About the book: 2012 / In 2011, only a few days separated the 150th anniversary of the abolition of serfdom in Russia from the 180th anniversary of the death of Alexander II - the same emperor who decided to carry out a reform that marked the beginning of an entire era of transformation. These memorable dates became the starting point for a discussion about the problems of the history of the “Alexander era”, about its significance for the political and socio-economic development of Russia. The collection presents articles by participants in an international conference held on March 14-15, 2011 by the European University in St. Petersburg with the support of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Goznak. The focus is on government figures of the late 1850s-1870s, who played a special role in the preparation and implementation of reforms, as well as the perception of the events of that time by contemporaries and descendants.