In a picturesque place where the Neva River divides into the Middle and Small Nevka, on the eastern tip of Elagin Island, there is a small pavilion. The pavilion is old and there is even a mystery connected with it involving a very famous historical character.
The rotunda on Elagin Island in St. Petersburg, and a portrait of Count Cagliostro, who worked in an underground alchemical laboratory under this rotunda.
During the restoration, mysterious, filled-in basements were discovered under the pavilion. The pavilion, as it turned out, is located on the site of an old gazebo, created during the Expansion by one of the former owners of the island himself. Elagin was a famous Freemason, so versions immediately appeared that a Masonic lodge was located in these basements. By the way, the famous Count Cagliostro also visited Elagin Island at the invitation of the owner. There is no doubt that Count Cagliostro visited Elagin Island. He was invited by the owner of the island himself. According to a preserved book written by a contemporary of all these events (the book is called "Count Cagliostro on Elagin Island"), the count conducted his experiments on gold mining in a place where all the elements were present at once - air, water, earth.
Count Cagliostro was able to convince Prince Potemkin to give up his entire gold reserve for this purpose. Grigory Alexandrovich was one of the richest people in Europe and did not need funds, but he agreed to the experience. After the manipulations of Cagliostro, the gold was weighed and analyzed: the metal allegedly became three times more. The third part was given to the adventurer. Apparently, Count Cagliostro's ideas have found fertile ground. Traditionally, here he promised to find various treasures: he told the new member of the secret society about the manuscripts of King Solomon and even about the sarcophagus of Homer. Everything was allegedly hidden in the underground galleries connecting the palace and the pavilions. For the authenticity of his inventions, Cagliostro often forged historical manuscripts.
Despite the success of the adventurer, he was still exposed. Empress Catherine the Great quickly sent the count away and in addition composed the play "The Deceiver". But the very arrival of Count Cagliostro in Russia became a landmark event for St. Petersburg and for the whole state. During this period, the country and its capital became a single space with Europe, and, therefore, an interesting field for the game of world politicians and adventurers of the highest standard.
