Yusupovsky palace and garden on Fontanka

 

The Yusupov Palace on Sadovaya Street, 50a and on the Fontanka, 115 in St. Petersburg is the former palace of the Yusupov princes. Since November 1, 1810 – the first building of the Institute of the Corps of Railway Engineers. Now it is occupied by the St. Petersburg State University of Communications.

The estate of Prince B. G. Yusupov on the Fontanka River in the middle of the 18th century was one of the richest in the city. There was a luxurious baroque palace on the site, which in plan was a strongly flattened letter H. The building on high cellars was a combination of a central two-story volume and one-story wings transverse to it, connected by one-story buildings. A trellis fence separated the estate from the river.

Architectural style: Classicism
Architect: Giacomo Quarenghi
Founded: the 18th century

Yusupovsky garden, originally, a plot of 9 hectares between Fontanka and Sadovaya Street was presented by Peter I in 1724 to Prince G. D. Yusupov. Later, his son laid out a regular garden with two ponds, canals and flower beds. In 1730, a wooden one-story house was built on the site, the project for which was developed by Domenico Trezzini.

In the 1790s, N. B. Yusupov ordered the architect Giacomo Quarenghi to rebuild the estate. He rebuilt the palace and redesigned the garden.

In 1810, the Yusupov mansion was sold to the treasury in connection with the divorce of the owners. Further, the site was transferred to the Directorate of Railways of Russia.

It currently belongs to the University of Communications of Emperor Alexander I.

The Central Museum of Railway Transport of St. Petersburg is located nearby.

*Sometimes the Yusupov Palace and Garden on Fontanka is confused with the Yusupov Palace on the Moyka river

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