On 19th May 2026, a scientific and practical conference Emperor Nicholas II and Dialogue with the Islamic World was held at the Diocesan Pilgrim Center in the Russian city of Kazan. The event was timed to the 158th anniversary of the birth of Russia’s last Tsar.
The conference was attended by historians and public figures of Tatarstan, clergymen of the Kazan diocese, representatives of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan, media representatives, students and those interested in the history of Russia. Admission was FREE.
The meeting was moderated by the head of the diocesan missionary department, Father Alexander Ermolin.
Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan and Tatarstan addressed the audience with a welcoming speech:
Dear friends, brothers and sisters!
Today we celebrate the 158th anniversary of the birth of the Holy Tsar-Passion-Bearer Nicholas II. As is known, he visited Kazan on numerous occasions to meet with his spiritual mentor, Elder Gabriel of Sedmiezerny, and expressed his wish that a church be founded at the place where the miraculous image of the Queen of Heaven was found. In 1913, the church was built and consecrated in honour of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
During the reconstruction of the Kazan Cathedral, the Cave Church was also restored. It was consecrated by Vladyka Feofan of blessed memory and Metropolitan Mark of Berlin in February 2020.
It is gratifying that today’s conference is attended by professionals who have a deep knowledge of the topic to which this scientific forum is dedicated. We are pleased to welcome Pyotr Valentinovich Multatuli, Doctor of Historical Sciences and great-grandson of Ivan Mikhailovich Kharitonov, who was with the Tsar to the last and died with him in the basement of the Ipatiev House. We also warmly welcome Yuri Sergeevich Pyltsin, Candidate of Historical Sciences, one of the founders of the group of historical parks “Russia is My History”, employee of the Museum of the Tsar’s Family in Yekaterinburg.
It must be said that the historical figure of Emperor Nicholas II is one of the most slandered in our society and state. Unfortunately, many people cannot assess the scale of the sovereign’s personality, because for various reasons they do not have reliable knowledge of what was done for the benefit of the people during the 22 years of his rule.
Today, here in Kazan, we would like not only to tell about the Tsar and his life, about the achievements of the Russian Empire, to share new facts, but also to touch upon the important and interesting topic of the relationship between the Tsar-Passion-Bearer and the Islamic community.
PHOTO: Pyotr [Peter] Multatuli
Rishat Hazrat Khamidullin wgi, who serves as Deputy Mufti of the Republic of Tatarstan for Information Policy and General Director of the Huzur Publishing House, was also a guest speaker at the conference. In his talk, he stressed that the topic of Emperor Nicholas II’s relations with the Muslim world is key to understanding Russia as a multinational and multi-religious state. He recalled that at the beginning of the 20th century, more than 30 million Muslims lived in the Russian Empire. Rishat Hazrat noted that the era of the reign of Emperor Nicholas II can be called a time of active development of Muslim public life and education, as well as interreligious relations.
During the forum, papers were presented on a wide range of topics. Below is a full list of the topics discussed at the Emperor Nicholas II and Dialogue with the Islamic World conference on 19th May 2026:
– Dialogue between Emperor Nicholas II and the Muslims of the Russian Empire;
– the service of the modern Russian nobility;
– monarchist sentiments of the Cossaks of the Caucasus during the Civil War;
– the contribution of the Kazan province to the defense of Russia in the First World War;
– Traditions of mercy and acts of charity of the Imperial Family;
– Tatar noble families during the era of Nicholas II;
— the spiritual roots of the Russian Time of Troubles.
The Emperor Nicholas II and Dialogue with the Islamic World conference provided an opportunity for participants to comprehend the historical experience of interreligious dialogue and service to the Fatherland.
On 14th May 2026, a new public exhibition The Era of Nicholas II opened at Livadia. The outdoor photo-exhibit features 100 historical photographs 0f Emperor Nicholas II and his family.
The photographs are depicted on banners, which have been mounted on the brick walls near the former house of Count Vladimir Borisovich Frederiks (1838-1927), who served as Minister of the Imperial Court between 1897 and 1917. His residence is situated on the path which leads to both the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and the Livadia Palace.
A significant part of the photographs reflect the visits of Emperor Nicholas II and members of his family to the Crimea, as well as other interesting pages of history related to the state and social activities of the last Russian Tsar, who is now glorified as a saint.
The exhibition received the blessing of Metropolitan Tikhon of Simferopol and Crimea and was prepared by the caring parishioners of the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross with the support of the brethren of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery.
PHOTO: many of the photos in the exhibition reflect the Imperial Family’s visits to Crimea. In the photo above: Nicholas and Alexandra at Ai-Petri (left) Nicholas II tests new uniforms for the soldiers of his army (right). Both photos were taken during their visit in the Autumn of 1909
Recall that up until 1911, Nicholas II and his family stayed in the Small (Maly) Palace during their visits to Livadia. From 1911, the Imperial Family stayed at their iconic white stone palace overlooking the Black Sea.
The new palace was constructed in the Italian Neo-Renaissance style by the Russian architect Nikolai Krasnov (1864-1939), on the site of the Large wooden palace. It is interesting to note, that Emperor Nicholas II spent about 4 million gold rubles on the construction palace. The palace contains 116 rooms, with interiors furnished in different styles.
The Imperial family stayed in the New Livadia Palace in the autumn of 1911 and 1913 and in the spring of 1912 and 1914, their visits lasting months at a time.
It was here in Livadia that Emperor Alexander III died on 2nd November [O.S. 20th October] 1894. The same day, his son and heir Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich ascended the throne. It was also at Livadia that the holy righteous John of Kronstadt (1829-1908) anointed Princess Alice of Hesse, who became the Orthodox faithful Grand Duchess and future Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.
Emperor Nicholas II visited Livadia a total of 13 times, his last visit was in May 1916 – three months before the outbreak of World War I. The Imperial Train arrived in Sebastopol on 12th May, and on 16th May, the Tsar and his family visited Yevpatoria.
Following the Tsar’s abdication 15th March 1917 (O.S. 2nd March) 1917, Nicholas requested that he and his family be allowed to settle permanently at Livadia, however, his request was denied by the new Provisional Government in Petrograd.
On 19th May 2015, a bust monument to Emperor Nicholas II was unveiled at the main entrance to the Livadia Palace. It is made of artificial stone after the model of the sculptor A.A.Appolonov and bronze. Marble pedestal.
On 18th November 2017, in the presence of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, a monument to Emperor Alexander III was unveiled on the site of the former Small Palace.
On 27th September 2022, a restored bronze bust of Emperor Nicholas II – which was damaged with bullet holes – was unveiled and consecrated on the grounds of the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross – the home church of the Russian Imperial Family, at Livadia Palace in Crimea.
PHOTO: cover of the Fans of Empress Maria Feodorovna exhibition catalogue – see below
On 29th April 2026, the exhibition “Fans of Empress Maria Feodorovna. 1860s–1910s” from the collection of the State Hermitage Museum[1] opened in the Small Church[2] of the Winter Palace. The exhibition presents a range of fans which belonged to Maria Feodorovna, the wife of Emperor Alexander III and mother of Emperor Nicholas II, are superb examples of the fan-maker’s art.
These items, made between the 1860s and the early 1910s, entered the Hermitage from the Anichkov Palace, the Empress’s favourite St. Petersburg residence, where she lived after her marriage to the Tsesarevich Alexander Alexandrovich, and also after his death, as the Dowager Empress.
Maria Feodorovna (1847–1928), born Princess Dagmar of Denmark, came to Russia in 1866 as the bride of the Tsesarevich (heir to the throne). The earliest fans on display are ones she brought with her from Denmark. After becoming a member of one of Europe’s wealthiest imperial houses, Maria Feodorovna was able to order accessories from leading fan producers such as Duvelleroy and Alexandre.
The exhibition features fans of foreign and Russian manufacture. Since such accessories sometimes reflected important events in Maria Feodorovna’s person’s life, the glass showcases depict different types of fans – wedding, mourning and souvenir. Maria Feodorovna’s souvenir fans were mainly keepsakes connected with events in the life of the Imperial Court – notable anniversaries, weddings, christenings, balls and masquerades (for example, in memory of a costume ball held in 1883 at the palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich). A separate group is formed by fans that were diplomatic gifts from the time of the friendly Franco-Russian visits of 1891–93.
The theme of the fan as a costume accessory is complemented in the exhibition by some of the Empress’s evening gowns – which are also on display.
The exhibition curator is Yulia Valeryevna Plotnikova, Candidate of Art History, Leading Researcher in the State Hermitage’s Department of the History of Russian Culture.
The exhibition “Fans of Empress Maria Feodorovna. 1860s–1910s” runs until 28th March 2027
NOTES:
[1] A large number of Empress Maria Feodorovna’s fans are currently in the Collection of Pavlovsk Palace, where they are now on permanent display in their Museum of Costumes. Given that the Dowager Empress never lived at Pavlovsk, how did they end up there?
[2]Church of the Saviour Not Made by Hands – the home church of the Imperial family in the Winter Palace.
Empress Maria Feodorovna’s fan collection
The items on display accompanied their owner through various periods of her life, from her youth until her departure from Saint Petersburg on the eve of revolutionary events. Among these works of decorative and figurative art are some of the finest examples of one of the most feminine costume accessories, made in France and the Russian Empire by famous fan artists and easel painters, including Ivan Kramskoi and Alexei Bogoliubov.
Maria Feodorovna used many fans with a wide variety of decoration: lighter coloured ones were more suitable for balls, while darker ones, of lace with sequins, were for evening parties, social gatherings and the theatre. The leaves of fans from the 1880s–90s often have a flowering branch or bouquet painted on them, with a romantic landscape in the background. Among the “brighter” fans are two made of iridescent mother-of-pearl. The silk leaf of one of them depicts views of Seville in Spain.
Of great interest is a folding brisé fan with blades shaped like lily-of-the-valley flowers and leaves. In the 1860s–70s, there was a vogue for simple fans of smooth wooden or ivory blades, painted with flowers or decorated with photographic portraits set in a floral bouquet. Fans of this type were produced by the Austrian firm Gebrüder Rodeck, supplier to the royal courts of Austria and Great Britain, that in 1872 was also awarded the title of Supplier to the Russian Imperial Court. The young Maria Feodorovna is depicted with this fan in one of the earliest photographs taken soon after her arrival in Saint Petersburg.
By the late 1880s, fan-making began to be considered a separate form of decorative art. Producers tried to devise new shapes and saw the object itself as not just a fashion accessory but a work of art requiring special creative techniques. It was at that time that fan-making flourished anew: famous artists, whose easel works were shown at the annual Paris Salons, worked on the painting of the leaves and the carving of the frames of the finest examples. The leading fan-producing firms at this time were the Maisons Faucon and Duvelleroy, who had France’s leading decorative artists working with them.
A significant role in the development of the Art Nouveau style was played by Western artists’ fascination with the Orient, initially manifesting itself as the direct borrowing of decorative art objects – screens, tables, fans; robes and cushions embroidered with magnificent patterns; prints depicting flowers, birds, and animals – the “Chinoiserie of the second half of the 19th century”. The finest artists of the era reworked the decorative techniques that they admired with such talent and creativity that the Oriental style, having passed through Western culture and art, acquired its own unique character – asymmetrical composition, exquisite colour combinations.
At the turn of the 1890s, the rather bold creations of Charles Worth’s house came into fashion. The couturier was not afraid to combine in them contrasting colours – pink and pale green, black and yellow. Empress Maria Feodorovna also had outfits from Worth in her wardrobe. Like any work of high fashion, each such a toilette required a suitable accessory. That might be a fan of black gauze painted by Felix Gardon, with yellow dahlias and flowers seemingly emerging from the darkness.
At the same time, fans with gallant or classical subjects continued to be used. These were now described as being in the Louis XV and Louis XVI style, and includes the Watteau fan featuring shepherdesses breakfasting on the grass under a blue sky. The Empress is holding a similar fan in one of her official photographs from the early 1890s.
A separate group comprises the so-called wedding fans. For her own wedding Maria Feodorovna received two fans as gifts, both striking examples of the style known as the “Rococo Revival”. At the time, this trend bore the name of the favourite of the French king Louis XV, Madame Pompadour. However, the “Pompadour” style actually meant a unique synthesis of the artistic manners of the entire 18th century. Another “Rococo Revival” fan presented for the Tsarevna’s wedding, came in a pearl-grey velvet-covered case with a mother-of-pearl crown on the lid.
One of the fans presented to the Empress was painted by the famous Russian portraitist Ivan Kramskoi. Executed in oils on the smooth wooden blades of the fan are likenesses of Alexander III and all the imperial couple’s children. At the bottom, a basket of flowers and a pair of flying doves are depicted. Based on the ages of the children in the portraits, the fan can be dated to 1886, suggesting that it was made for the Emperor and Empress’s twentieth wedding anniversary.
Fans were also a form of diplomatic gift presented during friendly visits. A whole set of items belonging to Empress Maria Feodorovna has survived, including such ceremonial tokens. Most of them date from the Franco-Russian exchanges of 1891–93. For those occasions, the French government commissioned several fans for the Empress from the best firm of the day – Duvelleroy.
The exhibits shown, many of which are on display for the first time, reflect the taste and preferences of their former owner and also give an idea of the artistic development of that most feminine accessory – the fan – in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, representing a rare example of a synthesis of the arts.
Source: State Hermitage Museum
Exhibition catalogue
NOTE:this catalogue is ONLY available in Russian, there is NO English language edition. Sadly, due to the current Western economic sanctions, it is not possible to order this catalogue from the State Hermitage’s online shop– PG
The State Hermitage Publishing House has prepared a scholarly illustrated catalogue entitled Fans of Empress Maria Feodorovna. 1860–1910s” (St. Petersburg, 2026). The author of the catalogue is Yulia Valerievna Plotnikova, Leading Researcher of the Department of the History of Russian Culture of the State Hermitage, curator of the exhibition.
The publication prepared for the exhibition “Fans of Empress Maria Feodorovna. The 1860s–1910s” from the collection of the State Hermitage, offers the reader the items that accompanied their owner in different periods of her life from her youth to her departure from St. Petersburg on the eve of the revolutionary events. Among these works of applied and fine art, you can see the best examples of one of the most feminine costume accessories, made in France and the Russian Empire by famous fan artists and easel painters, including I. N. Kramskoy and A. P. Bogolyubov. A special place is occupied by the so-called souvenir fans, which served as a reminder of certain events in both private life (wedding, birth of a child) and public (balls, masquerades, concerts, coronation celebrations). Among them, a set of items stands out, which are diplomatic gifts presented to the Empress during the Franco-Russian visits of 1891-1893.
The exhibits shown at the exhibition, many of which are shown for the first time, reflect the taste and preferences of their former owner, and also give an idea of the artistic development in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries of the most elegant accessory – the fan, which is a rare example of the synthesis of arts.
The catalogue is intended for lovers of Russian and Western European art.
The catalogue can only be purchased in the main gift shop and at the book stalls of the State Hermitage Museum.
On 28th April 2026, a new exhibition History Returned opened in the Exhibition Hall of the State Archives of the Russian Federation (GARF) in Moscow. The exhibition is dedicated to the Russian diaspora during the aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution and the Russian Civil War.
After the Great Patriotic War (1941-45), the Prague archive of the Russian Foreign Historical Archive (RZIA) was transferred to the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, and in 1946 it became part of the funds of the Central State Archive of the October Revolution, now the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF).
This is the largest of the archives of the Russian emigration in Europe of the interwar period, from 1923 to 1945. During the Nazi occupation of Bohemia and Moravia, employees of the RZIA, did not abandon their noble cause in those difficult years, by safeguarding the archives for the history of Russia.
PHOTO: The premises of the Russian Foreign Historical Archives. Prague. 1924
The State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF) stores a unique collection of documents on the Russian diaspora which followed the Bolshevik Revolution in October 1917 and Russian Civil War (1917-1922).
In addition are documents of political, public organizations and institutions of the Russian emigration, printed publications, drawings, photographs, leaflets, posters, maps, banknotes. The archive is further complemented by documents from the personal archives of prominent Russian state, political and military figures and well-known representatives of science and culture of the Russian emigration.
PHOTO: Registration form No. 3169 of Marina Ivanovna Efron-Tsvetaeva, Prague, August 23, 1922
The first section of the exhibition displays documents that tell about the decades of work by the Prague Archive staff, who carried out “the collection, storage, systematization and scientific processing of materials on the history of Russia and its peoples.
Among the valuable exhibits: documents of the poetess Marina Tsvetaeva (1892-1941) and drawings of the artist Yuri Artsybushev (1877-1952), as well as documents of the First Russian Cadet Corps, the Union of Russian Military Invalide.
Of particular note are exhibits dedicated to the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church [today known as the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), which united Russian emigrants in foreign lands. These document’s became part of the RZIA in 1934, and include the note-testament of Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow and All Russia (1865-1925) of 23rd November 1923, a medal and badges made in honour of the 950th anniversary of the baptism of Russia, which was celebrated by the Russian Orthodox diaspora in 1938, are presented. .
PHOTO: Poster for the grand ball organized by Grand Duchess Kira Kirillovna to benefit Russian military invalids in France. May 7, 1937.
The exhibition is further complemented by documents, letters, diaries and photographs, gifted to GARF by the descendants of prominent members of the Russian diaspora.
On display are documents and personal items that belonged to General Anton Denikin (1872-1947), transferred in 1992-2000 by his daughter Marina Denikina-Gray (1919-2005), as well as materials from the family collection of Admiral Alexander Kolchak (1874-1920), which were preserved for many years Paris by his widow Sophia, and subsequently acquired for the Civil Aviation of the Russian Federation by a wealthy Russian entrepreneur Leonid Mikhelson. In the same section are documents of Anna Kniper-Timiryova (1893-1975), preserved in the family of her nephew I.K. Safonov and subsequently transferred to the Civil Aviation of the Russian Federation by his son V.I. Safonov and widow L.N. Zubareva.
Exhibition documents reveal the fate of representatives of the Imperial House of Romanov, who were forced to leave Russia after 1917: photographs and other items from the archives of Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich (1879-1956) and collection of the Yusupov-Romanovs.
Among the key exhibits, vistors can see diaries and photographs taken onboard the British battleship HMS Marlborough, when some of the most prominent members of the Russian Imperial Family left Russia from the Crimea. Among them were Nicholas II’s mother the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna (see photo below) and her daughter Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna.
PHOTO: General Anton Ivanovich (1872-1947) Denikin in his office at Stavka [Headquarters]. Mogilev, 1917.
The exhibition History Returned runs until 21st June 2026, in the Exhibition Hall of the State Archives of the Russian Federation (GARF) in Moscow.
PHOTO: Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna leaves Russia onboard the battleship HMS Marlborough. 1919
On 1st May 2026, the exhibition “Tragic Omen“opened at the Museum of Political History in St. Petersburg. The exhibition is timed to the 130th anniversary of the Holy Coronation of Emperor Nicholas II on 27 May (O.S. 14 May) 1896 and the tragic events on the Khodynka Field on 31st (O.S. 18th) May 1896.
The art nouveau mansion which today houses the museum itself was originally built for Mathilde Kshesinskaya (1872-1971), the famous prima ballerina at the Mariinskiy before the Revolution, and Nicholas II’s mistress before he became Emperor. Designed by Alexander von Gogen and completed in 1906, the residence combines an enfilade of reception rooms with a winter garden and rotunda.
In 1917, the building was seized by the Bolsheviks and turned into their headquarters in the city. It became the centre of their revolutionary activities, and Lenin made a historic speech from one of the balconies after his arrival in the city. It was later passed through a number of organizations, before eventually becoming the Museum of the Revolution in 1957. At the beginning of the 1990’s, the museum was renamed the Museum of Political History
PHOTO: view of the Museum of Political History, which is housed in the former mansion of the Russian prima ballerina Mathilde Kshesinskaya in St. Petersburg
The exhibition features a little-known portrait of Emperor Nicholas II, painted in 1896 for the coronation celebrations by one of the nuns of the Novo-Tikhvin Convent in Ekaterinburg and hung in one of the rooms of the Winter Palace until October 1917. When revolutionary Red Guards and sailors stormed the imperial residence, they attacked the portrait with bayonets.
The exhibition presents a collection of very interesting items from the Holy Coronation of Emperor Nicholas II. Amon them are menus of the gala lunches and dinners served to the newly crowned Tsar and his guests on the days of the coronation. Each is colorfully decorated by eminent artists Viktor Vasnetsov (1848-1926), Alexander Benois (1870-1960) and Ernst Liphart (1847-1932).
In addition are uniforms, coronation mugs, a scarf, photographs, invitations to the ceremony, foreign magazines and la copy of the two-volume Coronation Album – published in 1899.
PHOTO: late 19th century lithograph depicts Emperor Nicholas II’s official entry to Moscow, on 9th May 1896. The event marked the beginning of his Holy Coronation – the ceremonies and festivities lasted three weeks
Books published underground (illegally) and abroad, satirical postcards brought from Europe to Russia show the origin and cultivation of the myth of “Bloody Nicholas”.
Visitors can also acquaint themselves with the testimonies of eyewitnesses of the Khodynka tragedy and hear the assessments of people of different social backgrounds and political beliefs. The “voices” of eyewitnesses reflect the polyphony of opinions: who is to blame for the tragedy – the police and the Moscow authorities, who failed to ensure the security of the event, or the excitement of the uncontrollable crowd, greedy for Tsarist gifts?
The project will tell how after the Khodynka tragedy, the liberal and revolutionary intelligentsia began to systematically undermine the authority of Nicholas II and the entire Russian monarchy. This happened despite the fact that the Emperor personally took responsibility for what happened.
This section of the exhibition is complemented by “At the Vagankovo Cemetery. Funeral of the Victims of Khodynka” by the Russian artist Viktor Makovsky (1846-1920) and sketches for “Khodynka”, conveying the emotional perception of the tragedy – depicted in detail the tragic events that he witnessed.
PHOTO: At the Vagankovo Cemetery. Funeral of the Victims of Khodynka (1901) by Vladimir Makovsky. From the Collection of the Museum of Political History, St. Petersburg
In May 1896, Makovsky was invited by the government to illustrate the coronation exhibition, but unexpectedly encountered the gloomy side of the festivitiies. Going to Moscow from St. Petersburg, he intended to record the festive atmosphere, folk festivities and fireworks that accompanied the coronation celebrations.
A huge crowd of people came for the promised gifts, and the situation quickly got out of control. Crowds amounting to tens of thousands of confused people pushed, fell and screamed, turning the grandiose spectacle into a nightmarish scene of suffering, pain and death.
Returning to St. Petersburg, Makovsky spent the next five years creating a painting depicting the events of the Khodynka Field. The work showed the reality of the incident, in which 1,389 people were trampled to death, and an additional 1300 injured. The painting turned out to be so emotionally rich and realistic that the artist was forced to hide it from the public at the request of official bodies – the censors.
Vladimir Makovsky’s painting “At the Vagankovo Cemetery. Funeral of the Victims of Khodynka” as an exampled of unspeakable tragedy and the wrath of censorship.
When the painting was finally exhibited in 1901 at the Peredvizhniki Exhibition, it caused an instant reaction from the authorities. The canvas was immediately seized by order of the censorship department, and the Moscow governor Grand Duke Sergei A;exandrovich (1857-1905) sent a laconic review to the artist: “The painting is not yet timed, it is salt sprinkled on a fresh wound.” It was not possible to show the painting to the Russian audience, but the audience in London saw the canvas in 1910, and out of reach pf the Russian censors. Makovsky himself did not seek active agitation or participation in the revolutionary movement of the time. He memrey attempted to honestly depict what he saw, but it turned out that honesty and objectivity in art can be much more dangerous than any propaganda slogan.
In total, the exhibition presents more than 100 exhibits from the Collection of the Museum of Political History in St. Petersburg. This collection will be presented for the first time, offereing visitors a modern historical interpretation.
PHOTO: Archimandrite Tikhon (Zatekin) Abbot of the Ascension Pechersk Monastery, Nizhni Novgorod
On 22nd March 2026, members of the Russian History Club in Nizhny Novgorod attended a lecture “In Search of the Romanovs” by the abbot of the Ascension Pechersk Monastery Archimandrite Tikhon (Zatekin).
The venue for the event was the State Historical and Architectural Museum, which is today housed in the former Rukavishnikov House in Nizhny Novgorod. The beautiful 3-storey mansion was built in the 19th-century in the Classicism-style.
The lecture “In Search of the Romanovs” was dedicated to the tragic death of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II, his family and four faithful retainers.
Archimandrite Tikhon spoke about the first and second investigations into the murder of the Imperial Family, about his acquaintance in 1986 with screenwriter Geliy Ryabov (1932-2015) and geologist Alexander Avdonin (1932-2026), who in 1979 discovered what would come to be known as the “Ekaterinburg Remains“ in Porosenkov Log.
PHOTOS: the venue for the lecture, was the magnificent Grand Hall of the former Rukavishnikov Mansion in Nizhny Novgorod
He also talked about about his research on his 688-page Russian-language book: “I realized that this tragic event would never let me go,” Романовы: убийство, поиск, обретение’ [Romanovs: Murder, Search, published in 2022.
At the end of the lecture, Archimandrite Tikhon answered questions from the audience, and showed club members items salvaged from the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg, as well as original editions of the books of investigator Nikolai Sokolov (1882-1924), which were published in 1924 and 1925.
Archimandrite Tikhon then signed copies of his book Романовы: убийство, поиск, обретение’ [Romanovs: Murder, Search.
*As I have noted in previous posts, I support any initiative – big or small – to help keep the memory of Nicholas II and his family alive in 21st century Russia – PG
On 26th November 2025, a photo-exhibition dedicated to Russia’s last Tsar and his family opened in the building of the Clergy House, located in the heart of the Volokolamsk Kremlin, situated 129 kilometers (80 mi) northwest of Moscow. The exhibition presents more than 100 photographs from the private albums of the Imperial Family.
The photo-exhibition Under the Shadow of the Tsar’s Crown is a joint project of the Volokolamsk Kremlin, the Moscow Sretensky Monastery and the Volokolamsk Deanery of the Odintsovo Diocese.
The exhibition is divided into three thematic parts: family life, service to the Fatherland and mercy. The family of Nicholas II, is an example of a true Christian family, which is very important today, when the whole world is experiencing a crisis of family values.
The first part of the exhibit is dedicated to family relationships. Here are photographs depicting private home life, the attention of Nicholas and Alexandra towards their children and the close relationships shared with each other.
The second part reflects service to the Fatherland. The photos show Nicholas II’s participation in military reviews and his visits to Russian troops at the Front, during the First World War.
The third, the largest part of the exposition, is dedicated to the mercy and charity of the Imperial Family. A special place is dedicated to photographs in which the Empress and her daughters are depicted working in hospitals, assisting doctors during operations and providing care to soldiers, who were recovering at the hospital in Tsarskoye Selo, where the Empress and her daughters worked as Red Cross nurses.
The curator of the exhibition, Hieromonk Ignaty (Shestakov), noted the importance of the photographs presented:
“Among all the photographs, I would single out the picture where the Emperor visits wounded soldiers in a hospital during the First World War. We obtained this original image from our archive when preparing the exhibition . It turned out that this photo had not been published anywhere before. We were one of the first to present it publicly.”
The photo-exhibition Under the Shadow of the Tsar’s Crown runs until the end of February 2026, in the building of the Clergy House, located in the heart of the Volokolamsk Kremlin. The exhibit is open to visitors every Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 18:00 and on public holidays. Admission is FREE!
The exhibition Under the Shadow of the Tsar’s Crown has been held (although under different names) in various formats and in many Russian cities: Moscow, Voronezh, Kursk, Ryazan, Penza, Krasnodar, Belgorod, Velikiye Luki, Yalta, Livadia, Sevastopol, Novosibirsk, Lesosibirsk, Perm, Sayansk, Severomorsk, Pskov, Pavlovsk, Livadia, etc.
The photo project Under the Shadow of the Tsar’s Crown was created in 2016 by the Sretensky Monastery in Moscow. The travelling exhibition has already been presented in Serbia, Germany, Italy, Canada, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Czech Republic.
***
*As I have noted in previous posts, I support any initiative – big or small – to help keep the memory of Nicholas II and his family alive in 21st century Russia – PG
A new interactive exhibition dedicated to the Romanov dynasty has opened in the multimedia historical venue Russia – My History, in the Russian city of Tver.
The exhibition tells about the reign of the first tsars of the Romanov dynasty: Mikhail Fyodorovich (1613–1645), Alexei Mikhailovich (1645–1676), Fyodor Alekseevich (1676–1682), and Peter I the Great (1689–1725).
The exhibition also includes sections dedicated to the era of Empress Catherine II the Great (1762–1796), Emperors Alexander I the Blessed (1801–1825), Nicholas II (1894–1917), and the revolutionary events of 1917 that ended the Romanov dynasty.
The exhibition is presented in 15 halls with multimedia screens, touch tables, lightboxes and tablets. The updated exhibition has become more interactive, thanks to which visitors can test their knowledge in educational quizzes, watch chronological tapes, get acquainted with information using CGI graphics and modern technology.
Visitors also have the option of a guided tour of the exhibition, with experienced guides who discuss the pages of the history of the Romanov Dynasty and the great transformations of the country.
The exhibition Russia – My History is open on a permanent basis.
The multimedia historical Russia – My History sites now stretches across Russia and includes 26 cities: Vladivostok, Pyatigorsk, Volgograd, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Krasnodar, Makhachkala, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Perm, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, St. Petersburg, Saratov, Stavropol, Tyumen, Ufa, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Yakutsk, Chelyabinsk, Surgut, Tver, Lugansk, Melitopol.
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Also in Tver . . . . On 20th Mary 2020, after an extensive restoration, the historic Imperial Chambers in the Tver railway station opened its doors to visitors.
It is now possible to see the former Imperial Chambers, where Emperors Nicholas I, Alexander III and Nicholas II stopped during their respective train journeys between the two capitals.
The interiors which reflects the early 1900s, are based on archival documents, sketches, drawings and surviving photographs. They are as close as possible to the lost original, right down to the green wallpaper with gilded pattern on the walls and figured oak flooring.
Note the portraits of Emperor Nicholas I (left) and Emperor Nicholas II (right).
Recall that in 1851, traffic began on the Nikolayevskaya railway, which connected Tver with St. Petersburg and Moscow. It became a popular stop for the Imperial Train, where members of the Imperial Family would rest in the Imperial Chambers before continuing their respective journeys. See less
NOTE: click on the above image to enlarge and see in greater detail
On 22nd October 2025, the photo-exhibition ‘The Tsar’s Family. Love and Mercy‘, opened in the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the village of Vyselki, Krasnodar Territory.
The exhibition is showcased in the central alley of the Church, where large photographs of Emperor Nicholas II and his family are displayed on the walls. The exhibition is FREE to all.
The exhibit tells the story of the Nicholas II’s family, who unselfishly served others during the First World War and the traditions of nursing in Russia at the turn of the 19th – early 20th centuries.
Recall that when World War I broke out, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and her two eldest daughters Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana became Red Cross nurses. Together, from 1914 to 1917, they cared for wounded soldiers in a private hospital on the grounds of Tsarskoye Selo, until the family were placed under house arrest, following the Tsar’s abdication 15th March (O.S. 2nd March) 1917.
PHOTO: 3rd grade students of school No. 2 in Vyselki together with their teacher visit the photo-exhibition ‘The Tsar’s Family. Love and Mercy’
The exhibition has already been visited by 3rd grade students of school No. 2 in Vyselki together with their teacher Irina Fostenko.
The children listened with interest to the story told by Father Alexander about the service of the Imperial Family to the Fatherland, and about Nicholas II’s family, helping soldiers, the poor and the sick during the war years.
The photo project The Tsar’s Family: Love and Mercy was created in 2016 by the Sretensky Monastery in Moscow. The travelling exhibition has already been presented in Serbia, Germany, Italy, Canada, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Czech Republic.
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*As I have noted in previous posts, I support any initiative – big or small – to help keep the memory of Nicholas II and his family alive in 21st century Russia – PG
PHOTO: a pin – depicting the image of Nicholas II – worn by conductors on the vintage train from Ekaterinburg.
In December 2022, a vintage train journey was initiated from Ekaterinburg, which tells passengers, the story of the last days of Nicholas II and his family in the Urals. The train runs from Ekaterinburg to the Shuvakish station and back, on Friday evenings, and also on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
The locomotive (see photo below) is not from the Imperial times, but a 1963 steam engine, made in Czechoslovakia. The interiors, however, have been remodeled to resemble that of an early 20th century Russian train.
Passengers travelling on the vintage train are greeted on the platform by hospitable conductors wearing uniforms of early 20th century Imperial Russia-style, and white gloves (see photo below).
The train has four wagons: First Class, Economy Class, a dining car (see photo below) and a sightseeing car, which operates during the summer months. One compartment is decorated with framed photographs of the Imperial Family.
During the 3-hour train journey, passengers can sit back, relax and enjoy the view, while listening to an audio-guide, which tells the story of the last days of Russia’s last Tsar, his family and their four faithful retainers.
The audio begins with the Imperial Family’s train journey from Tsarskoye Selo to Tyumen, then by boat to Tobolsk, where they were held under house arrest in the former Governor’s House, from August 1917 to March 1918.
The story continues, with the transfer of the Imperial Family to Ekaterinburg, where they were held under house arrest in the Ipatiev House, from March to July 1918. The audio-guide further tells of their fate, their burial at what is today known as Ganina Yama, and the discovery of their remains, almost 100 years later on the Old Koptyaki Road.
Tea is served to passengers from a traditional samovar. Conductors bring the tea in beautiful faceted glasses in iron cup holders, on which the Double-Headed Eagle of the Russian Empire is depicted.
The train stops at Shuvakish Station (Zheleznodorozhny district), where passengers are free to disembark the train to a wooden platform, decorated with benches, a bell and a manual semaphore signal. The stop lasts a little more than an hour.
Inside the wooden pavilion, passengers can enjoy music, which includes a variety of waltzes and melodies from the repertoire of Alexander Serov.
Passengers can also try on the uniforms of the White Guards, take photos, and enjoy a cup of hot tea, bagels and local berries.
PHOTO: tea is served at Shuvakish Station
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*As I have noted in previous posts, I support any initiative – big or small – to help keep the memory of Nicholas II and his family alive in 21st century Russia – PG
Nicholas II 
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