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                                                        Abamelek-Lazarev S.S., prince, mining industrialist 
                                                                           
                         
                        ABAMELEK-LAZAREV (Abamelek-Lazarev) Semen Semenovich (1851-1916), prince, industrialist and landowner, archaeologist, Master of the Horse. Graduated from the Faculty of History and Philosophy of Petersburg University (1881)
                                             
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                                                        Adamini's House 
                                                                           
                         
                        ADAMINI'S HOUSE (1 Moika River Embankment), architectural monument. It was built for merchant Antonov in 1823-27 in the late Empire style (architect D.F. Adamini, hence the name)
                                             
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                                                        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)
                                             
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                                                        Admiralty 
                                                                           
                         
                        ADMIRALTY, in the 18-19 centuries - a place for the building and repairing of warships, provided with all the necessary equipment (dockyards, ship-ways, slipways, storehouses, workshops, etc.). In St
                                             
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                                                        Akimov Comedy Theatre 
                                                                           
                         
                        AKIMOV COMEDY THEATRE (56 Nevsky Prospect). Founded in 1926 as the Satire Theatre (private non-repertory company). Originally, it mainly produced so-called programme-reviews comprised of burning miniatures. B.A. Babochkin, L.O
                                             
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                                                        Alexandrovsky Garden 
                                                                           
                         
                        ALEXANDROVSKY GARDEN (in 1920-89 - the Maxim Gorky Workers' Garden, in 1989-97 - Admiralty Garden) is situated along the south and the west facades of the Main Admiralty, with an area of 10 hectares. In 1805-06, gardener W
                                             
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                                                        Amusement Establishments (entry) 
                                                                           
                         
                        AMUSEMENT ESTABLISHMENTS. At the beginning of the 18th century the prototype of amusement establishments were "garden entertainments" with music and dances, were held in the Summer Garden
                                             
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                                                        Andreev V.V., (1861-1918) musician 
                                                                           
                         
                        ANDREEV Vasily Vasilievich (1861-1918, Petrograd), musician, pedagogue, virtuoso balalaika-player, inventor of the instrument's concert version, creator of various "national instrument" ensembles and orchestras whose repertoire, arrangement
                                             
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                                                        Anichkov Bridge 
                                                                           
                         
                        ANICHKOV BRIDGE (in 1739 Nevsky), spanning the Fontanka River on Nevsky Prospect. The first wooden bridge was built here in 1715 under the supervision of М.О. Anichkov (hence the name), in 1721 it was elevated (the master K
                                             
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                                                        Anichkov Palace 
                                                                           
                         
                        ANICHKOV PALACE (39 Nevsky Prospect), monument of Baroque architecture. Built in 1741-54 (architect M.G. Zemtsov, G.D. Dmitriev, F. Rastrelli) near Anichkov Bridge (hence the name)
                                             
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                                                        Anniversaries of Petersburg (centenary, bicentenary, two hundred fiftieth anniversary, tercentenary) 
                                                                           
                         
                        ANNIVERSARIES OF ST. PETERSBURG. St. Petersburg's first anniversary celebration (the city's centenary) took place in 1803. Celebrations started on the morning of 16 May 1803
                                             
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                                                        Art Galleries (entry) 
                                                                           
                         
                        ART GALLERIES. The first art galleries were public, cooperative and private companies that appeared in Leningrad in the mid-1980s. They disrupted the monopoly of state organizations and the Union of Artists on exhibition activity
                                             
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                                                        Artillery Bombardments of 1941-44 
                                                                           
                         
                        ARTILLERY BOMBARDMENTS OF 1941-44, conducted by long-range German artillery in order to destroy Leningrad's industrial and military facilities, and to spread panic among its population during the siege of 1941-1944
                                             
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                                                        Arts, The House of,  literary society 
                                                                           
                         
                        Arts, The House of, an organisation for literary figures. It was founded by K. I. Chukovsky, M. Gorky, A. N. Tikhonov. Opened on 19 November 1919 in the former house of the Eliseev family at 15 Nevsky Prospect / 59 Moika River Embankment
                                             
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                                                        Arzamas, Literary Circle 
                                                                           
                         
                        ARZAMAS, literary circle from 1815 to1818. It was founded by V. A. Zhukovsky (who became the secretary and invented witty "minutes" of the meetings), D. V. Dashkov, D. N. Bludov, A. I. Turgenev, S. S. Uvarov, later K. N. Batyushkov, P. A
                                             
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                                                        Asafyev B. V. , (1884-1949) music theorist and composer 
                                                                           
                         
                        ASAFYEV Boris Vladimirovich (penname Igor Glebov) (1884, St. Petersburg - 1949), music theorist, composer, People"s Artist of the USSR (1946), member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (1946)
                                             
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                                                        Assembly of Nobility 
                                                                           
                         
                        ASSEMBLY OF NOBILITY, St. Petersburg provincial corporate social class organisation of St. Petersburg Province nobility, founded on the basis of the Charter of Nobility dated 21 April 1785; its aim was to ensure class unity and rights of nobility
                                             
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                                                        Auer L. (1845-1930), violinist 
                                                                           
                         
                        AUER Leopold (1845-1930), violinist, pedagogue, conductor, student of J. Joachim. Came from Austria-Hungary. Lived in St. Petersburg in 1868-1917. During a tour to London, became acquainted with A. G
                                             
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                                                        Aurora, publishing house, from 1969 
                                                                           
                         
                        AURORA (7/9 Nevsky Prospect), a publishing house established in 1969 as a branch and editorial office for export and facsimile editions of the Soviet Artist Publishing House
                                             
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                                                        Avrora (Aurora), journal 
                                                                           
                         
                        AVRORA (Aurora), a monthly youth literary, social and political journal. It was founded in July 1969 as an organ of the Central Committee of the All-Union Leninist Communist Youth League
                                             
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                                                        Azovsko-Donskoy Commercial Bank 
                                                                           
                         
                        AZOVSKO-DONSKOY BANK, a joint-stock commercial bank opened in Taganrog in 1871 for financing trade and granting loans. Its share capital amounted to 5 million roubles in 1871; it became the largest bank in the country by the mid-1890s and one of the
                                             
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                                                        Bakunina Avenue 
                                                                           
                         
                        BAKUNINA AVENUE between Nevsky Prospect and Sinopskaya Embankment. It was laid in the mid-to-late 18th century. Known as Malo-Okhtinsky Ferry Avenue in the late 18th century, it was renamed as Malookhtinsky Avenue in 1820-71
                                             
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                                                        Balakirev M.A., (1836-1910) , composer 
                                                                           
                         
                        BALAKIREV Mily Alexeevich (1836-1910, St. Petersburg), composer, pianist, conductor, music and public figure. Studied at the Mathematics Department of Kazan University. Lived in St
                                             
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                                                        Balls 
                                                                           
                         
                        BALLS, evening parties with dances, one of the entertainments of high society in St. Petersburg from the 18th - the early 20th centuries. Balls originated from assemblies, where, according to Tsar Peter the Great's order, minuet, allemande, courante
                                             
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                                                        Bank Buildings (entry) 
                                                                           
                         
                        BANK BUILDINGS, public buildings designed for housing finance and credit institutions. The first special bank buildings were the Assignation Bank building at Sadovaya Street (1783-90, architect G
                                             
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                                                        Baranovsky G.V.(1860-1920), architect 
                                                                           
                         
                        BARANOVSKY Gavriil Vasilievich (1860-1920, St. Petersburg), architect, architecture historian, editor. Upon graduation from the College of Civil Engineers (1885), in 1885-1917
                                             
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                                                        Bekhterev Psycho-neurological Research Institute, The St. Petersburg 
                                                                           
                         
                        BEKHTEREV PSYCHO-NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, St. Petersburg, located at 3 Bekhtereva Street, was established in 1907 and opened in 1908 by V. M. Bekhterev as a scientific research and educational institution: two initial courses consisted of
                                             
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                                                        Belinsky V. G.  (1811-1848), critic, publicist 
                                                                           
                         
                        BELINSKY Vissarion Grigorievich (1811-1848, St. Petersburg), critic, publicist. Studied at the Department of Philology of Moscow University (was expelled in 1832). Resided in St. Petersburg from 1839
                                             
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                                                        Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace 
                                                                           
                         
                        BELOSELSKY-BELOZERSKY PALACE (41 Nevsky Prospect), an architectural monument of the Eclectic style. Reconstructed from an 18th century Neoclassical residence in 1799-1800 for Princess A.G. Beloselskaya-Belozerskaya (architect F.I. Demertsov)
                                             
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                                                        Bely Andrey (1880-1934), writer 
                                                                           
                         
                        BELY Andrey (real name and family name Boris Nikolaevich Bugaev) (1880-1934), writer. He graduated from the Natural Sciences Department of Physics and Mathematics Faculty of Moscow University (1903)
                                             
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                                                        Benois L.N. (1856-1928), architect 
                                                                           
                         
                        Benois Leonty (Ludovik) Nikolaevich (1856, Peterhof -1928, Leningrad), architect, full State Advisor (1905), an honourable cultural figure (1927). The son of N. L. Benois, a brother of Albert N. Benois and А. N. Benois
                                             
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                                                        Bolotov V.V. (1854-1900), theologian 
                                                                           
                         
                        BOLOTOV Vasily Vasilievich (1854-1900, St. Petersburg), theologian, church historian, Doctor of Theology (honoris causa, 1896), associate of St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1893). After graduating from St
                                             
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                                                        Bolshaya Konyushennaya Street 
                                                                           
                         
                        BOLSHAYA KONYUSHENNAYA STREET (in 1918,-91 Zhelyabova Street, in memory of А. I. Zhelyabov), located between Konyushennaya Square and Nevsky Prospect. It was laid out in the early 1730s from the Court Stable (in Russian, Konyushenny) Yard buildings
                                             
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                                                        Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor 
                                                                           
                         
                        BOLSHOY GOSTINY DVOR (35 Nevsky Prospect), the largest commercial enterprise of St. Petersburg. The first plan for a Gostiny Dvor (effectively, a large scale trading market) on Nevsky Prospect was developed in the late 1750s by the architect A
                                             
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                                                        Book Trade (entry) 
                                                                           
                         
                        BOOK TRADE. State, institutional and private book trading has been carried out in St. Petersburg since the first years of its existence. The first official bookshop belonged to the St
                                             
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                                                        Brenna V.F. (1745-1819), architect 
                                                                           
                         
                        BRENNA Vikenty Franzevich (1745-1819 or 1820?), architect, decorative artist, a representative of Neoclassicism. Native of Italy. Prior to his coming to Russia, he worked in Rome and Warsaw
                                             
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                                                        Buff, theatre 
                                                                           
                         
                        BUFF, the name of several Petersburg musical theatres (from the Italian: opera buffa is comic opera). The first Theatre-Buff was opened in the garden of the Anichkov Palace (today known as the Recreation Garden) on Nevsky Prospect in 1872
                                             
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                                                        Bulgarin F.V., (1789-1859), writer, journalist 
                                                                           
                         
                        BULGARIN Faddei Venediktovich (Tadeush) (1789-1859), journalist, prose writer, critic, publisher, Actual Civil Councillor (1857). Graduated from the Polish Gentry Infantry Cadet Corps (School for the Nobility) (1806), served in the Cavalry Guards
                                             
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                                                        Bulla К.K. (1853-1929), photographer 
                                                                           
                         
                        BULLA Karl Karlovich (1853-1929), photographer. Lived in St. Petersburg from 1862, worked as a lab assistant for Dunant Company. He opened his own photo studio in 1875, whose final location from 1908 on was 1/54 Nevsky Prospect
                                             
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                                                        Cabaret (entry) 
                                                                           
                         
                        CABARET (from the French word cabaret - small restaurant). At the beginning of the 20th century, it was the name for small, literary and artistic restaurants, places for meetings of poets, musicians, actors, artists and other workers of art
                                             
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                                                        Cabmen 
                                                                           
                         
                        CABMEN, appeared in St. Petersburg in the city's early days (decree of 1705 "On Taxing Cabmen"), at about the same time cab driving grew into a business practised as a rule by peasants. By 1745 there were 3,000 cabmen in St. Petersburg
                                             
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                                                        Cafes (entry) 
                                                                           
                         
                        CAFES (from the French cafe, meaning coffeehouse or cafeteria). Establishments where customers were offered coffee, chocolate, pastries, and other food and beverages; most likely appeared in St. Petersburg in the early 19th century
                                             
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                                                        Casinos (entry) 
                                                                           
                         
                        CASINOS (from Italian casino - house), a kind of gambling-house. In the Russian Empire and USSR gambling-houses and casinos were officially banned. The first legal casinos appeared in St
                                             
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                                                        Catherine Square 
                                                                           
                         
                        CATHERINE SQUARE is situated in the centre of St. Petersburg on Nevsky Prospect. It is surrounded by the architecture ensemble of the Anichkov Palace, Alexandrinsky Theatre, and Russian National Library. The park was laid out in 1820-32 (architect K
                                             
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                                                        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
                                             
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                                                        Chat Noir, Cabaret 
                                                                           
                         
                        CHAT NOIR (from the French сhat noir - black cat), cabaret (126 Nevsky Prospect; the building was erected in 1883 as a Tenement apartment, architect G. I. Karpov)
                                             
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                                                        Chicherin House 
                                                                           
                         
                        CHICHERIN HOUSE (Kosikovsky House, Eliseev House) (15 Nevsky Prospect), monument of early Neoclassical architecture. Built in 1768-71 (architect unknown, possibly G.B. Vallin de la Mothe or Y.M. Felten) for general chief of police N.I
                                             
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                                                        Chicherin N.I. Chief of the Police General in 1745-60 
                                                                           
                         
                        CHICHERIN Nikolay Ivanovich (1724-1782), statesman and combat leader, general en shef (1773). In 1737 he was registered in the Guards, in 1740 a batman of Anton Ulrich Duke of Brunswick. In 1742 he was transferred to the Army
                                             
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                                                        Church of the Holy Sign 
                                                                           
                         
                        CHURCH OF THE HOLY SIGN in Tsarskoe Selo (2a Sadovaya Street, Pushkin), an architectural monument in the Baroque style of the reign of Anna Ioannovna. It was built according to the plans of architect M. G. Zemtsov with the assistance of I. Y
                                             
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                                                        Cinema 
                                                                           
                         
                        CINEMA. The first Russian cinema show was held on 4 May 1896 at Aquarium, a St. Petersburg entertainment venue, showing the Brothers Lumiere's program of films
                                             
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                                                        Cinemas (entry) 
                                                                           
                         
                        CINEMAS. The first film shows in St. Petersburg were held in 1896. In the early, so-called "slapstick" period of cinematography history, films were shown in restaurants, skating rinks, cafes and became a part of theatre performances
                                             
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                                                        City Duma 
                                                                           
                         
                        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
                                             
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                                                        Clubs (entry) 
                                                                           
                         
                        CLUBS (in the 18th - beginning of the 20th century, also called Meetings), until the beginning of the 20th century they were voluntary corporate or class public institutions for leisure and socializing
                                             
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                                                        Commerce (general) 
                                                                           
                         
                        COMMERCE. Favorably located, St. Petersburg has always played a major role in the country’s foreign trade (see Sea Port). The life of the city itself has been mainly supported by home trade, retail trade above all
                                             
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                                                        Commission for St. Petersburg Construction 
                                                                           
                         
                        COMMISSION OF ST. PETERSBURG CONSTRUCTION was the state institution organized on 10 July 1737 to regulate the city development following the fires on Admiralteisky Island. It was headed by K.A. Minich with P.M. Eropkin as chief architect
                                             
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                                                        Communal Apartments 
                                                                           
                         
                        COMMUNAL APARTMENTS. The word combination "communal apartments" is a product of the Soviet epoch. However, first communal apartments appeared in the early 18th century, when rental lodging was partitioned by the landlords into "corners"
                                             
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                                                        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
                                             
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                                                        Confectioner's Shops (entry) 
                                                                           
                         
                        CONFECTIONER'S SHOPS. Public food-service establishments where coffee, chocolate, ice-cream, fruits, and other sweets were served. Since the early 1810s, confectioner's shops gradually replaced "sweet shops," offering various sweets for take-away
                                             
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                                                        Confessions, Non-Orthodox (entry) 
                                                                           
                         
                        NON ORTHODOX CONFESSIONS, Christian non-Orthodox churches. From the beginning of the 18th century, St. Petersburg was the centre of foreign confessions in Russia. The most numerous community were the Roman Catholics
                                             
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                                                        Contemporary Architecture 
                                                                           
                         
                        CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE. A rejection of standard and typical styles used for mass residential blocs from the Soviet period; an attempt to enrich the range of expression
                                             
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