The Free Russian Printing House, also known as the Free Russian Book Printing, was founded by Alexander Ivanovich Herzen in 1853 in London. Its purpose was to print works banned in Russia, primarily of a democratic and revolutionary nature.

The idea of creating a censorship-free printing house outside of Russia arose for Herzen as early as 1849. After his emigration, his family capital was seized, but thanks to the support of James Rothschild, his financial situation improved, and after moving to London, living conditions stabilized. Herzen began preparations to open the publishing house. On February 21, 1853, he issued an appeal "Free Russian Book Printing in London. To Brothers in Russia," in which he informed "all freedom-loving Russians" about the planned opening of the Russian printing house on May 1. In the early years abroad, Herzen wrote about Russia for a European audience, published brochures "Russia," "The Russian People and Socialism," as well as a large book in French titled "On the Development of Revolutionary Ideas in Russia." However, his interests have now changed, and he turned to the Russian reader: "I am the first to shed the shackles of a foreign language and take up my native speech once again."