Winter Palace in our time. Winter Palace
Back in 1752, F. B. Rastrelli drew up several projects for the reconstruction of the existing Winter Palace from the time of Anna Ioannovna. These projects clearly showed that the possibilities for expanding the previous building had been completely exhausted. In 1754 the final decision was made to build new palace in the same place.
In terms of size and splendor of architectural decoration, it was supposed to surpass all previous imperial palaces in St. Petersburg and become a symbol of the wealth and power of the Russian state. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna especially noted, addressing the Senate through the architect F.B. Rastrelli: “The construction of that stone Winter Palace was built for the sole glory of the All-Russian Empire and, due to this circumstance, the Governing Senate should in all cases constantly try to ensure that it is built without ceasing towards the end."
The new Winter Palace was conceived in the form of a closed quadrangle with an extensive front courtyard. The northern facade of the palace was facing the Neva, the western - towards the Admiralty. In front of the southern façade, F. B. Rastrelli designed a large square, in the center of which he proposed to install an equestrian statue of Peter I, sculpted by the father of the architect Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli. A semicircular square was also planned in front of the eastern facade of the Winter Palace, from the side of the modern Small Hermitage. These plans were not implemented.
The construction of the grandiose building lasted 12 years. During this period, the imperial court moved to a temporary wooden Winter Palace built on Nevsky Prospekt. IN warm time years, the Summer Palace served as the capital's imperial residence.
On the eve of Easter 1762, the solemn consecration of the house church of the Winter Palace took place, marking the end of construction, although many rooms still remained unfinished. Elizaveta Petrovna did not have the chance to live in the new palace - she died in December 1761. Emperor Peter III moved into the palace.
During the reign of Catherine II, part of the interiors of the Winter Palace was decorated in accordance with new artistic tastes. Changes and additions were made in the 1st third of the 19th century. A devastating fire in 1837 destroyed the magnificent interior decoration to the ground. Its restoration in 1838-1839 was carried out by architects V.P. Stasov and A.P. Bryullov.
The Winter Palace belongs to one of the most outstanding works of Russian Baroque. The three-story building is divided into two tiers by an entablature. The facades are decorated with columns of the Ionic and Composite order; the columns of the upper tier unite the second (front) and third floors.
The complex rhythm of the columns, the richness and variety of forms of the platbands (one can count two dozen of their types), abundant stucco molding, many decorative vases and statues on the parapets and pediments create the decorative decoration of the palace, which is extraordinary in splendor and splendor. The bright contrasting colors of the walls and architectural decorations enhance the overall picturesque impression. Its original color scheme was somewhat different compared to the modern one - the palace was “painted on the outside: the walls were sandy paint with the thinnest yellow, and the ornaments were white lime.”
The southern façade of the palace is cut through by three entrance arches leading to the front courtyard. In the center of the northern building there was a central entrance. Through the long vestibule one could go to the main Jordan staircase, which occupied an entire risalit in the north-eastern corner of the building. On the second floor, along the Neva façade from the staircase, there was a solemn enfilade, closing with the grandiose Throne Hall. None of the existing halls of the Winter Palace can compare with its size: F. B. Rastrelli, while maintaining the width of the Throne Hall from the time of Anna Ioannovna (28 meters), increased its length to 49 meters.
Along the eastern facade from the Jordan Staircase there was a second enfilade, ending with the palace church. Behind the church, in the southeastern risalit, Elizabeth Petrovna’s personal apartments were planned.
All of Rastrelli's interiors were destroyed in a fire in 1837. By special order of Nicholas I, the Jordan Staircase and the palace church were restored to their original form. The latter suffered again already in Soviet time- in 1938 the magnificent carved iconostasis was dismantled. The interior of the church was restored in 2014.
Nowadays the building of the Winter Palace belongs to the State Hermitage, where the museum’s exhibitions are located.
In Petersburg ? This question is often asked by tourists who come to the Northern capital of Russia for the first time. And which Winter Palace exactly? The one that is now located on the corner of Palace Embankment and Admiralteysky Proezd? Or one of those Winter Palaces that historically preceded this building? Let's figure it out and try to find answers to all these questions.
Wedding chambers
The very first Winter Palace belonged to Peter I, but it is not mentioned in the general numbering of all Winter Palaces. The palace was located on Admiralty Island and was made of wood. His appearance was not preserved even in the ancient engravings of Alexei Zubov, the very first Russian master who captured the original St. Petersburg in his works.
In 1711, on the same site for Peter I, Domenico Trezzini erected the first stone Winter Palace instead of a wooden one. It unfolded its façade along the channel, now called the Winter Canal. The construction of this palace became necessary in connection with the marriage of the Tsar to Martha Skavronskaya, the future Empress Catherine I.
Second Winter Palace
Peter I was not very comfortable living with his family in the same house, given the rhythm of imperial life. In addition, the monarch preferred to work in silence. In this regard, in 1716 new project The palace for the emperor was designed by Georg Mattarnovi, but after his death the architects changed the ideas he presented several times.
Peter I entrusted the construction of the Winter Chambers to the French architect Jean Baptiste Leblond, who arrived in St. Petersburg for a hired job to build stone Winter Chambers not far from the Wedding Chambers, here on the bank of the Winter Canal, but closer to the Neva. The new stone palace was facing the Neva - the main avenue of the city. However, for some reason, the results of Leblon’s work did not satisfy Peter I, so the reconstruction of the palace and the completion of work on its creation again fell on the shoulders of Domenico Trezzini.
Third Winter Palace
The palace, rebuilt for Peter I Trezzini, is considered to be the third. The main construction work covers the period from 1718 to 1719. At the same time, the Trezzini Palace became much larger than Mattarnovi had originally intended, but included as one of the parts of the new building what had been developed by its predecessor. This part became the western building of the second Winter Palace, and a triumphal arch connected it with the similar Eastern building. The arch had three spans and was decorated with sculptures that allegorically represented the victory of the Russian army in the Northern War with Sweden.
Fourth Winter Palace
This palace is already related to Empress Anna Ioannovna. It was erected by her decree also on Admiralty Island, only downstream of the Neva and not from scratch. It was built on the site of General Apraksin's mansion. Architect of the Winter Anna Ioannovna's palace was taken over by the young Italian master Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who was then just beginning his career.
After the construction of this building, the previous Winter Palace began to be used as outbuilding. During the reign of Catherine II, Giacomo Quarenghi built the building of the Hermitage Theater on its foundations and the remains of the facades.
After the ascension to the throne of Elizabeth Petrovna Rastrelli - the architect who created the Winter Palace, repeatedly expanded the building: created the interiors of the Crimson and Amber offices, added an additional two-story building on the Admiralty side, a chapel, a soap shop and other premises.
Fifth temporary Winter Palace
Elizaveta Petrovna did not want to live in what she considered to be a modest palace of her predecessor. Raised for the French throne, the no longer young Elizabeth preferred luxury and grace, sophistication and sophistication in everything. She decides to rebuild Anna Ioannovna's Winter Palace and entrusts this work to her court architect - the same F.B. Rastrelli. But where will the imperial court be located during construction?
To solve this problem, Rastrelli erects for the Empress wooden palace, which occupied a considerable territory at that time: between the Moika, Nevsky Prospekt and present-day Malaya Morskaya Street.
It was in this palace that Elizabeth spent all her subsequent years in fun, masquerades and balls. It is assumed that it was in the temporary Winter Palace that she first became acquainted with the Yaroslavl theater of Fyodor Volkov, which later became the basis for the creation of a Russian professional theater in 1756.
It is interesting that at the same time, when the sixth Winter Palace was being built, and Elizabeth was living in a temporary palace, another palace building was being erected on the other side of the Moika, intended for the Stroganov barons. There is information that Elizabeth jealously monitored the construction of the Stroganov Palace. After all architect of the Winter Palace - author and the Stroganov mansion on the Moika embankment.
Sixth Winter Palace
Meanwhile, the sixth Winter Palace grew in its usual place. Only it was built much longer than Stroganovsky. And ironically, Elizaveta Petrovna did not have time to move into it - the empress died. Its first owner was Emperor Peter III, who moved into the unfinished building. The entire area in front of the palace was still littered with construction debris, and the monarch was already planning to receive ambassadors. You can’t deny the emperor’s resourcefulness: he ordered it to be announced throughout St. Petersburg that he was giving away everything that littered the square for free. And the area was cleared in one day.
The Elizabethan Winter Palace shone with the reflected light of European Baroque and became one of the pearls of the Northern capital. Architect of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg created a unique structure in the mature Russian Baroque style. He successfully used the achievements of European architecture in combination with the peculiarities of the life of the Russian aristocracy and climatic conditions St. Petersburg.
Winter Palace of the architect Rastrelli- one of the most impressive buildings in the city in size, since the length of its facades reaches two hundred meters, in the number of rooms, of which there are one thousand and fifty-seven, and in the richness of the decor.
Italian maestro
Name of the architect of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg it is known even to small children. What do we know about this man?
Italian by birth, originally from Florence. Together with his father, the sculptor Bartolomeo Carlo, Rastrelli ended up in France, where his father entered the service of Louis XIV. When the king died, the Rastrelli family was left without a livelihood. Work in Europe was bad at that time, and Bartolomeo Carlo grabbed the opportunity offered to him by Russia - he went to build a young Russian city under a contract.
The Rastrelli family came to the city on the Neva in 1716 for a period of three years of service at court. Francesco helped his father work on projects for the construction of the Strelninsky Palace and the decoration of the mansions of Shafirov and Apraksin. The first individual work of the young talent was the Cantemir Palace. This was followed by the Manege for Biron between Nevsky Prospekt, Moika and present-day Bolshaya Morskaya Street, the Summer and Winter Palaces in St. Petersburg, and palaces in Biron’s residences.
In 1738, Rastrelli received the position of chief architect. After Biron's arrest in 1740, the architect designed mansions for the German minister Minich and the regent under the young Emperor John Antonovich - his mother Anna Leopoldovna. After the coup of 1741, Elizabeth, who came to power, abolished Rastrelli's count title. He fell into disgrace, but did not despair, because he knew: none of the other architects were able to please the Frenchwoman. Soon he was again invited to the court and entrusted with the construction of the most important objects in the state - the imperial palaces.
Winter Palace as a historical and cultural monument
The architect of the Winter Palace made this building the tallest building in the city at that time. In plan, the building has the shape of a closed quadrangle with a quadrangular courtyard and four facades that do not repeat each other in shape and decor.
The common thing in the design of facades is their division by cornices into horizontal parts by floor. Floor-by-floor on the facades there are columns and pilasters, which alternate with each other, creating a complex rhythmic basis: single, double, bunches. Openwork wrought iron grilles decorate the entrances to the courtyard. A huge number of sculptures and vases are located along the roof in the rhythm of the columns. The sculptures were made according to drawings by Rastrelli himself, Boumchen. In some sources you can find information that they are hollow, in others they are carved from Pudozh stone. A huge amount of gilding, stucco, keystones above the windows, the dome of the palace church, pediments and attics make the appearance of the palace unforgettable and elegant, even a little fabulous.
Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. Historic building in the Elizabethan Baroque style with French Rococo elements, former imperial palace, built according to the design of B.F. Rastrelli in 1754-1762. Since 1920, the building has been part of the main museum complex of the State Hermitage.
Before 1762, five Winter Palaces were built in St. Petersburg, including the current version. The first palace was built in 1712, the second in 1720, the third in 1735, and the penultimate fourth in 1755. From the moment of its construction until 1904, the last Winter Palace was used as the official winter residence of the Russian emperors. After the 1917 revolution, the Provisional Government met in the palace. Since 1920, the building began to be used as a museum.
The palace building has the shape of a square of 4 wings, which are located around the Great Courtyard, and with their facades they look at the Neva, the Admiralty and Palace Square.
The lush and magnificent appearance of the Winter Palace was supposed to demonstrate the status of the new city on the Neva as the capital Russian Empire. This was achieved by installing special two-level columns on the facades of the building, as well as with the help of sculptures and vases located above the cornice along the entire perimeter of the palace.
B. F. Rastrelli did not have time to personally finish the work on the interior decoration of the halls, since he was dismissed by Catherine II; the interiors of the palace were completed by Y. M. Felten, J. B. Vallin-Delamot and A. Rinaldi. The most famous rooms of the palace are the Jordan Gallery, the Jordan Staircase, the Field Marshal's Hall, the Petrine (Small Throne) Hall, the Armorial Hall, the Military Gallery of 1812, the St. George (Great Throne) Hall, Big Church, Picket (New) Hall, Alexander Hall, October Staircase, White Hall, Golden Living Room, Raspberry Study, Boudoir, Blue Bedroom, Antechamber, Large (Nikolaevsky) Antechamber, Concert hall, Malachite living room, Small (White) dining room.
In 1837, there was a fire in the Winter Palace that lasted for 3 whole days, and the restoration of the building after which took about 2 years.
In 1844, Emperor Nicholas I signed a decree prohibiting the construction of civil buildings higher than the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. The ban was in effect until 1905.
During the First World War, in 1915, the palace housed a military hospital named after Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich.
The storming of the Winter Palace, or rather its encirclement and arrest of members of the Provisional Government, became the main event of the October Revolution of 1917, which brought the Bolsheviks to power.
During the Great Patriotic War, 12 bomb shelters were equipped in the basements of the palace, designed for 2,000 people. During the war years, the palace building was hit by 17 artillery shells and 2 aerial bombs. But already in November 1944, the Winter Palace was partially open to the public, although its complete restoration took several years.
The interiors of the palace are often used for filming feature films, and are also modeled in animated films and computer games.
Almost 50 cats live in the palace, descending from the Dutch cat of Peter I. Their main role is to protect the Winter Palace from mice. There is even a special fund for friends of Hermitage cats, and museum staff organize special holidays for them.
The three-story building of the Winter Palace has 1084 rooms, 1945 windows and 117 staircases. The length of the facade from the Neva side is 137 meters, from the Admiralty side - 106 meters, the height of the palace is 23.5 meters, total area- 46516 square meters.
The Winter Palace is included in the Unified State Register of Cultural Heritage Objects (historical and cultural monuments) of Russia and in the list World Heritage UNESCO within historical center cities.
Note to tourists:
A visit to the Winter Palace will be of interest to tourists interested in the architecture of the second half of the 18th century, to everyone who wants to see the exhibitions housed in the palace, and can also become one of the points of the excursion program while exploring neighboring attractions that are part of the architectural ensemble
Saint Petersburg - northern capital vast Russia, accustomed to surprising us with special individuality, originality of tastes and ambition. Hundreds of magnificent attractions attract the attention of many tourists and local residents every year. One of them - Winter Palace, which is an invaluable monument of history and architecture of past years.
Description
Like many buildings, the structure is distinguished by pomp, which is successfully combined with the special style and handwriting of the author, which we will talk about later. St. Petersburg Winter Palace is cultural heritage Russia, one of the main attractions of the country, which contains interesting historical events and facts. There are many legends and myths surrounding the Palace, some of which can be fully justified by historical facts.
Thanks to the splendor of the structure, being next to it or inside it, you can fully experience the imperial spirit and features of several centuries ago. You can also enjoy the magnificent architectural solutions, which to this day are considered the standard of beauty and sophistication. The design of the Winter Palace has changed more than once over these centuries, so we can observe the building not in its original form, which, however, does not make it less significant and worthy of attention, since all the main features conceived by the author of the project, Francesco Rastrelli, were carefully preserved and passed on by architects of different times. This is located majestic building on Palace Square northern city and reconnects beautifully with the surrounding landscape.
History of the creation and development of the palace
The building is made in a style called Since the times of the USSR, its territory is equipped for the main part of the more early times The Winter Palace has always been the main residence of the emperors of Russia. To fully appreciate the grandeur of this place, you need to look at the history of its creation.
Under the government of Peter I, in 1712, according to the law, it was forbidden to give land to the disposal of ordinary people. Such territories were reserved for sailors belonging to the upper class of society. The site where the Winter Palace is located today was taken under the control of Peter I himself.
From the very beginning, the emperor built a small and cozy home, near which, closer to winter, a small ditch was dug and which was given the name Winter. Actually, this is where the further name of the palace came from.
For many years, the Russian emperor convened various architects to reconstruct his house, and now, years later, from an ordinary wooden house the structure turned into Grand Palace made of stone.
Who built the Winter Palace? In 1735, Francesco Rastrelli was appointed chief architect working on the building, who came up with the idea of buying out the neighboring land plots and expansion of the palace structure, which he told Anna Ioannovna, the ruler of Russia at that time.
The task assigned to the architect
It was this architect who became the creator of the image of the Winter Palace that we are all accustomed to seeing. However, it is worth remembering that some features of the building have changed over time, but still the main ideas and works of Francesco Rastrelli have remained unchanged to this day.
The Winter Palace acquired its modern appearance with the accession of Elizabeth Petrovna to the imperial throne. As the ruler considered, the building does not look like a Palace worthy of Russian emperors staying in it. Therefore, Rastrelli received a task - to modernize the structure and design of the structure, which is why it acquired a new look.
During the construction of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, the hands of 4 thousand workers were used, many of whom Rastrelli personally invited to collaborate. Every detail that differs from other elements of the structure was thought out by the great architect personally and successfully brought to life.
About the architecture of the building
The architectural component of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg is truly multifaceted. The great height of the structure is emphasized by weighty double columns. The chosen Baroque style itself brings notes of splendor and aristocracy. According to the plan, the Palace occupies a square-shaped area, which includes 4 wings. The building itself is three-story, the doors of which open onto the courtyard.
The main facade of the palace is cut through by an arch, the remaining sides of the building are made in an elegant style, which is expressed in Rastrelli’s unique sense of taste and his unusual solutions, which can be seen everywhere. These include the extraordinary layout of the facades, differences in the design of the facades, noticeable projections, uneven construction of columns, and the author’s special emphasis on the stepped corners of the building attracts attention.
The Winter Palace, photos of which are presented to your attention in the article, has 1084 rooms, with a total of 1945 window structures. According to the plan, there are 117 stairs. Also among the unusual and memorable facts is that at that time it was a building with a very large, by European standards, amount of metal in its structures.
The color of the building is heterogeneous and is made mainly in sandy shades, which are Rastrelli’s personal decision. After several reconstructions, the color scheme of the palace changed, but today the authorities of St. Petersburg have come to the conclusion that the best solution is to recreate the appearance of the palace exactly as originally conceived by the great architect.
A few words about the architect
Francesco Rastrelli was born in the capital of France in 1700. His father was a talented Italian sculptor, who had no difficulty recognizing the future skilled architect in his son. After finishing his studies in 1716, he and his father came to live in Russia.
Until 1722, Francesco worked only as an assistant to his father, but by 1722 he was ready to start an independent career, which at first did not work out very well in a country that was very inhospitable for him. Rastrelli Jr. spent 8 years traveling around Europe, where most During this time he did not work, but gained new knowledge in Germany, Italy, France and other countries. By 1730, he had formed his own vision of the Baroque style, which was reflected in his most ambitious project - the Winter Palace.
The architect worked more than once on the creation and reconstruction of buildings in Russia. His main work occurred in the period from 1732 to 1755.
Exclusive facts about the Winter Palace
The building is the richest structure in St. Petersburg, and the value of its exhibits still cannot be accurately calculated. The Winter Palace has many secrets and interesting stories, from which the following can be distinguished:
- During the war with the German invaders, the color of the palace was red. The building acquired its current white and green color only after the war in 1946.
- At the end of the construction work, so much construction waste had accumulated in the square in front of the Palace that it could take weeks to clean it up. However, it occurred to the king interesting idea: he allowed absolutely anyone to take any item from these building materials left over after work. The area in front of the building was cleared in no time.
Fire
In 1837, all the efforts of Francesco Rastrelli and other architects were practically reduced to nothing. A terrible event occurred: a large fire broke out in the palace due to a faulty chimney, and 2 companies of specialists were called in to extinguish it. For 30 hours, firefighters tried to reduce the flames by blocking windows and other openings with bricks, but this did not bring any results. The fire subsided only a day after the fire began, incinerating almost all the beauty of the structure. All that was left of the former palace were the walls and columns, which were scorched by the high temperature.
Restoration work
Restoration work began immediately and lasted 3 years. Unfortunately, from the first buildings, the craftsmen of that time did not have any drawings, so they had to include improvisation and come up with a new style literally on the fly. As a result, the “seventh version” of the palace appeared with a predominance of light green and white shades and gilding inside.
Along with the new look, electrification also came to the palace. The largest power plant in all of Europe (considered such for 15 years) was installed on the 2nd floor and provided electricity to the entire building.
Not only the fire was knocking on the doors of the Winter Palace with bad news. Thus, this building at one time survived both the assault and the assassination attempt of Alexander II, and numerous bombings during the Great Patriotic War.
For modern tourists
Today you can walk through the halls of the Winter Palace by booking one of the many excursions, individual or in a group. The museum doors are open to visitors from 10:00 to 18:00 and close only on Monday - a legal holiday.
You can purchase tickets for a tour of the Winter Palace directly at the museum box office, or by ordering them from a tour operator. They are not always available due to the high popularity of the building, especially during tourist season. Therefore, it is better to buy tickets in advance.
M. Zichy. A ball in the Concert Hall of the Winter Palace during the official visit of Shah Nasir ad-Din in May 1873Empress Elizabeth, wanting to surpass the luxury of the palaces of European monarchs, ordered chief architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli to build a grandiose building in the center of St. Petersburg. In 1754, the design of the Winter Palace, designed in a magnificent Baroque style, was approved. Later, some changes were made to it, bringing the baroque liberties closer to the strict standards of classicism. Large-scale construction was not completed during the reign of Elizabeth, and only Catherine II became the first sovereign mistress of the Winter Palace. During her tenure, work on the arrangement of the interior premises continued. Thus, the Great Throne Hall, known as St. George's, was decorated. Since 1764, Catherine began to collect a collection of paintings from the Hermitage and order architects to build additional buildings in the immediate vicinity of the Winter Palace. In the future, they will be united by a system of transitions into the palace complex.
Under Nicholas I, work on the interiors of the Winter Palace continued. In 1837, due to a faulty chimney, a terrible fire occurred in the building, destroying the historical decoration of the halls - designs by Quarenghi, Rossi, Montferrand. In addition, it was necessary to equip the southwestern wing of the second floor as chambers for the heir to the throne, Alexander II, who was about to get married. Most of the works of this period were carried out by Vasily Stasov and Alexander Bryullov.
In 1904, under Nicholas II, the Winter Palace ceded the right to be called the imperial residence to the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoe Selo. The building continued to be used for museum purposes. With the outbreak of the First World War, part of the collections was taken to Moscow, and the spacious halls were given over to hospitals. After the February Revolution, the Winter Palace became the meeting place of the Provisional Government. It was here, in the Small Dining Room on the second floor, that his ministers were arrested during the October Revolution. A week later, all collections were declared state property and the Winter Palace officially became part of the Hermitage museum complex. During World War II, all collections were evacuated to the Urals. Since the autumn of 1945, the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg has been receiving visitors as usual. Nowadays archaeological collections, works of artists and sculptors, works of decorative and applied art from Asia, England and France are stored here.
Facade facing the Neva
Architectural features of the building
By the time he received the order, Rastrelli had already erected two Winter Palaces in St. Petersburg, but their size and decoration of the halls did not correspond to the high status of the imperial residence. The new building, at the request of Elizabeth, was distinguished by the height of the ceilings and the splendor of decoration characteristic of the Baroque - stucco moldings, sculptures, gilding, draperies made of expensive fabrics. The facade of the Winter Palace was decorated with two tiers of snow-white columns with gold stucco. The distances between the columns are different - so the architect, skillfully using the play of light and shadow, created a complex rhythmic pattern. Places on the roof were occupied by patinated antique statues and vases, and symbols of Russian statehood were also installed here. By the way, the facades became greenish-blue only in our time. Historically, the walls were yellowish-sandy; later they were painted in richer yellow and brown tones.
Dimensions of the Winter Palace
Elizabeth insisted that the height of the Winter Palace should be 22 m, an unprecedented size for St. Petersburg. As a result, the building exceeded the set level by another 1.5 m. The facade facing the Neva is 210 m long, the Admiralty side is slightly shorter - 175 m. Subsequently, Nicholas I made sure that no competitors to the palace appeared in the capital, limiting the height of new buildings.
In total, the Winter Palace had more than 1000 rooms - for official ceremonies, for storing collections, personal chambers of the emperor and heirs to the throne and their retinue, and a huge number of utility rooms to serve the needs of the people living here.
Tours of the Winter Palace
It is extremely difficult to explore all the halls of the Winter Palace at one time, so tourists should think through their routes in advance. On the ground floor there are archaeological collections collected from all corners of the former Soviet Union. From an architectural point of view, the apartments of the daughters of Nicholas I, located in the wing overlooking the Neva, are interesting. On the second floor there are halls that have become the hallmark of the Winter Palace: Throne, Bolshoi, Petrovsky - and private rooms of members of the imperial family, in which objects of Western European art are exhibited. The third floor is dedicated to Asia.
Halls on the first floor
The lower floor is not as popular among visitors as the second, however, each room here also contains unique exhibits obtained by archaeologists.
Private quarters of the emperor's daughters
The former apartments of the daughters of Nicholas I in the Winter Palace are given over to the archaeological collection. In the hallway there are finds from the Paleolithic era, in the bright Gothic living room with pointed arches and medieval plant reliefs - Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages. The decor of the “Living Room with Cupids” appeared in the 50s of the 19th century. The architect Stackenschneider did not skimp on the thick-cheeked cupids: babies with wings hid in the arches, reliefs with their images decorated the ceiling. Nowadays, these decorations house a collection of Bronze Age antiquities. In the study of Olga Nikolaevna, the future queen of Württemberg, the architect acted much more delicately: thin golden curves in the upper part of the ceiling vaults set off Bronze Age artifacts. Nearby there are simple rooms without decoration, given over to Scythian archaeological collections of weapons, ceramics, and jewelry.
Guardhouse premises
From the “women’s” wing, the Kutuzov corridor with modest columns leads guests of the Winter Palace past the former guardhouse, now given over to the halls of art of the peoples of Altai and other regions of Siberia. The world's oldest pile carpet, woven in the 4th-3rd centuries, is kept here. BC e. In the middle, the corridor opens into the lobby of the Saltykovsky entrance, designed in the same style, from which doors lead to the halls of ancient Altai and Tuvan art, nomadic tribes of Southern Siberia.
Collection of Central Asian and Caucasian antiquities
The Kutuzov Corridor leads visitors to the southwest wing, dedicated to the art of Central Asia from the pre-Islamic period. Buddhist shrines, fragments of wall paintings, fabrics, household items, silver, stone sculptures, and decorative elements of buildings from Sogdiana and Khorezm are collected here. At the other end of the wing there are rooms dedicated to the culture of the Caucasus. The most valuable are the artifacts remaining from the state of Urartu. They were found under the leadership of academician Boris Piotrovsky, the former director of the museum, the father of the current one, Mikhail Piotrovsky. Nearby are exhibited perfectly preserved precious fabrics from the Ossetian Moshchevaya Balka, an important Caucasian point on the Silk Road. The Dagestan halls display finely crafted bronze cauldrons, weapons and copper thread embroidery made in the 19th century. Volga Bulgaria, the state of the “Golden Horde” on the territory of the modern Volga region, is represented in the Winter Palace by silver and gold jewelry and weapons, and painted underglaze ceramics. In the Transcaucasian halls you can see Georgian medieval weapons, religious objects, Armenian book miniatures and fragments of architectural structures.
Middle East and North Africa
In the opposite wing is the cultural hall of Palmyra, an ancient Syrian city, the ruins of which were seriously damaged during recent military operations in that country. The Hermitage collection includes funeral steles, customs documentation carved on stone. In the Mesopotamia hall you can see authentic cuneiform tablets from Assyria and Babylon. The vaulted Egyptian Hall, converted in 1940 from the Main Buffet of the Winter Palace, is located in front of the transition to the Small Hermitage building. Among the masterpieces of the collection are stone statue King Amenehmet III, created almost 4000 years ago.
Second floor of the Winter Palace
The northeast wing of the second floor is temporarily closed - its collections have moved to the General Staff building. Next to it is the Great Throne or St. George Hall of the Winter Palace, created according to the design of Giacomo Quarenghi and remodeled after the fire by Vasily Stasov. Carrara marble, unique parquet made of 16 types of wood, an abundance of columns with bronze gilding, mirrors and powerful lamps are designed to draw attention to the throne standing on a dais, ordered in England for Empress Anna Ioannovna. The huge room opens into the relatively small Apollo Hall, which connects the Winter Palace with the Small Hermitage.
Military gallery of the Winter Palace
Large front suite
You can get to the Throne Room through the Military Gallery of 1812, containing works by George Dow and the artists of his workshop - more than 300 portraits of Russian generals who took part in the Napoleonic Wars. The designer of the gallery was the architect Carlo Rossi. On the other side of the gallery is a suite of state rooms. The Armorial Hall of the Winter Palace, created according to Stasov's design, contains symbols of Russian provinces and solid stone bowls made of aventurine. The Petrovsky, or Small Throne Room, conceived by Montferrand and restored by Stasov, is dedicated to Peter I. Its walls are decorated with burgundy Lyon velvet, embroidered with gold, and the ceiling is covered with gold reliefs. The throne was ordered for the imperial family at the end of the 18th century. The White Field Marshal's Hall houses Western European porcelain and sculpture.
A. Ladurner. Armorial Hall of the Winter Palace. 1834
Neva Enfilade
The antechamber is the first in a series of ceremonial rooms overlooking the Neva. Its main attraction - a French rotunda with 8 malachite columns supporting a bronze gilded dome - was erected here in the middle of the last century. Through the Antechamber there is an entrance to the largest room of the Winter Palace - the Nicholas Hall, with Corinthian columns and monochrome ceiling paintings. It does not have a permanent exhibition; only temporary exhibitions are organized. On the opposite side of the Nicholas Hall is the snow-white Concert Hall with paired Corinthian columns and antique reliefs. Adjacent to the Neva Enfilade is the Romanov Portrait Gallery, which contains portraits of members of the imperial family, starting with Peter I.
Part of the northwestern wing is temporarily closed, including the Arapsky Hall with Greek decor that served as a dining room. The Rotunda awaits guests - a spacious round hall with rectangular and round Corinthian columns, a simple circular balcony in the second tier, a ceiling with coffered recesses decorated with reliefs. The floor with circular inlays of precious wood is especially impressive. The small halls leading from the Neva Enfilade to the chambers of the heir to the throne, opening onto the Dark Corridor, are devoted to objects of art of the 18th century.
Private chambers of the Emperor and Empress
Emperor Nicholas I spared no expense on the interiors, so each room in his personal chambers is a real masterpiece of design art. Alexandra Feodorovna’s malachite living room is decorated with emerald green vases, columns, and a fireplace. The richly ornamented floor and carved ceiling are in perfect harmony with the exhibition of objects of decorative and applied art. Nearby is the Small Dining Room, decorated in Rococo style. Furniture from Gambs, the best master of this era, was chosen for the Empress’s office. Sketches of furniture for the adjacent hall were made by the architect Carlo Rossi. The emperor's smoking room amazes with its oriental splendor and bright colors. There are not many halls associated with the name of Nicholas II in the Winter Palace - the last emperor preferred other residences. His library has been preserved with high windows in the English Gothic style and a carved fireplace, imitating a medieval book depository.
Interiors of Russian houses in the Winter Palace
In the imperial wing there are premises reproducing the interiors of wealthy urban houses of the 19th – early 20th centuries. The neo-Russian style is represented by furniture from the 1900s with fabulous folklore motifs. In the former Adjutant Room there is an original ash furniture in the Art Nouveau style. The austere neoclassical interior is enlivened by the bright portrait of Princess Yusupova. The “second” Rococo of the mid-19th century is no less magnificent than the examples of a hundred years ago. The “Pompeian Dining Room” with Gambs furniture refers the viewer to archaeological finds. The Gothic office is decorated with furniture from the Golitsyn-Stroganov estate, reproducing the forms of European knightly Middle Ages– carved backs and armrests of chairs, dark wood tones. The boudoir is the former dressing room of Alexandra Feodorovna with bright painted furniture from the 40s and 50s. XIX century. The living room of a manor house with white columns demonstrates a strict classic interior.
Chambers of the future Emperor Alexander II and his wife
In the southwestern part of the second floor of the Winter Palace are the chambers of Alexander II, furnished at the time when he was the heir to the throne and was preparing for his wedding. Architecturally, the rooms occupied by the future Empress Maria Alexandrovna are noteworthy: the Green Dining Room with lush decor in the Rococo style, the White Hall with many reliefs and sculptures, the Golden Living Room with complex stucco ornaments, inlaid parquet and a jasper fireplace, the Crimson Study with textile wallpaper, the Blue bedroom with golden columns.
Collection of Western European Art
In the wing of the heir to the throne and in the enfilade dedicated to the victory in the War of 1812, paintings and works of decorative and applied art from Great Britain and France are kept: works by Reynolds, Gainsborough, Watteau, Boucher, Greuze, Fragonard, Lorrain, the famous bust of Voltaire made by Houdon. In the southeast wing there is the Alexander Hall, designed in noble white and blue tones, combining elements of Gothic and classicism with a collection of silverware. Next to it is the Great Church, designed by Rastrelli in the Baroque style. The picket hall, where the palace guard was stationed, is temporarily closed.
Third floor
The functioning halls of the third floor in the Winter Palace are devoted to Islamic art of the Middle East, Byzantium, the state of the Huns, India, China, and Japan. Among the most valuable exhibits are finds from the “Cave of 1000 Buddhas,” ancient Chinese furniture and ceramics, Buddhist relics, and Tibetan treasures.
Tourist Information
How to get there
Official address of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg: Palace Square, 2. The nearest metro station is “Admiralteyskaya”, from it you need to walk a little more than 100 m to the north. Bus stop « Palace Embankment"Located to the west of Zimny. There are lifts for wheelchair users and elevators inside the palace. You must enter the museum through the main turnstile.
Ticket prices and opening hours
A visit to the entire Hermitage complex, including the Winter Palace, costs 600 rubles; on the first Thursday of the month you can go for free. If you want to visit only the Winter Palace, then a ticket for 300 rubles will be enough. It is recommended to purchase tickets in advance online to avoid queuing at the box office or terminal. This can be done on the official website www.hermitagemuseum.org. Children and students, Russian pensioners – preferential category, receiving free tickets. The day off is Monday, access to tourists is open from 10:30 to 18:00, on Wednesday and Friday - until 21:00. The Winter Palace is closed New Year and May 9.
