ROMANOV FAMILY PLACES: THEN AND NOW

ROMANOV FAMILY PLACES: THEN AND NOW

I just love looking at “then and now” photographs of places that have survived the years intact, and almost unchanged and compare what they looked like… And I know many of you do too, so here you go! Read more ROMANOV FAMILY PLACES: THEN AND NOW

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ALEXANDER PALACE: LAST IMPERIAL RESIDENCE OF THE ROMANOV FAMILY CLOSED UNTIL 2018!

19th century painting of the Alexander palace the last residence of the Romanov family before the Russian revolution
19th century painting of the Alexander palace the last residence of the Romanov family before the Russian revolution

Alexander Palace in Tsarskoe Selo – the last residence of the Romanov family before the Russian revolution – is closed to visitors for the next three years: until the year 2018.  The palace will undergo some large scale renovations in order to fix major structural problem as  well as restorations to bring it back to its original look prior to 1917, when the Romanov family resided there. Read more ALEXANDER PALACE: LAST IMPERIAL RESIDENCE OF THE ROMANOV FAMILY CLOSED UNTIL 2018!

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ROMANOV FAMILY: FAVORITE CHAIR

The favorite chair of the Romanov family - in all its glory
The favorite chair of the Romanov family – in all its glory

ROMANOV FAMILY: FAVORITE CHAIR

Based on photographic evidence, the Romanov family certainly had a favorite chair where they loved to pose. One can literally see the imperial children  grow up in these “chair” photos. “The Chair” was located in Empress Alexandra Feodorovna’s Mauve Boudoir, near the window. Not much commentary is needed here, so please scroll down this page and enjoy the Romanov family “Favorite Chair” photos through the years! Read more ROMANOV FAMILY: FAVORITE CHAIR

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ROMANOV FAMILY AND VOLTAIRE

The article below was translated from Russian by Helen Azar.

French philosopher François-Marie Arouet, or Voltaire.
French philosopher François-Marie Arouet, or Voltaire.

Note from the translator:

When I first showed up at the Tsarskoe Selo Rare Book Fond for my library school internship, I found out that they just made an amazing discovery: two previously unidentified books from the vast collection of books once owned by the famous French philosopher, François-Marie Arouet, better known as Voltaire. At this time, it was thought that all of Voltaire’s books, which were brought to Russia by Empress Catherine the Great upon his death, were accounted for, and thousands of his marginalia had been transcribed and published. But it seemed that two of these books slipped through the proverbial cracks. Voltaire’s handwriting in the marginalia of these two books, held for years in The Rare Book Fond at the Tsarskoe Selo Museum. Somehow no one recognized them for what they were, for all these years. Read more ROMANOV FAMILY AND VOLTAIRE

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ROMANOV FAMILY PETS: THE ELEPHANT

 

ROMANOV FAMILY PETS: THE ELEPHANT

Tsarevich Alexei feeding the Romanov family pet elephant
Tsarevich Alexei feeding the Romanov family pet elephant

One of numerous criticisms by St. Petersburg society of the last ruling Romanov family was what they perceived as their frivolous waste of money. An example used was often the very costly upkeep of the pet elephant at Tsarskoe Selo, which cost the Russian imperial treasury a whopping 18, 000 rubles annually – a very significant sum at that time.

Tsar Nicholas II with the Romanov family pet elephant
Tsar Nicholas II with the Romanov family pet elephant

As a point of reference, the income of an average Russian citizen in early 20th century was about 4,300 rubles per year. Read more ROMANOV FAMILY PETS: THE ELEPHANT

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FEODOROVSKY GORODOK AND FEODOROVSKY CATHEDRAL

FEODOROVSKY GORODOK

Across the Alexander Park, down the path from the palace Palace is Feodorovsky Gorodok, a tiny old Russia style town built by Nicholas II in the first decade of the 20th century as an attempt to return to the original Russian architecture and culture. Nicholas, unlike his earlier predecessor Peter the Great, loved all things Russian and had many ambitious plans for the Gorodok and the cathedral within it. But the First World War halted his plans, while the revolution ended them completely.

Currently the Gorodok still stands in semi-ruins, almost as symbol of things that could have been but never came to fruition. Reportedly some restoration has begun. But the area has not been completely abandoned: lots of things are going on inside, including a fully functioning privately owned restaurant in one of the courtyards. The former Grand Duchesses Maria and Anastasia’s  infirmary and the buildings in the courtyard behind it have been converted to boarding rooms for the elderly who are too poor to afford housing and food. Read more FEODOROVSKY GORODOK AND FEODOROVSKY CATHEDRAL

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