In the village of Rozhdestveno, Gatchina district of the Leningrad region is a museum-estate of "Christmas." Its history begins with the decree of Empress Catherine II the establishment of St. Petersburg province seven counties and command called Sloboda Oranienbaum and the village of Christmas City. From that moment there began the construction of residential and office buildings for employees of county and city administrations. Center Christmas start with two wooden buildings: homes for the mayor and the district court assessor.

Emperor Paul I in 1797 issued a decree abolished the city of the Nativity, and in February the same year, granted the land for an everlasting possession court counselor NE Ephraim. In our time, in the course of archival studies have found documents that suggested that modern manor house Christmas and the mayor, a former building of the first, are in the same building.

During its existence, the manor has never not significantly rebuilt. The name of the architect is not established. The estate was built in the Italian style. A distinctive feature of the building - all the splendor facade. The internal layout of concise and easy - ceremonial rooms and apartment are clearly defined, and the center is a large reception room two tiers of windows.

Once a former home of the mayor became private property, next to the park was laid out, it fades into the forest. Family of Ephraim had Christmas to mid-19th century, and in 1853 it passed by inheritance to Savelyev. Namely, 4 years later, sold YD Manukhina. After the death of her husband Manukhin Nicholas owned the estate until 1872. Then the house was sold to the merchant Carl W. Bush, who was the owner from 1872 to 1878 years. From his name to this day preserved hill in front of the estate, which is the old-timers called Bush. After the family settled down in the manor collegiate assessor VF Dmitrieva.

In September 1890 Rozhdestveno buys the actual state councilor Ivan Rukavishnikov, whose fortune is estimated at one million. Since then, the manor has healed a new life. Was completely laid out and planted park where there were pavilions, sculptures, fountains, tennis court arranged. From the road to the hill, which has a viewing platform, built a wooden staircase. Evidence of these changes depicted in the photos stored in the museum. Changed and the house, which had a serious repair. The floor of the halls was laid out with linoleum that at the time was considered a great rarity and expense.

In 1896 Rukavishnikov daughter, Elena, married Vladimir Dmitrievich Nabokov. After the death of Rukavishnikova Sr., the estate passed to his son Vasily, who in 1916 died, leaving his nephew, his sister's son, Vladimir Vladimirovich, a vast fortune and Christmas. In those years, Vladimir Nabokov was a minor, but because in the inheritance could not fully start. However, in 1916 with his own money he published a collection of poems.

In 1917 the Nabokov family left Russia. Rozhdestveno share the fate of other manors. The building passed a student dormitory. During the Great Patriotic War the manor housed the German troops. In the postwar years, the house was rebuilt under the school, two tiers of windows blocked the hall, and the first divided into several rooms. Then there was a local variety testing laboratory site.

In 1974 the estate had new owners. There settled museum. The museum exposition is located in the 3 rooms on the 1st floor of the mansion. The museum staff tried to trace the history of all home owners. A special place is given to the history of families and Rukavishnikov Nabokov. In the 70 years among the exhibits there was a family photo album Rukavishnikov, who donated to the museum by the son of a cook Nabokov - Vladimir Petrovich Zepnov.

New countdown to the estate began in 1988 when a local history museum is officially called Historical and literary and memorial museum VV Nabokov.

In 1995, the building was a strong fire. Burned northern part of the house, the main hall. During the restoration work we had traces of the original layout of the estate, which allowed recreate the original interior.