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. 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”

Close to Winter Palace On the 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 New Holland, the palace of Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna is located. 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 Russian Federation in the Northwestern Federal District.

Palace Embankment

And, leaning on the colonnades, Granite masses rise in an unshakable sequence of Palaces Above the darkened Neva!.. N. Agnivtsev.

Location: left bank of the Neva, from Troitsky to Palace Bridge

Palace Embankment, one of the most picturesque in St. Petersburg, is located on the left bank of the Neva, between Kutuzovskaya and Admiralteyskaya embankment. It crosses Suvorovskaya Square and is connected by the Palace Bridge with Vasilyevsky Island, and Trinity Bridge - with the Petrograd side. The ensemble of Palace Embankment includes architectural structures outstanding in their artistic significance: the Winter Palace, the Small and Old Hermitages, the Hermitage Theater, Marble Palace, House of Scientists and other buildings.

Soon after the founding of St. Petersburg, in 1715, the general scheme of the Palace Embankment was outlined. In those days it was called Verkhnyaya, and retained this name until the end of the 18th century. In 1754-1762, according to the design of the architect Rastrelli, the Winter Palace was erected, which became the royal residence. It was he who gave the name to those located next to him Palace Square, Dvortsovaya Embankment, Dvortsovy Proezd and Dvortsovy Bridge. During the heyday of Soviet power, when it became a good tradition to rename streets and avenues, naming them in honor of prominent figures and memorable dates of the revolution, Palace Embankment turned into the Ninth January Embankment. However, already in 1944 the original name was returned, and since then it has remained unchanged.

In the middle of the 18th century, the Palace Embankment was lined with granite; it was complemented by picturesque descents to the water, made by the master G. Nasonov according to the design of the architect I. Rossi. In the 19th century, at the place where the entrance to the Palace Bridge is located today, there was a pier decorated with bronze sculptures of lions (sculptor - I. Prokofiev) and porphyry vases. In 1873 they were moved to the Admiralteyskaya Embankment.

On Palace Embankment there is the former palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, designed by the architect A. Rezanov in the style of a Florentine palazzo. Today it houses the House of Scientists (Dvortsovaya Embankment, 26). House No. 20 belonged to I. Moshkov, the quartermaster of Peter I. The old walls of the building were preserved under late plaster. House No. 18 was built in the mid-19th century by the architect Stackenschneider for Grand Duke Michael. There is no stylistic unity in the development of Palace Embankment, but its appearance gives the impression of harmony, balance and architectural integrity.

Historical reference

1715 - creation of the embankment. 1754-1762 - construction of the Winter Palace building, which gave its name to the embankment. 1763-1767 - the embankment is lined with granite, descents to the water have been built. 1763-1766 - construction of the Hermitage Bridge across the Winter Canal. 1767-1768 - construction of the Verkhne-Lebyazhy Bridge across the Lebyazhy Canal. Legends and myths

There are several palaces located on Palace Embankment, including the official royal residence, so it is not surprising that many legends about the palaces themselves and their owners are associated with this place in St. Petersburg. For example, among the Hermitage workers there is a legend about the last owner of the Winter Palace - Emperor Nicholas II. They say that in the evenings the ghost of the martyr king appears in the galleries of the Hermitage, sadly looking around his former possessions.

Palace Embankment was originally called Upper Embankment. It was built in the depths of the plots, because at the beginning of the 18th century the swampy banks of the Neva were not yet fortified. It passed in the middle of the block between Millionnaya Street and the Neva embankment. Due to the expansion of land plots, already in 1716 it was shifted to the north. In the shallow waters of the river, piles were driven and an embankment that has survived to this day was built.
In April 1707, a decree was issued, according to which strict regulations for the allocation of plots for development began. The priority was given to the official and property status of the petitioners. The same decree established the size of land plots. The narrow side of each plot faced the bank of the Neva. The plots were assigned only to persons related to the Admiralty Department.
Development of the modern Palace Embankment. What is on the left bank of the Neva began in the first years of the existence of St. Petersburg. In 1705, the first house appeared here, which belonged to Admiral General F.M. Apraksin, in 1707 the Kikin Chambers were rebuilt. Already by the mid-1710s, work was underway to strengthen coastline Neva on the site of the palace embankment. The banks were strengthened with wooden walls, and piers appeared along the embankment. Thus, it was possible to move the river bed by at least eighty meters. In the thirties of the 18th century, instead of the Apraksin House, the Winter House was built for Empress Anna Ioannovna. Since the second half of the 18th century, the embankment has been called Millionnaya.
By the sixties, the million-dollar embankment was turned into granite, and semicircular slopes to the Neva appeared here. But since the construction work of the architect Ignazio Rossi was carried out poorly, later the embankment had to be rebuilt according to the design of Yu.M. Felten. As a result, the bank of the Neva “moved back” another twenty meters.
On the embankment there was a Postal Yard (on the site of the modern Marble Palace), which is why it was often called the Postal Court. In the sixties of the 18th century, the Hermitage Bridge and the Verkhne-Lebyazhy Bridge appeared, which connected the Palace Embankment with the Kutuzov Embankment.
By the end of the 18th century, a lot of interesting buildings were already appearing on the territory of the Palace Embankment in St. Petersburg. These are the buildings of the Hermitage, the Hermitage Theater, the Marble Palace, the Saltykov House, and many others. In the 19th century, the Novo-Mikhailovsky and Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich palaces and the service building of the Marble Palace were built here.
After 1917, the embankment became the 9th of January embankment.
The Palace Embankment is connected to Vasilievsky Island by the Dvortsovy drawbridge, which appeared here at the beginning of the 20th century. The embankment is connected to the Petrogradskaya side by the Trinity Bridge, erected here at the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries.

It lives up to its name: there are almost a dozen large palaces in which the most important figures of Russian history of the 18th - 19th centuries lived: scions of the House of Romanov, major nobles, cultural figures. We have selected the most popular ones.

1. Summer Palace Peter the Great

A very modest two-story palace in the Summer Garden, where Peter the Great lived from May to October for twelve years, from 1712 to 1725. During the time of Peter, a small canal was dug from the Fontanka to the entrance to the palace, so that the royal residence was located on the peninsula. The emperor loved it when guests came to him by boat.

Modesty was generally inherent in Peter's buildings. For example, the Marly Palace did not have a main hall at all, and the Summer Palace bore little resemblance to the residence of the emperor of a huge country. Luxury is Menshikov's. Peter tried to avoid excesses and used only the most necessary things. So all the palaces of those times turned out to be small and cramped. Formally, the palace is registered in the Summer Garden, but is located a few meters from the Palace Embankment.

Address: Summer garden, 2

2. Palace of the Prince of Oldenburg (Betsky House, University of Culture and Arts)

Until the 1770s, there was a theater building here, in which an Italian troupe constantly performed: Elizabeth Petrovna’s courtiers, as a rule, attended its performances. After the death of the Empress and the departure of the Italians, the building by Rastrelli was demolished, and in 1784 - 1787 a house was built here for Ivan Betsky, who conducted classes here for students of his educational institutions, and also gradually collected a collection of works of art. Ivan Krylov also lived there, who opened a printing house in the building and printed his magazines.

The house received its second name when Prince Peter of Oldenburg moved into it in 1830. Under him, the architect Stasov built and reconstructed the building. His son, Alexander Oldenburgsky, sold the building to the Provisional Government for a large sum at that time (1.5 million rubles). In 1962, the Leningrad Library Institute was located here, and the building of the Betsky House was connected to the neighboring Saltykov House. Now here is the University of Culture and Arts, the famous “kulek”.

Address: Palace Embankment, 2

3. Marble Palace

Before, according to the design of the architect Rinaldi, they began to build a palace here for the favorite of Catherine the Great, Grigory Orlov, there was first a postal yard here, then a zverovy, where the first St. Petersburg elephant lived for a short time, then the building burned down, and then a place was cleared for a square.

The count did not wait for the queen’s gift, and she bought the palace from Orlov’s descendants and gave it to her grandson Konstantin Pavlovich. After which it remained the residence for members of the House of Romanov until 1918. Then there was the Russian Academy of History material culture, then they opened a branch of the Lenin Museum, and since 1992, the Marble Palace has become a branch of the Russian Museum, where mainly exhibitions of contemporary art are held (Warhol, Ludwig Museum, etc.).

Address: Millionnaya street, 5/1

4. Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace

The third palace built by Stackenschneider for the children of Nicholas I (after the Mariinsky and Nikolaevsky). Its design began after the wedding of Mikhail Nikolaevich. Several older buildings in the neighborhood were demolished to construct the building. The palace itself is a wonderful example of early eclecticism and combines in its appearance the features of a variety of architectural styles: baroque, rococo, classicism. In addition, in the construction of the Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace, metal structures that were rare at that time were used.

Mikhail Nikolaevich did not have time to immediately enjoy the beauty of the palace, because literally after settling in 1862 he was forced to go to the Caucasus as governor. He returned home only in 1881, when he was appointed chairman of the State Council. IN last years he usually did not leave the palace and sat thoughtfully at the windows of the first floor. Passers-by sometimes noticed him and saluted him. After his death, the building passed into the hands of his son Nikolai Mikhailovich. And now there is a library of oriental manuscripts.

Address: Palace Embankment, 18

5. Palace of Vladimir Alexandrovich

Vladimir Alexandrovich is the third son in the family of Emperor Alexander II. The architect of the palace was Messmacher, who would soon build another grand-ducal palace (the future House of Music on the Moika). The result was a modest, eclectic building, which, due to its masonry, did not fit into the ensemble of Palace Embankment.

Subsequently, by decision of the Petrograd Council, the Grand Duke's palace was turned into the House of Scientists. Herbert Wells visited here, Academician Vavilov worked here (as chairman of the council). During the Siege there was a hospital here. At the moment, there are dozens of different scientific sections in a variety of areas.

Address: Palace Embankment, 26

6. Small Hermitage

Despite the fact that this building by Felten and Wallen-Delamot is the smallest in the Hermitage ensemble, it is here that some of the most famous exhibits of the Hermitage are located: including the Pavilion Hall, the Peacock Clock, as well as the famous Hanging Gardens. At first there was a “Winter Garden” there, but then, when the building turned from a home residence into a museum, the concept had to be changed. You can only look at this garden from the window.

Address: Palace Embankment, 30

The main St. Petersburg palace, one of the most important museums in the world, a repository of hundreds of masterpieces of artistic culture, is already the fifth in a row. The first was built under Peter, the second - too, the third was ordered to be built by Anna Ioannovna, the fourth - temporary - was built by Rastrelli while the new one was being built for Elizabeth Petrovna. Only Catherine the Second settled in the current one: Elizabeth did not live to see the completion of construction, Peter the Third was overthrown shortly before the palace was commissioned.

The Winter Palace witnessed almost all the main events in Russian history after the 18th century. Monuments to the country’s main military victories were built around it, almost all Russian emperors lived here, it was here that one of the most notorious assassination attempts on the emperor was made (Khalturin detonated a bomb right under the dining room, Alexander II was not injured), a peaceful demonstration was shot near it on “Bloody Sunday” “, the Provisional Government met here and the Bolsheviks overthrew it here. Finally, some of the largest rallies for democracy of 1991 and 1993 took place near the Winter Palace. Nowadays, concerts and street sports festivals are held more often near the Hermitage.

Address: Palace Embankment, 32

Photo 07/21/2011:

Photo May 2015:

Palace Embankment- one of the most famous streets. It stretches along the left bank of the Neva River from to. It is a continuation, and after it begins.

There are many architectural monuments and attractions on Palace Embankment:

• house No. 2 – Palace of the Prince of Oldenburg
• house No. 4 - House of Count Saltykov
• house No. 8 – Cantemir Palace
• house No. 10 – Gagarin’s Mansion
• house No. 12 - Saltykova House
• building No. 16 – Ushakov’s Mansion
• building No. 18 – Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace
• house No. 20 - Moshkov House
• building No. 22 – Chertkov’s Mansion
• building No. 24 – Trofimov’s Mansion
• building No. 26 – Palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich
• house No. 28 - Reserve house of the palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich
• Upper Lebyazhy Bridge
• Sculpture “The First Horsewoman”
• Monument to Emperor Alexander III

Palace Embankment(based on materials from the book “St. Petersburg and its suburbs: A guide to cultural and historical monuments / Yu.G. Ivanov, O.Yu. Ivanova, R.A. Khalkhatov. - Smolensk: Rusich, 2010. - 336 pp.: ill. — ( Memorable places Russia)"):

In 1763, after the completion of the construction of the next one, the creation began granite embankment. Over four years, under the leadership of master T. Nasonov, the Capital (now Palace) embankment, 1.6 km long, was laid out of granite blocks in front of the palace. Overhanging the retaining wall, which is placed at a slight slope, is a slightly curved sidewalk cornice. The parapet is made of massive blocks with rounded edges. The rhythmically repeating seven semicircular staircases, the Hermitage equestrian ramp, as well as the humpbacked stone bridges across the sources of the Red Canal and the Fontanka completed the creation of the architectural and artistic appearance of the city’s front embankment. Stretching on the left bank of the Neva from the Palace Embankment to the bridge, it stood without major repairs for almost two centuries and served as a model for the creation of other St. Petersburg embankments.

The appearance of the embankment is formed by buildings, outstanding in their artistic significance, and, as well as former palaces and mansions of the nobility. From here there is a wonderful view of the wide expanses of the Neva, and.

Palace Embankment(based on materials from the book “Historical Quarters of St. Petersburg / A.G. Vladimirovich, A.D. Erofeev. - M.: AST, 2014. - 544 p."):

This name is familiar and dear to every St. Petersburg resident. Today it is even difficult to imagine that the embankment could have any other names other than this. Meanwhile, it first appeared in 1776, when the current one already existed, architectural wonder Francesco Bartolomeo(or, as he was called in Russian, Bartholomew Varfolomeevich) Rastrelli.

Initially, from 1737, the embankment was called the Cash Line, which was typical for the front, front streets of the city. On April 20, 1738, Empress Anna Ioannovna, at the suggestion of the Commission on the St. Petersburg building, gave it the name Upper Naberezhnaya Street. This was due to the fact that the street was located upstream of the Neva relative to Nizhnyaya Naberezhnaya Street (modern).

The name was used until the middle of the 18th century. In parallel, there were options: Upper Embankment Line, Upper Kamennaya Embankment Line, Upper Neva River Embankment Line, Upper Neva River Embankment Line or simply Embankment Line, Embankment Street, Nevskaya Embankment or Upper Embankment.

But these are not all the names. In the second half of the 18th century, the definition of “Millionnaya” stuck to the embankment - based on the one parallel to it. Accordingly, the embankment was Millionnaya Embankment Street, Millionnaya Embankment Line, Millionnaya or Bolshaya Millionnaya Embankment. The last two options were used in parallel with Palace Embankment until the mid-1790s.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the embankment was called Bolshoi and Bolshaya Dvortsovaya, and the name Dvortsovaya Embankment Street was used until 1822. After this, the embankment was finally secured modern name. For 101 years. For on October 6, 1923, it was renamed the Ninth January Embankment (1905). Moreover, the year was taken in brackets, so it was often omitted when this name was used.