1826. He instructed to open a public museum in his house after his death.

The exposition «Leningrad in the years of the Great Patriotic War» was opened in 1964. It occupies 12 rooms. There you can know about the tragic events of the Leningrad Blockade. It lasted 872 days, from September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944. 

The exposition contains a lot of original things, including the diary of Leningrad schoolgirl Tanya Savicheva. It became a symbol of those hard days. Eight members of her family died before her eyes. After the death of her mother on May 13, 1942 she made the last entry: «The Savichevs died. All died. Only Tanya remained». This diary was one of the material evidences at the Nuremberg trial. 

Photo Gallery
View All (19)
Facade of count Rumyantsev estate in English embarkment, where museum of St.Petersburg`s history located
The Grand staircase at the Rumyantsev mansion on the English embankment
Portrait of count Rumyantsev, the Chancellor of the Russian Empire
The exposition devoted to the first years of war that preceded the blockade of Leningrad
641803 people died in Leningrad from starvation during the blockade
A bomb shelter, where people hid during the bombing of Leningrad
Photo "a class of primary school children in the shelter. 1941"
Photo "the delivery of water in canteens of Leningrad"
Photo "Leningrad in January 1942," in the exposition "Leningrad during the war"
Military communications on lake Ladoga. "Road of life"
Daily bread allowance: "on November 20. Workers – 250 grams. Employees, dependents, children – 125 gr."
Model "On Vasilevsky island in 1941" in the exposition "Leningrad during the war"
The exhibition "the Protection of the sky of Leningrad during the blockade"
The exposition "Reconstruction of Leningrad after the bombing"
The breakthrough of the blockade in the exposition "Leningrad during the war"
One of the cannons that defended the city during the blockade
A wooden staircase at the Rumyantsev estate on the English embankment
A wooden staircase at the Rumyantsev estate on the English embankment
The exposition about the Rumyantsev family, the owners of the estate in the English embarkment