 The collection of the Kingisepp Museum of Local History and Tradition amounts to more than 15 thousand exhibition items. They are mostly archeological finds, as well as treasures of folk art and traditional culture of different ethnic groups living in the region, many of them being gifts of private and corporate donors.
The historical exhibit of the museum shows the finds from the first Slavic settlements of the 8th-9th centuries as well as those from the Finno-Ugric ones referring to the 12th-13th century. The main section of the exhibit represents the medieval period when the Yam fortress was laid here to protect the borders of the Great N ovgorod State. The town of Yamburg grew around the Yam fortress. In 1922 it was renamed in the honour of the revolutionary activist Victor Kingisepp.
The museum was founded in 1960 and its first director was Smolsky, one of the organizers of the Community counsel. He initiated the museum creation. After residing in the former Ekaterininsky cathedral (erected by architect Antonio Rinaldi in 1764-1782 in accordance with the appointment of Catherine II), the museum returned it to the Orthodox community and moved to another place in 1990.
Now it occupies the former building of Yamburg commercial college (designed by engineer K.Vasiliev) which is being restored with the support of local administration. When the works are done, the collection wi ll be displayed in full and the museum will become a centre of community life holding art exhibitions and other cultural events.
Address:
1 Marksa prospect, Kingisepp, Leningrad region; phone (8275) 239 22
Open hours:
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays and on last Thursday of each mounth
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