Russian museums: Exhibition in honor of 200th anniversary of Prince Vladimir Dolgorukov to open in Moscow

«The Governor of Moscow» exhibition timed for the 200th anniversary of Moscow Governor General Prince Vladimir Dolgorukov opened on August 31 in the State Historical Museum, Moscow.

Prince Vladimir Dolgorukov, honorary member of the Russian Historical Museum, was born on July 3rd, 1810. Being a military man, he had participated in the war in Caucasus, was charged with war supplies during the Crimea war. In 1865 he was appointed for the post of Moscow Governor General which he had been occupying for over 25 years.

Within this period of time Moscow had transformed from a small patriarchal town to the largest commercial and industrial center with the population of over 1 million people. Zemstvo and municipal reforms had been carried out; administrative and territorial division of the city had been improved, water supply arranged, gas lightening established and the first horsecar put in motion. Among the greatest achievements of the prince were the completion of construction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and opening of the Russian Historical Museum.

During his government over the city the governor general had developed a huge collection of gifts for different dates and jubilees: icons, plates and salt shakers decorated with inscriptions and coat of arms, richly designed albums with illustrations and photos, few hundreds of addresses of Moscow organizations. When Rumyantsev Museum had closed, this collection of Dolgorukov went to Historical Museum.