Nicholas II

Restoration of the entrance portail of the Imperial Railway Pavilion at Tsarskoye Selo

PHOTO: early 20th century view of the entrance portal of the Imperial
Railway Pavilion, situated near the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoye Selo

It has been 10 months since my last report on the progress of the restoration of the Imperial Railway Pavilion at Tsarskoye Selo, therefore, I am pleased to share the following update . . . .

The restoration of the interiors of this historic, early 20th century building continues . . . in late June of this year, a group of experts began restoration work on of the once grand entrance portal of the pavilion.

For ten days, from 29th June to 8th July, students of specialized educational institutions in St. Petersburg and Moscow, under the guidance of experienced mentors, were engaged in the restoration of the historical décor of the entrance portal of the building. This project, organized by the Union of Restorers of Russia with the support of the Moscow Government, offered a unique opportunity for young professionals to put theoretical knowledge in practice, working with a genuine architectural monument.

CLICK on the images above to enlarge and see each photo in greater detail

The current Imperial Railway Pavilion, built in 1912 by the architect Vladimir Aleksandrovich Pokrovsky (1871-1931), served as the main terminus for the Imperial Trains of Russia’s last Tsar. After the October 1917 Revolution, the building lost its original function and remained in a terrible state of disrepair and neglect for nearly a century. Over the past decades, its facades, once decorated with sandstone carvings of double-headed eagles and other symbols of the Russian Empire, have deteriorated significantly, some fragments being covered with layers of black soot and grime.

In the course of their work, the experts and students thoroughly cleaned the surfaces from dirt, strengthened the structure of the stone with special compounds and filled the cracks using materials compatible in density and shade with the original.

CLICK on the images above to enlarge and see each photo in greater detail

The project was led by Khristina Shumilova, a member of the Union of Restorers of Russia, a lecturer at the Department of Restoration at St Petersburg University and Deputy General Director of the Heritage Restoration Workshop. Her many years of experience in working with stone sculpture and stone art products guaranteed a high professional level of execution of all stages. The student group included ten representatives of St. Petersburg State University and two students of the Moscow 26 KADR College, which made it possible to combine the traditions of the two restoration schools within the framework of one project.

Upon completion of their work in restoring the decorative elements of the entrance portal, students were presented with certificates. Thanks to their efforts, the façade the entrance portal is now protected from further damage caused by the elements, and these students have made their own personal contribution to the preservation of the historical appearance of the Imperial Railway Pavilion.

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I am dedicated to clearing the name of Russia’s much slandered Tsar. I am also committed to providing articles and news from Russian media sources, that you will not find on any English-language site or social media page.

If you enjoy all the articles, news, photos, and videos on my blog, please help support my work in the coming year ahead by making a donation. I am reaching out to friends and followers with a request for making a small $5 or $10 donation in aid of my research.

These donations are of great assistance in helping me offset the cost of obtaining and translating documents from Russian archival and media sources, which are often paid for out of my own pocket. It is these documents which help present new facts and information on the life and reign of Nicholas II. In addition, my research continues to debunk many of the myths and lies which exist more than a century after Nicholas II’s death and martyrdom.

As a token of my gratitude, please accept a copy of my 22-page booklet Nicholas II Bibliography – it’s FREE! My 2026 edition features a NEW 4-page article about Nicholas II’s libraries and book collection; 8 black and white photos; and a list of more than 125 English-language books on the life and reign of Nicholas II.

Please note, that there is NO obligation, the booklet is FREE to every one! ENJOY!

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION

New bust-monument to Nicholas II unveiled in Diveyevo

Posted on 1 Day Ago by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: bust-monument to Nicholas II, installed in front of
the Chapel in Honour of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers

On 10th September 2026, a new bust-monument to Emperor Nicholas II was unveiled and consecrated on the grounds of the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveyevo Convent near the Russian village of Diveyevo, situated in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The monument was installed in front of the Chapel in Honour of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers.

The rite of consecration was performed by Metropolitan Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas. Praying at the service were the abbess of the convent, Abbess Sergia (Konkova) and the sisters of the convent.

PHOTO: the rite of consecration was performed by
Metropolitan Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas

Before the consecration, the head of the Nizhny Novgorod Metropolia addressed the parishioners:

“The installation of the monument to Tsar-Passion-Bearer Nicholas II serves as another reminder for all of us of the tragic death of the Imperial Family, and of the events that changed the course of the history of our country.

“Emperor Nicholas II played an important role in the glorification of St. Seraphim of Sarov. The Tsar himself visited the Diveyevo monastery, which was one of the greatest events in the history of this monastery. This monument will become not just another “decoration” of the Diveyevo monastery, but a symbol of the connection between the present and the past.”

PHOTO: Metropolitan Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas, poses next to the
new monument to the Holy Passion-Bearer Nicholas II on the grounds of the Holy
Trinity Seraphim-Diveyevo Convent

The initiator of the installation of the monument to Nicholas II was the “Spas” TV channel, and Pavel Astakhov, a Russian statesman and writer. Thanks to him, similar monuments to Russia’s last Tsar have been installed in the Samara and Penza regions as part of the “Alley of Russian Glory” project.

The installation of the monment in Diveyevo is the 15th monument of Russia’s last Tsar, to be installed in Russia this year. Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, between 125 to 150 monuments, busts and memorial plaques have been installed in nearly 50 regions of the Russian Federation.

FURTHER READING

Did Saint Seraphim of Sarov predict the death and martyrdom of Russia’s last tsar?

Large-scale Nicholas II exhibition to open in Kazan

Posted on 2 Days Ago by Paul Gilbert

On 22nd October 2026, a large-scale exhibition dedicated to Russia’s last Tsar will open at the Kazan-Hermitage Exhibition Centre – a branch of the State Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg).

The exhibition “Nicholas II: Family and Throne” will feature some 350 + items: jewellery and decorative art, portraits and photographs, uniforms, gowns, dresses and other personal items which tell the story about Nicholas II and his family.

An illustrated Russian-language catalogue has been prepared for the exhibition. Unfortunately, due to the current economic sanctions imposed by the West, it will not be possible to order a copy from Russia.

The exhibition “Nicholas II: Family and Throne” runs from 22nd October 2026 to 30th August 2027 at at the Kazan-Hermitage Exhibition Centre – pictured above.

I will be writing a full report + PHOTOS of the exhibition, after the opening . . . STAY TUNED!

Bust-monuments to Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna unveiled in Gusev

Posted on 6 Days Ago by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: Bust-monuments to Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna
in the courtyard of the Museum of History and Local Lore in Gusev

On Saturday, 5th September 2026, a pair of bust-monuments to Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna were unveiled and consecrated in the courtyard of the Museum of History and Local Lore in the Russian city of Gusev, situated about 112 km (70 miles) from Kaliningrad.

The brass monuments were installed near the second building of the museum, where, after reconstruction, the Center for the Preservation of the Memory of the First World War was opened in 2025.

The event coincided with Tsar’s Days, which is currently taking place in Kaliningrad. This event honours the memory of Russia’s last Tsar and his family in cities across the Russian Federation.

PHOTO: Bust-monument to Emperor Nicholas II at Gusev

PHOTO: Bust-monument to Empress Alexandra Feodorovna at Gusev

The ceremony began with much pomp and pageantry, including a march of the Life Guards Regiment. Bishop Nikolai of Chernyakhov and Slavsk performed a Divine Liturgy and consecrated bust monuments to the Holy Passion-Bearers.

“Let those who will come here know, these were people who loved Russia, who served their country faithfully. And if we serve our Fatherland, our life has meaning,” His Eminence said.

According to the government of the Kaliningrad region, the monuments were created by sculptor Leonid Mikhailenko in St. Petersburg.

“The Holy Passion-Bearers Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna are the main saints who pray for Russia,” said the Director of the Elisabeth-Sergius Educational Society Foundation (ESPO) Anna Vitalievna Gromova.

“This event was made possible thanks to the joint efforts of the leadership of the region, scientific, museum, local history communities and philanthropists,” she added. “The events and reforms that took place during the reign of Emperor Alexander III and Emperor Nicholas II largely predetermined the fate of Russia, including the victory in the Great Patriotic War (1941-45).”

The ceremony ended with the laying of flowers at the monuments and a performance by a military band.

PHOTO: Bust-monuments to Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna
in the courtyard of the Museum of History and Local Lore in Gusev

NEW BOOK – Tsar Nicholas II by Alexei G. Elchaninov

Posted on 10 Days Ago by Paul Gilbert

REVISED and UPDATED 2026 EDITION

*You can order this title from most AMAZON outlets, including
the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia,
France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Sweden,
Brazil, Mexico and Japan
*Note: prices are quoted in local currencies

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE HARD COVER EDITION @ $25.00 USD

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE PAPERBACK EDITION @ $20.00 USD

English. 8-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ format. 216 pages with 30 photos

This authorized account of Emperor Nicholas II by Major-General Andrei Georgievich Elchaninov (1868-1918), is an unprecedented biography of a living tsar. It was originally published in 1913, to coincide with the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. The author served as a professor of military art in the General Staff Academy in St. Petersburg, he later served in the suite of Tsar Nicholas II.

Nicholas II reviewed and corrected the proofs himself in January 1913. He made changes to the text, and requested the removal of sentences describing the Tsesarevich Alexei’s illness.

Elchaninov gathered considerable material for the twelve chapters about Nicholas II’s personal life based on observations and impressions. The first chapters describe Russia’s last Tsar as a caring, devoted and loving husband and father. The remaining chapters focus on his relationship with his government, the church, the army, the Russian people, and the policies which he pursued during the first 18 years of his reign.

Written before the First World War and the 1917 Revolution. Elchaninov writes in glowing patriotic language portraying Nicholas II as an indefatigable “Imperial worker” in the service of Russia’s best interests and the “Sovereign father” of the Russian people.

The cover of the book features a handsome portrait of Emperor Nicholas II. 1903. Artist: Friedrich August von Kaulbach (1850-1920)

In addition to Elchaninov’s biography on the Tsar, this NEW 2026 edition includes an expanded introduction and a short biography of Andrei Elchaninov + 5 appendixes: Chronology of Events in the Life and Reign of Nicholas II; 100 Facts and Statistics During the Reign of Nicholas II (1894-1917); Bibliography of 100+ English-language Titles on Nicholas II; Nicholas II’s Diaries and Nicholas II’s Personal Libraries + 30 black and white photos!

This book is an excellent resource tool for any one interested
in the life and reign of Russia’s much slandered last Tsar!

***

Andrei Georgievich Elchaninov (1868-1918)

Very little is known about the life of Andrei Georgievich Elchaninov (1868-1918), the man who held the title of Emperor Nicholas II’s official biographer. Born just one month apart in 1868, the Tsar and Elchaninov were the same age – 50, when they both fell victims to the Bolsheviks in 1918.

Subscribe to my bi-weekly Nicholas II news updates . . . it’s FREE!

Posted on 11 Days Ago by Paul Gilbert

NOTE: my next news update will be e-mailed on 15th September 2026

World premiere of “The Romanovs: Devotion and Betrayal” held in St. Petersburg

Posted on 15 Days Ago by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: the producer and cast at the City Lights International
Film Festival, held in St. Petersburg on 29th August 2026

On 29th August 2026, the world premiere of the new historical drama film “The Romanovs: Devotion and Betrayal” took place at the the City Lights International Film Festival in St. Petersburg.

The screening of the film gathered about a thousand spectators. Due to the high interest in the film, the organizers had to hold an additional screening of the highly anticpated film.

Recall that the Russian-language historical drama sheds light on the role of foreign intelligence services and the betrayal of the Tsar’s inner circle, including Nicholas II’s own relatives and generals.

The premieres of “The Romanovs: Devotion and Betrayal” will be held next month in cities across the Russian Federation: on 21st September at Mosfilm in Moscow, on 22nd September in Tobolsk, on 23rd September in Tyumen, on 24th September in Ekaterinburg, on 25th September in Perm, and on 26th September in Surgut.

PHOTO: this very moving still from the film depicts Emperor Nicholas II with his son and heir Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich. We see a loving father having a heart to heart with his son. The scene was filmed in the Tsar’s New Study in the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoye Selo.

Film producer Oleg Urushev said that he believes that half of the potential viewers of the historical drama The Romanovs. Devotion and Betrayal will attend the premiere “infected with Bolshevik historiography.”

During the past year, the filming and production of the historical drama has received wide-spread media attention and ignited a flurry of discussion on social media and in Russia, in which more than 500 thousand people have already taking part.

Urushev believes that more than half of the potential audience will view his film with the already negative assessment of Russia’s last Tsar, “which is of course based on Bolshevik historiography, according to which Nicholas II was bloody, and the Bolsheviks themselves, of course, are wonderful,” notes the producer.

“Although, to be honest, the bloodiest period in the history of Russia was the Bolshevik period. Under Nicholas II, our country was number one in wheat production, and five years later the Bolsheviks were able to create a famine and starve the country,” he said during a panel discussion, as part of the film festival.

Urushev is hopeful that his film will change the negative held opinions of those who attend the premieres across Russia with a more honest assessment of Russia’s much slandered Tsar.

URTHER READING

‘The Romanovs: Devotion and Betrayal’ – Trailer (2026)

The first trailer for the historical drama “The Romanovs: Devotion and Betrayal” has been released. The Russian-language film sheds light on the role of foreign intelligence services and the betrayal of the Tsar’s inner circle, including Nicholas II’s own relatives and generals.

New monument to Nicholas II unveiled in Mariinsk

Posted on 16 Days Ago by Paul Gilbert

On 27th August 2026, a new bust-monument to Emperor Nicholas II was unveiled and consecrated on the grounds of the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in the Russian city of Mariinsk, Kemerovo Region, located in the south of Western Siberia.

The unveiling ceremony was led by Metropolitan Aristarkh of Kemerovo and Prokopyevsk, head of the Kuzbass Metropolia. Before the consecration of the monument, Metropolitan Aristarchus addressed those present with an archpastoral sermon, in which he noted the contribution of Nicholas II to the history of the Fatherland.

Following the of the bust-monument to the Holy Passion-Bearer Nicholas II, Metropolitan Aristarkh then performed the rite of consecration in the presence of members of the clergy and local diocese, parishioners and local residents.

The event was attended by Russian statesman, lawyer, TV presenter and writer Pavel Astakhov, Evgeny Sergeevich Ivanov, Chairman of the Committee for Cooperation with Religious Organizations of the Administration of the Government of Kuzbass, as well as Alexei Sergeevich Yakovlev, Deputy Head of the City of Kemerovo and Head of the Territorial Administration of the Leninsky District. The bishop opened the sculpture.nstalled in Mariinsk.

The bust of Russia’s last Tsar was installed as part of the “Alley of Russian Glory Project”. The project is aimed at perpetuating the memory of famous Russians who glorified the Fatherland, as well as reviving the patriotic spirit of the country’s citizens and educating the younger generation on glorious heroic traditions. In 2026, similar monuments appeared in Tomsk, Zarechny and Tver with the support of the SPAS television network.

The installation of the monment in Mariinsk is the 13th monument of Russia’s last Tsar, to be installed in Russia this year. Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, more than 125 monuments, busts and memorial plaques have been installed in nearly 50 regions of the Russian Federation.

Sakhalin Communists want monument to Nicholas II replaced with monument to Joseph Stalin

Posted on 17 Days Ago by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: Emperor Nicholas II and Joseph Stalin

The Sakhalin regional branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation have demanded the removal of a monument to Emperor Nicholas II, which was recently installed in the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and replacing it with a monument to Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.

Recall that a bust-monument to the Holy Passion-Bearer Nicholas II was unveiled and consecrated on 23rd August 2026, on the grounds of the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ, situated on Victory Square inYuzhno-Sakhalinsk (from 1882 to 1905 – Vladimirovka, from 1905-1946 – Toyohara (from Japanese), situated on Sakhalin Island in the Russian Far East.

The Communists consider it inappropriate to place a monument to Russia’s last Tsar, since it was during the reign of Nicholas II that Russia was defeated in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and handed over the southern part of Sakhalin to Japan.

The Sakhalin regional branch of the Communist Party also recalled that shortly before the opening of the monument, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi again announced territorial claims against Russia. Therefore, the installation of the monument to Nicholas II can be perceived as a political signal and used by Japanese propaganda, party members believe.

PHOTO: local communists want to replace this
monument to Nicholas II with one of Joseph Stalin

As an alternative to the monument to the emperor, the Communists put forward a proposal to erect a monument to Joseph Stalin on the same square, thanks to whom South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands returned to the USSR in 1945. The proposal was sent to Sakhalin Governor Valery Limarenko, regional prosecutor Vladimir Shaibekov, deputies of the regional Duma, Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The communists proposal caused a wide public outcry. Many citizens support the proposal, believing that the memory of Stalin should be immortalized in historically significant places. Others, however, expressed their concerns about the need to erect a monument to persons associated with political repressions and terror, which affected tens of millions of people during the Bolshevik and later Soviet years.

One has to wonder if the Sakhalin Communists asked themselves – “why” would an Orthodox Church, want a monument to Stalin, the Soviet leader who declared war on the Church, ordering the demolition and closure of thousands of Orthodox churches, cathedrals and monasteries and the execution and imprisonment of thousands of priests, monks and nuns?

New monument to Nicholas II unveiled in the Tuva region

Posted on 18 Days Ago by Paul Gilbert

On 25th August 2026, a new bust-monument to Emperor Nicholas II was unveiled and consecrated on the grounds of the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in the Russian city of Kyzyl [formerly Belotsarsk] , the capital of the Republic of Tuva, which lies at the geographical center of Asia, in southern Siberia.

The installation of the monument is timed to coincide with two important dates: the 15th anniversary of the formation of the Kyzyl diocese and the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia.

The bust was donated to the residents of the Republic of Tuva by the he public federal Orthodox TV channel “SPAS”.

“The monument to the Holy Passion-Bearer Nicholas II, has become a new heavenly patron for Tuva, a historical intercessor close in time, glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church,” said Hieromonk of the Kyzyl Diocese Ambrose (Gromov).

Among the guests of honour, the event was attended by the head of the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan Yuri Ananin, the director of the Agency for Nationalities of the Republic of Tatarstan Svetlana Oshchepkova and Boris Korchevnikov, general director of the SPAS TV channel.

The installation of this monument is an important reminder of Emperor Nicholas II, by whose decree Tuva came under the protectorate of the Russian Empire in 1914.

The event attracted many local parishioners and pilgrims. At the end of the consecration ceremony, everyone was invited to visit the photo exhibition “The Romanovs – Tsar’s Service” which officially opened in the lower level of the cathedral.

The above photo depicts the bust of Emperor Nicholas II, before it was installed atop the granite pedestal, it provides us with a close-up view of the detail of the Emperor’s face, his uniform and numerous orders and medals.

The installation of the monment in Kyzyl is the 12th monument of Russia’s last Tsar, to be installed in Russia this year. Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, more than 125 monuments, busts and memorial plaques have been installed in nearly 50 regions of the Russian Federation.