Saint Petersburg - northern capital vast Russia, accustomed to surprising us with special individuality, originality of tastes and ambition. Hundreds of magnificent attractions attract the attention of many tourists and local residents every year. One of them is the Winter Palace, which is an invaluable monument of history and architecture of past years.
Description
Like many buildings, the structure is distinguished by pomp, which is successfully combined with the special style and handwriting of the author, which we will talk about later. The St. Petersburg Winter Palace is a cultural heritage of Russia, one of the main attractions of the country, which contains interesting historical events and facts. There are many legends and myths surrounding the Palace, some of which can be fully justified by historical facts.
Thanks to the splendor of the structure, being next to it or inside it, you can fully experience the imperial spirit and features of several centuries ago. You can also enjoy the magnificent architectural solutions, which to this day are considered the standard of beauty and sophistication. The design of the Winter Palace has changed more than once over these centuries, so we can observe the building not in its original form, which, however, does not make it less significant and worthy of attention, since all the main features conceived by the author of the project, Francesco Rastrelli, were carefully preserved and handed down by architects of different times. This majestic building is located on Palace Square northern city and reconnects beautifully with the surrounding landscape.
History of the creation and development of the palace
The building is made in a style called Since the times of the USSR, its territory is equipped with the main part. In earlier times, the Winter Palace has always been the main residence of the emperors of Russia. To fully appreciate the grandeur of this place, you need to look at the history of its creation.
Under the government of Peter I, in 1712, according to the law, it was forbidden to give land to the disposal of ordinary people. Such territories were reserved for sailors belonging to the upper class of society. The site where the Winter Palace is located today was taken under the control of Peter I himself.
From the very beginning, the emperor built a small and cozy house here, near which, closer to winter, they dug a small ditch and gave it the name Winter. Actually, this is where the further name of the palace came from.
For many years, the Russian emperor convened various architects to reconstruct his house, and now, years later, from an ordinary wooden house the structure turned into Grand Palace made of stone.
Who built the Winter Palace? In 1735, Francesco Rastrelli was appointed chief architect working on the building, who came up with the idea of buying out neighboring plots of land and expanding the palace structure, which he told Anna Ioannovna, the ruler of Russia at that time.
The task assigned to the architect
It was this architect who became the creator of the image of the Winter Palace that we are all accustomed to seeing. However, it is worth remembering that some features of the building have changed over time, but still the main ideas and works of Francesco Rastrelli have remained unchanged to this day.
The Winter Palace acquired its modern appearance with the accession of Elizabeth Petrovna to the imperial throne. As the ruler considered, the building does not look like a Palace worthy of Russian emperors staying in it. Therefore, Rastrelli received a task - to modernize the structure and design of the structure, which is why it acquired a new look.
During the construction of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, the hands of 4 thousand workers were used, many of whom Rastrelli personally invited to cooperate. Every detail that differs from other elements of the structure was thought out by the great architect personally and successfully brought to life.
About the architecture of the building
The architectural component of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg is truly multifaceted. High altitude The structure is emphasized by weighty double columns. The chosen Baroque style itself brings notes of splendor and aristocracy. According to the plan, the Palace occupies a square-shaped area, which includes 4 wings. The building itself is three-story, the doors of which open onto the courtyard.
The main facade of the palace is cut through by an arch, the remaining sides of the building are made in an elegant style, which is expressed in Rastrelli’s unique sense of taste and his unusual solutions, which can be seen everywhere. These include the extraordinary layout of the facades, differences in the design of the facades, noticeable projections, uneven construction of columns, and the author’s special emphasis on the stepped corners of the building attracts attention.
The Winter Palace, photos of which are presented to your attention in the article, has 1084 rooms, with a total of 1945 window structures. According to the plan, there are 117 stairs. Also among the unusual and memorable facts is that at that time it was a building with a very large, by European standards, amount of metal in its structures.
The color of the building is heterogeneous and is made mainly in sandy shades, which are Rastrelli’s personal decision. After several reconstructions, the color scheme of the palace changed, but today the authorities of St. Petersburg have come to the conclusion that the best solution is to recreate appearance the palace in exactly the version that was originally conceived by the great architect.
A few words about the architect
Francesco Rastrelli was born in the capital of France in 1700. His father was a talented Italian sculptor, who had no difficulty recognizing the future skilled architect in his son. After finishing his studies in 1716, he and his father came to live in Russia.
Until 1722, Francesco worked only as an assistant to his father, but by 1722 he was ready to start an independent career, which at first did not work out very well in a country that was very inhospitable for him. Rastrelli Jr. spent 8 years traveling around Europe, where most of the time he did not work, but gained new knowledge in Germany, Italy, France and other countries. By 1730, he had formed his own vision of the Baroque style, which was reflected in his most ambitious project - the Winter Palace.
The architect worked more than once on the creation and reconstruction of buildings in Russia. His main work occurred in the period from 1732 to 1755.
Exclusive facts about the Winter Palace
The building is the richest structure in St. Petersburg, and the value of its exhibits still cannot be accurately calculated. The Winter Palace has many secrets and interesting stories, from which the following can be distinguished:
- During the war with the German invaders, the color of the palace was red. The building acquired its current white and green color only after the war in 1946.
- At the end of the construction work, so much construction waste had accumulated in the square in front of the Palace that it could take weeks to clean it up. However, the king came up with an interesting idea: he allowed absolutely anyone to take any item from these building materials left after work. The area in front of the building was cleared in no time.
Fire
In 1837, all the efforts of Francesco Rastrelli and other architects were practically reduced to nothing. A terrible event occurred: a large fire broke out in the palace due to a faulty chimney, and 2 companies of specialists were called in to extinguish it. For 30 hours, firefighters tried to reduce the flames by blocking windows and other openings with bricks, but this did not bring any results. The fire subsided only a day after the fire began, incinerating almost all the beauty of the structure. All that was left of the former palace were the walls and columns, which were scorched by the high temperature.
Restoration work
Restoration work began immediately and lasted 3 years. Unfortunately, from the first buildings, the craftsmen of that time did not have any drawings, so they had to include improvisation and come up with a new style literally on the fly. As a result, the “seventh version” of the palace appeared with a predominance of light green and white shades and gilding inside.
Along with the new look, electrification also came to the palace. The largest power plant in all of Europe (considered such for 15 years) was installed on the 2nd floor and provided electricity to the entire building.
Not only the fire was knocking on the doors of the Winter Palace with bad news. Thus, this building at one time survived both the assault and the assassination attempt of Alexander II, and numerous bombings during the Great Patriotic War.
For modern tourists
Today you can walk through the halls of the Winter Palace by booking one of the many excursions, individual or in a group. The museum doors are open to visitors from 10:00 to 18:00 and close only on Monday - a legal holiday.
You can purchase tickets for a tour of the Winter Palace directly at the museum box office, or by ordering them from a tour operator. They are not always available due to the high popularity of the building, especially during the tourist season. Therefore, it is better to buy tickets in advance.
Winter Palace in St. Petersburg (Dvortsovaya Square, 2 / Palace Embankment, 38) is a former imperial palace, currently part of the Main Museum Complex of the State Hermitage. The current palace building (the fifth) was built in 1754-1762 Italian architect B.F. Rastrelli in the style of magnificent Elizabethan Baroque with elements of French Rococo in the interiors. Is an object cultural heritage federal significance and a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of historical center St. Petersburg.
From the end of construction in 1762 to 1904, it was used as the official winter residence of the Russian emperors. In 1904, Nicholas II moved his permanent residence to the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoe Selo. From October 1915 to November 1917, a hospital named after Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich operated in the palace. From July to November 1917, the palace housed the Provisional Government. In January 1920, the State Museum of the Revolution was opened in the palace, sharing the building with the State Hermitage until 1941.
The Winter Palace and Palace Square form a beautiful architectural ensemble modern city and are one of the main objects of domestic and international tourism.
Story
In total, five winter palaces were built in the city during the period 1711-1764. Initially, Peter I settled in a hastily built building in 1703 not far from Peter and Paul Fortress one-story house.
First Winter Palace
Where the Winter Palace now stands, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, construction was permitted only to naval officials. Peter the Great took advantage of this right, being a shipwright under the name of Peter Alekseev, he built a wooden “Winter House” near the Neva in 1711 on the site of the former Preobrazhensky barracks. Peter's first palace was a small two-story house with a high porch in the center and tiled roof, and was not located on the Neva embankment, but on modern Millionnaya Street. This palace was a gift from the Governor of St. Petersburg A.D. Menshikov for the wedding of Peter the Great and Ekaterina Alekseevna (February 1712).
Second Winter Palace
In 1718, the architect Georg Mattarnovi, by order of the Tsar, began building a new Winter Palace, on the corner of the Neva and the Winter Canal (which was then called the “Winter House Canal”). The color of this building differed from the color of the previous Winter Palaces of the Tsar: the Mattarnovi building was gray. Before the completion of construction, the architect died, and Domenico Trezzini completed the construction of the palace.
In 1720, Peter I and his entire family moved from their summer residence to their winter residence. In 1725, Peter I died in this palace. After his death in 1726-1727, on the orders of Catherine I, the palace was expanded by D. Trezzini and occupied the territory of the current building of the Hermitage Theater.
Third Winter Palace
Later, Empress Anna Ioannovna considered the Winter Palace too small and in 1731 entrusted its reconstruction to F.B. Rastrelli, who offered her his own project for the reconstruction of the Winter Palace. According to his project, it was necessary to purchase houses that stood at that time on the site occupied by the current palace, belonging to Count Apraksin, the Maritime Academy, Raguzinsky and Chernyshev. Anna Ioanovna approved the project, the houses were bought up, demolished, and construction began in the spring of 1732. The facades of this palace were facing the Neva, the Admiralty and the “meadow side”, that is, the palace square. In 1735, construction of the palace was completed, and Anna Ioanovna moved to live there. The four-story building included about 70 state rooms, more than 100 bedrooms, a gallery, a theater, a large chapel, many staircases, service and guard rooms, as well as rooms for the palace chancellery. Almost immediately, the palace began to be rebuilt; an extension began along the meadow side of technical buildings, sheds, and stables.
Here, on July 2, 1739, Princess Anna Leopoldovna's engagement to Prince Anton-Ulrich took place. After the death of Anna Ioannovna, the young Emperor Ivan Antonovich was brought here, who stayed here until November 25, 1741, when Elizaveta Petrovna took power into her own hands. Under Elizabeth, the addition of office premises to the palace continued, as a result, by 1750 it “presented a motley, dirty appearance, unworthy of the place it occupied and the very strangeness of the imperial palace, with one wing adjacent to the Admiralty, and the other on the opposite side, to the dilapidated chambers of Raguzinsky, not could be pleasing to the empress.” On January 1, 1752, the Empress decided to expand the Winter Palace, after which the neighboring areas of Raguzinsky and Yaguzhinsky were purchased. At the new location, Rastrelli added new buildings. According to the project he drew up, these buildings were to be attached to existing ones and be decorated in the same style. In December 1752, the Empress wished to increase the height of the Winter Palace from 14 to 22 meters. Rastrelli was forced to redo the design of the building, after which he decided to build it in a new location. But Elizaveta Petrovna refused to move the new Winter Palace. As a result, the architect decides to build the entire building anew; the new project was signed by Elizaveta Petrovna on June 16, 1754:
In St. Petersburg, our Winter Palace is not only for receiving foreign ministers and performing ceremonies at the Court on special days, due to the greatness of our imperial dignity, but also for accommodating us with the necessary servants and things, which we have intended This is our Winter Palace with a large space in length, width and height to rebuild, for which the reconstruction according to the estimate will require up to 900,000 rubles, which amount, available for two years, is impossible to take from our salt money. Therefore, we command our Senate to find and present to us from what income it is possible to take such an amount of 430 or 450 thousand rubles per year for this matter, counting from the beginning of this year 1754 and the next year 1755, and that this be done immediately, so as not to miss the current winter journey to prepare supplies for that building.
Fourth (temporary) Winter Palace
It was built in 1755 by Rastrelli on the corner of Nevsky Prospekt and the river embankment. Moiki (destroyed in 1762).
Fifth (existing) Winter Palace
In 1762, the current palace building appeared. At that time, the Winter Palace became the tallest residential building in St. Petersburg. The building included about 1,500 rooms. The total area of the palace was about 60,000 sq.m. Elizaveta Petrovna did not live to see the completion of construction; Peter III took over the work on April 6, 1762. By this time, the decoration of the facades was completed, but many of the interior spaces were not yet ready. In the summer of 1762, Peter III was overthrown from the throne, and construction of the Winter Palace was completed under Catherine II.
First of all, the Empress removed Rastrelli from his work. The interior decoration of the palace was carried out by the architects Chevakinsky, Yu. M. Felten, J. B. Vallin-Delamot and A. Rinaldi under the leadership of Betsky.
According to the original layout of the palace, made by Rastrelli, the largest state rooms were located on the 2nd floor and overlooked the Neva; the Jordanian or, as it was formerly called, the embassy staircase led to them. There were five halls in total (of which the three middle halls later formed the current Nicholas Hall). They were called anterior halls, as they led to the sixth huge Throne Hall (which occupied the entire current space of Nicholas II’s rooms overlooking the Neva, that is, the Malachite Hall, two living rooms and the corner office of Alexandra Fedorovna facing the Neva and the Admiralty).
In 1763, the Empress moved her chambers to the southwestern part of the palace; under her rooms she ordered the chambers of her favorite G. G. Orlov to be placed. On the side of Palace Square, the Throne Hall was equipped, and a waiting room appeared in front of it - the White Hall. A dining room was located behind the White Hall. The Bright Office was adjacent to it. The dining room was followed by the State Bedchamber, which a year later became the Diamond Chamber. In addition, the Empress ordered to equip herself with a library, an office, a boudoir, two bedrooms and a restroom. In the restroom, the empress built a toilet seat from the throne of one of her lovers, the Polish king Poniatowski. Under Catherine, a winter garden and the Romanov Gallery were built in the Winter Palace. In 1764, in Berlin, through agents, Catherine acquired a collection of 225 works by Dutch and Flemish artists from the merchant I. Gotzkovsky. Most of the paintings were placed in secluded apartments of the palace, which received French name"Hermitage" (place of solitude).
In the 1780-1790s, work on finishing the palace interiors was continued by I. E. Starov and G. Quarenghi.
In 1783, by decree of Catherine, the palace theater was demolished.
In the 1790s, by decree of Catherine II, who considered it inappropriate for the public to enter the Hermitage through her own chambers, a connecting gallery was created between the Winter Palace and the Small Hermitage, through which visitors could bypass the royal apartments. The Marble Gallery (of three halls) and the new Throne (St. George) Hall, opened in 1795, were created. The old throne room was converted into a series of rooms provided for chambers for the newly married Grand Duke Alexander.
In 1826, according to the design of K. I. Rossi, a Military Gallery was built in front of St. George's Hall, which housed 330 portraits of generals who took part in the War of 1812, painted by D. Doe over almost 10 years. In the early 1830s, in the eastern building of the palace, O. Montferrand designed the Field Marshal's, Peter's and Armorial halls.
After the fire of 1837, when all the interiors were destroyed, restoration work in the Winter Palace was led by architects V.P. Stasov, A.P. Bryullov and A.E. Staubert.
Historical events
On December 29, 1837, there was a fire in the Winter Palace. They could not extinguish it for three days; all this time, the property taken out of the palace was piled up around the Alexander Column.
On February 5, 1880, Narodnaya Volya member S.N. Khalturin carried out an explosion in the Winter Palace with the aim of killing Alexander II, while eleven guard soldiers were killed and fifty-six were wounded, but neither the emperor nor his family members were injured.
On January 9, 1905, during a procession of columns of workers to the Winter Palace, a peaceful workers' demonstration was shot, which served as the beginning of the Revolution of 1905-1907.
In August 1914, after the outbreak of the Second Patriotic (First World) War, some of the cultural property from the palace, including the Jewelry Gallery, was taken to Moscow, but the Art Gallery remained in place.
In mid-October 1915, a military hospital named after Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich was located in the palace. The Nevsky and Great Enfilade halls, as well as the Picket and Alexander halls, were allocated for hospital wards.
During the revolution of February 1917, the palace was occupied by troops who went over to the side of the rebels.
Since July 1917, the palace became the residence of the Provisional Government, which announced the nationalization of the royal palaces and formed an artistic and historical commission to accept the values of the Winter Palace. In September, part of the art collection was evacuated to Moscow.
On the night of October 25-26 (November 7-8), 1917, during the October Revolution, the Red Guard, revolutionary soldiers and sailors surrounded the palace, which was guarded by a garrison of cadets and a women's battalion, totaling 2.7 thousand people. The palace was fired upon by the cannons of the Peter and Paul Fortress. By 2 hours 10 minutes. On the night of October 26 (November 8), the palace was stormed and the Provisional Government was arrested. In cinema, the storming of the Winter Palace was depicted as a battle. In fact, it was almost bloodless - the defenders of the palace offered almost no resistance.
On October 30 (November 12), 1917, People's Commissar of Education A.V. Lunacharsky declared the Winter Palace and the Hermitage state museums. For several months, the People's Commissariat for Education was located in the rooms on the first floor of the palace. Cinematic screenings, concerts, lectures, and meetings began to be held in the main halls.
In 1919, the first exhibitions of paintings from paintings remaining in Petrograd after the revolution, as well as the exhibition “Funeral Cult of Ancient Egypt,” opened in the palace.
On January 11, 1920, the official opening took place in the halls of the first and second floors of the palace. State Museum Revolutions. By November 1920, the process of returning artistic treasures evacuated to Moscow was completed. On January 2, 1921, the halls of the Art Gallery were opened to the public, and the following year other exhibitions of the State Hermitage were opened. Together, the two museums existed in the palace building until 1941.
On June 22, 1941, after the start of the Great Patriotic War, twelve bomb shelters were equipped in the basements of the palace, in which about two thousand people permanently lived until 1942. Part of the non-evacuated museum collection of the Hermitage, cultural values from suburban palaces and various institutions of Leningrad were hidden in the palace.
During the war, the palace buildings were damaged by Wehrmacht artillery fire and Luftwaffe bombing; a total of seventeen artillery shells and two aerial bombs hit them. The Small Throne (Peter's) Hall was damaged, part of the Armorial Hall and the ceiling of the Rastrelli Gallery were destroyed, and the Jordan Staircase was damaged. On November 7, 1944, the palace was partially opened to the public. The restoration of the halls and facades of the palace continued for many years after the war.
Architecture
The modern three-story building in plan has the shape of a square of 4 wings with an internal courtyard and facades facing the Neva, the Admiralty and Palace Square (the length of the facade on the Neva side is 137 meters, on the Admiralty side 106 meters, height 23.5 meters, about 1050 rooms ). The magnificent decoration of the facades and premises gives the building a sense of splendor. The main facade, facing Palace Square, is cut through by the arch of the front passage.
In the south-eastern part of the second floor there was one of the Rococo monuments, the legacy of the fourth Winter Palace - the Great Church of the Winter Palace (1763; architect B. Rastrelli).
Colors of facades and roofs
The facades and roof of the palace changed their color scheme several times. The original color had a very light warm ocher tint with highlighting the order system and plastic decoration with white lime paint. The minutes of the Chancellery from the buildings speak of the release of lime, chalk, ocher and blackening (red earth, which after processing was used as a pigment) for these works. In later documents, names such as “pale yellow with white” and “the color of wild stone” are found. The roof was tinned.
“The outside of the palace is painted: the walls are sandy paint with a thin yellow, and the ornaments are white lime.”
- architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli (RGIA, f. 470, op. 5, d. 477, l. 147)
Before the fire of 1837, there were no fundamental changes in the color of the palace, with the exception of the roof, which in 1816 changed its color from white-gray to red. During the post-fire repairs, the color of the facade was composed of slaked Tosno lime, ocher, Italian mummy and part of Olonets earth, which was used as a pigment and had a tint Ivory, the roof is painted with red lead, giving it a brown-red color.
In the second half of the 1850s - 1860s, under Emperor Alexander II, the color of the palace facades changed. The ocher becomes more dense. The order system and plastic decor are not painted with an additional color, but acquire a very light tonal highlight. In fact, the facades are perceived as monochrome.
In the 1880s, under Emperor Alexander III, the facades were painted in two tones: a dense ocher expression with the addition of red pigment and a weaker terracotta tonality. With the accession of Nicholas II in 1897, the Emperor approved the project of painting the facades of the Winter Palace in the coloring of the “new fence of the Own Garden” - red sandstone without any tonal highlighting of the columns and decor. All the buildings on Palace Square were painted in the same color - the headquarters of the Guards Corps and the General Staff, which, according to the architects of that period, contributed to the unity of perception of the ensemble.
The terracotta-brick color of the palace remained until the end of the 1920s, after which experiments began and the search for a new color scheme began. In 1927, an attempt was made to paint it gray, in 1928-1930. - in a brown-gray color scheme, and the copper sculpture on the roof - in black. In 1934, the first attempt was made to paint the palace with orange oil paint highlighting the order system with white paint, but oil paint had a negative impact on the stone, plaster and stucco decoration. In 1940, a decision was made to remove oil paint from the façade.
With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the palace was painted with reversible adhesive gray paint for camouflage purposes. In 1945-1947, a commission consisting of the chief architect of Leningrad N.V. Baranov, the head of the State Inspectorate for the Protection of Monuments N.N. Belekhov, representatives of the Leningrad City Executive Committee, the State Construction Control, the State Hermitage and scientific consultants decided to paint the walls of the palace with chromium oxide with adding emerald pigment; columns, cornices, interfloor rods and window frames - white; stucco decoration, cartouches, capitals - ocher, while it was decided to leave the sculpture black.
Since the 1960s, when painting facades, instead of lime paints, synthetic dyes began to be used, which negatively affect stucco decoration, plaster and natural stone. In 1976, on the recommendation of the All-Union Central Research Laboratory, a decision was made to clear the surface of the sculptures from the paint coating to form a natural layer of patina, which at that time was considered a natural protection against aggressive environmental influences. Currently, the copper surface is protected with a special paint composition containing a copper corrosion inhibitor.
Over sixty-five years, the public and city authorities have developed a certain stereotype in the perception of the color scheme of the palace, however, according to the Hermitage researchers, the currently existing color scheme of the facades does not correspond to the artistic image of the palace, and therefore it is proposed to recreate the color scheme of the facades as close as possible to the volumetric-spatial composition of the palace created by Bartolomeo Rastrelli.
Dimensions
The palace building has 1080 rooms, 1945 windows, 117 staircases (including secret ones), and its differently arranged facades, strong projections of risalits, accentuation of stepped corners, changing rhythm of columns (by changing the intervals between columns, Rastrelli either collects them in bunches or exposes the plane of the wall ) create an impression of restlessness, unforgettable solemnity and splendor. The height of the building is 22 meters. In 1844, Nicholas I issued a decree prohibiting the construction of civil buildings in St. Petersburg higher than the height of the Winter Palace. They had to be built at least one fathom less.
General impression
In the external appearance of the Winter Palace, which was created, as the decree on its construction stated, “for a single All-Russian glory”, in its elegant, festive appearance, in the magnificent decoration of its facades, Rastrelli’s artistic and compositional concept is revealed - the deep architectural connection of this building with the city on The Neva, which became the capital of the Russian Empire, with all the character of the surrounding urban landscape, continues to this day.
Originality
The sculptures and vases installed above the cornice along the entire perimeter of the building add elegance and splendor to the silhouette of the building. They were originally carved from stone and replaced by metal ones in 1892-1902 (sculptors M.P. Popov, D.I. Jensen). The “opened” composition of the Winter Palace is a kind of Russian reworking of the type of closed palace building with a courtyard, common in the architecture of Western Europe.
Halls of the Winter Palace
Jordan Gallery
Located on the first floor of the Winter Palace. The decoration is carried out in the Russian Baroque style. At first, the gallery was called the Main Gallery, since guests of the palace followed it from the Main Entrance Hall to the Grand Staircase. Later (like the entrance) it was renamed Jordan, since on Epiphany a religious procession passed through it from the Great Church of the Winter Palace heading to the Neva, where the so-called Jordan - a pavilion for the blessing of water - was installed over the ice hole.
Jordan staircase
In the 18th century, the staircase was called the Ambassador Staircase, then it received the name Jordan, since during the feast of the Epiphany the procession descended to the Neva, where an ice hole was cut out in the ice to illuminate the water - the Jordan.
It is here that the talent of the great Rastrelli is revealed in all its strength and expressiveness. Behind the majestic arched flights of the ground floor gallery and the first, shadowed flight of stairs, a huge staircase space, shining with light, suddenly opens up. Located almost at a height of twenty meters, a picturesque ceiling depicting ancient Greek gods soaring in the sky enhances the baroque effect by illusorily breaking the planes of the ceiling, and the light pouring from the windows, reflected in the mirrors, glides across gilded stucco ornaments and white marble statues of gods and muses. Destroyed by the fire of 1837, the staircase was recreated by V.P. Stasov, who, when restoring this half of the palace, managed to preserve Rastrelli’s main plan.
Field Marshal's Hall
The hall was created in 1833-1834. Auguste Montferrand. After completion of construction, in 1834, portraits of Russian field marshals were placed on the walls of the Field Marshals' Hall: “P. A. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky" (F. Riese), "G. A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky" (A. Vigi), "A. V. Suvorov-Rymniksky" (N. S. Froste), "M. I. Kutuzov-Smolensky" (P. Basin), "I. I. Dibich-Zabalkansky" (P. Basin), "I. F. Paskevich-Erivansky" (F. Kruger).
This austere white marble hall has earned sad fame because it was here that on December 17, 1837, a fire began that destroyed the entire Winter Palace in 30 hours. After the fire of 1837, it was rebuilt by V. Stasov in the style of classicism. In 1854, on the southern wall of the hall, on either side of the entrance to the Small Throne Hall, the battle paintings “The Capture of the Suburbs of Warsaw by Russian Troops” by O. Vernet and “The Surrender of the Hungarian Army by General Gergely to the Russians at Vilagos” by G. Willewald were placed. During the First World War, the hall housed hospital wards. After 1917, all the paintings were removed and transferred to the collections of other museums.
Several years ago it was decided to restore the decoration of the hall. The portrait of I. F. Paskevich by F. Kruger was returned to its place. In May 2005, portraits of A.V. Suvorov (N.S. Froste) and M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov (P. Basin) appeared in the Field Marshal's Hall.
Petrovsky (Small Throne) Hall
Created in 1833 according to the design of O. Montferrand. Dedicated to the memory of Peter I. The emperor’s monogram (two letters"P"), double-headed eagles and crowns. The throne was made in St. Petersburg at the end of the 18th century. Behind the throne, in a niche designed in the form of a triumphal arch, there is a painting “Peter I with the goddess of wisdom Minerva” by Giuseppe Amiconi. At the top of the walls there are canvases depicting the famous battles of the Northern War - the Battle of Poltava and the Battle of Lesnaya (P. Scotti and B. Medici). The hall is decorated with silver-embroidered panels made of Lyon velvet and silverware made in St. Petersburg. The hall also contains royal crowns and state emblems in the form of double-headed eagles.
After the fire of 1837, it was restored without changes by V.P. Stasov.
Armorial Hall
Since the end of the 18th century, on the site of the Armorial Hall, there was a White Gallery, decorated according to the design of Yu. M. Felten. During the reign of Catherine II, magnificent court balls were held here. In 1796, by decree of Emperor Paul I, the “Mourning Hall”, where the funeral ceremony for the deceased Empress Catherine the Great and her husband Emperor Peter III, who was killed in the 1762 coup, took place. In the first third of the 19th century, the original purpose of the White Gallery returned. It was again noisy with palace masquerades, ceremonial receptions and balls. However, in 1830, Emperor Nicholas I decided to give it a different meaning. The main idea of the new project is the glorification of the power of the Russian Empire.
Recreated by V.P. Stasov after the fire of 1837 for ceremonies in the style of late Russian classicism. At the entrance to the hall there are sculptural groups of ancient Russian warriors with banners, on the shafts of which shields with the coats of arms of Russian provinces were attached. In addition, the coats of arms of the provinces are located on gilded bronze chandeliers. The hall is surrounded by a colonnade supporting a balcony with a balustrade. In the center of the hall there is an aventurine bowl made by Yekaterinburg stone cutters of the 19th century. The solemn image of the Armorial Hall is emphasized by the majestic rhythm of French windows, alternating with massive, completely gilded columns.
Military gallery of 1812
The gallery is dedicated to the victory of Russian weapons over Napoleon. It was built according to the design of Karl Ivanovich Rossi and was inaugurated on the anniversary of Bonaparte’s expulsion from Russia, December 25, 1826, in the presence of the Imperial Court, generals, officers and soldiers awarded for participation in the Patriotic War of 1812 and in the foreign campaign of the Russian army of 1813 - 14 years On its walls are portraits painted by D. Doe of 332 generals who took part in the War of 1812 and foreign campaigns of 1813-1814. In addition, the galleries contain portraits of Emperor Alexander I and King Frederick William III of Prussia by F. Kruger, and a portrait of Emperor Franz I of Austria by P. Kraft. The prototype of the gallery was one of the halls of the Windsor Palace, dedicated to the memory of the Battle of Waterloo, in which portraits of participants in the Battle of the Nations were concentrated.
St. George (Great Throne) Hall
Created in 1787-1795 according to the design of Giacomo Quarenghi. The huge two-story room of the hall was designed in a classical style. Consecrated on November 26, 1795 on the day of St. George the Victorious, which is where it got its name. It was completely destroyed during a fire in 1837. At the direction of Emperor Nicholas I, the architect V. P. Stasov used white Carrara marble, delivered from Italy, to restore the hall. Due to the labor-intensive cladding, it was opened in 1841, later than other halls.
Above the throne place is a marble bas-relief “St. George slaying the dragon with a spear.” The pattern of gilded ornaments on the ceiling of the hall repeats the pattern of parquet made of 16 types of colored wood. The Great Imperial Throne was executed in London 1731-1732. N. Clausen by order of Empress Anna Ioannovna.
Official ceremonies and receptions took place in this hall.
In 1917, the symbols of the Russian Empire were removed from the throne place, and in the 1930s, it was completely dismantled. After the Great Patriotic War, a map of the Soviet Union made of gems, made for the 1937 Paris World Exhibition, was placed in the hall instead of the throne seat. In the 80s of the 20th century, the map was dismantled and transferred to the Mining Museum. In 1997-2000, the throne seat was restored.
Big Church
The interior of the Great Church was created by F.B. Rastrelli in the Baroque style. On July 12, 1763, Archbishop Gabriel (Kremenetsky) of St. Petersburg consecrated the cathedral in the name of the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. After the devastating fire of 1837, the temple was restored by V. P. Stasov “with possible precision<…>in the same form." On March 25, 1839, Metropolitan of Moscow Philaret (Drozdov), in the presence of the Imperial family, consecrated the renovated cathedral. At the end of the 19th century, a belfry with five bells was built on the roof of the palace.
Picket (New) Hall
Completes the Great Enfilade. It was created by Vladimir Stasov after a fire in 1837 on the site of a staircase and two small rooms for distributing the internal guard - picket, hence the name of the hall.
The hall is dedicated to the history of the Russian army and became the logical conclusion of the general panorama located in the Gallery of the Patriotic War of 1812 and the Field Marshal's Hall. Guardsmen were on duty in the hall, this determines the severity and military theme in the interior design. The hall is decorated with reliefs depicting helmets, shields, spears, armor, and medallions with battle scenes.
Since 1979, the hall was closed; for 25 years the museum funds of the Oriental Department, carpets and other objects of art were stored in it. On December 9, 2004, the Picket Hall reopened to visitors.
Alexander Hall
This hall was built by Alexander Pavlovich Bryullov (brother of the artist K. P. Bryullov) in the 30s - 40s of the 19th century. According to the architect's plan, this hall was supposed to perpetuate the memory of Emperor Alexander I. Also, this architect built five enfilades adjacent to the Alexander Hall, which currently house a collection of French paintings.
White Hall
Created by A.P. Bryullov for the wedding of the future Emperor Alexander II in 1841.
Big (Nikolaevsky) antechamber
The Nikolaevsky antechamber was conceived, like the Alexandersky one, to glorify the emperor. This hall is the most impressive interior of the Winter Palace in terms of size - its area is 1103 m². Adjacent to it Concert hall.
Golden living room
The Golden Living Room was designed and built by A.P. Bryullov in the 30s and 40s of the 19th century for the Grand Duchess, and subsequently Empress Maria Alexandrovna. Initially, the walls and vault were covered with white artificial marble, and only the thin stucco ornament that adorned them was highlighted with gilding. With the participation of the architect Vladimir Andreevich Schreiber, in the 1860s - 70s, the walls of the hall were covered with solid gilding. In the tragic days for Russia that followed the assassination of Alexander II on March 1, 1881, it was here, surrounded by elected members of the State Council, that the new Russian autocrat Alexander III decided the fate of the Russian Constitution and the reforms that his father had worked on and did not have time to complete.
Boudoir
The boudoir was also built by A.P. Bryullov, but completely redone in 1853 according to the design of Harald Bosse. Similar to an elegant snuffbox, the small room is stylized in the Rococo spirit with an abundance of carved gilded ornaments, mirrors and pictorial inserts. Part of the Boudoir, in the form of a kind of alcove, is separated by a step and a low figured lattice. Garnet-colored damask for finishing panels on walls, upholstering furniture, and for draperies on windows and doors was ordered in France from the Cartier factory.
October staircase
Created by O. R. Montferrand in the late 1820s. After the fire of 1837, it was restored by A.P. Bryullov almost without changes. The interior of the staircase is made in a classical style, richly decorated with grisaille paintings. It received its name in memory of the events of October 1917, when detachments of stormers penetrated it into the Winter Palace. The captured ministers of the Provisional Government were taken out along the same stairs at 3 a.m. from October 25 to 26, 1917.
Malachite living room
The malachite living room was part of the personal chambers of Nicholas I’s wife, Alexandra Fedorovna. According to the will of the emperor, Bryullov included a rare semi-precious stone - malachite - in the decorative decoration of the hall. Since the 1830s, after the discovery of huge deposits of malachite in the Ural mines of the Demidovs, this stone began to be used more widely. In the Empress's front living room, columns, pilasters and fireplaces were made using a labor-intensive technique called “Russian mosaic”: thin plates of stone were glued to the base, the joint lines were filled with malachite powder, then the surface was polished. The combination of malachite with abundant gilding of the vault, doors, capitals of columns and pilasters caused delight. The guests did not know what to be more surprised at: “... the luxury of the material or the luxury of the artist’s thoughts<…>in the temple of wealth and taste." The hall was furnished with furniture stored during the fire, made in 1830 according to drawings by Auguste de Montferrand by master Heinrich Gambs. From the malachite living room there is access to the halls of the Neva Enfilade, completing precious necklace historical interiors of the Winter Palace. The malachite living room is the only surviving example of an entire residential interior being decorated with malachite.
Small (White) dining room
The small dining room was decorated in 1894 according to the design of A.F. Krasovsky. The interior decoration is made in the Rococo style and stylized as the 18th century. At the same time, the hall also contains items from the 20th century: an English chandelier with a musical mechanism, a French clock, Russian glass. On the windows there are tapestries woven at the St. Petersburg manufactory in the 18th century. The dining room was part of the residential enfilade of the family of Nicholas II.
On the night of October 25-26, 1917, during the storming of the Winter Palace, it was in the Small Dining Room that the Provisional Government, which was meeting here, was arrested. A memorial plaque installed in the dining room in 1957 on the mantelpiece commemorates this event.
Concert hall
Created by architect V.P. Stasov after the fire of 1837. The purpose of this hall is “deciphered” by its decoration: in the second tier there are statues of ancient muses and goddesses by the sculptor I. German, and allegorical figures with attributes of the arts are included in the decorative grisaille painting of the arch connecting the ceiling and walls. The concert hall houses a rich Hermitage collection of Russian silver from the 17th - early 20th centuries, the center of which is a unique monument of the 18th century - the silver tomb of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky.
Tourism
The Winter Palace is of great historical, cultural and artistic interest to tourists from Russia and all over the world. In 2009, the total number of visitors was 2,359,616. Approximately 500 thousand of them are foreigners.
Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia
Back in 1752, F. B. Rastrelli drew up several projects for the reconstruction of the existing Winter Palace from the time of Anna Ioannovna. These projects clearly showed that the possibilities for expanding the previous building had been completely exhausted. In 1754, the final decision was made to build a new palace on the same site.
In terms of size and splendor of architectural decoration, it was supposed to surpass all previous imperial palaces in St. Petersburg and become a symbol of the wealth and power of the Russian state. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna especially noted, addressing the Senate through the architect F.B. Rastrelli: “The construction of that stone Winter Palace was built for the sole glory of the All-Russian Empire and, due to this circumstance, the Governing Senate should in all cases constantly try to ensure that it is built without ceasing towards the end."
The new Winter Palace was conceived in the form of a closed quadrangle with an extensive front courtyard. The northern facade of the palace was facing the Neva, the western - towards the Admiralty. In front of the southern façade, F. B. Rastrelli designed a large square, in the center of which he proposed to install an equestrian statue of Peter I, sculpted by the father of the architect Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli. A semicircular square was also planned in front of the eastern facade of the Winter Palace, from the side of the modern Small Hermitage. These plans were not implemented.
The construction of the grandiose building lasted 12 years. During this period, the imperial court moved to a temporary wooden Winter Palace built on Nevsky Prospekt. During the warm season, the Summer Palace served as the capital's imperial residence.
On the eve of Easter 1762, the solemn consecration of the house church of the Winter Palace took place, marking the end of construction, although many rooms still remained unfinished. Elizaveta Petrovna did not have the chance to live in the new palace - she died in December 1761. Emperor Peter III moved into the palace.
During the reign of Catherine II, part of the interiors of the Winter Palace was decorated in accordance with new artistic tastes. Changes and additions were made in the 1st third of the 19th century. The devastating fire of 1837 destroyed the magnificent interior decoration. Its restoration in 1838-1839 was carried out by architects V.P. Stasov and A.P. Bryullov.
The Winter Palace belongs to one of the most outstanding works of Russian Baroque. The three-story building is divided into two tiers by an entablature. The facades are decorated with columns of the Ionic and Composite order; the columns of the upper tier unite the second (front) and third floors.
The complex rhythm of the columns, the richness and variety of forms of the platbands (one can count two dozen of their types), abundant stucco molding, many decorative vases and statues on the parapets and pediments create the decorative decoration of the palace, which is extraordinary in splendor and splendor. The bright contrasting colors of the walls and architectural decorations enhance the overall picturesque impression. Its original color scheme was somewhat different compared to the modern one - the palace was “painted on the outside: the walls were sandy paint with the thinnest yellow, and the ornaments were white lime.”
The southern façade of the palace is cut through by three entrance arches leading to the front courtyard. In the center of the northern building there was a central entrance. Through the long vestibule one could go to the main Jordan staircase, which occupied an entire risalit in the north-eastern corner of the building. On the second floor, along the Neva façade from the staircase, there was a solemn enfilade, closing with the grandiose Throne Hall. None of the existing halls of the Winter Palace can compare with its size: F. B. Rastrelli, while maintaining the width of the Throne Hall from the time of Anna Ioannovna (28 meters), increased its length to 49 meters.
Along the eastern facade from the Jordan Staircase there was a second enfilade, ending with the palace church. Behind the church, in the southeastern risalit, Elizabeth Petrovna’s personal apartments were planned.
All of Rastrelli's interiors were destroyed in a fire in 1837. By special order of Nicholas I, the Jordan Staircase and the palace church were restored to their original form. The latter suffered again in Soviet times - in 1938 the magnificent carved iconostasis was dismantled. The interior of the church was restored in 2014.
Nowadays the building of the Winter Palace belongs to the State Hermitage, where the museum’s exhibitions are located.
This grandiose building, located in St. Petersburg, like all the architectural creations of the city, is distinguished by its sophistication combined with pomp and pomp. Winter Palace St. Petersburg serves as a center for art and tourism Russian Federation, its great attraction. This building has a centuries-old mysterious story, shrouded in legends and myths. The splendor of the palace enchants and makes you travel back to the distant times of emperors, balls and social life of that time. The architectural solutions used during construction amaze with their magnificence. The design went through a number of changes, it was reincarnated several times and came in its final form in our time. This creation is located on Palace Square, connecting with it into a single whole and recreating a grandiose landscape.
Winter Palace: description of the building
The style in which the building is made is Elizabethan Baroque. Since Soviet times, this room has housed the main exhibition of the State Hermitage. Throughout its history, the Winter Palace has been the residence of Russian emperors.
Many tourists took photos of the winter palace as a souvenir. This extraordinary beauty is mesmerizing. The palace is gorgeous both outside and inside. More on this later.
History of the Grand Palace
Back in 1712, during the reign of Peter I, land plots were prohibited from being handed over ordinary people. Such land zones were intended for upper-class sailors. Peter took this plot for himself.
At first, a wooden, ordinary house was built. Closer to the cold weather, a ditch was dug in front of the front of the house, which was called the Winter. This is where the name of the palace later came from.
Over the years, Peter appointed many famous architects to work on the reconstruction and improvement of the house. So, from a wooden one it turned into a stone palace.
In 1735, the eminent architect Francesco Rastrelli got down to business. He suggested that Anna Ioanovna, who was in power, buy nearby plots of land with houses and carry out a total reconstruction. This is how the current Winter Palace was built, which after some time acquired a slightly different appearance.
With the coming to power of Elizabeth Petrovna, the Winter Palace became different, the one that contemporaries can see. In her opinion, the palace did not meet the requirements necessary for the residence of the empress. Rastrelli created a new project.
The great architect made his creation truly magnificent in a short period of time. The best craftsmen and 4 thousand workers were involved. Francesco Rastrelli individually worked out every detail of the palace, which were not similar to each other.
Palace architecture
The architecture of the Winter Palace is striking in its versatility. The height of the building is emphasized by two-tier columns. The Baroque style itself is an example of pomp and richness.
This building has 3 floors, a courtyard, and a square plan consisting of 4 wings. The facades of the palace face the Neva River, Palace Square and the Admiralty.
The facades are decorated very elegantly, the main one is cut through by an arch. Solemnity and splendor are created by Rastrelli’s unusual architectural solutions: projections of risalits, uneven distribution of columns, varied layout of facades, accents on the stepped corners of the building.
The Winter Palace consists of 1084 different rooms with a total of 1945 windows. There are 117 staircases. For world practice of that time, this building was unusual in that a huge amount of metal was used in construction.
The color scheme of the palace is such that it corresponds to sandy shades. This move was conceived by the architect Rastrelli. Local authorities, after all sorts of color choices, came to the conclusion that it was necessary to recreate the color scheme that was thought out and executed by Rastrelli.
Winter Palace from the inside
Unfortunately, that original splendor created by the great architect does not exist in modern times. The reason for this was a fire in 1837. Only the load-bearing walls and semi-columns on the ground floor could be preserved, in contrast to the decoration of all the halls.
The Winter Palace has the following halls:
- Field Marshals' Hall (it is decorated with portraits of 6 field marshals; according to tradition, the 7th niche is empty);
- Jordan Gallery (made in the Russian Baroque style, named after the religious procession from the Great Church of the Winter Palace through this room);
- Petrovsky/Small Throne Hall (dedicated to the memory of Peter I);
- The Armorial Hall (after a fire, it was restored by V.P. Stasov in the style of Russian late classicism, it was intended for receiving gentlemen, has the coats of arms of Russian provinces);
- St. George/Great Throne Hall (located is the white marble bas-relief “St. George the Victorious Slaying the Dragon”);
- Military gallery (dedicated to the war with Napoleon and the victory over him);
- Picket/New Hall (dedicated to the history of the Russian army);
- Large church (a belfry with 5 bells was built, made in the Baroque style);
- Chambers of Empress Maria Alexandrovna (consist of the Golden Living Room, Dance Hall, Blue Bedroom, Boudoir, Crimson Study);
- Alexander Hall (currently houses a collection of silver of Western European origin);
- Antechambers of the Neva Front Enfilade (consists of a concert hall, Antechamber, Nikolaevsky Hall);
- White dining room (features a variety of interiors, designed in the Rococo style);
- Malachite living room (125 pounds of malachite were used for decoration, the entire living room is framed in it).
Conclusion
The Winter Palace has always been and will be a symbol of the greatness of the Russian state. This is an unshakable leader among world-class tourist sites. For the sake of such historical beauty, many stunned tourists put the Winter Palace with its enchanting summer garden, broken on the banks of the Neva.
Winter Palace in St. Petersburg: history and modernity. Who created the projects and built them, why didn’t all the owners like to live in the palace?
The main and largest residence of the Russian tsars, Winter Palace, is the creation of the architect Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli (1700 - 1771). An Italian Parisian who gave St. Petersburg such a recognizable ceremonial appearance.
The impressive building of the palace, with one of its facades reflected in the surface of the Neva, and with the other facing the huge one, inspires awe with its gigantic scale. When Russians look at him, they feel legitimate pride in their Motherland! The square along the embankment stretches 210 meters - its width is 175 meters!
Short description
The surviving Winter Palace complex was built in the mid-18th century in the Baroque architectural style. Characterized by splendor and richness of detail. Initially, the interiors were decorated in exactly the same style. Today it looks excessively pretentious.
In the 70s, under Catherine II, more modestly decorated rooms appeared inside. But, however, more elegant and stylish - they were created by architects Ivan Yegorovich Starov and Giacomo Quarenghi.
The exact number of internal halls is not reported anywhere: there are approximately 1,100 of them. Do not think that this is no match for, say, the Royal Palace of Madrid. It’s just that the area and height (2 floors) of the state halls of the royal residence have no precedents in Europe... and the world.
- The total area of the premises is approximately 60,000 m2
Note that the palace was not always painted turquoise and white. After the fire of 1837, for example, it was repainted sandy ocher. White columns and architectural decor initially stood out against the background of the walls, but later everything was painted over to look like sandstone.
Architect Karl Ivanovich Rossi, when constructing the General Staff Building, proposed painting all the buildings on Palace Square in a strict gray color with the decor and columns highlighted in white. It was supposed to be extremely solemn... but the project was not approved.
Today, the Winter Palace has been restored to its historical color: turquoise walls with white columns and yellow architectural decor.
- It is interesting that until the second half of the 19th century, no buildings were built in St. Petersburg that were taller than the Winter Palace, that is, 23.5 meters!
What to see
The Winter Palace, as well as the Small, Old and New Hermitages later added to it, house collections. And one of the largest in the world, of course. The collection contains more than 3 million storage units!
In addition to the gigantic collection of paintings and sculptures, tapestries and vases, jewelry (Gold and Diamond vaults - separate tickets and only with a guided tour!), the Egyptian collection, visitors can see the original decoration of the front and residential suites. As well as halls for receptions and balls, chamber spaces for work and everyday life of royalty, their relatives and guests.
History and architecture
Initially, on the site where the Winter Palace is located, the mansion of Admiral Fyodor Matveevich Apraksin was located. Which is quite logical, since the Admiralty, which built the Russian fleet, is located nearby.
According to the memoirs of contemporaries, the admiral's estate was the largest and most beautiful in all of St. Petersburg. After the death of the naval commander, the buildings and lands were given to the young Emperor Peter II, since the Apraksins were relatives of the Romanovs.
First Winter Palace
in St. Petersburg was erected in the depths of the site between the Neva and Millionnaya streets. In 1712, the wooden two-story building was rebuilt in stone. Alexander Danilovich Menshikov presented it to the Tsar as a wedding gift.
In 1716-1720, the residence was rebuilt and expanded according to the design of the architect Georg Mattarnovi. Construction was carried out, among other things, on embankment territory reclaimed from the Neva.
The Second Winter Palace was located where the Hermitage Theater stands today. It is interesting that during the reconstruction of 1783-1787, the personal chambers of Peter I and Ekaterina Alekseevna on the first floor were carefully preserved.
Peter moved to the winter residence from his own in 1720. And here in 1725 the first emperor of Russia died (28.01 -8.02 according to the new style).
In 1732-1735, a third palace was built for Empress Anna Ioannovna. Based on a design created by Francesco Rastrelli's father, Carlo Bartolomeo. It was much larger than Peter's residence. And it was located mainly on the other side of the Winter Canal, closer to the Admiralty.
The era of Elizabeth Petrovna
During the time of Peter's daughter, who adored luxury, outbuildings and service buildings were being added to the palazzo with might and main. The complex grew beyond any master plan. And it looked more and more like some Istanbul Topkapi than a European residence. As a result, they decided that this was unworthy of a great empire and began building a new palace.
The complex that has survived to this day was built according to the design of the architect Rastrelli the Son. It was founded under Empress Elizabeth Petrovna (1754) and basically completed (1762) only under Catherine II.
The surviving building is considered the fifth Winter Palace. Because at the time of its construction, a fourth wooden one was built for Elizaveta Petrovna’s residence.
It was located a little further away: on Nevsky Prospekt, between Moika and Malaya Morskaya Street. Construction of the temporary residence took place in the spring and summer of 1755 and was completed by November.
The queen's private chambers were located along the Moika River, with windows overlooking the Stroganov Palace. Standing on the other side of the river.
The outbuilding in which the heir to the throne, the future Peter III, lived with his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna (future Catherine II) stretched along Malaya Morskaya Street.
Under Catherine II
In 1764, Empress Catherine II bought the collection, which laid the foundation for the world-famous Hermitage collection. Initially, the paintings were placed in the private chambers of the palace and were not available for inspection. And the name comes from the French l’Ermitage, that is, “secluded.”
- Completion, alteration (Catherine did not favor the “golden” splendor of her predecessor) and expansion of the palace continued throughout the reign of Catherine the Great (1762-1796)
Little has been preserved from the time of this empress - under Nicholas I, the interiors were thoroughly rebuilt. The preferences and tastes of Catherine’s brilliant era are evidenced only by
- the magnificent Loggias of Raphael, created from exact copies that arrived from the Papal Palace in the Vatican;
- and the luxurious Great Palace Church, exactly recreated by Stasov after the fire of 1837.
A special building for the Loggias along the Winter Canal was created by Giacomo Quarenghi.
Elizabeth moved into her new winter residence long before finishing was completed. But her heir, Emperor Peter II, took the building into operation. Settled in new apartments in April 1762.
The enfilade of state halls occupied the entire length of the northern, Nevsky façade of the palace. And in the northeastern risalit there is the Ambassadorial or Jordanian staircase. Opposite her on the Neva at Epiphany, according to tradition, an ice hole was cut in which the water was blessed.
Empress Catherine II did not really like the Winter Palace, like her predecessor. Rastrelli was immediately dismissed from work, and the work was entrusted to the architect Jean-Baptiste Vallin-Delamote. In 1764-1775, he, in collaboration with Yuri Matveyevich Felten, created the Small Hermitage.
In which Catherine hosted private evenings and stored art collections. The Hanging Garden was built for the empress to take walks.
The luxurious Pavilion Hall at the end of the building facing the Neva was created later, in the mid-19th century, according to the design of Andrei Ivanovich Stackenschneider. Today it houses the famous peacock clock and a unique ancient Roman mosaic.
From Paul to Nicholas II
Paul I was forced to live in the Winter Palace while his own residence, Mikhailovsky Castle, was being built. But the two subsequent emperors: Alexander I and Nicholas I, lived mainly here.
The first one loved to travel and therefore did not see much difference where he lived. The second literally personified himself with the power of Russia. And he could not imagine living in any other, smaller palace. Most of the surviving ceremonial and residential interiors date back to the reign of Nicholas I.
In the first third of the 19th century, according to the design of the architect Karl Ivanovich Rossi, a Military Gallery was created in memory of the heroes of the Patriotic War, and a number of other premises.
Fire of 1837 and restoration
By the way, it was under Nicholas I, in 1837, that a grandiose fire occurred in the Winter Palace. After which the residence was restored literally from scratch. The tragic incident happened shortly before Christmas, on the evening of December 17 (29 new style). The cause is believed to have been a fire in the chimney.
During the restoration, construction solutions that were innovative for that time were used. In particular, iron beams in the ceilings, and new chimney systems. And perhaps that is why the palace remained unchanged after the renovation - the ceremonial interiors turned out to be too luxurious...
The restoration work was led by: Vasily Petrovich Stasov and Alexander Pavlovich Bryullov. By the way, the brother of the famous painter who wrote the epic “The Last Day of Pompeii”. Over 8 thousand people worked at the construction site every day.
Most of the halls received a different decoration in the mature Russian Empire style. The interiors are much more luxurious than before.
Under Alexander II, the residential halls of the Winter Palace were thoroughly remodeled, decorating them according to the fashion of that time.
The next two kings chose not to live here. Alexander III and his family left the city for security reasons. And when he left the Great Gatchina Palace, he stopped at Anichkov on Nevsky Prospekt.
His eldest son, Nicholas II, mainly used the Winter Palace for luxurious balls. Although on the second floor of the western enfilade the personal apartments of the last emperor have also been preserved.
Foreign sovereigns who visited St. Petersburg usually lived here as if in a hotel. Entire suites of halls were dedicated to the needs of the next guest. The grand dukes also lived in the imperial residence - there was enough space for everyone.
Winter Palace: halls
The interiors were often rebuilt in accordance with the wishes of the new kings, but the main halls, the main purpose of which was to show off foreign sovereigns and envoys, as well as their own subjects, remained unchanged.
The Jordanian staircase, recreated on the site of Ambassador Rastrelli, received a luxurious design: a marble balustrade, giant double columns of Serdobol granite on the second floor, a picturesque “Olympus” lampshade with an area of 200 m2 on the ceiling by the Italian painter Gasparo Diziani...
Neva parade enfilade
It begins with the Nikolaevsky antechamber, followed by the stately and austere Great Nikolaevsky Hall. This is the largest room in the palace, its area is 1103 m2! Today the premises are used mainly for exhibitions.
Behind Nikolaevsky are the Concert Hall and (with windows on the Neva) the famous Malachite Living Room. The interior, decorated with 125 pounds of Ural malachite, was created by the architect Alexander Bryullov, who once opened the personal suite of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas I.
Alexandra Feodorovna, the bride of Nicholas II, was also dressed here for her wedding. Festive family breakfasts were also held here before the family moved to the Alexander Palace.
The following rooms were subsequently used as living rooms by Nicholas II - the apartments of the last emperor were located on the second floor opposite the Admiralty building.
Eastern enfilade
The main premises (from the Jordan Staircase perpendicular to the Neva) are opened by the Field Marshal's Hall, created before the fire of 1837 according to the design of Auguste Montferrand (author St. Isaac's Cathedral). It is decorated with portraits of great Russian commanders: Suvorov, Rumyantsev, Kutuzov.
Next comes the Petrovsky or Small Throne Hall, and behind it the majestic Armorial Hall, created by Stasov in 1837. On the left are: the Military Gallery of 1812 and the luxurious St. George or Great Throne Hall, all lined with Carrara marble.
Practical information
Address: Russia, St. Petersburg, Dvortsovaya embankment 32
Opening hours: 10:30 - 18:00: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday; 10.30-21.00: Wednesday, Friday. Monday - day off
Ticket prices: 600 rubles - adults (400 - for citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus), children under 18 years old, students and pensioners of the Russian Federation are admitted for free!
Official website: www.hermitagemuseum.org
You can get to the Winter Palace on foot from the Admiralteyskaya or Nevsky Prospekt metro stations: 5-10 minutes: look.
