The authors of the article raise the question of the value of the graphic heritage of famous architects, which they brought when they were sent abroad (on so-called retirement trips) to study architectural monuments, and the significance of these works for their design activities. The development of retirement at the Academy of Fine Arts is briefly considered. Using the example of drawings made by I.A. Monighetti abroad, in order to get acquainted with the world's artistic and architectural monuments, a comparative analysis of measurements preserved in the library's collection with fragments of his specific buildings is carried out. In this publication, for the first time, some of the surviving works of I.A. Monighetti, which are in the collection of the library of St. Petersburg State University, are introduced into scientific circulation. The method of using the studied architectural monuments in the practical works of the master is shown.

Keywords: stages, architectural education, Academy of fine Arts, retirement, graphic heritage, projects, architect, Hippolyte Monighetti