Smolny Complex

Смольный комплекс

There is the Smolny Convent and the Smolny Institute, a yellow low building that was Russia's first educational establishment for women, created by decree under the personal patronage of Empress Catherine II, and continued to function until just before the 1917 revolution. A nice garden and iron-work grille around the institute date from the early 19th century. In 1917, the building was chosen by Vladimir Lenin as Bolshevik headquarters during the October Revolution. It was Lenin's residence for several months, until the national government was moved to the Moscow Kremlin. After 1991, the Smolny was used as the seat of the city mayor (governor after 1996) and city administration. Vladimir Putin worked there from 1991 to 1997.

• outdoors

Address

ploshchad' Rastrelli (площадь Растрелли, 1), 1

Getting there

Share taxi: К15, К46

Website

saint-petersburg.com (opens in a new tab)