Libraries of Russia: The Military-Historical Library of the General Staff opened in Saint-Petersburg after the reconstruction

The Military-Historical Library of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, located on the Palace Square in Saint-Petersburg at the headquarters building of the Western Military District, was opened on May 27 – at the International Library Day - after the reconstruction. As told at the press service of the Western Military District, the collections of the library have more than 153 thousand storage units of books, military documents and maps, covering the military history of Russia from the Peter the Great time to modern times.

The pearl of the library is the world’s only surviving manuscript copy of the “Charter of the Russian Army” of 1716, developed under the guidance and with the direct participation of Peter I.

Also, the library houses a large number of military rarities - a handwritten letter of Peter the Great, decrees, manifestos, rescripts and other materials during the reign of John III, Peter I, Elizabeth, Catherine II, Paul I, Nicholas I.

Until today, at the library could work only military and civilian personnel of the Department of Defense. Now, in accordance with the new rules of the “Military-Historical Library of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces” approved by the Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Army General Valery Gerasimov, to join the library can anyone.

Established in 1811 by the decree of Emperor Alexander I, “Library of General and Chief Staff” was the first in Russia specialized repository of military literature and military documents.