Winter Palace for primary school. Winter Palace. Architectural features of the building

Perhaps the most visited attraction in the northern capital of Russia is the Winter Palace. The building was built in the middle of the 18th century, its project was developed by Count Francesco Rastrelli. The palace was built in accordance with the canons of Russian Baroque from the time of the Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. The style of the building's interiors is somewhat different - individual elements of Rococo (French) are used here.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, the palace was the imperial residence. In pre-revolutionary times, the building housed a hospital. After the revolutionary events, members of the Provisional Government. Later the building housed museum exhibitions.

Background

Before the baroque building that is today's decoration was built Palace Square, there were other winter imperial residences. There were four such buildings (or even five, if you count the one-story house of Peter I).

The first two were built at the beginning of the 18th century, during the era of Peter the Great. The third building was built for Anna Ioannovna, who found Peter’s residence too cramped. More precisely, it was not the construction of a new building, but the reconstruction and significant expansion of the old one. The rebuilt palace had about a hundred bedrooms, about seven dozen halls, a theater and many other rooms. Interestingly, almost immediately after the completion of construction, it was decided to rebuild (expand) this building, which was soon carried out.

At Elizaveta Petrovna expansion of the building continued. More and more office premises were added to it, which did not at all benefit the architectural appearance of the palace. As a result, the structure looked so strange that it caused the displeasure of the empress and negative reviews from her contemporaries. The building was again expanded (this time in such a way that it appearance pleasing to the eye). But when the empress decided to increase the palace not only in length and width, but also in height, the architect decided to simply build it anew. This decision was approved by the empress. While construction work was going on, the empress was in a temporary palace (the fourth). It was dismantled in the 60s of the 18th century.

Construction of the palace and interior design

The construction of the building, which today is one of the main architectural attractions of St. Petersburg, lasted approximately seven years. In the middle of the 18th century, the palace was the most tall building in the city (we are talking about residential buildings here). It had almost one and a half thousand rooms.

The customer of the building (Elizaveta Petrovna) did not live to see the completion of construction work. They ended already during the reign Catherine II. In the mid-60s of the 18th century, several hundred paintings were transferred to her from abroad, most of the authors of which belonged to the Dutch-Flemish school. It was these paintings that laid the foundation for the exhibition that can be seen in the palace today. Less than a hundred of these paintings have survived to this day. By the way, the name of the famous museum is Hermitage- comes from the name of those palace chambers in which the paintings were originally placed.

In the 30s of the 19th century, there was an accident in the building. strong fire, which destroyed almost all of its interiors. The fire raged for almost three days and could not be extinguished. Thirteen people (firefighters and soldiers) died during the fire. There is a version that in reality there were more dead, but official sources hid this fact. After the fire, serious restoration work was carried out in the palace. They lasted about two years and required enormous efforts from architects and builders.

In the 80s of the 19th century, a thunderclap thundered in the palace explosion- it was an attempt to assassinate the emperor, carried out by a terrorist organization. Many soldiers standing guard were wounded, and several were killed. The Emperor was not injured.

The first years of the 20th century were marked by two significant events in the history of the palace - this grandiose costume ball and, two years later, shooting of a peaceful demonstration(unarmed workers walked across the square to the palace to hand over a petition to the emperor).

In the post-revolutionary period, the palace was declared state museum. Soon the first exhibition opened there. Until the early 40s of the 20th century, two state museums coexisted in the building - the Hermitage and the Museum of the Revolution.

During the war years, the palace cellars were converted into bomb shelters, but in the end they were used as living quarters: approximately two thousand people permanently lived in them. In the halls of the palace there were collections of several museums: the exhibition of the Hermitage itself was hidden there (or rather, part of it, since the rest was evacuated), as well as the valuables of a number of other city museums. Works of art from other palaces (located in the suburbs) were also hidden in the building.

During wartime, the building was heavily damaged by bombs and artillery shelling. After the war, its restoration continued for many years.

Architectural features and color

The palace is built in the shape of a square. It is formed by wings, facades and a courtyard. All rooms and facades are distinguished by lush decoration. Main facade facing the square, it is decorated arch. The rhythm of the palace columns is characterized by variability, the projections protrude strongly forward - these and other features of the building create the impression of dynamics, and also give the palace even more solemnity and majesty.

As mentioned above, in the middle of the 18th century the palace was the tallest building in the city(among residential buildings). In the 40s of the 19th century, an imperial decree was issued prohibiting the construction of houses that would exceed the height of the imperial residence. More precisely, the decree established a “height limit” for buildings - approximately twenty-three and a half meters (eleven fathoms). This is exactly the height of the palace. One of the consequences of this decree turned out to be this: from any of the roofs of the old (central) part of the city today almost the entire northern capital Russia.

Separately, a few words need to be said about the color scheme of the palace. During its long history it has changed several times. The current appearance of the building, although it has already become familiar to the townspeople, does not correspond to the original plan of the architect. Some modern art critics and architects are in favor of returning the building to its original coloristic appearance.

Palace halls

Each palace hall is actually an independent masterpiece (although almost no original interiors have survived); it is worthy of attention in itself and at the same time enhances general impression splendor. Let's talk about some of these halls:

- Antechamber was created at the end of the 18th century. During balls it was used as a ceremonial pantry: here gentlemen and ladies drank champagne. Pay attention to the lampshade: it is a work of an Italian master; it refers to the small number of decorative elements that miraculously survived the three-day fire.

-Nikolaevsky Hall(also called the Big) was also created at the end of the 18th century. In the old days, it was illuminated by lanterns made of blue glass. Blue rays fell on the colored marble decorating the columns and walls, and created an amazing, unforgettable effect. The area of ​​the hall is more than a thousand square meters. In terms of size, this is the most impressive hall of the palace. In pre-revolutionary times, banquets and balls were held here (except for the time when a hospital was opened in the building). Currently, the hall hosts temporary exhibitions.

- Concert hall decorated with sculptures of ancient Greek goddesses and muses. Here you can also see a magnificent collection of antique Russian silver.

Another pearl of the palace - Malachite living room. More than one hundred and twenty pounds of malachite were spent on its finishing. The room was decorated with green stone after the fire; before that it was called Jasper, and its decoration corresponded to the name.

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Plan of the Winter Palace. 1. Jordan Gallery /ground floor/ 2. Main (Jordanian) staircase 3. Field Marshal's Hall 4. Peter's (Small Throne) Hall 5. St. George's (Great Throne) Hall 6. Military Gallery of 1812 7. Armorial Hall 8. Great Church 9 . Alexander Hall 10. Halls of military paintings 11. Large living room 12. White Hall 13. October Staircase 14. Golden Living Room 15. Raspberry Study 16. Boudoir 17. Study room 18. Bedroom 19. Rotunda 20. Nicholas II Library 21. Small ( White) dining room 22. Malachite living room 23. Big Arap dining room 24. Concert hall 25. Portrait gallery of the Romanov house 26. Great (Nikolaevsky) hall 27. Antechamber

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Pages of history. The Winter Palace is a grandiose building, which is the oldest building on Palace Square, built in the Baroque style. Like any building in St. Petersburg, the Winter Palace is shrouded in stories and myths. Officially, the construction of the Winter Palace, designed by B.F. Rastrelli, began in 1754 and ended in 1762, but the history of its creation dates back much earlier. On the site now occupied by the palace in 1712 under Peter the Great, it was forbidden to give plots of land to persons who did not belong to naval ranks. Peter the Great, wanting to build a palace on this site for himself, received permission to build it as a shipwright from Peter Alekseev and built a residential “small house of Dutch architecture” there. A canal was dug in front of its side façade in 1718, named the Winter Canal after the palace. In 1711, especially for the wedding of Peter I and Catherine, the architect Matornovi, by order of the Tsar, began rebuilding the wooden palace into a stone one. But in the process of work, the architect G. Matornovi was removed from work and the construction was headed by Trezzini. In 1720, Peter I and his entire family moved from their summer residence to their winter residence. In 1723, the Senate was transferred to the Winter Palace.

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Winter Palace in the 18th century. (Portrait of Anna Ioannovna) When Anna Ioannovna’s reign came, Count Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli, a brilliant architect of that time, offered her his project for the reconstruction of the Winter Palace. According to his project, it was necessary to purchase houses that stood at that time on the site occupied by the current palace, belonging to Count Apraksin, the Maritime Academy, Raguzinsky and Chernyshev. Anna Ioanovna approved the project, the houses were bought, and construction began. In 1735, construction of the palace was completed, and Anna Ioanovna moved to live there. The palace looked a little different than it currently exists. According to Elizabeth Petrovna, who ascended the throne, he did not meet the requirements official residence Russian Empress. By her order in 1754, Count Rastrelli should draw up new project Winter Palace. Rastrelli, in accordance with the wishes of Elizabeth Petrovna, tried to create a palace that the Russian capital could be proud of. The palace was given the appearance that has been preserved to this day. 859,555 rubles were allocated for the work, which at that time was an extremely modest amount for such a project. And yet, the author and his assistants managed to emphasize the richness and diversity of the decor of the Winter Palace. About four thousand people worked on its construction. We managed to gather the best craftsmen from all over the country. Nowadays, Palace Square and the Alexander Garden were covered with huts in which workers lived. The palace turned out as planned, unlike others.

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Winter Palace in the 18th century. Its facades are designed with the diversity characteristic of Rastrelli, each of which the architect gave a unique interpretation. The strongly protruding wings of the western facade facing the Admiralty form the front courtyard. The architect gave the same architectural solution to the eastern end of the palace, hidden by the building of the Small Hermitage. The northern facade, facing the Neva, is richly decorated with two-tiered white columns, creating a spectacular play of chiaroscuro. The main - southern facade, oriented towards Palace Square, is cut through by three entrance arches. The light green color of the walls contrasts favorably with the whiteness of the columns. The decorative effect of the building is enhanced by the whimsical curves of complex cornices and varied window frames. Their composition includes cupids' heads, lion masks, and fancy curls characteristic of the Baroque style. 176 sculptural figures on the roof, alternating with vases, enliven the silhouette of the palace, emphasizing the dynamics of its forms. The building is striking in its scale. Inside it are 1050 main and residential halls with an area of ​​46 thousand square meters, 1945 windows, 1786 doors, 117 staircases, 329 chimneys. The total length of the main cornice bordering the building is almost two kilometers. The entire system of external decorations was designed to emphasize the unprecedented height of the building at that time. This impression was enhanced by the columns arranged in two tiers. But live in it luxurious creation Elizabeth didn't have to do architecture.

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Winter Palace in the 18th century. Portrait of Peter III. In 1762, the work was completed, and on April 6 of the same year, Emperor Peter III moved to live in the Winter Palace. He watches with pleasure from the window of the palace as city residents take away the rubbish left after construction work, thereby clearing the area in front of the palace, which seemed incredible. This simple solution was suggested to Peter III by Chief of Police N.A. Korf. But Peter III did not have to enjoy the beauty of the Winter Palace for long. In 1763, Catherine II already entered it, returning from Moscow after her coronation. By her arrival, the finishing of all the interior spaces of the palace with all the decorations in it had been completed. By the end of the 18th century. in the palace there were up to 1,500 rooms, among which, due to the special luxurious decoration and works of art collected here, it is necessary to highlight such halls as: the Romanov gallery, containing a collection of portraits of the Sovereigns of the Romanov dynasty, starting with Mikhail Fedorovich. St. George's Hall, in which stands a golden throne, with a large imperial coat of arms embroidered in gold on a red velvet background. The hall is decorated with marble columns and six magnificent chandeliers, and many other halls. A winter garden was also created in the palace, with large trees - tropical and northern.

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Winter Palace in the 19th century. The Winter Palace was completed during the reign of Emperor Nicholas I (1825-1855). The grandson of the great Catherine II and the younger brother of Tsar Alexander I, Nicholas ascended the throne, brutally suppressing the uprising on December 14, 1825 - the first organized uprising against tsarism. All further policies of his reign were aimed at strengthening the power and authority of the autocratic government. Having become the owner of the Winter Palace, Nicholas, in order to raise the prestige of the main imperial residence, gave orders to expand the front part of the palace. First of all, he implements the idea conceived by Alexander I of creating a portrait gallery in the palace in memory of the victory over Napoleon. Back in 1819, the painter George Dow was invited from England, who was commissioned to paint portraits of all the Russian generals who took part in the campaigns of 1812-1815. Dow, who was assisted by Russian painters A.V. Polyakov and V.A. Golike, painted 332 portraits of those who were still alive and those who were no longer alive and whom he painted based on surviving lifetime images. In 1826, the famous St. Petersburg architect K. Rossi (1775/77-1849) built a 55 m long gallery in the Winter Palace, where painted portraits were placed. This is how a unique monument to the military glory of Russia was created - the Military Gallery of 1812.

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Romanov Gallery The gallery contains portraits of representatives of the Romanov dynasty - from the founder Russian Empire Peter the Great to the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II. The gallery, which then bore the name Pompeiiskaya, was created after the fire of 1837 by V.P. Stasov, who placed next to it, above the Ambassadorial entrance opening into the courtyard, a Winter Garden with a glazed ceiling. In 1886, it was decided to place paintings in the gallery, and therefore, according to the design of the palace architect N.A. Gornostaev, its decoration was changed. In the exhibition hall, built after the Great Patriotic War on the site of the garden, the exhibition “Russian culture of the 17th century” is located.

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St. George's Hall. St. George's (Great Throne) Hall, for which a special building was built, from the side Grand Palace, created in 1787-1795 under Catherine II according to the design of Giacomo Quarenghi (1744-1817). The new throne room was designed in strict classicist forms. The huge two-story room made a stunning impression. But Quarenghi's masterpiece was lost in a fire in 1837. Emperor Nicholas I ordered that “We try to make St. George’s Hall... all of white marble.” White Carrara marble, which added extraordinary solemnity to the Throne Hall, was delivered from Italy. The ceiling was decorated with gilded ornaments, the pattern of which is repeated in the parquet pattern of 16 types of colored wood. Above the throne seat is a marble bas-relief of “St. George the Victorious Slaying the Dragon with a Spear.” Due to the labor-intensive nature of marble cladding, the St. George Hall was completed later than other rooms of the palace and was consecrated in 1841. The entire official history of the Russian royal house is associated with this hall. The majestic and solemn decoration of the hall corresponds to its purpose: official ceremonies and receptions were held here.

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Military gallery of 1812. The Military Gallery of 1812 - the most famous of the palace's memorial premises - was built according to the design of the outstanding architect of Russian classicism K.I. Rossi (1775/77-1849) and was inaugurated on December 25, 1826, on the anniversary of the expulsion of Napoleon's army from Russia. 332 portraits of generals of the Russian army, participants in the War of 1812 and the foreign campaign of 1813-1814 were placed here. In the Gallery, space was left for 13 portraits of the victims, images of which could not be found. The portraits were commissioned by Alexander I from the artist George Dow. The meeting of the Russian emperor and the fashionable English portrait painter took place in the German city of Aachen, where in the fall of 1818 the first congress of the Holy Alliance of countries - the victorious Napoleonic army - took place. At the back of the hall, on the end wall, there is a ceremonial portrait of Emperor Alexander I (painted by Franz Kruger). Nearby are ceremonial portraits of the monarchs of the allied states - Prussia and Austria. Portraits of Field Marshal M.I. Kutuzov and M.B. Barclay de Tolly are located on the sides of the door leading to the St. George (Grand Throne) Hall. During the fire of 1837, all the portraits were saved and returned to their places in the hall restored by V.P. Stasov.

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Fire in the Winter Palace in 1837. In 1828, O.R. Montferrand (1786-1858), a French architect invited to Russia by Alexander I in 1816, was involved in work in the Winter Palace. While working on the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral, which was destined to become one of the most grandiose buildings of the mid-19th century, Montferrand simultaneously created new apartments in the royal residence. In 1833-1834, next to the Main Palace Staircase, he built two halls, which completed the formation of the main suite of state halls of the Winter Palace - Field Marshal and Petrovsky, dedicated to the memory of Peter the Great. Three years later, everything created by Montferrand and his predecessors in the Winter Palace perished in the fire of an unprecedented fire that occurred in December 1837. Fires in those days often happened in St. Petersburg, mainly due to stove heating, which was also in the royal palace. On the ground floor, under the Field Marshal and Petrovsky halls, there was a palace pharmacy, in which the stove was heated around the clock. On the evening of December 17, 1837, streams of smoke began to leak from the choke in the Field Marshal's Hall. Alarmed, the duty personnel called the fire company. Having examined the choke, attic and basement spaces, firefighters found a smoking mat and copiously doused everything with water from brine boats. However, the cause of the fire, which within a few minutes burst out from behind the collapsed wooden partition of the hall, was different...

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Fire in the Winter Palace. A strong flame instantly engulfed the ceilings: the palace burst into flames from above. It turned out to be impossible to save him. The fire quickly spread along the walls, over carved wood, gilded ornaments, picturesque lampshades, and waxed parquet floors. Today it is obvious that the design mistake of the architect O.R. Montferrand, who placed the choke in a narrow space fenced off by a partition, and the use of wood as the main building material led to tragic consequences. An eyewitness to the incident, A.P. Bashutsky, colorfully described the finale of the grandiose fire, which raged for more than thirty hours. “The last hours of the phoenix building were solemnly sad... We saw through the broken windows how the fire walked victoriously through the deserted expanse, illuminating wide passages, it either stabbed and collapsed marble columns, then boldly blackened the precious gilding, then poured crystal into ugly piles and artistic bronze chandeliers, then he tore off the luxurious brocades and damasks from the walls...” When it became obvious to Nicholas I, who had returned from the theater, that it was impossible to stop the raging elements, a decision was made: to urgently remove everything that was possible from the palace. Furniture, dishes, crystal, chests of clothes, paintings, carpets, books, albums and other utensils - everything was piled directly on the snow of Palace Square. To prevent the fire from spreading to the Hermitage, the passages between it and the palace were broken, and the walls behind which priceless artistic treasures were kept were kept under water pressure. The fire raged for three days. By the evening of December 19, only one gigantic charred skeleton remained of the Winter Palace.

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Field Marshal's Hall. The hall opens the Great Front Enfilade of the Winter Palace. The interior was restored after the fire of 1837 by V.P. Stasov close to the original design of O. de Montferrand (1833 - 1834). The entrances to the hall, designed in a strict classical style, are accentuated by portals. The longitudinal walls are decorated with double pilasters, on which lies an entablature supporting the choir. The decor of the gilded bronze chandeliers and grisaille paintings of the hall use motifs of military glory. Before the revolution, ceremonial portraits of Russian field marshals were placed in the niches of the hall, which explains its name. The hall displays monuments of Western European and Russian sculpture, as well as art porcelain from the Imperial Factory, created in the first half of the 19th century.

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Petrovsky Hall. Petrovsky (Small Throne) Hall perpetuates the memory of the founder of the Russian Empire - Peter I. The hall was created in 1833 according to the design of O.-R. Montferrand (1786-1858) and restored after the fire by V.P. Stasov almost without changes. The decoration of the hall was a composition with an allegorical painting “Peter I with Minerva” by G. Amiconi. Elements of imperial paraphernalia - monograms of Peter the Great, crowns, double-headed eagles - occupy a special place in the decoration of the hall. Picturesque images of the famous battles of the Northern War - the Battle of Poltava and the Battle of Lesnaya - allowed contemporaries to perceive this room as “a palladium of Russian greatness and glory.” In the Peter I Hall there is a historical relic - the throne of Empress Anna Ioannovna, made by master N. Clausen in London in 1731. The wooden base of the throne is framed in massive gilded silver, with silver embroidery on the back National emblem Russia.

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Winter Palace. 1853. An unprecedented fire completely destroyed the magnificent decoration of the royal residence, erasing an entire era in the history of the palace. It seemed that it would no longer be possible to revive the palace. However, the consequences of the fire were eliminated in an unprecedentedly short time: during 1838-1839. And in the spring of 1839, a large gala reception dedicated to the restoration of the Winter Palace was held in the newly decorated state rooms. It can be argued that in terms of scale and complexity, this was an unprecedented restoration for its time, unheard of in the practice of world architecture.

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Revival of the Winter Palace. The revival of the Winter Palace after the fire of 1837 is, first of all, the merit of two outstanding Russian architects of the 19th century - V.P. Stasov (1769-1848) and A.P. Bryullov (1798-1877). V.P. Stasov restored the front part of the palace and supervised the general construction work. The task before him was very difficult. In a short time, the architect had to not only return the palace to its former splendor, but also give all the state rooms an appearance that corresponded to the artistic tastes and views of the Nicholas era - the time of the greatest power of the Russian Empire, which became a great European power after the victory over Napoleon. Tsar Nicholas I especially insisted on this ideological side, who personally drew up a thematic program for the decorative design of the restored halls. Finally, it was necessary to take all measures to forever eliminate the possibility of a new fire. Stasov brilliantly solved this problem by creating a monumental complex of state halls, united by the nobility of the classical style and the idea of ​​the greatness of the Russian Empire.

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Revival of the Winter Palace. This idea found its expression in the grandeur of the halls, in the splendor and at the same time strictly thoughtful and rational decorations, in the wealth of materials used, in the motifs and subjects of wall paintings, stucco moldings, paintings, sculptures, decorative objects, and finally, in the solemn rhythm in which the halls, following one after another, they line up in magnificent enfilades. All the main official palace ceremonies took place here: grand receptions, high society balls, the highest exits. The halls along the Neva and the Great Front Enfilade, going deep into the Winter Palace to the Great Throne Hall, are connected by the Main Staircase. Immediately behind the Main Staircase was the first hall of the Great Enfilade - Field Marshal's. This is where the officers of the palace guard were usually stationed and the discharge of the palace guard took place. Decorated with portraits of Russian field marshals, the hall was supposed to remind of the military glory and power of the Russian Empire. Stasov recreated the Field Marshal's Hall the way Montferrand built it. In addition, in accordance with the plans of his predecessor, he restored the neighboring Petrovsky (Small Throne) Hall.

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Revival of the Winter Palace. Architect Stasov, next to Petrovsky, designed the Hall of Arms according to his own design. He significantly increased the length of the hall, and the area of ​​the Armorial Hall (the second largest in the Winter Palace) was now 1000 sq.m. Using the composition of a columned hall characteristic of Russian classicism, the architect achieved the solemn impressiveness of heavy, completely gilded columns of the luxurious Corinthian order, the upper galleries lying on them and the porticoes framing the entrances. On both sides of the entrances there were sculptural groups - Russian knights with spears, on which shields with the coats of arms of Russian provinces were mounted. (Now they are strengthened along the edges of the gilded bronze chandeliers decorating the hall.) The coats of arms gave the name to the hall, which personified the unity of the empire and the emperor: here the sovereign received representatives of cities, provincial nobility, and classes. Nowadays, the Armorial Hall, like many other halls of the Winter Palace, is an exhibition space. On display in the Armorial Hall richest collection Western European silver of the 17th-18th centuries.

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Armorial Hall. Each subsequent hall of the Enfilade became another link in the complex picture of symbols glorifying the Fatherland. The Armorial Hall of the Winter Palace, intended for ceremonies, was created by V.P. Stasov in the late 1830s. in the style of late Russian classicism. Images of the coats of arms of Russian provinces are placed on gilded bronze chandeliers. The entrances to the hall are flanked by sculptural groups of ancient Russian warriors. A slender colonnade supporting a balcony with a balustrade, a frieze with an ornament of acanthus leaves, as well as a combination of gold and white create an impression of grandeur and solemnity.

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Gallery of the Patriotic War of 1812. The Gallery of the Patriotic War of 1812 is adjacent to the Armorial Hall. All the portraits of the gallery were taken out of the fire during the fire and saved by soldiers of the guards regiments. Stasov got the opportunity to restore the gallery to its original form. However, the architect made some changes to Rossi’s plan, which gave the gallery a complete, solemn, austere and impressive appearance: the length of the first gallery was increased by almost 6 m, the choir was located above the cornice - a bypass gallery connected with the same galleries of neighboring halls. This was done not only to enhance the decorative effect, but also for fire safety purposes. Through the glazed sashes built into the vaults, daylight now passed into the gallery; the wooden rafters of the ceilings were replaced with iron ones.

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The widespread use of metal in the restoration of the palace was an innovation in the construction practice of that time. Many metal structures, complex elements of the new heating system that replaced the stove, water supply, metal parts of architectural decorations were manufactured for the palace at the St. Petersburg Alexander Plant. The talented engineer M.E. Clark, who headed it, using the latest achievements of modern technical thought, brilliantly solved a number of complex technical problems that arose during the work. He developed and first used in the Winter Palace a system of unsupported ceilings using metal trusses and beams, from which ceilings made of copper sheets were suspended. This system made it possible to create ceilings in such large halls as the Armorial and Great Throne Hall.

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Great Throne Hall (George) The Great Throne Hall - the main hall of the Winter Palace - completes the Great Front Enfilade. The Throne Hall that existed here before the fire was created by the architect Quarenghi during the reign of Catherine II and consecrated on November 26, 1795 on the day of St. George the Victorious, the patron saint of the Russian state and army. This is where the second name of the hall came from – St. George’s. Its decoration was completely destroyed in the fire. Stasov re-decorated the hall in a strict and majestic classical style: the grandiose space (the area of ​​the hall is 800 sq.m), rows of snow-white columns, the shine and heaviness of gilded bronze create a feeling of solemnity and splendor. Here, in the presence of the sovereign and the highest dignitaries of the Court, the most important state acts were performed and the main official ceremonies took place. The main theme of the design of the ceremonial residence of the Russian emperors - the greatness and power of the empire, the Russian state - found its highest expression in the artistic design of the Great Throne Hall.

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Malachite living room. The finishing and artistic decoration of the residential half of the palace after the fire of 1837 was entrusted to A.P. Bryullov, who created a complex of residential halves located on all three floors of the western part of the Winter Palace. With particular luxury and sophistication, he decorated the rooms of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna - a suite of windows facing the Neva and the Admiralty. An outstanding talented architect, erudite, connoisseur of historical styles, in his projects he skillfully, tastefully and tactfully used the techniques and traditions of the architecture of ancient classics, the European Middle Ages, and the East. The interior decoration of Alexandra Fedorovna’s half has not been preserved, but watercolors brought their appearance to us. This was the order made by Nicholas I: he ordered the interiors of the Winter Palace and the Hermitage to be recorded in watercolors. Painted in the 1850s-1860s by artists K.A. Ukhtomsky, E.P. Gaui L. Premazzi, the watercolors are now invaluable documents that give an accurate and at the same time artistic representation of the imperial residence of the 19th century. The only room whose decoration has been completely preserved to this day is the Malachite Living Room. The hall owes its truly fabulous luxury to the famous Ural malachite - a rare and extremely valuable green stone. In 1835, a large deposit of malachite was found in the Ural mines in the possessions of the Demidov miners. More than two tons of malachite were donated by Demidov to the Tsar to decorate the living room in the palace. The malachite living room served as a link between the state halls of the palace and the rooms of the empress. Behind the Malachite Living Room, a number of Alexandra Feodorovna’s personal chambers opened up: a Dining Room, painted based on frescoes excavated in Pompeii, Italy, elegant Living Rooms, a Bedroom, a cozy Boudoir, a romantic Winter Garden with a murmuring fountain and exotic plants, an elegant and luxurious Bathroom, decorated in Moorish style, as if infused with the spicy aromas of the East.

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Bedroom. The emperor's rooms were located on the third floor. And only Nicholas I’s office was located downstairs, on the first floor. Every evening, residents of the capital could see the light in the window of the emperor’s office and his figure bending over the table. Here stood his camp folding bed, on which he was destined to die in 1855. Behind the wall of the office were the rooms of the daughters of Nicholas I - Olga and Alexandra. This small suite of simply but elegantly decorated rooms continued to remain the prince’s “children’s half” even after the marriage of the grand duchesses.

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Library of Nicholas II Special apartments of the palace were intended for the heir - the crown prince, the future Emperor Alexander II. This Enfilade of chambers with windows overlooking the Admiralty was created by the architect Quarenghi during the time of Catherine the Great especially for Alexander I, then still the Grand Duke. Following the instructions of Nicholas I, Bryullov did everything to recreate the decor of Quarenghi in the grand ducal half. And in 1839, in connection with the upcoming marriage of the heir to the Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt (the future Empress Maria Alexandrovna), A.P. Bryullov was entrusted with the design of the new half of the heir. This Enfilade began from the Staircase of Her Imperial Majesty, the present Oktyabrskaya, coming from the Oktyabrsky entrance from the side of Palace Square. Bryullov preserved the classically restrained and elegant decoration of the staircase, created by Montferrand before the fire. From the staircase followed a series of luxuriously decorated halls: the ceremonial White Hall (one of best works Bryullov in the Winter Palace), Living Rooms, Bedroom, Boudoir. These were the private chambers of the heir's wife, adjacent to his own rooms. In the mid-1850s, a number of Maria Alexandrovna’s rooms were re-decorated by famous architects of that time: A.I. Stackenschneider (1802-1865), who worked a lot during these years at the imperial residence, and J.A. Bosse. An outstanding master of historicist architecture, a subtle stylist, Stackenschneider created the most elegant rooms for Maria Alexandrovna - the Green Dining Room and the Raspberry Study. The entire life of Empress Maria Alexandrovna passed in these apartments. She loved music and painting. The crimson office, on the damask of which it was no coincidence that images of various musical instruments were woven, served as a place for home concerts. On the walls of the office hung paintings, which were often purchased specifically for the Empress, and later became valuable assets of the Hermitage.

Slide 30

Following the instructions of Nicholas I, Bryullov did everything to recreate Quarenghi’s decor in the grand ducal half after the fire in 1837. In connection with the upcoming marriage of the heir in 1839 to the Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt (future Empress Maria Alexandrovna), A.P. Bryullov was entrusted with the decoration of some of the heir’s halls. The enfilade, which began from the Staircase of Her Imperial Majesty, today's October Staircase, also included the Raspberry Cabinet. This room was decorated by A.P. Bryullov in 1841 and was used as Maria Alexandrovna’s study and dining room. In the mid-1850s, a number of rooms of the wife of the future Emperor Alexander II were re-decorated by the famous architect of that time - A.I. Stackenschneider, who worked a lot during these years at the imperial residence. An outstanding master of historicist architecture, a subtle stylist, Stackenschneider created the most elegant rooms for Maria Alexandrovna. In 1858, Stackenschneider changed the design of the Raspberry Room. The vaults were removed and the ceiling redone; the upholstery was replaced, but its color remained the same - dark red. A considerable part of Maria Alexandrovna’s life was spent in these apartments. She loved music and painting. The crimson office, on the damask of which it was no coincidence that images of various musical instruments were woven, served as a place for home concerts. On the walls of the office hung paintings, which were often purchased specifically for the empress.

Slide 31

Slide 32

White Hall. The White Hall was created by A.P. Bryullov for the wedding of the future Emperor Alexander II in 1841. This interior, designed in white tones, is distinguished by its rich plastic decor: stucco ornaments cover the vault and pilasters, the frieze is decorated with figures of putti indulging in games. In the central part of the hall, above the images of armor, there are bas-relief figures of ancient Roman gods; columns with magnificent Corinthian capitals are crowned with figures representing the arts. The interior looks harmonious with picturesque panels by a French landscape painter of the 18th century. G. Roberta. In the hall there is an exhibition of furniture by D. Roentgen, the famous master of the classicism era. During the reign of Emperor Alexander II, the hall had its own purpose: the festive receptions that took place at that time were held not in the northern part of the palace, as under Nicholas I, but in its southern section, where the personal rooms of the emperor and empress were located.

Slide 33

October staircase. This main staircase was restored after the fire of 1837 by A.P. Bryullov, who preserved the design of O. de Montferrand (early 1830s) almost unchanged. The architectural design of the staircase adjacent to the private apartments is distinguished by the rigor and clarity characteristic of the classicist style. The decor clearly echoes the theme of glory: the bas-relief located on top of the windows depicts a triumphal procession; the lunettes feature allegorical compositions of female figures bowed before a double-headed eagle; statues of ancient deities are placed in the niches. The interior is richly decorated with grisal paintings. In the center of the vault painting there is a medallion depicting the chariot of Apollo. The name “October” staircase was given in memory of the revolutionary events of October 1917, when detachments of stormers entered the Winter Palace along it. At 3 o'clock on the night of October 25-26, 1917, the captured ministers of the Provisional Government were taken out along the October Stairs.

Slide 34

Winter Palace from 1917 to 1925 The revolutionary upheavals of 1917 radically affected the fate of the Winter Palace. In July, the Provisional Government made it its residence, which was located in the former chambers of Nicholas II. Anticipating the revolutionary events in the country, valuable palace property and Hermitage collections are sent to Moscow for preservation in the Kremlin. After the Winter Palace was stormed on the night of October 25-26, 1917, soldiers and sailors rampaged through the royal apartments for three days, plundering the interior decoration. Only a few days later, on October 30, 1917, the Winter Palace was declared a State Museum in the name of the Russian Soviet Republic. In 1925-1926, according to the project of the architect of the State Hermitage A.V. Sivkov, the reconstruction of numerous office premises began with the aim of using them for the expanding exhibitions of the Hermitage. The mezzanine floors that distorted the Rastrellievskaya and other galleries, corridors, a number of internal staircases, kitchens, staff rooms, and later partitions were destroyed. A great achievement of the restorers of the Winter Palace was the reconstruction in 1938 of one of the few surviving Rastrelli interiors - the Rastrelli Gallery. On the third floor along the eastern façade of the palace, where previously there were sixty-four maids of honor rooms, after the reconstruction of the original layout, seventeen bright halls were formed.

Slide 35

Winter Palace in pre-war times. Simultaneously with the reconstruction, the current restoration of the Armorial, Alexander and White Halls, the Great Church, and the Gallery of 1812 was carried out. Unfortunately, during the renovation and adaptation of the former apartments of the royal family to house art collections, fireplaces and stoves that were of artistic value were dismantled. In the 1930s, the Ammosov heating system was eliminated, and the Winter Palace was connected to the city heating network. In 1939, a commission, which included representatives of the Department for the Protection of Monuments, the chief architect of the Hermitage, and other engineering and technical workers, drew up a report on the technical condition of the Winter Palace and determined a list of repair and restoration work. On May 10, 1941, the Leningrad City Executive Committee considered the issue of repairing and painting buildings facing Palace Square. But all the planned work was interrupted by the war...

Slide 36

Alexander Hall. In 1834, A.P. Bryullov drew up a project for a memorial hall in honor of Alexander I, which was implemented only after the fire. The architect found a brilliant spatial solution for a huge double-height room. The original ceilings of the Alexander Hall - fan vaults supporting gently sloping domes - became its main architectural and artistic accent. The abundance of air and the grandeur of the domed spaces allowed contemporaries to characterize the hall as being made in “Byzantine taste.” The hall perpetuated the memory of Alexander I: on the end wall there was a portrait of the emperor by J. Doe, above it there was a bas-relief with a profile image of Alexander “in the form of the Slavic deity Radomysl,” personifying wisdom and courage. The frieze was decorated with enlarged copies of F.P. Tolstoy’s models, telling about the events of the Patriotic War of 1812, and symbolic figures of Slavs. The memorial character of the hall was emphasized by four huge battle paintings by G.P. Villevalde.

Slide 37

Big church. The interior of the Great Church, designed by F.B. Rastrelli, was one of the most magnificent in the Winter Palace. Restoring the church after the fire of 1837, V.P. Stasov sought to recreate its original appearance. The space is divided into three volumes, two of which - the one closest to the entrance and the altar part - are double-height. The central part is topped with a dome and accentuated by pylons with double fluted columns of the Corinthian order. The walls are decorated with pilasters of the same order, which alternate with arched window openings illuminating the church from two sides. A heavily profiled and braced cornice separates the first tier from the top row of windows. The main role in the artistic decoration of the church is played by gilded stucco ornaments made of papier-mâché and paintings: the ceiling “The Ascension of Christ” by P.V. Basin in the narthex and images of the four evangelists on sails created by F.A. Bruni. The interior decoration was complemented by crimson draperies and gilded lamps.

Slide 38

The Winter Palace during the war years of 1941-1945. In the first days of the Great Patriotic War, many of the Hermitage’s valuables were urgently evacuated, some of them were hidden in the basements. To prevent fires in the museum buildings, the windows were bricked or shuttered. In some rooms, the parquet floors were covered with a layer of sand. The Winter Palace was a major target. A large number of bombs and shells exploded near it, and several hit the building itself. Thus, on December 29, 1941, a shell crashed into the southern wing of the Winter Palace, overlooking the kitchen courtyard, damaging the iron rafters and roofing over an area of ​​three hundred square meters, and destroying the fire-fighting water supply installation located in the attic. An attic vault covering an area of ​​about six square meters was broken through. Another shell that hit the podium in front of the Winter Palace damaged the water main.

Slide 39

Winter Palace during the war. Despite the difficult situation that existed in the besieged city, on May 4, 1942, the Leningrad City Executive Committee ordered construction trust No. 16 to carry out priority restoration work in the Hermitage, in which emergency restoration workshops took part. In the summer of 1942, the roof was covered in places where it had been damaged by shells, the formwork was partially corrected, the broken skylights or iron sheets were installed, the destroyed metal rafters were replaced with temporary wooden ones, and the plumbing system was repaired.

Slide 40

Winter Palace during the war. On May 12, 1943, an air bomb hit the Winter Palace building, partially destroying the roof over the St. George's Hall and metal rafter structures, and damaging the brickwork of the walls in the storeroom of the Department of the History of Russian Culture. In the summer of 1943, despite the shelling, they continued to seal the roof, ceilings, and skylights with tarred plywood. On January 2, 1944, another shell hit the Armorial Hall, severely damaging the decoration and destroying two ceilings. The shell also pierced the ceiling of the Nicholas Hall. But already in August 1944, the Soviet government decided to restore all the museum buildings. Restoration work required enormous efforts and lasted for many years. But, despite all the losses, the Winter Palace remains an outstanding monument of Baroque architecture.

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Winter Palace at present. The Winter Palace, together with the buildings of the Small, Large and New Hermitages and the Hermitage Theater form a single palace complex, which has few equals in world architecture. In artistic and urban planning terms, it belongs to the highest achievements of Russian architecture of the 8th-11th centuries. Now all the halls of this palace ensemble, built over many years, is occupied by the State Hermitage Museum. This is the largest museum in the world, with huge collections of works of art.

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Winter Palace at present. Today's Winter Palace preserves the memory of different eras: the works of Rastrelli amaze with the whimsicality of architectural fantasies; the appearance of the ceremonial premises is reminiscent of official ceremonies; The design of residential quarters in the second half of the 19th century demonstrates a huge range of choices of architectural prototypes.

The largest palace building in St. Petersburg is the Winter Palace. Big size and the magnificent decoration make it possible to rightfully classify the Winter Palace as one of the most striking monuments of the St. Petersburg Baroque. “The Winter Palace as a building, as a royal dwelling, perhaps has nothing like it as a whole. With its enormity, its architecture, it depicts a powerful people who have so recently entered the midst of educated nations, and with its internal splendor it reminds of the inexhaustible life that boils in the interior of Russia... The Winter Palace for us is a representative of everything domestic, Russian, ours,” - so V.A. Zhukovsky wrote about the Winter Palace.

History of the Winter Palace

Bartholomew Varfolomeevich (Bartolomeo Francesca) Rastrelli (1700-1771) is the largest representative of Russian Baroque. By origin. In 1716 he came with his father to St. Petersburg. Studied abroad. In 1730-1760 he was appointed court architect. His brainchildren include the Smolny Monastery Cathedral, the Great Palace in Peterhof (now Petrodvorets), the Great Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, the Strogonov Palace, the Vorontsov Palace and, of course, the Winter Palace.

The Winter Palace was built immediately with the goal that it would be the main residence of the kings. The palace was erected “for a single All-Russian glory,” Rastrelli emphasized. While the palace was being built, the royal court was located in a temporary wooden palace built by Rastrelli in 1755 on the corner of Nevsky Prospekt and the Moika embankment. In 1754, the design of the palace was approved. Its construction lasted eight long years, which coincided with the end of the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna and the short reign of Peter III. In the fall of 1763, Catherine II returned from Moscow to St. Petersburg after the coronation celebrations and became the sovereign mistress of the new palace.

At first, the Winter Palace was built as a small two-story house, covered with tiles, with two projections along the edges and a central entrance. But later another floor was added.

The construction of the Winter Palace required huge amounts of money and a huge number of workers. About 4 thousand people worked at this construction site. The best masters from all over the country were gathered here.

Construction was completed in 1762, but for a long time work was still underway on decorating the interior. The interior decoration was entrusted to the best Russian architects Yu. M. Felten, J. B. Vallin-Delamot and A. Rinaldi.

In the 1780-1790s, work on remodeling the interior decoration of the palace was continued by I. E. Starov and G. Quarenghi. In general, the palace was remodeled and rebuilt an incredible number of times. Each new architect tried to bring something of his own, sometimes destroying what had already been built.

Throughout the lower floor there were galleries with arches. Galleries connected all parts of the palace. The premises on the sides of the galleries were of a service nature. There were storerooms, a guardhouse, and palace employees lived here.

The state halls and living quarters of members of the imperial family were located on the second floor and were built in the Russian Baroque style - huge halls flooded with light, double rows of large windows and mirrors, lush Rococo decor. The upper floor mainly housed the courtiers' apartments.

The palace was destroyed many times. For example, a strong fire on December 17-19, 1837 almost completely destroyed the beautiful decoration of the Winter Palace, of which only a charred skeleton remained. The interiors of Rastrelli, Quarenghi, Montferrand, and Rossi were destroyed. Restoration work lasted two years. They were led by architects V.P. Stasov and A.P. Bryullov. According to the order of Nicholas I, the palace was to be restored the same as it was before the fire. However, not everything was so easy to do, for example, only some interiors created or restored after the fire of 1837 by A.P. Bryullov have reached us in their original form.

IN late XIX- at the beginning of the 20th century, the interior design was constantly changing and adding new elements. Such, in particular, are the interiors of the chambers of Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Alexander II, created according to the designs of G. A. Bosse (Red Boudoir) and V.A. Schreiber (Golden Living Room), as well as the library of Nicholas II (author A.F. Krasovsky). Among the updated interiors, the most interesting was the decoration of the Nicholas Hall, which contained a large equestrian portrait of Emperor Nicholas I by the artist F. Kruger.

Long time The Winter Palace was the residence of the Russian emperors. After the assassination of Alexander II by terrorists, Emperor Alexander III moved his residence to Gatchina. From that moment on, only special ceremonies were held in the Winter Palace. With the accession of Nicholas II to the throne in 1894, the imperial family returned to the palace.

The most significant changes in the history of the Winter Palace occurred in 1917, along with the Bolsheviks coming to power. A lot of valuables were stolen and damaged by sailors and workers while the palace was under their control. The former chambers of Alexander III were damaged by a direct hit from a shell fired from a cannon at the Peter and Paul Fortress. Only a few days later, the Soviet government declared the Winter Palace and the Hermitage state museums and took the buildings under protection. Soon, valuable palace property and Hermitage collections were sent to Moscow and hidden in the building of the Historical Museum.

In 1918, part of the premises of the Winter Palace was given over to the Museum of the Revolution, which entailed the reconstruction of their interiors. The Romanov Gallery, which contained portraits of sovereigns and members of the House of Romanov, was completely liquidated. Many of the palace's chambers were occupied by a reception center for prisoners of war, a children's colony, a headquarters for organizing mass celebrations, etc. The Armorial Hall was used for theatrical performances, and the Nicholas Hall was converted into a cinema. In addition, congresses and conferences of various public organizations were repeatedly held in the halls of the palace.

When the Hermitage and palace collections returned from Moscow to Petrograd at the end of 1920, there was simply no place for many of them. As a result, hundreds of works of painting and sculpture were used to decorate the mansions and apartments of party, Soviet and military leaders, holiday homes of officials and members of their families. Since 1922, the premises of the Winter Palace began to gradually be transferred to the Hermitage.

The Winter Palace was seriously damaged during the war. Shells and bombs damaged the Small Throne or Peter's Hall, destroyed part of the Armorial Hall and the ceiling of the Rastrelli Gallery, and damaged the Jordan Staircase. Restoration work required enormous efforts and lasted for many years.

Features of the structure of the Winter Palace

The palace was conceived and built in the form of a closed quadrangle, with a vast courtyard. The Winter Palace is quite large and clearly stands out from the surrounding houses.

Countless white columns either gather in groups (especially picturesque and expressive at the corners of the building), then thin out and part, revealing windows framed by platbands with lion masks and cupids' heads. There are dozens of decorative vases and statues on the balustrade. The corners of the building are bordered by columns and pilasters.

Each facade of the Winter Palace is made in its own way. The northern facade, facing the Neva, stretches as a more or less even wall, without noticeable protrusions. The southern façade, facing Palace Square and having seven divisions, is the main one. Its center is cut through by three entrance arches. Behind them is the front courtyard, where in the middle of the northern building there used to be the main entrance to the palace. Of the side facades, the most interesting is the western one, facing the Admiralty and the square on which Rastrelli intended to place the equestrian statue of Peter I cast by his father. Each casing decorating the palace is unique. This is due to the fact that the mass, consisting of a mixture of crushed bricks and lime mortar, was cut and processed by hand by carvers. All stucco decorations on the facades were made on site.

The Winter Palace was always painted in bright colors. The original coloring of the palace was pink and yellow, as illustrated by drawings from the 18th to the first quarter of the 19th century.

Of the interior spaces of the palace created by Rastrelli, the Jordan Staircase and part of the Great Church have retained their Baroque appearance. The main staircase is located in the northeast corner of the building. There are various decorative details on it - columns, mirrors, statues, intricate gilded stucco molding, a huge lampshade created by Italian painters. Divided into two ceremonial flights, the staircase led to the main, Northern enfilade, which consisted of five large halls, behind which in the northwestern risalit there was a huge Throne Hall, and in the southwestern part - the palace Theater.

The Great Church, located in the southeast corner of the building, also deserves special attention. Initially, the church was consecrated in honor of the Resurrection of Christ (1762) and again in the name of the Savior, the Image Not Made by Hands (1763). Its walls are decorated with stucco - an elegant design of floral patterns. The three-tier iconostasis is decorated with icons and picturesque panels depicting biblical scenes. The evangelists on the ceiling vaults were later painted by F. A. Bruni. Now nothing reminds of the former purpose of the church hall, destroyed in the 1920s, except the golden dome and the large picturesque ceiling by F. Fontebasso, depicting the Resurrection of Christ.

Experts call the most perfect interior the St. George, or Great Throne, Hall, created according to Quarenghi’s design. In order to create the St. George's Hall, a special building had to be added to the center of the eastern facade of the palace. Colored marble and gilded bronze were used in the design of this room, which enriched the front suite. At the end of it, on a dais, there used to be a large throne made by the master P. Azhi. Other famous architects also took part in the design of the palace interiors. In 1826, according to the design of K.I. Rossi, a Military Gallery was built in front of St. George’s Hall, on the walls of which were placed 330 portraits of generals who took part in the Patriotic War of 1812. Most of portraits were painted by the English artist D. Dow.

The Antechamber, Great and Concert Halls are worthy of attention. All of them are characterized by rigor and artistic integrity, which distinguishes the style of classicism. Most Big hall The Winter Palace is the Nikolaevsky Hall (with an area of ​​one thousand one hundred square meters). The Malachite Hall is especially remarkable - the only surviving example of decorating an entire residential interior with malachite. The main decoration of the hall is eight malachite columns made using Russian mosaic technique, the same number of pilasters and two large malachite fireplaces.

Location of the Winter Palace

Three central squares- Dvortsovaya, Decembrist Square and St. Isaac's Square form a single spatial element on the banks of the Neva. It is on these squares that the main attractions of St. Petersburg are located.

With their northern facades, the Winter Palace, the Admiralty, St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Senate and the Synod face the Neva. Its wide expanses of water are inextricably linked with the prospects of grandiose squares and the powerful arrays of buildings located on them.

The official address of the Winter Palace is Palace Embankment, house 36.

Today it is difficult to separate the Winter Palace from the Hermitage. Valuable exhibitions and expositions are now located here, and the palace itself has long been perceived as a historical value. Its history is a direct continuation of the history of Russia, St. Petersburg and the imperial dynasty.

We can say that the Winter Palace is known all over the world; it is also known as the French and English Tower. St. Petersburg is one of the most interesting cities in Russia and it is very attractive for tourists. And almost all excursion groups visit the Hermitage, where they learn the history of the Winter Palace.

Saint Petersburg - northern city, he is used to surprising with his luxury, ambition and originality. The Winter Palace in St. Petersburg is just one of the attractions, which is a priceless masterpiece of architecture of past centuries.

The Winter Palace is the abode of the ruling elite of the state. For more than a hundred years, the imperial families lived in winter in this building, which is distinguished unique architecture. This building is part museum complex State Hermitage.

History of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg

Construction took place under the leadership of Peter I. The first structure erected for the emperor was a two-story house, covered with tiles, the entrance to which was crowned by high steps.

The city became larger, expanded with new buildings, and the first Winter Palace looked more than modest. By order of Peter I, another one was built next to the previous palace. It was slightly larger than the first, but its distinguishing feature was the material - stone. It is noteworthy that this particular monastery was the last for the emperor; he died here in 1725. Immediately after the death of the king, the talented architect D. Trezzini carried out restoration work.

Another palace, which belonged to Empress Anna Ioannovna, saw the light of day. She was unhappy that General Apraksin’s estate looked more spectacular than the Tsar’s. Then the talented and savvy author of the project, F. Rastrelli, added a long building, which was called the “Fourth Winter Palace in St. Petersburg.”

This time, the architect was puzzled by the project of a new residence in the shortest possible time - two years. Elizabeth's wish could not be fulfilled so quickly, so Rastrelli, who was ready to take on the work, asked several times for an extension of the deadline.

Thousands of serfs, artisans, artists, and foundry workers worked on the construction of the structure. A project of this magnitude has not been put forward for consideration before. The serfs, who worked from early morning until late evening, lived around the building in portable huts, only some of them were allowed to spend the night under the roof of the building.

Sellers of nearby shops caught the wave of excitement around the construction, so they significantly raised food prices. It happened that the cost of food was deducted from the worker’s salary, so the serf not only did not earn money, but also remained in debt to the employer. Cruelly and cynically, on the broken destinies of ordinary workers, a new “home” for the kings was built.

When construction was completed, St. Petersburg received architectural masterpiece, which amazed with its size and luxury. The Winter Palace had two exits, one of which faced the Neva, and from the other the square was visible. The first floor was occupied by utility rooms, above there were state halls, the gates of the winter garden, the third and last floor was for servants.

Peter III liked the building and, in gratitude for his incredible architectural talent, decided to award Rastrelli the rank of major general. The career of the great architect ended tragically with the accession of Catherine II to the throne.

Fire in the palace

A terrible misfortune happened in 1837, when a fire started in the palace due to a faulty chimney. Through the efforts of two companies of firefighters, they tried to stop the fire inside, blocking the door and window openings with bricks, but for thirty hours it was not possible to stop the evil flames. When the fire ended, only the vaults, walls and ornaments of the first floor remained from the previous building - the fire destroyed everything.

Restoration work began immediately and was completed only three years later. Since the drawings from the first construction were practically not preserved, the restorers had to experiment and give it a new style. As a result, the so-called “seventh version” of the palace appeared in white and green tones, with numerous columns and gilding.

With the new look of the palace, civilization came to its walls in the form of electrification. A power station was built on the second floor, which fully met the electricity needs and for fifteen years it was considered the largest in all of Europe.

Many incidents befell the Winter Palace during its existence: fire, the assault and capture of 1917, the attempt on the life of Alexander II, meetings of the Provisional Government, bombings during the Second World War.

Winter Palace in 2017: its description

For almost two centuries the castle was the main residence of emperors, only in 1917 it was given the title of museum. Among the museum's exhibitions are collections of the East and Eurasia, examples of paintings and decorative arts, sculptures presented in numerous halls and apartments. Tourists can admire:

• St. George's Hall.
  
• Boudoir.
  
• Golden living room.
  
• Malachite living room.
  
• Concert hall.
  

Exclusively about the palace

In terms of the wealth of exhibits and interior decoration, the Winter Palace is incomparable to anything in St. Petersburg. The building has its own unique story and the secrets with which he never ceases to amaze his guests:

• The Hermitage is vast, like the lands of the country where the emperor ruled: 1084 rooms, 1945 windows.
• When the property was in its final stages, the main area was littered with construction debris that would take weeks to clear. The king told the people that they could take any item from the square absolutely free of charge, and after some time the square was free of unnecessary items.
• The Winter Palace in St. Petersburg had a different color scheme: it was even red during the war against the German invaders, and it acquired its current pale green color in 1946.

Memo for tourists

Numerous excursions are offered to visit the palace. The museum is open daily except Mondays, opening hours: from 10:00 to 18:00. Ticket prices can be checked with your tour operator or at the museum box office. It is better to purchase them in advance. Address where the museum is located: Palace Embankment, 32.

The history of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, like many other buildings in this city, begins during the reign of Tsar Peter I. In 1711, something like a winter residence was built for the Tsar, which was nicknamed the Winter Palace. It was tiny with a tile roof and a high porch with steps. The history of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg is quite multi-stage and interesting. Well, it's time to begin this historical voyage.

Second Winter Palace

Years passed, the city grew rapidly, and that’s all more people, close to the emperor (that is, the king), began to build their own estates in St. Petersburg. Of course, he also wanted a luxurious holiday home. This is how the famous Winter Palaces of St. Petersburg appeared. The second palace was built right next to the first according to the design of the architect I. Matarnovi. The palace was only a little larger than the first, but it was built of stone, but its greatest remarkableness is that it was here that Tsar Peter I died in 1725. Information about the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg has been preserved so reliably that any tourist can personally look at place of the king's death.

Third Winter Palace

Architect D. Trezzini began modernizing the second Winter Palace almost immediately after the death of the Tsar. The building turned out to be truly large and majestic. The second Winter Palace became the western wing, and the Hermitage Theater is now located on the site of the main premises of the third. There is a lot that can be said about the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, and this is only a small part of the whole great story.

Fourth Palace

Historians associate the fourth palace with Ioannovna. The fastidious empress was dissatisfied that some Admiral Apraksin had a larger and richer palace than hers... However, it was not large and beautiful enough for Her Majesty. Architect F. Rastrelli solved this problem in the following way: he added a long building to the existing third palace. This building was called the “Fourth Winter Palace in St. Petersburg.” Short description The buildings are as follows: a grandiose palace with two beautiful facades. Rastrelli was a truly talented architect.

Fifth and sixth milestone

The fifth palace was just a temporary, not very luxurious wooden shelter, which was also located far from But the sixth palace was truly indescribably grandiose. In general, all the Winter Palaces of St. Petersburg were innovative for their time. This time, the chief architect was faced with an almost insurmountable task: to develop a palace project and bring it to life in two years! Such was the whim of the then Empress Elizabeth!

Thousands of artisans, painters, foundries and many others worked on the sixth palace. Huge areas and resources were allocated for construction needs. But chief engineer F. Rastrelli understood that he could not manage it in two years, and constantly asked for an extension. In the end, with great difficulty, he managed to get the empress to extend it for a year.

Creative genius F. Rastrelli

In the end, the result was a full-fledged Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. A brief description of it is as follows: the Palace, of gigantic size, had two facades: one overlooked the square, the other faced the Neva. During warm seasons, the palace is reflected in the waters of the river, which greatly increases the effect.

The brilliant F. Rastrelli perfectly thought out the interior layout of the palace. It consisted of three floors. The first floor housed service premises, the second floor housed state halls and two churches, and the third floor was dedicated entirely to courtiers. In total, the palace had 460 different rooms, which were distinguished by stunning decoration. Perhaps it is precisely thanks to the creative research of F. Rastrelli that we can safely say that the key attraction of St. Petersburg is the Winter Palace.

Death of the Empress and the new owner of the palace

Empress Elizabeth apparently subconsciously sensed her impending demise, so she wanted her palace project to be completed as quickly as possible. However, she died in the temporary fifth wooden palace without ever seeing her Winter Palace.

In 1761, the palace was “captured” by Tsar Peter III. He was extremely pleased with such a work of architectural art and decided to honor F. Rastrelli with the rank of major general. However, Catherine II, who ascended the throne in 1962, destroyed the career of the great architect, and he had to emigrate to Italy, where he also continued to work in his specialty.

A little about the construction process

As mentioned above, thousands of serfs were involved in the construction. Only a tiny fraction of them were given the right to spend the night and live in the premises of the Winter Palace, while the majority were located in huts right on the Admiralty meadows. Sellers in that part of the city, seeing all this excitement, raised prices for food, and deducted payment for food from the workers’ salaries. It often happened that the worker remained in debt to his employer after payment of his salary. They say that some masons even died of hunger, the conditions were so brutal. Winter palaces of St. Petersburg, like the Great Chinese wall, demanded a fair share of resources from the state. At that time, Russia was at war with Prussia, and there was simply no one to forge guns, because most of the blacksmiths were involved in the construction of the Winter Palace.

The construction of the Winter Palace cost approximately 2.5 million rubles, and in those days the ruble was a very valuable currency.

Fire in the Winter Palace

In 1837, terrible bad weather happened - the beautiful Winter Palace burst into flames! The cause of the disaster was a broken chimney. The scale of the fire was truly colossal - it took several battalions of guard regiments, two companies of palace firefighters, a company of palace grenadiers and hundreds of other “combat units” to extinguish it for 30 hours. Trying to save the property of the palace, the soldiers desperately blocked the doors with bricks, trying to stop the fire, dismantled the roof in parts to be able to pour water from above, but this did not bring any actual benefit.

Restoration of the palace

When the fire finally subsided, only the walls and vaults of the first floor were recognizable - everything else was deformed beyond recognition. In 1837, work was started that ended only three years later (remember that during the same time the Winter Palace was built from scratch). And this despite the fact that 10 thousand workers took part in the work every day. A huge amount of time has passed since the original design of the palace, a significant part of the drawings was lost, and the architects of that time had to improvise. As a result, the winter palaces of St. Petersburg were significantly transformed, acquiring the features of modern architecture. This is how, in essence, the “seventh version” of the palace appeared. The description of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg is as follows: a white and green appearance with a huge number of columns and occasional golden ornaments.

Electrification and internal modernization

During the time period of 1869-1888, the palaces were modernized in every possible way: telephone installations, electrification, gas supply, and water pipes were installed. By the way, to electrify the Winter Palace, a power plant was built on its second floor, which for 15 years was considered the largest in Europe.

Under the influence of various fashions, the palace was repeatedly modernized in the interior and painted walls. There is no color on the spectrum of the rainbow that the Winter Palace was not painted with at one time. For example, during the Second World War, the palace had a militant, deep red color.

Winter Palace today

This is where the history of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg comes to an end. Nowadays it exists in alliance with the theaters adjacent to it and together with them forms a single complex “The State Hermitage”. This is the latest, eighth version. The festive and incredibly sophisticated appearance gives the right to confidently say that the key attraction of St. Petersburg is the Winter Palace.

Now the magnificent Winter Palace is open to the public and historical excursions. The description of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg from the lips of an experienced historian is truly fascinating. Tourists have the right to admire the beautifully decorated St. George's throne room, the Golden Living Room or the elegant Boudoir, replete with a huge number of mirrors and gold ornaments. Also worth seeing are the Malachite living room with rich green columns and the majestic concert hall. It also has an art gallery with many original works.