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The subject index / City Duma

City Duma


Categories / City Administration/Government Bodies

CITY DUMA, administrative body of the city government. It was instituted in 1786 by Cities letter of grant (1785). City Duma was in charge of the city economy, taxes and levies, trade, medicine, education etc. The decisions of the City Duma were approved by governor-general, since 1871, by the chief of city administration. General City Duma since 1786 had consisted of councilors (deputies), elected for 4 years by the city population divided into 6 categories; City Council elected the permanent executive office, Six-membered council (1 councilor from each categorie). The City Duma was headed by mayor. In 1798, emperor Paul I abolished the City Council and replaced it with Rathaus. In 1802, the City Council was restored. By the City Regulation of 1846 Six-membered council was replaced with Regulatory council, consisting of 12 elective councilors and the person of the Crown (a representative of the royal family). In 1863-1917 Izvestiya Sankt-Peterburgskoy Gorodskoy dumy (The News of St. Petersburg City Council) were published (since 1914 the name had been changed to Izvestiya Petrogradskoy Gorodskoy dumy, (The News of Petrograd City Council). By the City provision of 1870, the estates of its members were no longer taken into account by the City Council. In 1873 Administrative board of the city headed by the chairman of the City Duma (mayor) became its executive office. By City Regulation of 1892 the property qualification of the electorate was marked up. The number of electors thus reduced to 7,000 persons. By the City Regulation of 1903 the number of electors was increased up to 12,000 persons. The administration monitoring of City Council activity was also enhanced. After February Revolution of 1917, the City Duma was replaced with the Central Duma, its councilors were elected by District Councils. In November of 1917, by the decree of People's Commissars Soviet, the Central Duma was disbanded, and new elections were announced. In April of 1918, the Administrative board of the city adopted a resolution of the liquidation of the City Duma. In September of 1918, the City Duma was abolished, and local government passed under the jurisdiction of Soviets. In 1786-1918, the City Duma was located on 33/1 Nevsky Prospect (the building was erected in 1784-87, architect unknown). In 1799-1804 a tower was added to the building (architect G. Ferrari), which became one of the points forming the architectural ensemble of Nevsky Prospect (in the 1830-50s it was used as an optical telegraph station, in the 1850-1920s, as a fire tower). In 1847-52, the building of the City Duma was rebuilt (architects N.E. Efimov, L.L. Bonschtedt); in 1913-14, 2 more storeys were built on it (architect A.V. Kenel). The building of the City Duma once housed one of the best public halls in St. Petersburg (see Public halls).

References: Антонов П. А. Городская дума на Невском // Диалог. 1989. № 31. С. 21-26.

Y. N. Kruzhnov.

Persons
Bonstedt Lyubim (Ludwig) Lyubimovich
Efimov Nikolay Efimovich
Ferrari Giacomo
Kenel Alexander Vasilievich
Paul (Pavel) I, Emperor

Addresses
Nevsky prospect/Saint Petersburg, city, house 33/1

Bibliographies
Антонов П. А. Городская дума на Невском // Диалог., 1989

The subject Index
Rathaus
Izvestiya Sankt-Peterburgskoy Gorodskoy Dumy (News of St. Petersburg City Duma), newspaper
Administrative board of the city
February Revolution of 1917
Public Halls (entry)

Chronograph
1786
1804
1846
1873
1892
1907
1907
1912


Administrative board of the city

ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD OF THE CITY, the executive body of the city government. Instituted in 1873 during the implementation of the City Reform of 1870. It was elected by the City Duma for a term of 4 years (since 1903, for 6 years)

Benois N.L.(1813-1898), architect

Benois Nikolay Leontyevich (1813, St. Petersburg - 1898, at the same place), architect, artist (decorative arts), full State Advisor (1873). Coming from the family of French descendents. He was the farther of Albert N. Benois, L. N. Benois and A. N

Botkin S. P., (1832-1889), doctor

BOTKIN Sergey Petrovich (1832-1889), doctor, public figure, Doctor of Medicine (1860), Secret Councillor (1877). He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Moscow University (1855)

Cabmen

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Cavos A.K. (1800-1863), architect.

CAVOS Albert Katarinovich (1800, St. Petersburg - 1863, Peterhof), architect, representative of the late Neoclassicism of Italian descent. A son of C. A. Cavos. He studied at the University of Padua (Italy) under the guidance of C. I. Rossi

Central Duma

CENTRAL DUMA (Central City Duma) is the elected organ of city self-government. It was set up by the Provisional Government after the February revolution of 1917, dealing with the same problems as the previous City Duma

Central Police Office

CENTRAL POLICE OFFICE, the city administration body of St. Petersburg in the 18th century. It was instituted attached to Petersburg Chief of Police General according to the decree on city police establishment issued on June 7, 1718

City Clock

CITY CLOCK. The very first mechanical clock in the city was installed in 1704 in the tower of wooden St. Peter and Paul Cathedral. In 1710, the first striker clock (with chimes) was set up on the belfry of the Church of St

City Self-Government

CITY SELF-GOVERNMENT, elected organs responsible for different aspects of city life. The beginning of City Self-Government was laid by Tsar Peter the Great, who set up the Town council in 1710 in St. Petersburg

Civil governor

CIVIL GOVERNOR, the head of the provincial administration in St. Petersburg province. Officially the post of civil governor was founded in 1761 (before then, since 1736 the functions of civil governor were performed by the governor of province and

Committee for the Salvation of the Fatherland and the Revolution

COMMITTEE FOR THE SALVATION OF THE FATHERLAND AND THE REVOLUTION, An anti-Bolshevik organisation, established on the night of 26 October (old style: 8 November) 1917

Concert Halls (entry)

CONCERT HALLS appeared in St. Petersburg in the late 18th century. Earlier, musicians arranged paid concerts in palaces of grandees, theatres, and taverns. The first documented series of public concerts refers to the concerts given by G

Dmitriev N.V. (1856-1918), arhcitect

DMITRIEV Nikolay Vsevolodovich (1856-1918), architect. Graduated from the Construction School (1876). In 1885-1903, he worked as an architect for the Gatchina Palace Administration and for the town of Gatchina

Duma of Six Members

DUMA OF SIX MEMBERS, an elected executive organ of city self-government. The Duma was formed according to the Imperial Decree to Cities of 1785. It was appointed concurrently with the General City Duma in January 21 1786

Durnovo P.P. (1835-1919), statesman and public figure

DURNOVO Peter Pavlovich (1835 - 1919, Petrograd), statesman and public figure, Infantry General (1890), Adjutant General (1905). Graduated from the Page Corps in 1853 and the Imperial Military Academy in 1855

Efimov N.E. (1799-1851), architect.

EFIMOV Nikolay Efimovich (1799-1851, St. Petersburg), architect, urban planner. From 1806 to 1821, he studied at the St. Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts; was later involved in studying traditional Russian architecture. In 1827-40, he lived in Italy

Eliseev Family, merchants and bankers

ELISEEV FAMILY, merchants, entrepreneurs, public figures. Progenitor Peter Eliseevich Eliseev (1775-1825, St. Petersburg), a peasant from Yaroslavl Province, opened a greengrocery in St. Petersburg in 1813

Free Music School

FREE MUSIC SCHOOL was organised by M. A. Balakirev and G. Y. Lomakin to teach singing and organise concerts. It taught choral classes to adults, singing mainly church music

Glazunov Family, booksellers and publishers

GLAZUNOV FAMILY, booksellers and publishers. The Glazunov Company was founded by Matvey Petrovich Glazunov (1757-1830) who had a bookshop in Moscow and started a bookselling business in St

Gypsy Choruses (entry)

GYPSY CHORUSES, up to the early 20th century they were called "Moscow Gypsy Choruses" (that is, Russian) in contrast to Hungarian, Spanish, Crimean. Practically all soloists had stage names, their real names having been for the most part lost

Head of the city administration

HEAD OF THE CITY ADMINISTRATION, the highest administrative and police rank in St. Petersburg. The post was introduced with the publication of the Regulations as of March 20, 1873 on St. Petersburg cessation from St

Health Service (common)

HEALTH SERVICE, PUBLIC. The first stationary medical institutions in St. Petersburg were military hospitals for the army and the navy (opened in 1715 and 1717)

Honorary Citizen of St. Petersburg

HONORARY CITIZEN OF ST. PETERSBURG, an honorary title conferred on people who made a considerable contribution to the development of the city. In 1866-1908, 7 persons were conferred this title (the conferring didn"t entail any material privileges or

Industrial Exhibitions (entry)

INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITIONS, organised by the government from the 1820s, intended to boost the national industry, interior and foreign trade, under the jurisdiction of the Trade and Manufactory Department of the Ministry of Finance

Izvestiya Sankt-Peterburgskoy Gorodskoy Dumy (News of St. Petersburg City Duma), newspaper

IZVESTIYA ST. PETERSBURGOY GORODSKOY DUMY (News of St. Petersburg City Duma) (from July 1914 Izvestiya of Petrogradskoy Gorodskoy Dumy), the Izvestiya newspaper was the publication of the City Duma

Kalinin M.I. (1875-1946), statesman

KALININ Mikhail Ivanovich (1875-1946), Soviet statesman, Hero of Socialist Labor (1944). He graduated from State elementary training school (1886). In 1889 arrived at St

Konovnitsyn P.P., Civilian Governor

KONOVNITSYN Peter Petrovich (1743 or 1744-1796), statesman, Lieutenant General (1786). He graduated from the Naval Gentry Cadets' College in St. Petersburg (1762)

Kraevsky А.А. (1810-1889), publisher

KRAEVSKY Andrey Alexandrovich (1810-1889, Pavlovsk, of the St. Petersburg province), publisher, journalist, public figure. He graduated from the Department of Philosophy of Moscow University (1828), and in 1831 settled in St. Petersburg

Krasovsky M.V. (1851-1911), entrepreneur, public and political figure

KRASOVSKY Mikhail Vasilievich (1851-1911), public and political figure, entrepreneur, privy counsellor (1893). Graduated from the Faculty of Law of Kiev University (1871), from 1872 in St

Kuzmin-Karavaev V.D. (1859-1927), public figure

KUZMIN-KARAVAEV Vladimir Dmitrievich (1859-1927) was a public and political figure, lawyer, publicist, Major General (1901). On graduating from the Corps of Pages (1878) he served in Guards' Mounted-Artillery Brigade

Leningrad Soviet

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Lunacharsky A.V. (1875-1933), revolutionary, statesman

LUNACHARSKY Anatoly Vasilievich (1875-1933), Soviet statesman and party figure, playwright, literary critic, Member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (1930)

Magistrate courts

MAGISTRATE COURTS, the lower echelon of the judiciary system introduced in the course of Judiciary reform of 1864 (see also District court). Magistrate courts were in charge of civil and minor criminal cases. The territory of St

Mayor

MAYOR, the elected head of the municipal government bodies in the second half of the 18th - early 20th centuries. The position was founded in 1766, mayor was elected for 2 years from landowners over 30 years old

Memorial plaques (general article)

MEMORIAL PLAQUES. Memorial inscriptions in stone and metal first appeared in St. Petersburg as early as the 18h century. On the descents leading to the Neva River

Municipal Institutions Buildings (entry)

MUNICIPAL INSTITUTION BUILDINGS. Buildings intended to house various institutions (education committees, military enlistment, sanitary and medical committees); subject to the City Duma and City Government

Municipal Reform of 1870

MUNICIPAL REFORM OF 1870, reorganisation of local power structures as part of the Great Reforms of the 1860s-70s. According to City Regulations approved on 16 June 1870, an All-Estate City Duma was established with two executive bodies

Musical Society, The Russian

MUSICAL SOCIETY, The Russian (in 1873-1917, it was called the Imperial Russian Musical Society; RMO, IRMO) was established in 1859 on the initiative of A. G. Rubinstein and Count Matv. Y. Vielgorsky (see the Vielgorsky Family)

Nabokov Family

NABOKOV Family, noble family, known since the mid 17th century. Several family members are closely associated with St. Petersburg. Ivan Alexandrovich Nabokov (1787-1852, St Petersburg), Infantry General (1835), Adjutant General (1844)

Nevsky Prospect

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Nikolaevskaya Children’s Hospital

NIKOLAEVSKAYA CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL (13 Chapygina Street) was the first children’s hospital in Russia. It was opened in 1834 with the aid of private donations on Ekaterininsky Canal near the Alarchin Bridge; in 1842 it was relocated to a reconstructed

Office of Addresses

OFFICE OF ADDRESSES (from 1839, Address Dispatch Office), was set up in 1809 with the purpose of registration of workers and hired staff coming to St. Petersburg and also with a purpose of preventing people of "inappropriate conduct" from coming to

Omnibus

OMNIBUS (lat. omnibus - for all), a multi-seater horse-powered vehicle, the first public city route of trackless transportation. First omnibuses started operating in the summer of 1830, running from St

Optical Telegraph

OPTICAL TELEGRAPH, semaphore telegraph, a visual system of message transfer, using conventional signs (semaphore alphabet, light signals, visible at night as well) given within direct visibility. The St

Panina S.V. (1871-1957), political figure

PANINA Sofia Vladimirovna, (1871, St. Petersburg - 1957), countess, educator and patron of the arts, political and public figure. Came from the family of Count Panin. Panina was one of the wealthiest women in Russia

Pawnshops (entry)

PAWNSHOPS, credit institutions granting loans against movable property. The first pawnshops were founded in St. Petersburg in 1729 as Emperor Peter the Great commanded that the Mint Office should grant interest-bearing loans against gold and silver

People's Houses (entry)

PEOPLE'S HOUSES, cultural and educational institutions of a club nature, meant mainly for workers and craftspeople. They were created in St. Petersburg from the early 1880s, as a rule, in the suburbs, subsidized by the Municipal Duma

Perinnaya Line

PERINNAYA LINE lying along Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor between Nevsky Prospect and Lomonosova Street. In the mid-to-late 19th century, it was known as Surovskaya, or Bolshaya Surovskaya, Line (Textile Line) so named because of the goods sold in the line

Police

POLICE was created in St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 18th century; it was engaged in all the spheres of city life: construction, fire safety, city finances, public institutions, concert and theatre activities, etc

Public Education (entry)

PUBLIC EDUCATION. It was Peter the Great who laid the basis for public education in St. Petersburg placing the greatest emphasis on military and professional education with the Naval Academy founded in approximately 1715

Public Halls (entry)

PUBLIC HALLS, a special premise for informal mass events. The first public hall was arranged in banker A.A. Ral's house (On the Moika River Embankment, beside Red Bridge; not preserved)

Ratkov-Rozhnov V.A. (1834-1912), Mayor

RATKOV-ROZHNOV Vladimir Alexandrovich (1834-1912, St. Petersburg), public official, businessman, representative of the dynasty of St. Petersburg manufacturers and house-owners (see the Ratkov-Rozhnov Family), Valid Secret Counsellor (1898)

Rowing Clubs

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San Galli F. K. (1824-1908), entrepreneur

SAN GALLI Franz Karlovich (Franz Friedrich Wilhelm) (1824-1908, St. Petersburg), entrepreneur and public figure, Actual Civil Counsellor (1889), and honorary process engineer (1888). Native of Germany, he graduated from a gymnasium in Stettin

Sewerage System

SEWERAGE SYSTEM, wastewater treatment facilities. In the first quarter of the 18th century as the city territory grew, it was drained, and the system for discharge of surface water was built in the shape of plank-secured ditches along the city

Silver Trade Rows

SILVER TRADE ROWS (31 Nevsky Prospect) is a monument of Classicism architecture. It is a three-storied commercial building erected in 1784-87 (architect J. Quarenghi) at the corner of Nevsky Prospect and Gostinaya Street (later Dumskaya Street) on

Slides

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Stasyulevich М.М. (1826-1911), publisher, historian

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Struve P.B. (1870-1944), economist

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Tolstoy I.I. (1858-1916), archaeologist, numismatist, vice-president of the Academy of Arts

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Tyrkova A.V. (1869-1962), the public and political figure

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Vargunin Family, entrepreneurs

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Voluntary University, 1862

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