Yusupov Palace  - Table of Contents ............... Architecture Around the World

History and Neoclassical Exterior - Yusupov Palace
St. Petersburg, Russia

Prince Felix Yusupov and his wife, Princess Irina Romanov (the Tsar's niece). Felix Yusupov (1886-1967) was the Russian nobleman who arranged the murder in 1916 of the Tsar and Tsarina's close adviser, the 'holy man' Grigory Rasputin (below). Yusupov invited Rasputin to dine at his home on 29 December 1916 where he was given poisoned wine and cakes.  Alarmed at Rasputin's apparent immunity to the poison Yusupov shot him in panic. After a brief period of collapse Rasputin recovered and managed to escape into the courtyard, where he was again shot (by another conspirator, Vladimir Purishkevich).  Finally, presumably to make quite sure of the matter, Rasputin's body was dropped through a hole in the Neva river, where he finally died by drowning.  His corpse was later discovered on the Neva's banks. Despite Rasputin's prophesy that his eventual murderer would himself suffer a short life, Yusupov - who sought exile in the U.S. following the February Revolution in 1917 - lived to the age of 81, dying in 1967.  He published his memoirs, Lost Splendor, in 1953. Wax figure of Rasputin in basement of the palace.

On the site where the palace is situated used to be the mansion that belonged to Prince Shuvalov. In 1760s the mansion was overbuilt and extended to the design of the architect J.-B. Vallin de la Mothe. The building was acquired in 1830 by the aristocratic Yusupov family to house their magnificent collection of paintings. Neoclassical style ..... 6 Tuscan columns ..... Doric entablature Cartouche flanked by two lions in cornice is echoed in tympanum in rounded pediment in door surround. Cartouche flanked by two lions in tympanum in rounded pediment in door surround.

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