Slowly crumbling away, the impressive bright yellow Volkov Theatre with its neo-classical facade holds a special place in Russian history as the country’s first theatre. It was established in 1750 by the local actor Fyodor Volkov. Known for his radical interpretations of classical roles, Volkov and his company were invited to St. Petersburg to perform for Catherine the Great and to help her to build her own drama theatre. It was here that Hamlet was first performed in Russia and the theatre is still well known and highly respected today.