I believe that the Winter Palace can rightly be considered the main attraction of St. Petersburg. Interestingly, once, by decree of Nicholas I, it was forbidden to build the construction above Winter Palace. Everyone was equal to the residence of Russian emperors - so the palace became the face of the city, determining the architectural fashion of St. Petersburg.

This summer I went to the segregate Palace Square, around the Alexandrovsky pillar. It was at that moment that the bizarre cosmogonic metaphor appeared in my head. If the Alexandrovsky pillar is the sun of St. Petersburg, then the Winter Palace is the closest and hot planet, at which the life of ordinary people is hardly possible, only the glow of Russian history can live here, the rulers of the empire. As you remove from the palace, all panorama of the square got into my field of view, but the palace was still in the center of the picture. When approaching it, it forces it to focus on separate details of the construction: hours, pilasters, bas-reliefs ... Such an extreme acquaintance with the Winter Palace cannot leave anyone indifferent. Grab bicycles, scooters, rollers and go to this exciting journey. But such a familiarity is well only at the emotional level. To understand the entire charm of this building, you need to go deep into history. Therefore, I left my original vehicle movement behind the walls of the palace and went to look at the interior decoration already in ordinary shoes, without wheels.

Mystery name

If you have never seen the Winter Palace or was in it for a very long time, then I propose to play the game! Let's check together which associations cause the image of the Winter Palace. Does it look like a Snow Queen Castle from the Soviet Cartoon? Or is it a completely real building, but around the landscapes of the Russian winter?

I think that all those associations that will arise in your consciousness will be true and one way or another will serve as the key to the opening of the mystery.

Despite the talking name of the palace, you can visit this attraction at any time of the year, not only in the winter. It is interesting to know why the palace called this way. First, it was built in winter, and secondly, Russian emperors lived here at this time of year. So the winter palace became a symbol of superiority of a person over the elements, nature, over Russian frosts. In this place, you can not only hide from any storms and winds, but also to consider amazing interiors. There is a lot of gold, light inside the palace, and thanks to a huge number of mirrors space expands all the time. Russian emperors did not like to lie down without a case, so in the winter palace, even in the Lutoy Stuzh took ambassadors from different countries. Today, the Winter Palace is not a separate object, it enters the complex of buildings of the Hermitage - a museum, which you can read more. I will tell you exactly about the Winter Palace.

History

In fact, the Winter Palace was rebuilt five times. The very first version of the palace was made of wood and more looked like a hut. It did not have that chic that we see now. This wooden house has become a gift Peter from the governor of the city. The second architect was George Mattarov. Gradually, the Winter Palace evolved. It is this architectural maturity that interests us, because through the history of a particular building you can trace how Russia itself improved: its buildings, streets, the appearance of people changed. The third palace was erected by the Rastrelli Project in 1762. Construction went seven years. The architect himself believed that he was creating a palace for All-Russian glory.

As you know, the entire architecture of St. Petersburg is divided into two types. On the one hand, we can see Petersburg N. V. Gogol and F. M. Dostoevsky - a city with gloomy streets, humiliated and insulted people. Such Petersburg is filled with mysticism and hopelessness of human existence. But there is another side of which it is impossible to forget. And one of the main attractions of this "festive" and happy St. Petersburg is the Winter Palace. Itifies chic and carelessness from it. The latitude of the Russian soul and European orderliness, lightness and severity, thoughtfulness and greasiness - these contradictions give birth to harmony.

Winter rebuilt different architects and rulers. So the whole complex grew, which today can visit everyone. In 1837, a fire broke out in the building, which was impossible to put out about a day, many invaluable things were lost. After the fire was created a plan for reconstruction. Stasov and Brylov took up this case. After 15 months most of the palace was restored.

What is in the Winter Palace

In the front halls of the palace leads Embassy staircase. Ambassadors from other states could immediately get acquainted with the Russian traditions of hospitality, going through the red carpet.

In the XIX century, the stairs began to call Jordanian, since during the holidays of baptism, members of the imperial family went down to the hole in Neva.

The parade portion was restored by the architect of Stasov. He tried to keep the Baroque style with his inherent rich decoration, stucco, mirrors in heavy gilded frames.

Petrovsky Hall Deals the memory of the first Russian emperor of the Great. In the design of the interior, the red French velvet prevails, the monogram and floral ornament are embroidered. Cartinous wars remind of Russia's strength. Also interesting is the portrait of the emperor: Peter is pictured next to the goddess of wisdom.

IN The coat of arms You can see the coat of arms of all Russian provinces. In addition, there are sculptures of Russian warriors. In the same room, official techniques were used before.

Further before visitors appear Military gallery- This is a long corridor, on the walls of which are portraits 322 generals. In general, the whole color of the Russian army of the XIX century: Kutuzov, Bagration, Plates, Raevsky ...

Malachite living room Nikolai I was created for the wife. In this room, many Malachite from the Rudnikov Brothers Demidov. In front of the sculptor there was a task of practically state importance: he had to demonstrate the power and wealth of Russian lands, finding the natural material (mineral or stone), which would personify Russia. Malachite's green color well emphasized the status of the Russian Empire. Malachite is a symbol of life and growth.

Tickets

In order to get to the Winter Palace, you need to buy a ticket to Cashier or electronic form. The second option is most convenient, since you do not have to stand in long queues.

Prices range from 300 to 1000 rubles. Since the winter palace is included in the complex of architectural structures, then the ticket includes a combination list of places that you can visit: Hermitage, Palace Menshikova, Museum of Imperial porcelain factory... Choose a tariff with the mind, as one day you can see several attractions. It will be cheaper and fruitful than separately.

There is one more pleasant news: the first Thursday of each month is the day of free visits. And for students, schoolchildren and for other beneficies, entrance is free and on ordinary days. Read more about prices on the Hermitage website.

How to get

How to get: from the metro station "Admiralteyskaya" or "Nevsky Prospekt". You need to move along Nevsky Prospect, aside Vasilyevsky Islands. After the Nevsky Prospect is over, you will go to the palace area. You need to focus on a huge arch, inside which Alexandrovsky pillar rises. The Winter Palace is directly opposite the Hermitage.

Address of the Winter Palace: Palace Square, d. 2 / Palace Embankment, 38.
Working hours: from 10:30 to 18:00 (CASSAs work until 17:00), Monday - day off.

Probably, in our huge country there is no such person who absolutely did not know about the Winter Palace in the city of St. Petersburg, there are no few facts changing the course of the history of our history. The Winter Palace in St. Petersburg was erected in the middle of the eighteenth century specifically for Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in the articraft project of the famous Italian architect Rastrelli in the style of lush rokkoco. At the end of construction, the palace complex consisted of thousands of rooms, 117 magnificent stairs and almost two thousand windows and doors. From the moment of its construction, the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg became the main imperial residence until the famous events of the bloody revolution of the 17th year.

Brief Description of the Winter Palace

Throughout the time, several buildings were attached to the palace: small Hermitage, old and new Hermitage, Hermitage Theater. IN this time The Winter Palace in St. Petersburg is part of the famous Museum Complex of the State Hermitage. The architectural monument is a magnificent three-storey rectangular building on the Palace Square. The size of the palace is amazed: the length is 210 meters, the width is 175 meters. The appearance of a winter sign on numerous images, probably, a variety of people: luxury central gates with cast-iron grilles and side front entrances.

Hall of the Winter Palace

The Winter Palace in St. Petersburg admires its decoration: the roof, decorated with ancient gods and magnificent vases, elegant sculptures of Neptune and amphitrite, majestic snow-white columns at the entrance. Inside, tourists are open big tone and Concert halls, Malachite living room and many other chambers. And the State Hermitage, located on the expanses of the palace, is the largest and richest museum of the world, which has a rare collection of paintings and antiquities.

The development of the territory of Eastern Admiralty began simultaneously with the emergence of shipyards. In 1705, on the banks of the Neva, a house was erected for the "Great Admiralty" - Fedor Matveyevich Apraksin. By 1711, the place of the current palace occupied mansions for the nobody involved in the fleet (only marine officials could be built here).

The first wooden winter house of the "Dutch architecture" on the "exemplary project" of Trezini under the tiled roof was built in 1711 for the king, as for the Ship Affairs of the Master Peter Alekseev. In front of his facade in 1718, the channel was breaking, subsequently became the winter groove. Peter called him "his office." Specially for the wedding of Peter and Catherine Alekseevna Palace of wooden was rebuilt into a modestly decorated two-storey stone house with a tiled roof, which had a descent to Neva. According to some historians, the wedding feast took place in the Big Hall of this First Winter Palace.

The second winter palace was built in 1721 on the project of Matnovi. The main facade he went on the Neva. In him, Peter lived his last years.

The Third Winter Palace appeared as a result of the restructuring and expanding this palace on the project of Trezini. Part of it later entered the amount of the Hermitage Theater, created by the kievna. During the restoration works, fragments of the Petrovsky Palace inside the theater were discovered: the front courtyard, staircase, senior, room. Now here is essentially the exposition of the Hermitage "Winter Palace Peter First".

In 1733-1735, on the project Bartolomeo Rastrelli on the site of the former Palace of Fedor Apraksin, bought for the Empress, the fourth Winter Palace was built - the Palace of Anna John. Rastrelli used the walls of the luxurious apraksin chambers, erected back in Petrovsky times by architect Leblon.

The fourth Winter Palace stood about the same way where we see the current one, and was much more good than previous palaces.

The Fifth Winter Palace for the temporary stay of Elizabeth Petrovna and her courtyard again built Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli (in Russia it was often called Bartholomew Vartholomeyevich). It was a huge wooden building from washing to the small marine and from Nevsky Prospect to a brick alley. There is no trail from him for a long time. Many researchers of the history of the creation of the current winter think about him do not even remember, considering the fifth - the modern Winter Palace.

The current Winter Palace is the sixth time. It was built from 1754 to 1762 on the project Bartolomeo Rastrelli for the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna and is a bright sample of lush baroque. But I did not have time to live in the palace of Elizabeth - it died, so the first real mistress of the Winter Palace became Catherine Two.

In 1837, the winter burned down - the fire began in the Field Marsh Hall and continued for three days, all this time, the servants of the palace endowed the works of art, who decorated the royal residence, a huge mountain from statues, paintings, precious baubles rose around the Alexander Column ... They say that nothing disappeared ...

The Winter Palace was restored after the fire of 1837 without any serious external changes, by 1839 the works were completed, they led two architects: Alexander Bullelov (Brother of the Great Charles) and Vasily Stasov (author of the Savior-Percept and Trinity-Izmailovsky Cathedrals). It was only reduced the number of sculptures around the perimeter of his roof.

Over the centuries, the color of the facades of the Winter Palace changed from time to time. Initially, the walls were painted "sand paint with the thinnest heart", the decor - white lime. Before the First World War, the palace acquired an unexpected red-brick color, giving the palace gloomy look. A contrast combination of green walls, white columns, capitals and stucco decor appeared in 1946.

Exterior of the Winter Palace

Rastrelli struck not just a royal residence, - the palace was built "for one Glory of All-Russian", as mentioned in the decree of the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the Government of the Senate. From European Baroque buildings, the palace distinguish the brightness, cheerfulness of the figurative system, a festive solemn elevation of its more than 20-meter height emphasizes two-tier columns. The vertical membership of the palace continues statues and vases, taking a look into the sky. The height of the Winter Palace became a construction standard, erected in the principle of Petersburg city planning. Above the winter building in the old town was not allowed.
The palace is a giant quadrangle with a large courtyard. The facades of the palace in various compositions form how the folds of a huge ribbon. Step cornice, repeating all the ledges of the building, stretched almost two kilometers. The absence of sharply extended parts along the Northern Facade, from the Neva (here there are only three members), enhances the impression of the length of the building along the embankment; Two wings from the west side are addressed to Admiralty. The main facade overlooking the palace square, has seven members, he is the most charter. In the middle speaking, the part is the triple arcade of the entrance gate, decorated with a magnificent openwork grid. The main facade line is southeast and southwest risals. Historically, it was the way that there were residents of emperors and empress.

Layout of the Winter Palace

Bartolomeo Rastrelli has already had experience in building tsarist palaces in the royal village and Peterhof. In the scheme of the Winter Palace, he laid a standard planning option, previously tested. The basement of the palace was used as housing for servants or storage facilities. On the ground floor there were service and economic premises. In the second floor there were solemn parade halls and personal apartments of the imperial family. On the third, Freinin, doctors and neighboring servants were settled. This layout assumed mainly horizontal connections between the various premises of the Palace, which was reflected in the endless corridors of the winter.
The northern facade is characterized by the fact that it contains three huge front halls. Nevskiy Anfilad included: a small hall, a big (Nikolaev room) and a concert hall. Large Anfilad unfolded along the axis of the parade staircase, going perpendicular to Nevsky Avtilade. It included the Field Marsh Hall, Petrovsky Hall, a coat of arms (White) Hall Picket (New) Hall. The memorial military gallery of 1812, solemn Georgievsky and Apollors halls occupied a special place in the hall. The frontal halls included the Pubery Gallery and the Winter Garden. The route of the tsarist family through the Avfiladu of the Parade halls had a deep meaning. Spent to the little scenario Large outputs He served not only by the demonstration of the entire brightness of the autocratic power, but also by contacting the past and this Russian history.
As in any other Palace of the Imperial Family, in the winter there was a church, or rather, two churches: Big and Small. According to Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the big church was supposed to serve the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna and her "Big Yard", a small - "young yard" - the court of Heir-Cesarevich Peter Fedorovich and his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna.

Interiors of the Winter Palace

If the exterior of the palace is made in the style of the late Russian baroque. That interiors are mainly performed in the style of early classicism. One of the few interiors of the Palace, who retained the original baroque decoration - the Paradinary Jordan Staircase. It occupies a huge space of almost 20 meters altitude and seems even higher due to the painting of the ceiling. Reflecting in the mirrors, the real space seems even more. Created by Bartolomeo Rastrelli Staircase after a fire of 1837 was restored by Vasily Stasov, who preserved the overall intention of Rastrelli. The decor of the staircase is infinitely diverse - the mirrors, the statues of the fancy gilded stucco, varying the motive of the stylized shell. The shapes of the baroque decor became maintained after the replacement of wooden columns lined with a pink kit (artificial marble) on monolithic granite columns.

Of the three halls of Nevsky Anfilad, the most restrained on the decoration of the Avanzal. The main decor is concentrated in the upper part of the hall - these are allegorical compositions performed in monochrome technique (Griezail) on a gold-plated background. Since 1958, Malachit Rotonda installed in the center of Avanzala (at first she was in the Tauride Palace, then in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra).

More solemnly decorated the largest Hall of Nevsky Anfilades - Nikolaevsky. This is one of the largest halls of the Winter Palace, its area - 1103 m. The parade is attached to the three-fourth columns of the magnificent Corinthian order, the painting of the border of the ceiling and huge chandeliers. The hall is designed in white color.

The concert hall intended at the end of the 18th century for court concerts has a more rich sculptural and picturesque decor than the two previous halls. The hall is decorated with the statues of the Muses installed in the second tier of the walls above the columns. This hall completed the enfilade and initially was conceived Rastrelli as a run to the throne room. In the middle of the 20th century, a silver tomb of Alexander Nevsky was established in the hall (transmitted to the Hermitage after the revolution) weighing about 1,500 kg, created on the monetary court of St. Petersburg in 1747-1752. For the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, in which the relics of Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky are stored to this day.
The Feldmarsh Hall, intended for the placement of portraits of Field Marshals, begins Greater Anfilado; He had to give an idea of \u200b\u200bpolitical and military history Russia. His interior was created, as well as a neighboring Petrovsky (or small throne) hall with him, Architect of Auguste Montpherom in 1833 and restored after the fire of 1837. Vasily Stasov. The main appointment of the Petrovsky hall Memorial - he is devoted to the memory of Peter the Great, so his finish is distinguished by a special pomp. In the gilded Decor of Frieza, in the painting of the arches - the coat of arms of the Russian Empire, the crown, wreaths of glory. In a huge niche with a rounded arch, a picture depicting Peter I, led by the goddess Minerway to victories; In the upper part of the side walls, paintings are placed with scenes of the most important battles of the Northern War - with forest and under Poltava. In decorative motifs adorning the hall, the monogram from two Latin letters "P" is infinitely repeated, denoting the name of Peter I, "Petrus Primus"

The coat of arms decorated with shields with the coat of arms of the Russian provinces of the XIX century., Located on huge chandeliers illuminating it. This is a sample of a late occupy style. Porticists on the end walls are being grown up the nurse of the hall, the solid gilding of the columns emphasizes its parade. Four sculptural groups of warriors of ancient Russia remind the heroic traditions of the defenders of the Fatherland and foresee the next 1812 gallery behind him.
The most advanced Creation of Stasov in the Winter Palace - Georgievsky (Big Throne) Hall. The knewing hall was created in the same place died in a fire of 1837. Stasov, retaining the architectural intention of the quartre, created a completely different artistic image. The walls are lined with carrar marble, the columns are carved out of it. The decor of the ceiling and columns is made of gilded bronze. The ornament of the ceiling is repeated in the parquet scored from 16 valuable wood. There are no two-headed eagle and holy Georgiy - to come to the coat of arms of the Great Empire. The throne of gilded silver is restored at the same place in 2000 by the architects and restorers of the Hermitage. Above the throne place is marble bas-relief with Saint George, damaging the dragon, the work of the Italian sculptor Francesco del Nero.

The hosts of the Winter Palace

The customer of construction was the daughter of Peter the Great, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, she rushed the Rastrelli with the construction of the palace, so the works were carried out with a mad pace. Personal quarters of the Empress (two completions and the office) were hurried (two felling and office), Cesarevich Pavel Petrovich and some adjacent to the rest of the room: church, opera house and a bright gallery. But the Empress did not have time to live in the Palace. She died in December 1761. The first owner of the Winter Palace was the nephew of the Empress (the son of her older sister Anna) Peter III Fedorovich. The Winter Palace was solemnly sanctified and put into operation for Easter of 1762. Peter III immediately started alterations in the southwestern risatite. The champions entered the office and library. It was planned to create an amber hall for the sample of Tsarskoselsky. For his wife, he determined the chambers in the south-west risatite, the windows of which went to the industrial zone of the Admiralty.

The emperor lived in the palace only until June 1762, after which he himself did not assume him, moved him forever, moved to his favorite Oranienbaum, where at the end of July signed a renunciation, soon after which he was killed in the Ropshin Palace.

The "brilliant age" of Catherine II, who became the first real mistress of the Winter Palace, and Southeast Rizalit, who was published on a millionth street and the palace square, became the first of the "zones of residence" the owners of the palace. Ekaterina II after the coup mainly continued to live in a wooden Elizavtian Palace, and in August left to Moscow for coronation. Construction work in the winter did not stop, but there are already other architects already conducted: Jean Baptiste Wallen-Demotam, Antonio Rinaldi, Yuri Felten. Rastrelli first sent on vacation, and then retired. Catherine returned from Moscow in early 1863 and postponed its relatives to South-West Risalit, showing the over-release from Elizabeth Petrovna to Peter III and to her - New Empress. All work in the western wing turned. At the site of Pepter III, with the personal participation of the Empress, the complex of Personal Region of Catherine was built. It includes: an audience chamber that replaced the throne hall; Dining with two windows; Restroom; Two casual bedrooms; Boudoir; Cabinet and library. All the premises were withstanding in the style of early classicism. Later, Catherine ordered one of the casual bedrooms into a diamond room or diamond peace, where the precious property and the imperial regalia were kept: the crown, a silepter, power. The regalia was in the center of the room on the table under a crystal cap. As new jewelry acquisitions, glazed boxes that are fastened to the walls appeared.
The Empress lived in the winter palace of 34 years and her rest expanded and rebuilt more than once.

Paul I lived in the Winter Palace Childhood and Youth, and having received Gatchina as a gift from Mother Gatchina in the middle of the 1780s left him and returned in November 1796, becoming the emperor. In the palace Paul lived four years in the reworked quiet of Catherine. Together with him moved his big family settled in their rooms in the western part of the palace. After the first time, he immediately began the construction of Mikhailovsky Castle, without hiding his plans to literally "hang up" the interiors of the Winter Palace, using all valuable for the decoration of Mikhailovsky Castle.

After the death of Paul in March 1801, Emperor Alexander I immediately returned to the Winter Palace. The palace returned the status of the main imperial residence. But he did not borrow the rest of the southeast rizalit, returned to his rooms located along the western facade of the Winter Palace, with the windows for the Admiralty. The premises of the second floor of the south-western rizalita forever lost the importance of the internal chambers of the head of state. Pavlo I began to repair in 1818, on the eve of the arrival of the King of Prussi Friedrich Wilhelm III, appointing the work of the "College Counselor of Karl Rossi." In its drawings, all design works are performed. From this time, the room in this part of the Winter Palace was officially called "Prussian Royal Rooms", and later - the second spare half of the Winter Palace. It is separated from the first half by the Alexander's hall, in the plan, this half consisted of two perpendicular Anfila, which overlook the windows to the palace square and a million street, which were connected differently to the rooms in the courtyard. There was a time when the sons of Alexander II lived in these rooms. First Nikolai Alexandrovich (who was not destined to become a Russian emperor), and from 1863 and his younger brothers Alexander (future emperor Alexander III) and Vladimir. They moved out of the premises of the Winter Palace in the late 1860s, starting their independent life. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the "first level" dies, saving them from the bombs of terrorists, were settled in the rooms of the second spare half. Since the beginning of the spring of 1905, the Governor-General of St. Petersburg Trepov lived there. Then in the autumn of 1905 in these premises were settled by Prime Minister Stolypin with family.

Premises on the second floor along the southern facade, the windows of which are located on the right and to the left of the main gate, still Paul I looked at his wife Maria Fedorovna in 1797. The intelligent, ambitious and volitional wife Paul during his widowing managed to form a structure that was called "the department of Empress Mary Fedorovna". It was engaged in charity, education medical care Representatives of different estates. In 1827, the rest was repaired, ended in March, and in November of the same year she died. Her Third Son Emperor Nicholas I decided to conservate her chambers. Later there was formed the first spare half, consisting of two parallel Anfilates. It was the largest of the palace half, stretching on the second floor from White to the Alexandrovsky hall. In 1839, temporary tenants were settled there: the eldest daughter of Nicholas I Great Princess Maria Nikolaevna and her husband, Duke Leiktenbergsky. They lived there for almost five years, until the completion of the construction of the Mariinsky Palace in 1844. After the death of Empress, Maria Alexandrovna and Emperor Alexander II, their rooms were part of the first spare half.

On the first floor of the southern facade between the entrance of the Empress and to the main gate leading to a large courtyard, windows on the palace square were the premises of duty palace grenaders (2 windows), a candle position (2 windows) and separation of the military-acquisition of the emperor (3 windows). Next, the premises of the "Gof-Fourier and Camera Forerier's post" were walked. These premises ended in the commandant entrance, to the right of which the windows of the apartment of the Commandant of the Winter Palace began.

The whole third floor of the southern facade, along the long Freinti corridor, occupied Freinin apartments. Since these apartments were a serviceable living area, then, according to the will of the economic workers or the emperor, Freill could move from one room to another. Some of the Freinin quickly leaving married, forever left the Winter Palace; Others met there not only old age, but death ...

Southwest Risalit at Catherine II occupied the Palace Theater. He was demolished in the middle of the 1780s. To accommodate rooms there for numerous grandchildren of the Empress. Inside the rizalita arranged a small closed courtyard. In the rooms of the South-Western Rizalit, the daughters of the future emperor Paul I were settled. In 1816, the Great Prince Anna Pavlovna married Prince Wilhelm Orange and left Russia. Her rest was redone under the leadership of Carlo Rossi for the Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich and his young wife Alexandra Fedorovna. Spouses lived in these rooms for 10 years. After the Grand Duke began in 1825 by the emperor Nikolai I spouses moved in 1826 to North-West Rizalit. And after marriage Heir-Cesarevich Alenester Nikolayevich on the Princess of Hessian (future Empress Maria Alexandrovna), they took the premises of the second floor of the south-western rizalit. Over time, these rooms began to be called "Half Empress Mary Alexandrovna"

Photos of the Winter Palace

Winter Palace On the Palace Square - the former royal residence, symbol architectural style Elizabethan Baroque, the largest palace in St. Petersburg. From the first Soviet years, the Museum is the most famous museum in Russia - the State Hermitage.

The first winter palaces. Winter Palace Anna John

At the site of the world's famous world, the first building appeared in Peter I. In June-July 1705, the wooden house of Admiral Fyodor Matveyevich Apraksin was built in the north-western corner of the current Palace of the Palace of Palace. He was designed by the architect Domenico Trezini. Place by Admiral was chosen including due to the rules of "fortification esplanade". They demanded that the nearest structure was at a distance of at least 200 sages (1 sage \u003d approximately 2.1 meters) from the fortress, that is, from the admiralty.

The house of Olonetsky commandant I. Ya. Yakovlev was immediately attached to the house of APRAKSINA, which from January 1705 led the construction of the shipyard and the preparations for it. June 28, Meshchersky notified Yakovleva: " According to the drawing of the Komorka Your 13 next to the moss and put on the moss, the urgent bridge is soaked, the upper ceiling bridge"[Cyt. At 5: p. 33].

Yakovlev died on January 22, 1707. The same time in many sources is indicated as a year of appearing to the south of Apraksina House A. V. Kikin, who continued the case of Yakovleva. It can be assumed that Kikin took the Plot Yakovleva. Apraksina House, as a built first on the Palace embankment, asked her red line. Kikina's house designated the northern border of the Admiralty meadow (future Palace Square).

It is worth noting that Peter I and Catherine I lived here. The first winter palace of Peter was built on a plot of house number 32 Palace Embankmentwhere the Hermitage Theater is now located. This building was repeatedly rebuilt, the founder of St. Petersburg died in it.

Apraksina House was rebuilt in stone in 1712. Soon he stopped laying the admiral who wanted to live in a more luxurious setting. The construction began in 1716 determined the new red line of the future Palace Embankment. It was moved closer in the river about 50 meters. The famous architect Leblon who came to St. Petersburg in November of the same year agreed to make the project of the two-story Palace of Apraksin "to the French manner". Due to the permanent employment, Leblon could not bring this project to the end. The construction plan was reworked by architect Fedor Vasilyev. At the same time, he added to the building the third floor and several processed its facade. Then the Eastern Admiral's ownership of the admiral was allocated sections of S. V. Raguzinsky, P. I. Yaguzhinsky and Major General Chernyshev.

After Kizhin's execution, the Marine Academy established in 1715 in his house. But since the premises received by the educational institution were tested for him, in 1716 an additional masakan case was attached in the building. In April 1718, Apraksin indicated " academic courtyard that was Kikina, to complete"[Quot. By: 5, p. 91].

The House of the Prosecutor General of the Senate P. I. Yaguzhinsky was built on the orders of Peter I for a treasure account. In June 1716, F. Vasilyev received for its construction on the project of the architect Mattarnov. Until the end of the construction season, he undertook to build a building with the exception of plastering, for which he received a deposit in the amount of 1 198 rubles. But by the fall, workers managed to put only foundations. For the winter, the foundation of the house was so spoiled that in June 1717, Vasilyev was ordered to remake everything. Then the property of the architect was described, and in December Vasilyev was removed from the work. From October 1718 to April 1720, he was kept in the Okowa on the courtyard of the office of the city affairs. The Palace of Yaghuzhinsky completed Mattarnov, and after his death - N. F. Gerbel. Building the building ended in 1721.

In the Palace of Apraksin in 1725, the newlyweds of the Duke of Holchta and daughter Peter I Anna temporarily lived. They were the first to take half of the "half" chambers for high-ranking specials. The former camera-junker Berchgolts came here that he:

"The biggest and beautiful in the whole Petersburg, moreover, it stands on a big Neva and has a very pleasant location. The house is all furnished perfectly and in the last fashion, so the king could be decent to live in it ..."

The last words from the quotation of Berchgolts were prophetic. In 1728, Admiral died. He bequeathed his own property. Apraksin consisted of a relational relationship with Romanov, he was a brother of Queen Martha, the second wife of the elder brother Peter I. Therefore, something should have been going to the young Emperor Peter II. His Admiral bequeathed his Petersburg Palace. However, Peter II never lived here, as he moved to Moscow.

In addition to the throne, the Empress Anna John St. Petersburg was returned by Peter II capital status. The new government was needed to equip its residence here. The Winter Palace of Peter I did not satisfy the tastes of Anna Ioannovna and in 1731 she decided to settle in the Palace of Apraksin. His restructuring at first she instructed Domenico Trezini. Works began on December 27, 1731. For greater speed, the church and the rest began to chop out of the bric. But soon Anna Ioannovna replaced the treati on another architect - Rastrelli. It was he who could satisfy the desire of the Empress to live among shine and luxury. Before leaving the tsarist yard from Moscow to St. Petersburg Rastrelli provided a finished project that was approved and began to be implemented on April 18, 1732.

The chief architect of the Winter House Anna John was not famous Francesco Bartolomeo, but his father Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli. The son only helped her father, later, attributing this work to himself. This is indicated by the following message Jacob Schedule:

"Rastrelli, Cavaliero del Ordine Di Salvador Pope Pope, built big wing To the house of Admiral Apraksin, as well as a large hall, gallery and a court theater.
His son had to break everything and build a new winter palace for Empress Elizabeth in this place "[Cyt. 2, p. 329].

For the new building, the House of the Maritime Academy (Kikina House) was demolished. It was necessary in order to arrange the main facade of the royal residence by the Admiralty. From the outside of the Neva, he could not be issued due to the fact that the plots of Raguzinsky and Yaguzhinsky were not yet bought from the east. Their demolition, in contrast to the demolition of the home of the Marine Academy, would require more time.

On May 3, 1732, a decree was issued on the allocation of 200,000 rubles for the construction of the palace. On May 27, his bookmark ceremony took place. The construction was carried out very quickly. Already by August 22, brick walls were ready, since November began to lead picturesque and painting work. Louis Karavak was engaged in artistic trim of the Winter Palace of Anna John, carpentry performed the Frenchman Mishel wives.

The new third winter palace was completely ready in 1735, although Anna Ioannovna held here in winter 1733-1734. Since then, this building has become a parade imperial residence for 20 years, and Rastrelli in 1738 became the Ober-architect of the courtyard of her imperial majesty.

In the premises of the former Palace Apraksina Rastrelli issued the imperial chambers. The facade of this house was not touched, he was only concluded under the common roof with a new building. The length of the facade by the admiralty was 185 meters. Two abstracts were in the new-built end corps: the windows of the first Anfilad rooms went to the courtyard, the windows of the second - on shipyard. The biggest room of Antfares from the courtyard was a bright gallery. It was located in the central risalate and had a length of 30, width 17 and a height of 7.5 meters. In the enfilade with windows on the Admiralty, equal in the size of the premises, called the name of flowers used in their design: yellow, blue, red, green chambers. The most significant placement of the Winter Palace Anna Ioannovna became a huge, an area of \u200b\u200b1000 square meters. m., throne room. About him wrote a Swedish scientist K. R. Berk, who lived in St. Petersburg in 1735-1737:

"The big hall is the most spacious, as I have ever seen, and richly decorated with mirrors, artificial marble, as well as numerous gold-plated bas-reliefs and other decorations ... The ceiling is covered with painting on the canvas - no doubt to speed up its creation, but is unknown, How much he will last. The painting is made by the court artist Karavak - a self-free Frenchman who criticizes everything, and almost no one praises his work. The plot in the middle of the ceiling is the entry of Her Majesty to the throne. Religion and virtue represent her Russia, who kneeling her, hands To her, the crown. The spiritual estate and kingdom of Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberia, as well as many Tatar and Kalmyk peoples, recognizing the power of Russia, are standing near, expressing their joy. On four large picturesque images located around this middle and descending to the eaves, many acts are presented. who are able to especially glorify the Board of Anna John, namely: the power of the empire, mercy to Stops, high generosity and victory over enemies; From above, these words were written [except Latin] also in Russian ... In all edges, ceiling paintings are a lot of virtues, reliefly carved in stone. The throne, or a place for the imperial throne, is magnificent and a few steps raised above the floor, laid out oak parquet. At the highest visible national emblem, and next to him will come with Mars and Pallada. The sculpture in this and other places of the hall is nothing special, although the Swede created it believes that he created miracles; In any case, she, apparently, is better than others, to create which, due to ridiculous rush, they really used ship sculptors. However, the gilding here is much richer "[quot. By: 5, m. 248, 249].

The Winter Palace Anna Ioannovna had its own theater located in his southern part. He became the first court theater in Russia, decorated in the European manner. The hall had a length of 27.5 meters. There were 27 shops in the parter, between which there were two passages. Before medium shops, a large royal bed was arranged. On the perimeter of the hall there were 15 beds decorated with light columns. Above them - two tiers for which four stairs led. The decoration of the theatrical hall in the picture of Rastrelli performed the Italian Girolamo Bon. He wrote the scenery and engaged in theatrical engineering. The first rehearsal here took place on January 17, 1736, and the first idea - three days later. During performances, 40 soldiers were engaged in the movement of the scenery. The repertoire of the theater was determined personally by the empress.

In the Winter Palace, Anna Ioannovna on July 2, 1739, the princess of Anna Leopoldovna with Prince Anton-Ulrich took place. The juvenile emperor John Antonovich was brought here. He stayed here until November 25, 1741, when the daughter of Peter I Elizabeth took power into his hands.

Elizabeth Petrovna desired even greater luxury than its predecessor, and the next year began to reorganize the imperial residence on his own way. Then she ordered to separate the rooms for himself adjacent to the south to the light gallery. A "Raspberry Cabinets" and arranged in 1743-1744, Amber Cabinet was located near her. Later, when disassembling the Third Winter Palace, Amber Panels will be transported to the royal village and will be included in the famous Amber Room. Since the size of the cabinet was more than the size of the premises where the panels were before ( Royal Palace in Berlin, human quarters in Summer garden), Rastrelli posted 18 mirrors between them.

In 1745, a wedding of the heir to the throne of Peter Fedorovich and Princess Sophia Fredericks and the Princess of Sophia Frederiki Augustus Anhalt-Cerebst (future Catherine II) were celebrated. Architect Rastrelli was engaged in the design of this holiday.

For the growing needs of the Empress, more and more premises were required. In 1746, due to this, Rastrelli attached an additional building from the side of the Admiralty, the main facade of which was south. It was a two-story, with a wooden upper floor, a side facade rests on the canal at the Admiralty. That is, the winter house has become even closer to shipyard. A year later, a chapel, soap and other chapels were added to this building. The main goal of new premises, another year before their appearance, was the placement in the winter house of the Hermitage, a secluded corner for intimate meetings. Two Abstracts here led to the corner hall in which there was a lifting table for 15 people. Elizabeth Petrovna implemented this idea to Catherine II. Historian Yu. M. Ovsyannikov argues that new housing Newlyweds were needed by Peter Fedorovich and Catherine Alekseevna.

Winter Palace of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna

After the New Year's reception on January 1, 1752, the Empress decided to expand the Winter Palace. For this, neighboring sites of Raguzinsky and Yaguzhinsky on the Palace Embankment were redeemed. The mansions of the companions of Peter I Rastrelli were preparing not to demolish, but reorganize in a single style with the whole building. But in February next year, the decree Elizabeth Petrovna followed:

"... with a new house from the river and inland yard To be a considerable breaking and structure of stone buildings of two outbreaks, to compose the Ober-architect de Rastrelli project and drawings and present them to the highest E. I. V. Approach ... "

Thus, Elizabeth Petrovna decided to carry the houses of Raguzinsky and Yaguzhinsky, to build new buildings in their place. And also build the southern and eastern corps by closing the entire building in Kara. Two thousand soldiers have begun to construction work. They were disassembled at home on the embankment. At the same time, on the part of the Admiralty meadow, the laying of the foundations of the southern corps began - the main facade of the new Winter Palace. Reconciliated and premises in the former Apraksin House. There were even removed the roof to raise the ceilings. Changes have undergone a light gallery, avanzal, expanded rooms for theater and front halls. And in December 1753, Elizaveta Petrovna wished to increase the height of the Winter Palace from 14 to 22 meters ...

In early January, all construction work was stopped. New drawings of Rastrelli presented the Empress already on the 22nd. Rastrelli offered to build a winter palace in a new place. But Elizabeth Petrovna refused to move his winter parade residence. As a result, the architect decided to build the entire building anew, using the old walls only in some places. New project He was approved by Decree Elizabeth Petrovna on June 16, 1754:

"In St. Petersburg, our Winter Palace is not a Tokmo for receiving foreign ministers and for the departure of the courts of our imperial dignity during the courts, but also to be able to be satisfied with the required ministers and the items, for what we have been removed It is our winter palace with a large space in length, width and embroidery to rebuild; on which the restructuring on the estimate is required to 990 thousand rubles, what amount it is for two years, it is impossible to take from our saline money. Togo to find our Senate to find us submit, from what income such an amount of 430 and 450 thousand rubles for a year to take to the matter of the case, considering from the beginning of this 1754 and the future 1755 years, and so that this was implemented to be immediately, in order not to miss the current winter path for the preparation of supplies to the structure ".

On the same day, the construction of the construction of the construction of the Winter Eye Majesty House was created for the construction of construction, the leader of which was Lieutenant General Vilim Vilimovich Farmor.

Initially, the Senate for the construction of the Winter Palace was allocated 859,555 rubles 81 kopeck [Ibid]. They were found "from profitable kabatki income", that is, from profits received from the sale of vodka and wine. But this money was not enough. Therefore, on March 9, 1755, the Senate indicated:

"1) rivers flowing into wolfs and in the Ladoga channel, Torzor and the Neva River, Tosno, Miu, and others. Rivers for which you can get, - to give to the office of the Office from buildings for three years, so that no one's forests or forests, nor firewood, nor the stone there did not prepare other works except for the office;
2) Send along to Petersburg to build bricklayers, carpenters, carpentry, founders, etc. Masters;
3) Commit for the same goal of 3,000 soldiers "[Qu. By: 6, p. 121].

In order for the masters to come to St. Petersburg, each of them was issued three rubles, regardless of distance. But upon arrival in the capital, they led the trafficking with them so that the masters had to agree to the conditions of the employer, as it was difficult to return home.

In November 1755, the production of sculptures for installation on the balustrade roofing of the Winter Palace began. Their sketches performed Rastrelli, and the models for translation into a stone - Cutter Johann Franz Dunker. Stone sculptures were manufactured under the leadership of the master of Johann Antoni Changood, and after his death, the sculptor Josef Bumkin.

According to the calculations of the office from buildings, the fourth Winter Palace was to be erected in three years. The first two were assigned to the construction of the walls, and the third to decorate the premises. The Empress planned a housewarming for the fall of 1756, the Senate was counting on three years of construction.

After the approval of the project, Rastrelli did not make significant changes in it, but made adjustments to the internal relationships of the premises. He placed the main halls in the second floor of angular rizalits. From the northeast, a parade staircase was designed, from the north-west - the throne room, from the south-east - the church, from the south-west - theater. They were tied up Nevskaya, Western and South Anflades Rooms. The first floor of the architect was away for office space, the third - for Freinin and other servants. Apartments of the heads of state were equipped in the southeast corner of the Winter Palace, he is best illuminated by the Sun. The halls of Nevsky Anfilads were intended for receiving ambassadors and solemn ceremonies.

Together with the creation of the Winter Palace, Rastrelli was going and redeveloped the entire Admiralty meadow, create a single here architectural ensemble. But it was not implemented.

Few builders of the Winter Palace found a housing in neighboring Slobodas. Most struck themselves Shalashi right on the Admiralty meadow. In the construction of the palace, thousands of serfs were busy. Seeing workers flooded Petersburg, the sellers have relevant prices for products. The office from the buildings was forced to prepare the food to builders here, at the construction site. The cost of food was subtracted from pranks. At the same time, the poorest builders of the Winter Palace were distributed to Tulup and boots, various benefits were made. It often happened so that after such a deduction, the worker was even indebted to the employer. According to eyewitness:

"Soon, heterogeneous diseases appeared in a climate change, disadvantaged diseases appeared in a healthy food and evil clothing ... difficulties were resumed, and sometimes in the worst of the fact that in 1756 many bricklayers for non-payment earned money went to the world and even as then They told, died from hunger "[Cyt. by: 2, p. 343].

After appointment in 1757 by V. V. Fermor, the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, the post of the construction leader was taken by Architect Yu. M. Felten.

The construction of the Winter Palace was delayed. In 1758, Blacksmiths were filmed by the Senate from the construction site, since there was no one to browse the wheels of the cart and guns. At this time, Russia led War with Prussia. Not enough not only workers, but also finance.

"The position of workers ... In 1759, he represented a truly sad picture. The riots continued at all times the construction and began to decrease then only when some of the main works and several thousand people were launched the ravisas" [CIET. 2, p. 344].

The main construction work was completed in the spring of 1761. Elizaveta Petrovna did not survive until the end of construction, Peter III took the work. By this time, the finish of the facades was finished, but many indoor premises were not yet ready. But the emperor was in a hurry. He entered the Winter Palace on the Great Saturday (day before Easter) on April 6, 1762. On the day of the move, the Archbishop Dimitri was consecrated by the court of the Soviet Country Church in the name of the Resurrection of the Lord, a divine service was held.

Presumably, the Architect S. I. Chevakinsky participated in the finishing of Pepter III and his spouse. Ya. Schlynin noted:

"At this time, in the big hall of the new Winter Palace, more than 100 sculptors were engaged in carving doors, windows, panels and other work, which Lord Dunker, Stalmeier, Hill and others took on to fulfill an acorn. For this, they were given all the cutters from various Russian departments that were not Received there for this salary, and they should have received it from the named contractors. But these measures were still not enough, since for the most important decoration of the largest hall could not be taken due to too numerous works that it was necessary to fulfill inside this large building " [Cyt. 5, p. 308].

At the solemn ceremony of the consecration of the building, the Architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli was awarded the Holstaic Order, he received the rank of General Major. The process of decorating the building continued until 1767. Construction of the tsarist residence cost 2,622,020 rubles 19 kopecks.

The first floor of the Winter Palace occupied large vaulted galleries with arches, which perished all parts of the building. On the sides of the galleries, office space were arranged, where the servant lived, Karaul rested. Here were placed warehouses, utility rooms.

As ideally, the main halls of the Winter Palace were located in its corner volumes, as well as in Northern (Nevsky) and East Anfilads. Northeast Rizalit was given under the front ambassador (later renamed to the Jordanskaya) staircase, from which an imfilade from five approximately equal in the size of Avanzalov. After passing them, it was possible to get into the throne hall, which used almost the entire volume of northwestern rizalitis. The southwest volume of the building was taken by the Palace Theater, and the southeast is the court church. South and Western Anfilacies were distributed under the living rooms of the imperial family.

Peter III attached great importance to the design of the throne room. He stayed in the same place where Anna John's throne hall was, but significantly increased in size and took the entire volume of northwestern rizalit. Its width remained equal to 28 meters, and the length increased from 34 to 49 meters. None of the existing halls of the city do not have such sizes. In the mezzanine of the Winter Palace, the emperor ordered to arrange a library, for which four large rooms were highlighted and two rooms for the librarian, which was then the Stat advisor to Schlyten.

Apartments Peter III were closer to the Palace Square and Millionnaya Street, his wife settled in the rooms closer to Admiralty. Under it, in the first floor, Peter III settled his favorite Elizabeth Romanovna Vorontsov.

The building included about 1,500 rooms. The perimeter of his facades was about two kilometers. Winter Palace became the most high building In Petersburg. From 1844 to 1905, a decree of Nicholas I was acted in the city, which limits the height of private houses on one plant below below the Cornice of the Winter Palace.

The eaves of the Winter Palace decorated 176 statues and VAZ. They cut out of Pudost Limestone in the drawings of Rastrelli by the German sculptor Boomkin. Later they were twisted.

On the part of the Palace Embankment in the building, the Jordanian entrance leads to the royal custom, to leave him on the feast of baptism to worn on the contrary, in the Neva, "Jordan".

From the southern facade to the palace lead three entrances. The one is closer to the Admiralty - Her Imperial Majesty. From here there was a crossed path to the rest of the Empress, as well as to the apartments of Paul I. Therefore, he was called Pavlovsky for some time, and before that theatrical, since he was led to the arranged Catherine II home theater. Closer to Million Street there is a commandant entrance, where the services of the commander of the palace were located. Travel into the courtyard of Rastrelli did not plan to close the gate. He remained free.

In the summer of 1762, Peter III killed, the construction of the Winter Palace already under Catherine II was completed. First of all, the Empress removed Rastrelli from the works, Ivan Ivanovich Betskaya became the manager at the construction site. For Catherine II, domestic rest reworked architect J. B. Wallen-Demotam. He laid out some walls, put new ones instead. About this architect said: " I throw away the walls in the window"At the same time, Erkers were created over the entrances of her imperial Majesty and Commandant, who were not in the Rastrelli project.

Especially for Catherine II, the Palace Temple was reinforced on July 12, 1763 by Having Holy Gabriel in the name of the Savior of the Independent Image.

Almost immediately after the eighth of the throne of Catherine II commanded expanding the space of the palace at the expense of the construction of a new neighboring building - small Hermitage. There is no entrance from the street, in a small Hermitage you can only get through the Winter Palace. In his halls, the empress placed its richest collection of painting, sculptures and objects of applied art. Later, a large Hermitage and Hermitage Theater joined this single complex.

The Empress settled in the Winter Palace only two years after the coronation, in 1764. She took the room of the late spouse in the southeastern part of the palace. The place of Vorontsova took the favorite of Catherine Grigory Orlov.

From the Palace Square under Catherine II was a reception where her throne was standing. Before the admission, there was a cavalier room, where the guard stood - the campaigns of the guard. Her windows overlook the balcony over the commandant entrance. From here it was possible to get into the diamond room, where the Empress kept his jewelry. For a diamond room closer to a millionth street, a toilet room was located, then a bedroom and a boudoir. Behind the White Hall housed a dining room. It was adjacent to a bright office. Behind the dining room followed the parade crowd, which became diamond in diamond. In addition, the Empress ordered the library for himself, the cabinet, restroom. With Catherine, a winter garden was built in the Winter Palace, the Romanov Gallery.

Winter garden served in 140 square meters. Exotic bushes and trees grew in it, flower beds and lawns were arranged here. The garden decorated sculpture. The center was a fountain. According to the description of P. P. Swinin during the time of Catherine II winter garden looked like this:

"The winter garden occupies a significant four-body space and concludes blossoming bushes of laurel and orange trees, always fragrant, green and in brutal frosts. Canaries, crowns, Chižiki flush from branches on a branch and sweet, loud singing glorify their freedom or casually sprinkle in the Yashima pool, Which in the Empress Catherine was filled with golden portuguese fish ... "[Cyt. by: 3, p. 24, 25]

The first play in the Palace Theater was given on December 14, 1763. There were ballets, Italian operas, French and Russian tragedies and comedies. The first description of the Theater of the Winter Palace was Ya. Schlyanin in 1769:

"In the device of this new theater, which was laid by the Ober-architect of Rastrelli, during the Empress Elizabeth, and now it was necessary to be hastily completed, there was no lack of convenience, sufficient safety and imperial splendor. Over the parter in four tiers there were about 60 sides, except for three Extremely lighted lies for the empress and the Grand Duke are specially supplied. But in front of a whole partner and all the legs, namely, on the front of the scene, the large watches dial was installed, which showed the audience hours and minutes, and with long-stretched ideas they saved them from ordinary hassle Often get a pocket watch "[quote. by: 5, p. 440].

I. Bernoulli described the theater in 1777 this way:

"Although the actual theater is somewhat less than the opera theater in Berlin and Advancen, but the parter, on the contrary, seemed to me longer. The theater has four rows of lies and is not too much. The Empress has three places: one thing is completely behind, opposite the scene, like the Queen Lodge in Berlin , one immediately behind the orchestra, like our king, and one over the advancement for visiting incognito "[ibid].

The court cathedral of the rescue of the dear was used during particularly solemn cases. In everyday life, the imperial family enjoyed the declaration of the Lord in the north-western part of the Palace in 1768.

At the request of Catherine II, the central entrance to the courtyard in 1771 was blocked by a pine gate. They were made in just 10 days on the project of the architect Felten.

With Catherine times in the Winter Palace, cats live. The first of them were brought from Kazan. They protect the property of the palace from rats.

From the first years of life in the Winter Palace, Ekaterina II created a certain schedule of events held here. Balls were arranged on Sundays, the French comedy was given on Monday, Tuesday was a holiday in the afternoon, the Russian comedy played on Wednesday, on Thursday - the tragedy or French opera, followed by the outbound masquerade. On Friday, Masquerades were given at the court, they rested on Saturday.

20 rooms on the third floor of the western part of the Winter Palace in 1773 were given to the educator of children of Grand Prince Pavel Petrovich - Adjutant General Nikolai Ivanovich Saltykov. Since then, the Western entrance and the staircase of the building began to be called Saltykovsky.

On September 29, 1773, a wedding of the future Emperor Paul I was held in the winter palace with Wilhelmina Hesse Darmstadt (in Orthodoxy - Natalia Alekseevna). After the wedding, the highest know gathered in the throne room, where the table was served. Then followed the ball, which discovered newlyweds. However, Natalia's dress was so hard because of the precious stone scattered on the sky, that she managed to double only a few menuets. While Natalia was undressed, Paul had dinner in the next room with his mother.

In 1776, the Great Princess Natalia Alekseevna died in the quinces of the Winter Palace during childbirth. Together with her died and not born baby.

Due to the growth of the imperial family, the space of the palace theater was divided into parts and was given under the residential chambers of the Swarp of the Grand Duke Paul Petrovich and his spouse. In the western part of the Winter Palace, the architect Jacomo Kurengy created rooms for their children.

On May 9, 1793, in the Big Cathedral Church of the Savior of the Savior, the Miropomanazing ceremony of Louise Mary Augustus, Badenskaya, who became Elizabeth Petrovna in Orthodoxy. The next day its engagement was held with the Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich. September 28 in the same temple they were notified. Newlyweds settled in the northwestern risatite of the Winter Palace. The interiors for them in 1793 issued the architect I. E. Starov. The Neva appeared the Avtilada Rooms of Elizabeth Alekseevna. It included: a reception, first living room, a second living room, a flower, sofa or mirror. With this Anfilat, a large dining room with windows into the courtyard was reported. The windows for the Admiralty were published by the restroom of the Elizabeth Petrovna, her Boudois, the Chainoner and Corner Cabinet Alexander Pavlovich. On the part of the Saltykov entrance, the restroom was located with Alexander Pavlovich and Camera Junger.

In 1791-1793, the quarterers rebuilt the Neva Enfilado. The place of her five Avanzalov occupied the existing ones for now Avanzal, Nikolaev and concert halls.

In order to get to the Hermitage, visitors had to pass through the personal quarters of Catherine II in the southeastern part of the Winter Palace. In order to unauthorized persons, it was not disturbed by the empress, a gallery-jumper between the palace and a small hermitage was created by its decree. Thus, a new throne room appeared. It was opened on St. George the Victorious Day on November 28, 1795 and was named Georgievsky. His registration also was also engaged in the quarters. On the sides of the throne there were two supporting shields of large statues from white marble, made by the sculptor Konchezio Albani. The hall was illuminated by 28 carved gall-in chandeliers, 16 candelabers and 50 bronze girondols in the form of a VAZ. The creation of the Big Throne Hall cost the execution of 782,556 rubles and 47.5 kopecks. At the same time, the neighboring Apollonians of the hall was created with a large throne room, through which it became possible to get into the small Hermitage gallery.

The St. George Hall of the Winter Palace was created after the suppression of the Polish uprising, the capture of Warsaw and the Third Section of Poland. At the same time, Suvorov in St. Petersburg was brought a trophy - the throne of the Polish kings. Catherine II ordered him to remake him in Stulchak and place in the dressing room. In Him, Catherine II, and found a apoplexic strike, which became in the grave on November 5, 1796. The coffin with the body of the Empress was put up for farewell to the bedroom (the third and fourth windows on the right, from the Palace Square).

In Pavel I, the memorial office of his father Peter III was created in the diamond room. Immediately after the advantage of the throne, he ordered to build a wooden bell tower for the Palace Cathedral of the Savior of the Unclean Image, whose dome is clearly visible from the Palace Square. The bell tower was constructed on the roof of the palace, west of the cathedral. In addition, the bell tower was built for a small church. At the site of the White Hall, the rooms of the Emperor's children were located.

Instead of one Trynaya hall, Paul I in the Winter Palace, two were created for themselves and for Empress Maria Fedorovna. They were located in southern anfilad from the courtyard. The personal quarters of the emperor are located in the former rooms of Catherine II, his wife were given to South Anflad's rooms from the Palace Square. With Pavel I, the new front halls - the cavalrygard (now Aleksandrovsky) and the Throne Halls of South Anfiladers - designed and made the architect Vincenzo Brenna. After in 1798, Pavel I accepted the title of the great master's Master of the Maltese Order, two premises in southeastern rizalitis were converted to the gathering room, where official techniques of Maltese cavaliers were held, and the throne Maltese hall. The place of gilding on their walls took silver facing against the background of yellow velvet. The southern facade of the Winter Palace decorated the coat of arms of the Great Master's Order.

On February 1, 1801, Pavel I, along with his family, moved to the newly rebuilt Mikhailovsky Castle.

After the death of Paul I, his son Alexander returned the status of the imperial residence with the Winter Palace. The rooms of Alexander I and his spouses remained northwestern Rizalit, where they were to the modernity of Alexander Pavlovich's throne. In the first years of the reign of the new emperor, all these premises were re-decorated with Architect Luigi Rusk. The bedrooms and restrooms Alexander and Elizabeth began to be located next to each other, whereas earlier there were several rooms. At the place of the expansion of Elizabeth Alekseevna, her office-library appeared, the overtime was moved to the former restroom.

The widow of Paul I Empress Maria Fedorovna began to belong to the Avtilade of the Rooms of the Third Floor from the Palace Square. But, having moved to Pavlovsk, she had been very rare here.

In 1817, Alexander I invited to work in the Winter Palace of Architect Karl Rossi. He was instructed by the remission of the rooms, where the daughter of the Prussian king Princess Carolina, the bride of the Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich (the future Nicholas I) will be stopped. For five months, Rossi reddished ten rooms located along Palace Square: a grinding, large dining room, living room ...

In 1825, the inner courtyard of the Winter Palace was cooled by a cobblestone.

The next emperor Nicholas I settled in the Winter Palace with his family immediately after receiving the news of the death of his older brother. He moved here from Anichkova Palace. The uprising on December 14, 1825, the royal family survived in the Winter Palace.

Nikolai I has chosen the rooms of the third floor of the North-West Rizalit. The rooms of Elizabeth Alekseevna took his wife Empress Alexander Födorovna. Part of the premises of the first floor of the North-West Rizalita gave it to her beloved Freylin and mentoring - Madame VILDEMETR. Residential chambers of the new emperor and the empress was separated by the architect V.P. Stasov. He retained the layout, but changed the purpose of some rooms. The former Blue Sofa Elizabeth Alekseevna became a big office of Alexandra Fedorovna. Nearby are crowded and restroom. On the part of the Neva there were a reception and first living room, the second living room and library. The rooms of Alexander I were preserved by Nikolai I as memorial.

On the third floor, next to the rooms of Nikolai I, Stasov equipped his younger brother Mikhail Pavlovich. Apartments of the emperor consisted of a secretarial room, a reception, a corner living room, a green cabinet and Bouire. In the design of these rooms, the painters of F. Toricelli, J. Scotty, B. Medici, F. Brandukov and F. Brulyllow were helped.

Another Alexander I decided to create a 1812 gallery in the Winter Palace. He learned about the creation of the Waterloo Hall of Memory in the Windsor Castle with portraits of Napoleon's winners. But the British won one battle, and the Russians - the whole war and entered Paris. An English artist George Dow was invited to create a gallery in St. Petersburg, who was given a special premises in the palace. He was given to helping young artists Alexander Polyakov and Vasily Golike.

Alexander I did not hurry with the opening of the memorable hall. But Nicholas I immediately after the modernity of the throne, hurried to open it. The architectural design of the hall was entrusted to the architect Karl Rossi. To create it, he combined an imfilade out of six rooms in one room. The project created by him was approved on May 12, 1826. Gallery of 1812 was opened on December 25, in the fourteenth anniversary of the expulsion of the French army from Russia. At the time of opening on the walls hung 236 portraits of participants in the Patriotic War. Many years later there were 332.

In early January 1827, Nikolai I instructs Karl Rossi alteration of Apartments of Empress Mary Fedorovna in the Winter Palace. Projects were ready for the beginning of March. But because of your own illness, the architect took a vacation for six weeks. Returning from a deserved rest, he learned that the work was handed over to Montferran.

On December 25, 1827, a solemn consecration of the gallery was held, described in the journal "Patriotic Notes":

"The Gallery of Sia is consecrated was in the presence of the imperial family and all generals, officers and soldiers with medals of 1812 and for the capture of Paris. Cavalers Seia Peshi Guard were collected in the St. George Hall, and the horse Guard in Belaya ... The sovereign Emperor has learned to give guidance To the storage in the future ... The Life Guardian Regiment was banned. They are set in both corners from the main entrance under the inscriptions of memorable places ... On which there was no time to flutter with the Nemerable glory.
... All the lower ranks, here collected, allowed in the gallery, where they passed before images ... Alexandra and generals - who drove them repeatedly to the field of honor and victories, before the images of the valiant military commanders who were working with them and danger .. . "[Cyt. By: 2, p. 489]

Charles Rossiy, after opening the gallery, the premises around her were designed. The architects were conceived by Avanzal, the coat of arms, Petrovsky and the Field Marshal halls. After 1833, these premises completed Auguste Monferran.

From 1833 to 1845, the Winter Palace was equipped with an optical telegraph. For him, a telegraph tower was equipped on the roof of the building, which is clearly visible from the palace bridge today. From here the king had a connection with Kronstadt, Gatchina, Tsarist Selo. And even Warsaw. Telegraph workers were placed in the room under it, in the attic.

On the evening of December 17, 1837, a fire began in the Winter Palace. It could not stand it for three days, all this time, the property made from the palace was folded around the Alexandrovsk column. To see for each trifle from all things folded on the Palace Square was impossible. Here was dear furniture, china, table silver. And despite the lack of adequate protection, only a silver coffee pot and a gold-plated bracelet disappeared. Thus, many things managed to save. The coffee pot was discovered in a few days, and the bracelet in the spring, when the snow became. The palace building suffered so that it was considered almost impossible to restore it. It remained only stone walls and first floors.

When saving the property, 13 soldiers and firefighters were killed.

On December 25, a commission for the resumption of the Winter Palace was created. The restoration of facades and the finish of the front interiors was commissioned by the architect V. P. Stasov. Personal rooms of the imperial family were entrusted by A. P. Brylovov. General observation of construction was carried out by A. Stubert.

Frenchman A. De Kyustin wrote:

"We needed incredible, superhuman efforts to finish the construction of a term appointed by the emperor. On the interior decoration continued to work in the most cruel frosts. There were six thousand workers on the construction site, from which many died every day, but the immediately of others came to replace these unfortunately. which in turn was destined to die soon. And the sole purpose of these countless victims was the fulfillment of royal whims ...
In the harsh 25-30 degree frosts, six thousand missile martyrs, no rewarded, who are argued against their will alone, which is a born, violent by grafted by the virtue of the Russians, was blocked in the palace halls, where the temperature due to the reinforced firebox for the rapid dryness reached 30 heat degrees. . And the unfortunate, entering and leaving from this palace of death, which, thanks to their victims, was to turn into the Palace of vanity, magnificence and pleasure, were experienced a temperature difference of 50-60 degrees.
Works in the mines of the Urals were much less dangerous to human life, and meanwhile workers engaged in the construction of the palace, were not criminals, like those who sent to mines. I was told that the unfortunate workers who worked in the most dilated halls were to wear some kind of ice caps on their head to be able to withstand this monstrous heat, without losing consciousness and ability to continue their work ... "[Cyt. By: 2, p. 554]

For a long time it was believed that after the fire, the facades of the Winter Palace were recreated exactly the same as they were conceived by Rastrelli. But in the article "Why did Rastrelli corrected the historian Z. F. Semenova described in detail the changes made and indicated their reasons. It turned out that the northern facade of the building was largely changed. Semicircular frontones were replaced with triangular, the drawing of stucco decorations changed. The number of columns that placed evenly in each simpleness has increased. Such a rhythmic and orderliness of the columns is not characteristic of the baroque style of Rastrelli.

Especially significant changes in the design of the Jordanian entrance. There is a good noticeable absence of an antablement bend, which is replaced with supporting columns supporting beams. In his practice, Rastrelli never applied such a reception.

The Amendments of the author's style of the Winter Palace are primarily connected with another understanding of the architecture of the Russian architects of the middle of the XIX century. Baroque they perceived as a bad tone, hardly correcting it on the right classic forms.

The wooden bell tower built during Pavel I were not.

The design of the interiors of the Winter Palace after the fire occurred very characteristic of the late 1830s, when classicism was inferior to the eclectic place. The main front interiors have retained the former style solutions. So, the parade (Jordanian) staircase Nicholas I ordered " renew a completely old", but at the same time" replace the upper columns marble or granite"In the storage room of the Winter Palace, ready-made columns made of polished Dark Serdobol Granite were found - they were decorated with the Jordanian staircase. The floor and steps were recreated from the White Carrarsky Marble, Balustrade was made of it. On the site of the small halls of the Stasov adjacent to the Neva Avtila Narrow gallery corridors, and in the central part - a winter garden with an area of \u200b\u200babout 140 square meters with a glazed ceiling.

Gallery of 1812 Stasov was recreated with change. It increased its length, removed the dividing room into three parts of the arch.

The same volumes of the building, in which the personal quarters of the imperial family were set, were radically recycled. Architect A. P. Bryullov carried out their redevelopment, significantly improving the functioning of the Winter Palace as the King Apartments and his numerous family. Created by Bullet interiors received various stylized solutions. The architect used the techniques of non-herenissance, neo-shared, Pompeary Mauritanian styles, gothic.

The layout of the building created at the time was preserved almost unchanged until 1917.

The celebration on the occasion of the restoration of the Winter Palace took place in March 1839. A. De Kyustin visited the Restored Winter Palace:

"It was an extravagané ... The brilliance of the main gallery in the winter palace positively blinded me. She is covered with gold, whereas it was painted in a white color ... An even more decent surprise than the glittering gold hall for dancing, the gallery seemed to me in which dinner was served. " [Cyt. by: 3, p. 36]

Statues on the roof of the Winter Palace were crackled and began to crumble. In 1840, they were restored under the leadership of the sculptor V. Demut-Malinovsky.

In the first floor along the entire Eastern Gallery, antleesoli was built, separated brick walls. The corridor formed between them began to call the kitchen.

The gates closing entry into the courtyard were restored. They just repeated the appearance of the gate created by Felten.

Catherine rooms under Nicolae I began to call the Prussian Royal. Here I used to stop the son-in-law of the emperor Prussian king Frederich-Wilhelm IV. The former rooms of Mary Fedorovna after the fire became the Russian department of the Hermitage, and after the construction of the building of the new Hermitage - a hotel for high-ranking specials. They were called the "second spare half."

In general, the "halves" in the winter palace called the room for habitat of one person. Usually these rooms were grouped on the same floor around the stairs. For example, the emperor apartments were on the third floor, and the empress on the second. They were united by a common staircase. The system of the room included everything you need for a luxurious life. So, half of the Empress Alexandra Fedorovna included Malachite, pink and raspberry living rooms, arapist, poverty and large table, office, bedroom, boudois, kindergarten, bathroom and bofuity, diamond and passing room. The first six premises were the front rooms in which the Empress received guests.

In addition to Half Nikolai I and his spouse in the Winter Palace, there were half of the heir, great princes, the great princes, the Minister of the courtyard, the first and second reserve for the temporary stay of the highest people and members of the imperial family. As the number of members of the family of Romanovs, the number of spare half also increased. At the beginning of the XX century there were seven.

The central part of the second floor of the facade of the Winter Palace from the Palace Square is occupied by the Alexander Hall. To the left of him - the White Hall, recreated by the architect of the Broullov on the site of the rooms of Paul I ,. After the marriage of the heir to the throne (the future of Alexander II), with the princess of Maximilian Wilhelmina, Sophia Maria Hesse Darmstadt (named in Orthodoxy Maria Alexandrovna) in 1841 he became part of her Apartments. Maria Alexandrovna belonged to another seven rooms, including the Golden Living Room, whose windows were published on the palace square and admiralty. The white hall was used for receptions. There were tables and suited dancing.

Going to the throne in 1856, Alexander II left the rooms in which he lived with his wife after marriage. The interiors for the imperial couple resumed architects A. P. Bryullov, A. I. Shockenshneider, E. Boss. In North-West Rizalit, the apartment of the younger brother Alexander II of the Grand Prince Nikolai Nikolayevich was created. Before his marriage with Princess Alexander Frederica Wilhelmina Oldenburg (who became Alexander Petrovna), Architect Andrei Ivanovich Shtakhenshneider was engaged in the apartment of the apartment. These works were conducted around the clock, up to 200 people participated in them.

Apartments Alexandra II consisted of an entrance hall, a hall, an educational office (February 19, 1861, a manifesto on the cancellation of serfdom), a bedroom, a room for orders and libraries was signed in it).

In the 1860s, the entrance gates were very vague. They decided to replace them, Architect Andrei Ivanovich Potakhenshneider proposed the project of the cast-iron gate. But this project was not implemented.

In 1869, gas lighting appeared in the palace instead of the candle.

The Winter Palace has become a place attempt to the life of Emperor Alexander II. Blow up the king, when he will have breakfast in the yellow living room, planned terrorist Stepan Nikolaevich Halturin. For this, Halturin got a job in the palace of the joiner, settled in a small room at the joinery. This room was located in the ground floor, which was located Kordegardia Palace Karaul. Above Cordegardia and was a yellow living room. To blow up her Halturin planned with the help of a dynamite, which he posed in parts into his room. According to his calculations, the explosion force should have been enough to destroy the overlaps of two floors and kill the emperor. The explosive device was enforced on February 5, 1880, in 20 minutes of the seventh and in the morning. The royal family was delayed, by the time of the explosion, did not even have time to walk to the yellow living room. But the Life Guards Guardsman of the Finnish Regiment was injured in Cordhegardia. 11 people died, 47 were injured.

Since 1882, the telephonization of the premises began. In the 1880s, a water supply was built here (before that, everyone used the clothes). At Christmas of 1884-1885, electric lighting was tested in the halls of the Winter Palace, since 1888 gas lighting was gradually replaced by electric. For this, in the second hall of the Hermitage, a power plant was built, 15 years that was the largest in Europe.

After the death of Alexander II in 1881, the attitude of the royal family to the Winter Palace has changed. Before this tragedy, he was perceived by emperors as a house as a place where it was safe. But Alexander III belonged to the Winter Palace otherwise. Here he saw a deadly wounded father. I remembered the emperor and about the explosion of 1880, which means it did not feel safe here. In addition, the huge winter palace stopped compliance with the requirements for comfortable housing of the late XIX century. Gradually, the imperial residence became only a place for official receptions, while the royal family had more often spent time in other places, in the suburbs of St. Petersburg.

Alexander III made Anichkov Palace in St. Petersburg by his official residence. The frontal halls of the Winter Palace were open to them for excursions that were arranged for the gymnasists and students. Alexandra III balls were not held here. This tradition resumed Nicholas II, but the rules for their holding were changed.

In 1884, the architect Nikolai Gornostayev began for the design of the new gates of the Winter Palace. As a basis, he accepted the Shockenshner project. They developed projects of both the entrance gates and fences for ramps leading to the commandant, its imperial majesty and his imperial majesty, the main (in the yard) of the entrance. One of the projects was approved, but it was carried out by the owner of the furniture company, the artist Roman Melzard. It became its first major work. Melzer slightly redoned the project of Gornostayev, which was submitted for consideration by the highest features not only the drawings, but also a wooden model in full size. After their approval, the gate and fences were made on San Galli cast iron.

In the late 1880s, the architect Gornostayev latested the inner courtyard of the Winter Palace. In his central part, they smashed the garden, where they planted oaks, limes, males and white American ash. The garden appealed to the granite basement, in his center staged a fountain.

One day, a fragment of one of the figures on the roof of the Winter Palace fell in front of the windows of the heir to the throne, the future of Emperor Nicholas II. Statues were removed, and in the 1890s they were replaced by copper figures under the models of the sculptor N. P. Popova. Of the 102 original figures recreated only 27, coping them three times. All vases were repeated with one single model. In 1910, the remains of the original sculptures were found in the construction of a residential building at the corner of the countryside and the Great Cossack alley. The heads are now stored in the Russian Museum.

On November 14, 1894, the Wedding of Nicholas II and Alexandra Fedorovna, seven days after Alexander III, took place in the court cathedral of the Savior of the Unclean. A week after the wedding, the new emperor decided to re-make the Winter Palace the place of permanent residence of the Russian king. The personal rooms of the imperial couple were created in the former rooms of Nikolai I and his spouse - in the second floor of the Northwestern Rizalit, with the exception of the Arapist dining room, rotunda and the malachite living room. Projects of new interiors were developed by academics of architecture M. E. Mesmarma, D. A. Kryzhanovsky and A. F. Krasovsky. Joinery work performed furniture and parquet factories F. F. Meltser and N. F. Swirky. The decoration of the rooms was completed in November 1895. For Nicholas II, an adjutant, billiard room, a library, a passing room, a bathroom with a swimming pool, an office and a restroom were created. For Alexandra Fedorovna: Small dining room, malachite living room, first and second living rooms, corner office and bedroom. In the rooms of Nicholas II, for the first time in the Winter Palace, elements of modern style were applied. The movement of the imperial family from the Alexander Palace in the Winter took place on December 30, 1895.

The working day of Nicholas II was held in the office. Here he received visitors, heard the reports and signed the documents. He had no secretary, since he did not want a stranger to influence the course of his thoughts. Evening watches Emperor spent in the library with the Empress. This is one of the few rooms that preserved the interiors to the present day. Her decoration was engaged in architect Alexander Fedorovich Krasovsky. Here the burning fireplace spouses talked, read each other in his rumor.

In January, one large and two-three small balls were held in the Winter Palace. Up to 5,000 people were invited to the big ball, the congress was appointed at 9 o'clock in the evening, an event was enemy about 2 hours at night. 800 - 1,000 people took part in small bala.

July 30, 1904 was born the heir to the throne Tsearevich Alexey Nikolaevich. Soon it turned out that he inherited from his ancestors an incurable disease - hemophilia. After the diagnosis is established, the imperial family decided to move back to the Alexandrovsky Palace of the Tsarist village in order to hide his grief from prying eyes. The Winter Palace remained a place for solemn techniques, parade dinners, and the place of stay of the king during short visits to the city. Ballas were no longer held here.

One of the last celebrations held in the Winter Palace under Nicolae II was the 300th anniversary of the house of Romanov. Festive events conducted from February 19 to February 25, 1913.

During the First World War (October 5, 1915), the building was given under Lazareza, named after the heir to the throne of Tsearevich Alexei Nikolayevich. In the Winter Palace, opened operational, therapeutic, viewing and other services. The stampal hall became the ward for the wounded. Empress Alexander Fedorovna, the eldest daughters of the king, court ladies were careful.

In the summer of 1917, the Winter Palace was the place of a meeting of the Interim Government, which was postponed in the Mariinsky Palace. In July, Alexander Fedorovich Kerensky became the chairman of the Provisional Government. He is located in the chambers of Alexander III - in the north-western part of the Palace, on the third floor, with the windows for the Admiralty and Neva. The temporary government is located in the rest of Nicholas II and its spouses - on the second floor, under the apartments of Alexander III. The meeting room was the malachite living room.

Stored in the winter palace of jewels before the October coup underwent plundering. This was facilitated by the work here a hospital, all kinds of public organizations, the placement of guarding the Interim Government of Military Units. Door decorations were stolen, a significant part of the candelabra, got damaged marble statues in the white hall, the furniture was injured, portraits were broken by bayonets. In this regard, it was decided to translate most of the values \u200b\u200bfrom the Winter Palace to Moscow. At the same time, on August 25, 1917, preparation for evacuation to Moscow collections of the Hermitage began.

Before World War I, the Winter Palace was repainted in red-brick color. It is on a background that the revolutionary events took place on the Palace Square in 1917. On the morning of October 25, Kerensky went from the Winter Palace to the troops outside Petrograd. On the night of October 25-26, a detachment of sailors and red-Armenians penetrated the building through the entrance of her imperial majesty. On October 26, 1917, in the winter palace, the Ministers of the Provisional Government were arrested at the winter palace. Subsequently, this entrance to the palace, as well as the stairs behind him, called Oktyabrski.

Winter Palace after 1917, State Hermitage

On the night of October 25-26, 1917, many rooms of the Winter Palace were ruined. With a special disterination, the fools defeated the personalities of Nicholas II. On October 27, the hospital was closed in the winter palace on October 27, the hospital was closed in the Winter Palace.

Before the Bolshevik revolution, the semi-base floor of the Winter Palace was busy with a wine cellar. Carnations, Spanish, Portuguese, Hungarian and other wines were kept here. According to the city Duma, the fifth of the entire stock of alcohol in St. Petersburg was kept in the winter basements. On November 3, 1917, when wine pogroms began in the city, the repositories of the former royal residence were also injured. From the memories of Larisa Reisner about events in the cellar of the Winter Palace:

"They were filled with firewood, littered first in one brick, then two bricks - nothing helps. Every night, somewhere breaks through the hole and suck, lick, pull out that you can. Some mad, naked, brazen coolness goes to the forbidden wall One crowd after another. With tears in her eyes, Feldofebel Krivoruchenko told me, who was instructed to defend the ill-fated barrels, about the desperation, about the full impotence, which he felt at night, defending one, sober, with his few guard against the persistent, all-pervading crowd lust. Now they decided so: the machine gun will be inserted into each new hole. "

But it did not help. In the end, it was decided to destroy the wine in place:

"... They called the firefighters then. They turned on the cars, pumped out full of water basements and let me pump everything into the Neva. We drove out of winter turbid streams: there and wine, and water, and dirt - everything was mixed ... day or two stretched this story while there is nothing left of the wine cellars in the winter. "

Against the background of ubiquitous renaming of streets, squares, former royal and princely residences, the new name appeared at the Winter Palace, which became the palace of arts.

In 1922, the "Museum of the Revolution" was organized in the Winter Palace. For him, three floors were taken by the Western half of the building, including the Nikolaev and concert halls, Avanzal and 27 rooms with partially retained pre-revolutionary decoration. The created exposition was called "historical rooms of Emperors Alexander II and Nicholas II." Other frontal halls of the Winter Palace were transferred to the Hermitage. The visiting museum of the revolution in 1925 V. V. Shulgin wrote:

"We entered the Winter Palace. Below is cold, uncomfortable, not fettered. They took tickets to the" Museum of the Revolution ". We got up for some reason, apparently service, stairs and entered the hall, where, freezing in boots and boots, having slept some "Watch-guard." All more photos. February Days, February newspapers, all sorts of members of the Duma, Rodzianko, Kerensky. All this is assembled in good faith, but boring ...
... Rooms that pointed to the modest personal life of the sovereign and especially the sovereign, they produced some sensation among the people around us. What was waiting for ...
In the chambers of Nikolai II and Alexandra Fedorovna, there are no particularly valuable things: all these are intimate things that were valid only for themselves. Here are the feathers and knobs that Nicholas II wrote, this is the Bagwoman Alexandra Fedorovna. This is a collection of Easter eggs that they received as a gift ...
When we passed past the swimming pool for swimming, the only luxury, which seems to allow himself the deceased sovereign, my satellite showed me a screw staircase, fleeing up, and noticed me on the ear: "There is a room where this cool service, Sasha Kerensky, lived "" [Quot. By: 6, p. 245, 246].

In addition to the Museum of the Revolution of the Winter Palace, replacing each other, a variety of institutions: the agencies of the congress of the Northern Oblast Committees and the Congress of the Northern Region workers. Former Freint Rooms occupied a hostel of children's preschool colonies. Thus, on the third floor there was a colony of nonsense. On the second floor he worked the headquarters of October and May Day celebrations. In some parade halls (including in Georgiyevsky), exhibitions of the People's Education Department of People's Education, concerts and performances, concerts and performances were held, in Nikolaevsky, the cinema was equipped for some time, and later the party meetings and rallies of the Central City District of Petrograd were held. Former Ober-Hofmarsal Rooms took a club and a children's dining room. Stables and adjacent to them the utility premises began to serve as warehouses of children's colonies for sleepwear, like the one that was in the winter palace and those that were located in the Tsarskoye palaces.

A huge number of wishes to get acquainted with the former personal shakers of the royal family and their completely different reaction to the seen, rather than expected by the authorities, led to the closure of the Museum of Revolution. On August 1, 1926, Alexander II and Nikolai II personal rooms were transferred to Hermitage.

Under the needs of the museum, the Winter Palace was rebuilt since 1927, and especially actively in the early 1930s. Then the erkers were disassembled over the entrances from the Palace Square. In 1927, during the restoration of the facade, 13 layers of different colors were discovered. Then the walls of the Winter Palace were repainted in a gray-green color, columns in white, and stucco - in almost black. At the same time, the mezzanine and partitions of the Eastern Gallery of the first floor were disassembled. She was called Gallery Rastrelli.

On August 31, 1932, the Leninsky Komsomol Museum was opened in the Winter Palace, the entrance in which was carried out through the October entrance by Palace Square. By 1938, almost all the premises were transferred under the museum targets.

During the blockade, in the spring of 1942, a vegetable garden was arranged in the garden of the inner courtyard of the Winter Palace. Potatoes, trouser, coast, sat down here. The same garden was in Hanging Garden.

The last historical rooms of the imperial residence have retained their situation were converted to the museum targets in 1946. In 1955, P. Ya. Cannon listed such information about the palace: there were 1050 parade and residential premises in it, 1945 windows, 1786 doors, 117 stairs.

Currently, the Winter Palace, together with the Hermitage Theater, Small, New and Big Hermitages, is the unified complex "State Hermitage". His mixture floor occupy production museum workshops.

Winter Palace on Palace Square of St. Petersburg - Main Landmark northern capitalFrom 1762 to 1904, served by the official winter residence of Russian emperors. For wealth and variety of architectural and sculptural decoration, the palace is not equal in St. Petersburg.

To circumvent all the exhibits of the Hermitage, it will be necessary to spend 11 years of life and pass 22 kilometers. All Petersburgers know well: in the main museum of the city on the first floor - the Egyptian hall, on the third floor - impressionists. Guests of the city are also aware.

What will we am surprising? You can try the facts:

№1. Hermitage is huge ... as well as the territory of a huge country, which the king rules, the autocrat of all Russia is straight from the walls of this luxury palace. 1057 rooms, 117 stairs, 1945 windows. Total length The main corn area, the bordering building, almost 2 km.

№2. The total number of sculptures installed on the winter parapet - 176 pieces. The amount of VAZ can calculate themselves.

№3. The main palace of the Russian Empire was built more than 4,000 bricklayers and plasters, marbleders and layers, parquetrs and painters. Getting a negligible fee for his work, they jutter in miserable shacks, many lived here, on the square, in the slashes.

№4. From 1754 to 1762, the construction of the building of the Palace, which took the highest residential building in St. Petersburg at that time. Long ... Empress Elizabeth Petrovna died, without burning new choirs. She took 60,000 square meters of new housing Peter III.

№5. After completing the construction of the Winter Palace, the entire area in front of him was littered with construction garbage. Emperor Peter III decided to get rid of him with the original way - he ordered to declare the people that everyone could take everything from the square, and for free. After a few hours, all the garbage was cleared.

№6. Removed garbage - a new trouble. In 1837, the palace burned down. There was a whole imperial family without bed. However, 6,000 unknown workers saved the situation, working in the day and night and for 15 months the Palace of the ball completely restored. True, the price of an employment feat is a few hundred simple workers ...

№7. The Winter Palace was repainted in different colors all the time. It was red and pink. Your original, pale green, acquired in 1946.

№8. Winter Palace is a completely monumental structure. It was intended to reflect the power and greatness of the Russian Empire. It is estimated that there are 1786 doors, 1945 windows and 117 stairs. The length of the main facade of 150 meters, and the height is 30.