Yusupov's Palace in St. Petersburg, the murder of Rasputin

For centuries Yusupov's family had been tsars’ trustworthy and favorite associates.
Before the revolution their family was much wealthier than the tsar's family in Russia. At the beginning of the XX century the Yusupov's property included: 4 palaces in St.Petersburg, 3 palaces in Moscow, 56 estates in different parts of Russia and abroad, coal and iron mines, plants and factories, oilfields on the Caspian Sea. Felix Yusupov (the last owner) recollects: "one of our lands ran 200 miles along the Caspian seashore. There was so much oil that soil seemed to be oversaturated with it ..."
The Palace on Mojka was the favourite place in St.Petersburg of Yusupov's family. It is famous for it's interior decorations made in the XIX century which are preserved till nowadays. Yusupov's Palace is well-known all over the world as a place where Rasputin was murdered on the 16-17 of December 1916.
Felix Yusupov had known Rasputin for a long time and deeply detested him in his heart. Together with 4 conspirators: member of the state Duma Purishkevich, member of the tsar's family Prince Dmitry, military doctor Lazovert and lieutenant Sukhotin, he decided to kill Rasputin. Felix invited Rasputin to his Palace. He said that his wife was having a headache after his daughter´s birth and Rasputin promised to help her. Felix's wife Irene (niece of Emperor Nickolas II) of who´s beauty Rasputin had heard a lot, together with her husband's parents was away in Crimea. Felix picked up Rasputin from his house and drove him to Yusupov's Palace. When they came to the basement room, Felix started to treat Rasputin with poisoned cakes and wine.
Meanwhile, conspirators stayed upstairs imitating Irene's party (gramophone was playing "Yankee Doodle" again and again, loud voices and laugh were heard).
Several hours past, but nothing happened. Totally confused and disappointed, Felix ran upstairs to ask for advice. He returned with a browning in his hand and made his first shot at Rasputin. Rasputin fell down on the floor and seemed dead, but soon moved again and tried to catch Felix and strangle him. Full of horror, Felix ran upstairs, Rasputin followed him. Next shots were made at Rasputin by Purishkevich who kept chasing him in the yard. Heavily beaten Rasputin's body was wrapped in drapes and drowned in the Neva river.
The next morning news about the Rasputin's murder quickly spread over St.Petersburg the next morning. Police have found the body only three days later. Felix and Prince Dmitry were accused of murder and exiled from the city, because many evidences against them were found.
After the February revolution in 1917, the Yusupov's family decided to leave the country.
To hide the remaining family treasures in the palace and take some precious things with him, Felix visited his Palace for the last time right before the October revolution and then Yusupov's family left Russia forever on the board of the English battleship "Marlboro". They had lived in Paris until their last days and were buried at the Russian emmigrant cemetry Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois. Nowadays Felix's heirs are living in Greece.
Felix's great-daughter Ksenia is still alive, she is about 70 years old. After the end of Soviet power she visited Yusupov's Palace for the first time and now comes to St.Petersburg regulary to participate in important events and concerts held at the Yusupov's palace. Several years ago her great-daughter Maria was born.
  In 1919 Palace was nationalized and in 1925 became a Teachers' Community house. Nowadays, during excursion in the Palace you can admire original charming interiors of Yusupov's Palace and acquaint with the exposition deducated to the murder of Rasputin.

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