Smolny Institute

Smolny Institute is a Palladian edifice in St Petersburg that has played a major part in the history of Russia. The Smolny was Russia’s first educational establishment for women and continued to function under the personal patronage of the Russian Empress until just before the 1917 revolution. A nice garden and iron-work grille around the institute date from the early 19th century.nIn 1917, the building was chosen by Vladimir Lenin as Bolshevik headquarters during the October Revolution. It was Lenin’s residence for several months, until the national government was moved to the Moscow Kremlin in March 1918.