Almost every resident of the former Soviet Union who studied and grew up in those times knows the history of the Smolny Palace, which is located in St. Petersburg. After all, it was the main building during the formation of Soviet power. But this palace has a much richer and more interesting history than most know.
Smolny Palace in St. Petersburg: photos and description
It is considered one of the most interesting architectural monuments of St. Petersburg. Historically, it consists not only of a palace, but of an architectural ensemble, which includes the Smolny Convent and the Smolny Institute. His story is interesting from different points of view: both in its magnificent architecture, and in the history of those who stayed in its halls at various times.
The name itself - Smolny - is due to the fact that once in its place, even during the construction of St. Petersburg, there were premises for storing resin from wood, which was collected for the fleet.
The history of the famous palace in St. Petersburg
The Smolny Palace in St. Petersburg was built at the very beginning of the nineteenth century, but it was conceived long before that.
Back in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven, Elizaveta Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great, deciding to get a haircut as a nun, decided to build a whole resin complex, consisting of a Cathedral, a monastery and an institution for noble maidens. By her decree, Shootings began to design the building of the Resurrection
Novodevichy Convent. But due to the fact that the seven-year war began, the construction was suspended and resumed only in one thousand seven hundred and sixty-second year. This was due to the lack of funds for its construction. He became acting in the sixty-fifth year of the same century. At a time when the monastery was abandoned, the nuns who lived there were scattered around other temples. This was also done because their number at that time was too small, and it was not profitable to maintain the cathedral. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the monastery ceased to exist and reopened only in the middle of the century, already during the reign of Nicholas I. This is the largest long-term construction of Tsarist Russia. The Smolny Cathedral building was built for eighty-seven years. Such a strange fate was in those years at this monastery.
And only at the end of the eighteenth century the construction of the palace began, and before that it was decided that noble maidens would study at the Novodevichy Convent. This was the first educational institution where they began to train girls. At the beginning, the institute was called the Imperial Educational Society of Noble Maidens. The institution was closed, only for noble daughters. In the second half of the eighteenth century, a branch was opened for bourgeois daughters. The idea of creating such an institute belonged to I.I. Betsky. Catherine II believed that they could make good maids and governesses for nobles. Therefore, they must receive appropriate education.
A special building for the institute was built only at the beginning of the nineteenth century by the architect Giacomo Quargi. In it, for some period, courses for teachers are opened, and the philistine estate is transferred for training to the Alexander School. At this moment, Empress Maria Fyodorovna took charge of leading the institution of noble maidens . She considered that the petty bourgeois class should study separately, receiving education only in economics and sewing. However, after a while she again introduced foreign language training for them, as it turned out that, having entered the houses of the nobles as nannies and governesses, they could not speak French with the children. The building of the Smolny Palace houses the Institute of Noble Maidens. He successfully existed in it until the October Revolution of nineteen seventeen.
Palace in the post-revolutionary years
As a result of the revolution, the Smolny Palace in St. Petersburg was occupied by the Bolsheviks, who set up a temporary headquarters here in preparation for the revolutionary uprising. As long as the capital was Petrograd, as the Bolsheviks called it, the Bolshevik government headed by V.I. was located in the Smolny Palace. Lenin. In November of the seventeenth year, the second Congress of Soviets was held here . After the capital moved to Moscow, the city government was located in the Smolny Palace.
During the period of the Great Patriotic War, the headquarters of defense was located in Smolny. From this palace, the city government led the besieged Leningrad. Nowadays, Smolny Palace is the official residence of the
Governor of St. Petersburg. Part of the building is occupied by the museum, which tells about all the significant events related to the history of the structure.
Address
The museum is open to tourists, but not just from the street. It can be accessed only by appointment with the group. Where is the Smolny Palace in St. Petersburg? Museum address: St. Petersburg, Smolny passage, 1, lit. B, Smolny. By preliminary calls, the group is dialed for a certain time.
Expositions
The exposition occupies only a few halls telling about the most important moments in the history of women's education in Russia, the political history of the country. It will be interesting for tourists to see the Gallery of Governors of St. Petersburg.
In addition, classical music concerts are held in the halls of the Smolny Palace. Their organizer is the international fund of V. Spivak. Also, various game classes for children, conferences, thematic exhibitions are held here, to which city residents are happy to invite to the Smolny Palace in St. Petersburg.
The opening hours of the palace, ticket price and how to get to it
It is open daily from 10.00 to 16.00 hours.
22, 46, 74, 136 buses, 5, 7, 16 trolley buses and 16 trams go to the museum.
For excursions, you must make an appointment in advance by calling: (812) 576-74-61, 576-77-46. When visiting a museum, everyone should have a passport with them.
Ticket prices range from 550 (for students) to 650 rubles. Senior citizens, people with disabilities and students have small benefits.
Photo and video
Museum staff are always polite, competent in questions of history and are waiting for you with pleasure to tell you about the Smolny Palace in St. Petersburg. Photo inside is prohibited, however, as in most major museums in the world. It is generally forbidden to take pictures using the flash, as it may adversely affect the safety of work, but there are other reasons. In addition, flash photography may prevent other visitors from viewing exhibits.
When exhibiting temporary expositions from private collections, owners of paintings often prohibit doing so. An important reason is copyright, which guides the owners.
People reviews
Tourists visiting the Smolny Palace leave a lot of reviews. As for excursions, they are very well spoken about them, tourists also like their content. Just like the palace itself and its interior. But many tourists say that it would be much more interesting if the entire palace were opened for visits, and not a small part of it.