The Yusupov Palace is a unique 18th-20th century architectural ensemble and a cultural and heritage site of federal significance acclaimed as the "Encyclopedia" of St. Petersburg aristocratic interior.

The history of the Palace and estate dates back to Peter the Great's epoch, the time of foundation of the Russian "Northern capital." It took almost two centuries to build the estate. Among those who contributed to the beautification of the Palace were eminent Russian and foreign architects Jean-Baptiste Vallin de la Mothe, Andrey Mikhailov II, Bernard de Simon, Ippolit Monighetti, Vasily Kenel, Aleksandr Stepanov, Andrey Vajtens, Andrey Beloborodov.

Five succeeding generations of the Yusupov princely dynasty owned the estate and the Palace from 1830 to 1917. Many glorious moments of Russian and St. Petersburg history are associated with the residence of the Yusupov family on the Moika River.

The Palace went down in Russian history as the place where Grigory Rasputin, a Siberian peasant, mystical spiritual mentor and friend of the family of Emperor Nicholas II was assassinated. The tragedy unfolded on the night of December 17, 1916 in the Living quarters of the young Prince Felix Yusupov. Today these rooms house a display of historic pictures and documents.

In 1925, the Palace of the Yusupov dynasty was handed over to the educational authorities. Even to the present day, the building of the Palace houses the Palace of Culture for Educators, which was converted into a versatile historical and cultural center offering educational programs, tours, exhibition and concert in the 1990s.

Today the Yusupov Palace is one of the few surviving aristocratic mansions of St. Petersburg featuring authentic State rooms, Art Gallery halls, a miniature Home Theater and the Yusupovs family luxurious Living quarters that radiate warmth and charm of their former owners even today. Lavishly decorated interiors preserved and restored through the painstaking effort of talented St. Petersburg restoration specialists welcome Russian and foreign aficionados of history, art, music and theater.