Nikolaevsky Palace in St. Petersburg: description. Nikolaevsky Palace, St. Petersburg: excursions, photos and reviews of tourists

This palace on Blagoveshchenskaya Square (today it is the Square of Labor) was erected specially for Prince Nikolai - the son of Emperor Nicholas I. The foundation of the building was laid in 1853, and the construction lasted for eight years.

History

For his third son, the emperor Nicholas I chose the place for the palace personally. A. Shtakenshneider was entrusted with developing the project. His assistants were the well-known in Russia architects A. Lange and K. Ziegler. KA led the construction. Tone, R. A. Zhelyazevich A.P. Bryullov.

The place on Blagoveshchenskaya Square was not accidentally chosen for the palace. At this time, it began to develop very dynamically and soon turned into a beautiful and lively area of the city. The main decoration of the square was the Annunciation Church of the architect Ton.

Start of construction

At the end of 1851, the All-Russian competition for the best palace project for the twenty-year-old Nikolai Nikolaevich was announced. The most successful was the option offered by the architect Andrei Ivanovich Stakenschneider.

Nikolaevsky Palace in St. Petersburg became not only a dwelling for the prince, here there were provided an arena, stables, living quarters for servants. The building occupied an area of two hectares. During the Crimean War, construction work was suspended. They continued in 1856. The St. Nicholas Palace in St. Petersburg was consecrated in December 1861.

The Grand Duke died in 1890. For debts Nikolaevsky palace in St.-Petersburg have transferred in the order of department of destinies. In other words, the structure has become the property of the state.

Nikolaevsky Palace - description

In those days it was the most technically equipped palace. It already had a sewage system, a water pipe, a telegraph connection. Especially it is necessary to note carefully thought-out heating system. It included 70 fireplaces, as well as a large number of Dutch (tile) and Russian ovens. Above all (92) pipes there were lightning rods that were grounded in the garden. In the center of the garden was a round glacier. It was made in the form of a grotto. The material for its production was the red Finnish granite.

Manezh, performed in Arabic style, adjoined the palace. Two rooms for service personnel were built there, as well as a room where exhibitions of thoroughbred dogs, pedigree cattle, horses were held. I must say that the Grand Duke was a member of many sports and agricultural societies.

The Nikolayevsky Palace in St. Petersburg has a rectangular shape. For the facade, Stackenschneider used architectural techniques in the style of the Italian Renaissance. During this period of time, eclecticism has become fashionable. AI Shtakenshneider became one of the pioneers who applied it in St. Petersburg.

Each floor of the residence the architect identified with an original cornice. The ground floor is low, decorated with pilasters and processed by rust. Above the windows there are bas-reliefs, and under the windows - heavy consoles. The loft is decorated as a parade - high Renaissance windows and a large number of small wrought iron balconies.

Before the central entrance behind the openwork fence was an open area. At first there was no garden with flower beds and trees, so the fountain-a portico with columns made of granite-was clearly visible. In the eastern part of the palace there is a house church.

Interior decoration

While decorating the vestibule, Stackenschneider used marble, which remained after the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral. The loft began with a white living room.

The dance and banquet halls were located in the northern part of the building. These are very spacious rooms with a height of more than 17 meters. They are decorated with sculptural works.

Personal apartments of the Grand Duke and his wife, according to the architect's idea, were in the east side of the palace on the second floor. The windows of the rooms overlooked the Konnogvardeisky boulevard and the garden. They could be reached through a separate entrance, located on the side of the garden. Directly from the apartments it was possible to pass into the room of the adjutant on duty, a billiard room, a cabinet, a standard one.

The walls of almost all rooms were decorated with a variety of images of horses beloved by the prince. These animals were the true passion of Nikolai Nikolaevich. He commanded cavalry forces throughout Russia.

Three doors led from the study to the balcony.

The spouses of the prince's wife - Alexandra Petrovna - were neighbors with Nikolai Nikolayevich's rooms. The cabinet of the princess went into the garden with two windows and a balcony on the boulevard. From here, Alexandra Petrovna could go out into the winter garden, the bedchamber, the boudoir.

Children's rooms were located on the first floor of the palace. In the north-western wing of the building there were rooms for educators. There were also furnished guest rooms.

As contemporaries note, the Annunciation Square has become much more beautiful since the appearance of the Nikolaevsky Palace on it. Walking through Petersburg many townspeople moved to this developing region.

House church

The history of this building is interesting. Once Prince Nikolai was in Rostov and saw an unusually beautiful temple. The decision was made instantly - the same church must have been in his house. In 1863 the house church was erected in the Nikolaevsky Palace. It was open to all visitors. The temple was consecrated in late October 1863.

Women's Institute

According to sources, for some time in the city government argued about how to use the palace. As a result, it was decided to open a women's institute within its walls and name it in honor of the daughter of the emperor Xeninsky.

On the first floor, they organized the office, arranged the apartment for the director of the institute and the living quarters of the teaching staff.

It was decided to place the training classes on the second floor. In the former stable they made a dining room, the arena was turned into a bedroom. The Institute worked quite successfully until 1917.

Palace after the revolution

In the history of this structure (as, indeed, in many others), the revolution made significant adjustments. In 1917, a decision was made, and the Nikolaev Palace was given to the Petrograd Soviet of Trade Unions . Palace of Labor - so from this time began to call this building.

House church in 1999 was transferred to the Orthodox Church, and it resumed services.

During the Second World War, the St. Nicholas Palace in St. Petersburg was badly damaged. A few years after the Great Victory, it was completely restored.

The Palace in our days

Nikolaevsky Palace on the Place of Work in St. Petersburg is under the jurisdiction of the Council of Trade Unions of the Northern Capital.

A magnificent monument of history and culture attracts numerous tourists. True, many premises of the palace are leased for offices, banquets, folklore shows, etc. Despite this, you have the opportunity to get to the Nikolayev Palace in St. Petersburg. Excursions, expositions of various exhibitions are held here regularly. About the history of the palace, its owners will tell you experienced guides.

In addition, in luxurious living rooms and halls, you can celebrate a wedding, celebrate a birthday, hold a prom night. In the concert hall, business meetings and presentations are often held.

Reviews of tourists

Having studied the opinions of people who visited the St. Nicholas Palace in St. Petersburg, we can conclude that the monumentalism and luxurious decoration of the palace make a great impression on the guests, but many believe that it was impossible to turn such a monument into a cluster of offices, restaurants, etc.