The Russian Store

SKU:GH00018A01

Duc de Richelieu was a famous French statesman and governor of Odessa City from 1803 to 1814. The great-great-grandson of a well-known cardinal, Richelieu was exiled to Russia from France by Marie Antoinette in 1790. He joined the Russian Imperial Army and fought in the Russo-Turkish War. He was later appointed by Tsar Alexander І as a governor of Odessa City. The city’s progressive planning and development is credited to his ingenuity and determination. His goal was for Odessa City to be recognized as a truly European city. The statue of Duc de Richelieu sits atop the famous Odessa City Steps or Potemkin Steps.