Where did the Romanovs live? Palaces of the Palace Embankment Palace Embankment history

Publications in the Architecture section

Where did the Romanovs live?

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

Palace Embankment, 26

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

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

Palace Embankment, 18

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

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

Millionnaya Street, 5/1

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

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

Admiralteyskaya embankment, 8

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

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

Today the palace is rented out to financial companies.

Truda Square, 4

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

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

English Embankment, 68

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

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

Moika River Embankment, 106

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

Today the palace houses the Academy physical culture named after Lesgaft.

Nevsky Prospekt, 39

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

Starting from Nicholas I, mainly the heirs to the throne lived in the palace. When Alexander II ascended the throne, the widow of Nicholas I, Alexandra Feodorovna, lived here. After the death of Emperor Alexander III, the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna settled in the Anichkov Palace. Nicholas II also grew up here. He didn't like Winter and most Already being an emperor, he spent time in the Anichkov Palace.

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

Nevsky Prospekt, 41

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

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

Petrovskaya embankment, 2

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

Palace Embankment - this is the Neva embankment in St. Petersburg.

The Palace Embankment is located on the left bank of the Neva and runs from the Kutuzov Embankment to the Admiralteyskaya Embankment. The length of the embankment is 1300 meters.

History of Palace Embankment

The Neva embankment was planned shortly after the founding of the city, in 1715. In those days it was called Verkhnyaya.

IN different time The embankment was called by different names: Cash Line, Verkhnyaya Kamennaya Embankment, Millionnaya. Sometimes it was called Pochtovaya because the Postal Yard was located here. After the Winter Palace was built here in 1762, the embankment began to be officially called the Palace Embankment. IN Soviet time The embankment was called the Ninth of January for a long time, but in 1944 its old name was returned to it.

Until the mid-18th century, all embankments were wooden, and Dvortsovaya became the first stone street. During the reconstruction, it was complemented by picturesque descents to the water, made by the master G. Nasonov according to the design of the architect I. Rossi.

Sights on Palace Embankment

Laundry Bridge
Summer garden
Upper Lebyazhy Bridge
Betsky's House
Saltykov House
Marble Palace
Mansion of Gromov (Ratkova-Rozhnova)
Apartment house Zherebtsova
Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace
Palace of Vladimir Alexandrovich
Spare house of the Winter Palace
Hermitage Theater
Hermitage Bridge
Great Hermitage
Small Hermitage
Winter Palace
Garden of the Winter Palace

Photo 07/21/2011:

Photo May 2015:

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

There are many architectural monuments and attractions on Palace Embankment:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Palace Embankment is almost the same age as St. Petersburg. In 1705, on the then marshy river banks, the house of one of the founders of the Army Fleet, Admiral General Fyodor Matveevich Apraksin, was built. Later, Anna Ioannovna settled in this house. Like the embankment itself, originally called Upper, the mansion was made of wood. During the period of active development, the so-called “red line” was determined for the entire street.

In 1712, the Wedding Chambers of Peter I were erected, and the houses of the emperor's associates gradually grew next to them. Four years later, the Tsar’s personal residence, the Winter Palace of Peter the Great, was erected here (today it has only been partially preserved and is located in the building of the Hermitage Theater). And in 1710-1714, the construction of the palace of the same name was underway in the Summer Garden according to the design of Domenico Trezzini, the founder of the European school in Russian architecture. This building has reached us almost unchanged and is now a branch of the Russian Museum.

The central quarters gradually turned into the kingdom of “stone chambers,” but only in the middle of the 18th century, when piles were installed in the shallow waters of the river and the bank was additionally reinforced with earth, did the construction of a renewed embankment become possible. It was with Dvortsova that the history of the city's stone streets began; it was the first to be clad in granite slabs in accordance with the plan of the architect Yuri Felten. At the same time, the first staircase-piers appeared. After the completion of the construction of the Winter Palace designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the embankment received its modern name.

However, half a century later appearance the street was not at all formal - between the barns and sheds there were piles of building materials, intended for the construction of the General Staff. By order of Nicholas I, another architect with Italian roots, Carl Rossi, developed a reconstruction project. The descent to the Neva was decorated with bronze sculptures of lions and vases made of polished porphyry. The latter became a gift to the Russian Emperor from King Charles XIV of Sweden. In 1873, both were moved to Admiralteyskaya embankment, where they are still located.

Since its inception, the street has had different names: Cash or Stone Line, Upper or Millionnaya Embankment, Ninth January Embankment. Since 1944, the name Palace Embankment was officially established.

Sights of Palace Embankment

Palace Embankment is included in the list Cultural heritage Russian Federation. Due to the fact that the construction lasted for decades, it cannot be said that the buildings standing here were made in a single architectural style; each era had its own dominant feature. Initially, the tone was set by the summer and winter residences of the first Russian emperor, built in the spirit of Peter the Great's Baroque. Then came the turn of monumental Rococo. City guests can see the heritage of these styles in the facades of the Winter Palace and the Great Hermitage. But in their original form, most of the monuments of the 18th century were not preserved and were either completely demolished, like the wooden Opera House, on the site of which the Betsky mansion is now located, or significantly altered in subsequent years, like the Cantemir Palace, which through the efforts of several architects turned into the Gromov House.

But there are still many examples of classicism on the Palace Embankment today: the Hermitage Theater, which absorbed the Winter Palace of Peter I, the Marble Palace - the first St. Petersburg building completely lined with natural stone, the Saltykov house with partially preserved interiors, the already mentioned Betsky house, the Small Hermitage.

The Gromov mansion and the Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace represent architectural eclecticism, since during numerous alterations initiated by the heirs or new owners, the architects more or less preserved the features of the original buildings. It is worth mentioning in a separate line former palace Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, where the House of Scientists is now located. He's in the second half XIX century was designed by the first chairman of the St. Petersburg Society of Architects, Alexander Rezanov, in the style of a Florentine palazzo.

It is interesting that, despite all the heterogeneity of development, the Palace Embankment in St. Petersburg looks harmonious and architecturally holistic.

How to get there

There are piers for ships on Dvortsovaya Embankment. Nearby there are stops along the route of several buses and trolleybuses. The nearest metro station is Admiralteyskaya, but in the warm season it will not be difficult to walk from the Nevsky Prospekt and Gostiny Dvor stations.

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

1. Summer Palace Peter the Great

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

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

Address: Summer Garden, 2

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

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

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

Address: Palace Embankment, 2

3. Marble Palace

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

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

Address: Millionnaya street, 5/1

4. Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace

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

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

Address: Palace Embankment, 18

5. Palace of Vladimir Alexandrovich

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

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

Address: Palace Embankment, 26

6. Small Hermitage

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

Address: Palace Embankment, 30

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

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

Address: Palace Embankment, 32