Publications in the Architecture section

Where did the Romanovs live?

Small Imperial, Mramorny, Nikolaevsky, Anichkov - we go for a walk along the central streets of St. Petersburg and remember the palaces in which representatives of the royal family lived.

Palace Embankment, 26

Let's start our walk from Palace Embankment. A few hundred meters east of the Winter Palace is the palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, son of Alexander II. Previously, the building, built in 1870, was called the “small imperial courtyard.” Here, all the interiors have been preserved almost in their original form, reminiscent of one of the main centers of social life in St. Petersburg at the end of the 19th century. Once upon a time, the walls of the palace were decorated with many famous paintings: for example, “Barge Haulers on the Volga” by Ilya Repin hung on the wall of the former billiard room. On the doors and panels there are still monograms with the letter “B” - “Vladimir”.

In 1920, the palace became the House of Scientists, and today the building houses one of the main scientific centers of the city. The palace is open to tourists.

Palace Embankment, 18

A little further on the Palace Embankment you can see the majestic gray Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace. It was erected in 1862 by the famous architect Andrei Stackenschneider for the wedding of the son of Nicholas I, Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich. The new palace, for the reconstruction of which neighboring houses were purchased, incorporated Baroque and Rococo styles, elements of the Renaissance and architecture from the time of Louis XIV. Before the October Revolution, there was a church on the top floor of the main facade.

Today the palace houses institutions of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Millionnaya Street, 5/1

Even further on the embankment is the Marble Palace, the family nest of the Konstantinovichs - the son of Nicholas I, Constantine, and his descendants. It was built in 1785 by the Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi. The palace became the first building in St. Petersburg to be faced with natural stone. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, known for his poetic works, lived here with his family; in the pre-revolutionary years, his eldest son John lived here. The second son, Gabriel, wrote his memoirs “In the Marble Palace” while in exile.

In 1992, the building was transferred to the Russian Museum.

Admiralteyskaya embankment, 8

Palace of Mikhail Mikhailovich. Architect Maximilian Messmacher. 1885–1891. Photo: Valentina Kachalova / photobank “Lori”

Not far from the Winter Palace on Admiralteyskaya Embankment you can see a building in the neo-Renaissance style. It once belonged to Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich, the grandson of Nicholas I. Construction began on it when the Grand Duke decided to get married - his chosen one was the granddaughter of Alexander Pushkin, Sofia Merenberg. Emperor Alexander III did not give consent to the marriage, and the marriage was recognized as morganatic: Mikhail Mikhailovich’s wife did not become a member of the imperial family. The Grand Duke was forced to leave the country without living in the new palace.

Today the palace is rented out to financial companies.

Truda Square, 4

If we walk from the Mikhail Mikhailovich Palace to the Annunciation Bridge and turn left, on Labor Square we will see another brainchild of the architect Stackenschneider - the Nicholas Palace. The son of Nicholas I, Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder, lived in it until 1894. During his life, the building also housed a house church; everyone was allowed to attend services here. In 1895 - after the death of the owner - a women's institute named after Grand Duchess Xenia, sister of Nicholas II, was opened in the palace. Girls were trained to be accountants, housekeepers, and seamstresses.

Today, the building, known in the USSR as the Palace of Labor, hosts excursions, lectures and folk concerts.

English Embankment, 68

Let's return to the embankment and go west. Halfway to the New Admiralty Canal is the palace of Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich, son of Alexander II. In 1887, he bought it from the daughter of the late Baron Stieglitz, a famous banker and philanthropist, whose name is given to the Academy of Arts and Industry he founded. The Grand Duke lived in the palace until his death - he was shot in 1918.

The palace of Pavel Alexandrovich was empty for a long time. In 2011, the building was transferred to St. Petersburg University.

Moika River Embankment, 106

On the right side of the Moika River, opposite the island of New Holland, is the palace of Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna. She was married to the founder of the Russian Air Force, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich, grandson of Nicholas I. They were given the palace as a wedding gift in 1894. During the First World War, the Grand Duchess opened a hospital here.

Today the palace houses the Lesgaft Academy of Physical Culture.

Nevsky Prospekt, 39

We exit onto Nevsky Prospekt and move in the direction of the Fontanka River. Here, near the embankment, the Anichkov Palace is located. It was named after the Anichkov Bridge in honor of the ancient family of pillar nobles, the Anichkovs. The palace, erected under Elizaveta Petrovna, is the oldest building on Nevsky Prospekt. Architects Mikhail Zemtsov and Bartolomeo Rastrelli participated in its construction. Later, Empress Catherine II donated the building to Grigory Potemkin. On behalf of the new owner, architect Giacomo Quarenghi gave Anichkov a more austere, closer to modern look.

Starting from Nicholas I, mainly the heirs to the throne lived in the palace. When Alexander II ascended the throne, the widow of Nicholas I, Alexandra Feodorovna, lived here. After the death of Emperor Alexander III, the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna settled in the Anichkov Palace. Nicholas II also grew up here. He did not like the Winter Palace and spent most of his time, already as emperor, in the Anichkov Palace.

Today it houses the Palace of Youth Creativity. The building is also open to tourists.

Nevsky Prospekt, 41

On the other side of the Fontanka is the Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace - the last private house built on Nevsky in the 19th century and another brainchild of Stackenschneider. At the end of the 19th century, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich bought it, and in 1911 the palace passed to his nephew, Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich. In 1917, while in exile for participating in the murder of Grigory Rasputin, he sold the palace. And later he emigrated and took the money from the sale of the palace abroad, thanks to which he lived comfortably for a long time.

Since 2003, the building has belonged to the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation; concerts and creative evenings are held there. On some days there are excursions through the halls of the palace.

Petrovskaya embankment, 2

And while walking near Peter’s house on Petrovskaya embankment, you should not miss the white majestic building in the neoclassical style. This is the palace of the grandson of Nicholas I, Nikolai Nikolaevich the Younger, the supreme commander in chief of all land and naval forces of the Russian Empire in the early years of the First World War. Today, the palace, which became the last grand ducal building until 1917, houses the Representative Office of the President of the Russian Federation in the Northwestern Federal District.

Address: St. Petersburg, Admiralteyskaya embankment, 8
Opening hours: 11:00-19:00

How to get there from the metro: from Admiralteyskaya metro station - along Malaya Morskaya Street to Nevsky. Along Nevsky to the left to Palace Square and the Admiralty. Entrance from Admiralteyskaya Embankment.

Malo-Mikhailovsky Palace or the Palace of Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich appeared on the Admiralteyskaya Embankment at the end of the 18th century on the site of one of the Admiralty Shipyard buildings. In 1874, it was decided to close the shipyard and build a city square on its premises. However, the Russian Maritime Minister N.K. Krabbe decided to sell the plots to private individuals. There were many people who wanted to build their own mansions: the Admiralty building became impossible to observe in its entirety from the Neva.

One of these enterprising people was Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich (grandson of Nicholas I), who in 1884 acquired a plot for the construction of a palace. At that time he was 20 years old. To implement the project, the architect M.E. Mesmacher was invited, who, by that time, had sufficient experience in construction and decoration: in the Smolny Cathedral he restored the iconostasis, remodeled the interiors of the mansion of Princess Gagarina, rebuilt the building of the Imperial Society for the Promotion of Arts, erected the Church of Cosmas and Damiana.

Having set to work, the architect did not experience any particular difficulties, and in 1888 the residence was completed. Malo-Mikhailovsky Palace was built in the style of the Italian Renaissance and, at that time, was one of the most attractive mansions in St. Petersburg: original facade design, beautifully decorated rooms, gas, electricity, water supply, telephone, sewerage. A servants' quarters was built nearby.

The Palace building is divided into two halves - the Grand Duke and his wife - each of which had a separate entrance from Azovsky Lane. The main staircase was located on the side of the Admiralty Embankment, upon climbing which guests found themselves in the Big and Small Reception Rooms and the Office. Through the Own Staircase one could go to the hostess’s half and the Grand Duke’s personal rooms: bedroom, dressing room, bathroom. Meals were supposed to be taken on the second floor of the palace in the Small Dining Room.

However, the Grand Duke was unable to enjoy the comfort and functionality of the palace. While abroad, in 1871, without the consent and blessing of his parents and the permission of Emperor Alexander III, he married the eldest daughter of Prince Nicholas William of Nassau and Countess Natalia von Merenberg, Sofya Nikolaevna. Members of the royal family condemned this marriage, since the wife was not equal in position to the Grand Duke. As a result, the marriage was declared illegal, and the Grand Duke himself was expelled from Russia. Living in England, Mikhail Mikhailovich decides to sell the palace. From 1893 to 1904, the building was leased from the Administration of Southwestern Railways, then Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich transferred the palace to the Main Administration of Merchant Shipping and Ports. In 1911, the building became the property of the Russian Lloyd insurance company, by order of which it was rebuilt, significantly losing its previous layout.

In Soviet Russia, the Malo-Mikhailovsky Palace also served exclusively utilitarian purposes: the Commissariat of Municipal Economy, the City Trade Department, the State Bank, and the Petrocommune were located within its walls at different periods.

Since 2006, major work has been carried out in the palace to restore the interior.

Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich was born on October 4/16, 1861 in Peterhof in the family of the son of Emperor Nicholas I, Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich and his wife Grand Duchess Olga Fedorovna. Like all Members of the Imperial House, Mikhail Mikhailovich received an excellent education at home.

In 1881, the Grand Duke entered service in the Life Guards Jaeger Regiment. According to the memoirs of his brother, Grand Duke Alexander: “He adored military service and felt excellent in the ranks of the Life Guards of the Jaeger Regiment... Unfortunately, his inclination towards family life awoke too early... He still did not know where he belonged.” getting married, but he was going to marry someone at all costs and as soon as possible. In constant search for the “queen of his dreams,” he made several attempts to marry girls of unequal origins with him. This created severe complications between him and our parents and led nowhere.” Having received the right to manage his own funds upon coming of age, Mikhail Mikhailovich began building a luxurious Palace in which he never had to live.

Having fallen in love with the daughter of Count N.P. Ignatiev, Ekaterina Nikolaevna, Mikhail Mikhailovich asked Tsar Alexander III to allow him to marry her. The Sovereign’s answer, as Infantry General N.A. Epanchin told us, was very delicate: “He invited Mikhail Mikhailovich to his place, spoke cordially with him, and when Mikhail Mikhailovich told the Sovereign that he really would like to marry Countess Ekaterina Nikolaevna , then the Sovereign told him that on his part as the Head of the Royal House there would be no obstacles to this marriage, but that the Grand Duke, due to his inexperience, could very well be mistaken in his feelings. Therefore, the Emperor decided that the Grand Duke would leave St. Petersburg for about a year, and if after a year he did not change his intentions, then the Emperor would bless him to marry Countess Ignatieva. The Grand Duke left, and a few months later married abroad to Countess Thorby, granddaughter of A.S. Pushkin, without the permission of the Sovereign and the commander of the Life Guards Jaeger Regiment, in which he served. But he had no right to marry without the commander’s permission.” (In parentheses, we note that Sofia Merenberg is the eldest daughter of Prince Nicholas William of Nassau and his morganatic wife Countess Natalia Alexandrovna Merenberg, daughter of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin.) The marriage was not recognized as valid and by the Highest will the Grand Duke was dismissed from service and deprived of all rights with prohibition of entry into Russia for permanent residence.

In 1909 Sovereign Nikolai Alexandrovich forgave his cousin and restored him to the ranks of adjutant and colonel, but was rarely in his homeland. While visiting the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino, Emperor Nicholas restored the patronage of the Grand Duke over the 49th Brest Infantry Regiment, which remained until the spring of 1917.

September 14, 1927 Countess Sofya Nikolaevna Torby died, and a year and a half later, on April 26, 1929, just like her, Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich died in London.

In memory of this sad story, we still have the palace of Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich Romanov, or Malo-Mikhailovsky Palace, which stands on the Admiralty Embankment. Opposite the palace there is a sculpture of the “Tsar Carpenter”, brought to St. Petersburg from Holland. Not far from it there is a pier with lions at the Admiralty.

The palace was built in 1885 - 1891 according to the design of the architect Maximilian Messmacher in the Italian Renaissance style. The house is lined with sandstone slabs. The first floor is finished with red-brown granite slabs, which give the building solidity and impressiveness. The sharp contrast between the deliberately weighted lower part of the building and the light upper part, completed by a balustrade on the roof, does not create a feeling of fragmentation; the whole building looks in beautiful unity. The design of the facade combines lightness and power at the same time. The rounded corner of the palace,
stucco molding above the cornice of the second floor, large semicircular windows of the second floor and narrow columns of the Ionic order between them, graceful balconies repeating the design of the balustrade on the roof - all together easily and accurately coordinate with each other and with the entire building as a whole. The ceremonial interiors of the palace, designed in various historical styles, have been preserved. The marble lower and upper lobbies, decorated with different types of marble, the wide marble staircase leading to the vaulted upper lobby, decorated with 12 marble columns, and the rich decoration of the apartments make the palace one of the most attractive and interesting buildings in St. Petersburg.

The Grand Duke built it for himself and his future wife. But he never had to live in it. The building went to the treasury, and various administrative institutions were located in it. In 1911, the palace was bought by the Russian Lloyd insurance company. After the revolution, government institutions were located in the palace.

For a long time, the palace of Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich was in a deplorable state. It is currently undergoing restoration work. The palace, like other palaces that are not very accessible to tourists, can be visited during the annual International Music Festival “Palaces of St. Petersburg”.

Imperial Palaces of St. Petersburg

Admiralteyskaya embankment, 8

Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich was the son of the Caucasian Viceroy of Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich, and the grandson of Nicholas I. Mikhail Nikolaevich lived on the Palace Embankment, in the Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace.
When Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich got tired of living at home with his father, he decided to build himself his own palace, because, in his words, “We need to live somewhere.” To do this, in April 1884, Mikhail Mikhailovich acquired a plot of land near the Admiralty. The German embassy, ​​huddled in an unpresentable mansion on the corner of St. Isaac's Square and Bolshaya Morskaya, also laid claim to the same place. It has even been agreed who will buy the old house on Bolshaya Morskaya - “one of the oldest companies selling French wines in St. Petersburg.” However, closeness to the Admiralty and its secrets forced the Russian government to refuse this idea to the Germans.

The Grand Duke gathered also because by the word “to us” he meant himself and his future wife - he was going to get married. But there was a small problem with his betrothed - her origin was not entirely suitable. (Still, it’s a pity that this tradition is gone). Although in this case I would argue with the unevenness. The fact is that the Grand Duke’s chosen one turned out to be... Pushkin’s granddaughter! The girl's name was Sofia Merenberg.

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Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich with his morganatic wife Sofia Nikolaevna Merenberg, granddaughter of Pushkin

While this family problem was being discussed, a beautiful palace was being built. Construction began in 1885 and ended in 1888 (1891?) The architect was the magnificent Maximilian Egorovich Messmacher. However, Mikhail Mikhailovich was not destined to live in his new home... Alexander III refused to recognize the marriage of the Grand Duke with Sofia Merenberg, Mikhail Mikhailovich (as he was called in the family - Mish-Mish) left for England, as it turned out, forever. It's a pity, because the palace turned out great! Its finishing, in which students of the School of Technical Drawing of Baron A. L. Stieglitz, headed by Messmacher, took part, continued even after the Grand Duke’s departure to England. For this work, the architect was awarded the Order of Anna, 2nd degree. The palace was equipped with the latest technology and fashion - there was gas and electricity, telephone, water supply, sewerage, and the sidewalk in front of the palace was covered with newfangled asphalt!
The palace's service building was also built on Chernomorsky Lane.

Since the palace was built for a husband and wife, it was divided into two halves - the owner and the mistress, each of which had its own main entrance (along Azovsky Lane). On the side of the Admiralty Embankment there was a Main Entrance and a Grand Staircase with a vestibule. For guests. From the lobby, guests could go to the left - to the Big or Small Reception Rooms. The owner could get to his half via his own staircase, from where he could also go to the Library. After reading the literature, from the Library you could go straight to your wife’s half... The palace had, of course, a Dressing Room, a Bathroom, a Bedroom... On the second floor there was a Small Dining Room, a serving room... Of course, there was also the Grand Duke’s Study.

Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich (center) with his wife Sofia Nikolaevna and brothers (from left to right) - Grand Dukes Alexander and Sergei Mikhailovich. 1892

Having left for England, Mikhail Mikhailovich, as a zealous owner (no one took the palace from him), leases it to the Office of Southwestern Railways for 10 years. Next, Mikhail’s brother, in the near future the father of the Russian Air Force, Alexander Mikhailovich, asks to transfer it to the Main Directorate of Merchant Shipping and Ports, which he then headed. However, the Main Directorate itself existed only until October 1905, when it became part of the newly formed Ministry of Trade and Industry, which, however, remained in this building for another 5 years - until September 1910. Later, the Germans became very interested in the house, looking for a building for the Embassy. But they were refused due to the close proximity to the Maritime Ministry. In 1911, the palace was sold to the Russian Lloyd insurance company. According to the design of P. K. Bergstresser, the premises were largely rebuilt for the new owners

After the October Revolution and the change of power, government institutions were located in the palace. In July 2006, it was reported that the palace would be reopened after restoration. Part of the interior and the façade along the embankment have been restored. However, this filming dates back to the end of September 2006, and restoration is still ongoing.

The main entrance is from the Admiralteyskaya Embankment.

Corner of Admiralteyskaya Embankment and Azovsky Lane. As far as I understand, the windows of Mikhail Mikhailovich’s Office faced this corner, on the second floor. Accordingly, this was its half, the entrance to which is visible along Azovsky Lane.

Facade along Azovsky Lane. The entrance to the wife's half is covered with cellophane.

The lobby on the Admiralteyskaya Embankment side is decorated with 12 columns and different types of marble
photo from the website www.archi.ru

In the palace of Mikhail Mikhailovich there was one of two known unique safes made by the German company Arnheim. Its uniqueness was, first of all, in the fact that it was not just a safe, but an armored (modern - armored) elevator - a safe. It could be raised up, say, during the day and lowered down at night. The second such safe was installed on Morskaya, at the Faberge company.

Magazine "Architect" 1910, No. 3

Finally, clarification of the fate of the Mish-Mish Palace, which I came across recently: - “The Moscow group of companies Romtrade announced plans to repurpose the palace of Grand Duke Michael into a hotel... I must say that plans to turn the building into a hotel have existed since 2001, but that’s all During this time, they remained far from being realized. In 2005, the Moscow group of companies Romtrade acquired the right to lease the palace. “During the year of work, we invested $3 million in the restoration of the palace, of which more than $1 million. The cost of the entire restoration project will be about $40-50 million,” said Romtrade representative Valentin Porfiryev.
According to Business Petersburg, the new hotel should open in 2010

Malo-Mikhailovsky Palace (Palace of Mikhail Mikhailovich) in St. Petersburg. A historical building in the Italian Renaissance style, built according to the design of M. E. Messmacher in 1885-1891 for Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich.

The site under the Malo-Mikhailovsky Palace previously belonged to the Admiralty and was released only after the transfer of ship production to another location. Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich bought this land in 1884 and almost immediately entrusted the construction of a palace on it to the famous architect Messmacher. Initially, they planned to name the palace after the name of the owner, but in order to distinguish it from the already existing Mikhailovsky and Novo-Mikhailovsky palaces, the building was given the name Maly or Malo-Mikhailovsky Palace. It is interesting that the Grand Duke himself never lived in the palace; by the time construction was completed, he was expelled from Russia for an unconsensual marriage.

The façade of the palace was faced with gray and dark pink sandstone, as well as Finnish granite, decorated with paired half-columns on the second floor level, and pilasters on the third floor level. The outer corner of the palace is surrounded by a balcony; in the upper part of the building there was a cornice with a balustrade. The palace was built using the most modern technologies; the building was equipped with water supply, sewerage, telephone communications, gas and electricity.

The Malo-Mikhailovsky Palace received a rich decoration, M.E. Messmacher personally completed sketches of lanterns, grilles, furniture, ornaments for church utensils and fabrics, so the architect himself was even awarded the Order of Anna, 2nd degree, based on the results of construction. Carved wood and tiles were widely used in the interiors. Among the premises of the palace, the Main Staircase, the Entrance Hall, the Large and Small Reception Rooms, the Study, the Library and the living quarters are well known.

Since Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich himself was unable to use the palace, the building was transferred to the jurisdiction of various government ministries and departments, and then it was bought by the Russian Lloyd insurance company. After the 1917 revolution, the palace housed various institutions of the new Soviet government.

Malo-Mikhailovsky Palace is included in the Unified State Register of Cultural Heritage Objects (historical and cultural monuments) of Russia.

Note to tourists:

A visit to the Malo-Mikhailovsky Palace will be interesting for tourists interested in the architecture of the late 19th century, and can also become one of the points of the excursion program while exploring neighboring attractions -