Audiotour 4. Second floor

Second floor of the House of the Blackheads. Before lunch, the house served as a stock exchange, and at this time only the first floor of the House was used, where meetings were held, reports were submitted, and transactions were concluded. And in the evenings the House of the Blackheads turned into a place for rest and entertainment for the burghers. Members of the Brotherhood and guests went up to the second floor into the hall for ceremonial events, dance balls and numerous concerts. At various times, Russian tsars and queens were present at holidays in the Blackheads’ house, officially and incognito. The decoration of the ceremonial hall were ceremonial portraits of the monarchs of Russia and Sweden, including a portrait of Catherine II, personally donated. And in the book of honorary visitors one could see the autograph of the German Chancellor Bismarck. Today, cultural events, concerts, exhibitions, and excursions are regularly held here.