A brief history lesson………….     The Decemberists were a group on Russian Princes and Noblemen who conspired to overthrow the Tsar in 1825 but made such a cock-up of it that they were defeated, some executed and the rest were exiled to Siberia – many having to walk.    Those who survived the gruesome trek – it took them a couple of years – arrived in Siberia with nothing and endured 10 years of Penal Servitude before being exiled deeper into Siberia.   Their wives were eventually allowed to follow them into exile and with help from relatives back in St Petersburg and Europe managed to build several communities.    The Volkonsky family were one of the most resiliant and successful:

Maria Volkonsky above and some of her “fixtures and fittings” below..

A concert was performed on the Lichtenthal piano above.     Then back to the train