This magnificent mansion on the embankment of River Fontanka, near the Derzhavin Lane was home to Gavriil Derzhavin, an outstanding Russian poet and playwright, a contemporary and a senior friend of Alexander Pushkin. The poet's city estate was restored after many years of ruin.
After the death of its well-known owner the estate found itself at the disposal of the Roman Catholic Church. In the Soviet years the estate was in the state property and turned into a huge communal flat.
Works on restoration of the architecture monument and its museumification were started not before the late 1990s. Presently Derzhavin's house estate is a branch of the National Pushkin Museum.
The estate is an integral architectural complex of buildings: the main mansion, two pair wings and a guest house.
The constructions are surrounded with an abundant park called the Polish Garden. It is an exact replica of the original park, in which the great Russian poet Gavriil Derzhavin used to walk. In the shadow of the park trees there is an open-air theater that hosts stage productions in spring, summer and autumn. The mansion itself often becomes a frequent venue for creative meetings, performances, musicales and scientific conferences nowadays. It is another reminiscence: after 1811 literary meetings Colloquy of Lovers of the Russian Language took place here.
Besides, the mansion harbours a rich collection dedicated to the life and creativity of Gavriil Derzhavin. The exposition highlights the poet's enormous contribution into development of the Russian literary language.
Open hours are from 10:30 am to 6 pm on all days except Thursday, when the museum works from 12 am to 8 pm.
Address of the Derzhavin Memorial Estate: 118, Fontanka Embankment, close to Sadovaya, Sennaya and Technological Institute metro stations, Saint Petersburg
The official site of the Derzhavin Memorial Estate.