Психиатрическая больница святого Николая Чудотворца

In 1872, Tsar Alexander II officially designated this building as the St. Nicholas Psychiatric Hospital. This marked a major turning point. The hospital became a dedicated sanctuary for the mentally ill. The Psychiatry Department of the Medical-Surgical Academy had occupied this site since 1841. But it started with much humbler origins. The first structures on this location date back to 1736. Originally, a plague house stood here on the banks of the Moika River. It was aptly referred to as the “Temporary Contagious Hospital”. It was in a location deemed appropriate for its function: far from the city center. Fast forward to 1841, a separate facility emerged: a mental institution. This institution shared the space with the medical-surgical activities, coexisting within the same complex. By 1865, the “Temporary Contagious Hospital” was no more. A “Temporary Hospital for the Insane” was established in its place, under the Correctional Department. Later, in 1872, most of these facilities transitioned to the municipal authority. But the asylum was entrusted to St. Nicholas Hospital for the mentally ill. K. F. Ordin served as the hospital’s director from this point. Additionally, a dedicated department for the mentally ill was set up at the Obukhovskaya Hospital. In 1884, the hospital’s affiliation shifted from the Correctional Department to the Municipal Board. This reflected the evolving understanding of mental health care. The hospital’s purpose was defined as providing care for “individuals of unsound mind, those exhibiting signs of mental illness, and those disrupting the peace”. These guiding principles aimed to create a humane environment. It sought to prioritize the well-being of its patients. Today, the St. Nicholas Psychiatric Hospital stands as a testament to its complex history. It comprises approximately 900 beds, catering to diverse needs within the field of mental health care. It continues its tradition of service, offering specialized mental health care to the residents of the Admiralty, Frunzensky, and Moscow districts of St. Petersburg.