The Smolny Institute (russian: Смольный институт, ''Smol'niy institut'') is a Palladian edifice in Saint Petersburg that has played a major part in the history of Russia.

History

The building was commissioned from Giacomo Quarenghi by the Society for Education of Noble Maidens and constructed in 1806–08 to house the Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens, established at the urging of Ivan Betskoy and in accordance with a decree of Catherine II (the Great) in 1764, borrowing its name from the nearby Smolny Convent. The establishment of the institute was a significant step in making education available for females in Russia: "The provision of formal education for women began only in 1764 and 1765, when Catherine II established first the Smolny Institute for girls of the nobility in Saint Petersburg and then the Novodevichii Institute for the daughters of commoners." The Smolny was Russia's first educational establishment for women and continued to function under the personal patronage of the Russian Empress until just before the 1917 revolution. A

parterre garden A ''parterre'' is a part of a formal garden constructed on a level substrate, consisting of symmetrical patterns, made up by plant beds, low hedges or coloured gravels, which are separated and connected by paths. Typically it was the part of ...

and iron-work grille around the institute date from the early 19th century. Smolny Institute got its name from being close to the Smolny Convent that was built on the place where a resin plant had once been ("smola" is Russian for "resin"). In 1917, Vladimir Lenin chose the building as Bolshevik headquarters immediately before and during the October Revolution. It was Lenin's residence for several months, until the national government was moved to the

Moscow Kremlin The Kremlin ( rus, Московский Кремль, r=Moskovskiy Kreml', p=ˈmɐˈskofskʲɪj krʲemlʲ, t=Moscow Kremlin) is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow founded by the Rurik dynasty. It is the best known of the kremlins (R ...

in March 1918. After that, the Smolny became the headquarters of the local Communist Party apparat, effectively the

city hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

. In 1927, a monument to Lenin was erected in front of the building, designed by the sculptor Vasily Kozlov and the architects Vladimir Shchuko and Vladimir Gelfreikh. The Smolny Institute was also the site of Sergei Kirov's assassination in 1934. After 1991, the Smolny was used as the seat of the city mayor (governor after 1996) and

city administration A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

of Saint Petersburg. Vladimir Putin worked there from 1991 to 1997 in the administration of Anatoly Sobchak. Today, this historic building is the official residence of the governor of Saint Petersburg and also houses a museum dedicated to Lenin. Visitors to the museum can tour Lenin's office and living rooms and see the assembly hall where the victory of the October revolution was proclaimed in 1917.

References

External links

Views of the Smolny
Chapter 4 from '' Six Red Months in Russia'' (1918) by Louise Bryant {{Authority control Buildings and structures in Saint Petersburg 18th century in Saint Petersburg Government of Saint Petersburg Infrastructure completed in 1808 Kirov murder Headquarters of political parties Russian Revolution Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Saint Petersburg

History

See also

References

External links