This grand old Petersburg residence was the home to court poet Gabriel Derzhavin (1743–1816), one of Russia's greatest early writers, and someone who recognised the genius of Alexander Pushkin during Pushkin's own childhood. Having been divided into some 60 communal apartments under the Soviets, the mansion was fully renovated in 2003 and is now a charming museum. The focus of the house is Derzhavin's own study, with its three secret entrances.
