The Jesuit Order House, recognized as an architectural monument, is located in the center of St. Petersburg at the intersection of the Griboedov Canal embankment and Italian Street. Built in the early 19th century, the building originally served as a residence for members of the religious order "Society of Jesus." After their expulsion from the capital, the building housed a Military Orphanage and a bureaucratic office. Today, it is a residential building with the status of a cultural heritage monument of Russia.

The "Society of Jesus" is a male spiritual order founded in the mid-16th century in Europe. The main tasks of the order were the dissemination of science and education, as well as missionary activities. Members of the order were known for their unique approach to morality, which allowed for different interpretations of religious aspects depending on circumstances. This led to the Jesuits being regarded as cunning and duplicitous.

Historical sources assert that the first Jesuits arrived in Russia during the reign of Ivan IV the Terrible, when he was at war with Poland and turned to Pope Gregory XIII for help in concluding peace. The Pope seized this opportunity to assess the possibility of spreading the influence of the Holy See in Russian principalities.

The next attempt to establish a foothold in Russia occurred during the Time of Troubles when Poland supported Grigory Otrepyev as a pretender to the Moscow throne. After False Dmitry captured Moscow, the people resisted the foreign faith, leading to his assassination and the failure of Jesuit plans.

In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Jesuits managed to strengthen their position in Russia under Peter the Great. The wave of negative sentiment towards them gradually subsided, and they began to spread their influence by opening schools for Russian children. In 1713, the order established its first house in St. Petersburg. However, in 1719, Peter the First expelled the Jesuits from the country again after an international conflict.

In the 1770s, when the order faced problems in Europe, over two hundred Jesuits found refuge in Russia thanks to the support of Catherine the Great. In 1800, an official body of the order was created in St. Petersburg, a college at the Church of St. Catherine. Paul I allowed the Jesuits to live in St. Petersburg and engage in educational activities in the western regions. Jesuit education was considered one of the best, and members of noble families studied with them.

After the legalization of the order's activities, the idea of building their own house emerged. The authorities did not object, and a plot was chosen near Italian Street and the Catherine Canal. The building project was developed by architect Luigi Rusca. Construction began in 1801 and was completed in 1805, financed by donations from the Jesuits.

The building is a three-story house with an attached four-story wing. The facade facing the Griboedov Canal is adorned with an Ionic colonnade. The house is located near the Arts Square and harmonizes with the surrounding buildings.

After the completion of construction, the order opened a noble boarding school in the house, known as the "Jesuit Collegium." It became popular among the aristocracy, and many future Decembrists were educated there. In 1815, Valerian Golitsyn, a graduate of the boarding school, converted to Catholicism, which displeased his family and led to a decree expelling the Jesuits from St. Petersburg.

The boarding school was disbanded, and the building was used for the Military Orphanage until 1856, then for the Imperial Chancellery until 1873. After that, the building became a residential house, which it remains to this day. Tour guides often mention this historical site while cruising along the Griboedov Canal.