The Mariinsky Palace of St. Petersburg is one of the most noticeable sights of the Northern capital. The building was built in the style of classical architecture with numerous signs of eclecticism. Perhaps such a free interpretation of classicism was due to the fact that the palace was built for the Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, daughter of Nicholas I, who temporarily lived with her new husband - Duke Maximilian Leuchtenberg in the Winter Palace. The emperor wished that the newlyweds had their own residence.
History of the Mariinsky Palace
The northern capital of Russia is a recognized center of world culture. The architecture of St. Petersburg is diverse. This city has many religious buildings, palaces and memorials. Most of them were built in the eighteenth century. The southern part of St. Isaac's Square, which is located today The Mariinsky Palace of St. Petersburg, was acquired in 1761 by Count Chernyshev Ivan Grigoryevich, who intended to build a multi-storey mansion on a vast plot. The construction was entrusted to the French architect Jean-Baptiste Wallen-Delamotte, a professor, a major specialist in the construction of palace complexes. Thanks to him, the architecture of St. Petersburg received such masterpieces as the Gostiny Dvor, the Yusupov Palace on the Moika River, and the Imperial Academy of Arts.
In the spring of 1765, Lieutenant General Count Ivan G. Chernyshev with his whole family moved into a new three-story mansion. Roskoshestvo - so it was possible to characterize the palace, trimmed with white marble, brought from Italy.
In December 1766, the mansion of Count Chernyshev was visited by Empress Catherine II, for whom a special chair with her name was prepared, in which she played cards. In the absence of a crowned person, the chair was covered with a velvet bedspread until the next visit.
In 1839, the count’s mansion was demolished and the construction of a grand building began in its place, which was named after the future mistress of Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna and still bears the name Mariinsky.
Rejection of marble
The palace was built by the architect A.I. Shtakenschneider, who conducted work in accordance with the latest technologies. The architect tried to use as few wood materials as possible to reduce the risk of fire. Ceilings were made of metal and stone slabs. With the favor of the emperor, the architect abandoned marble, and all the interior decoration was made of sandstone, thanks to which the walls remained warm for a long time.
Layout
The classical facade of the palace assumed a traditional layout in the form of a long suite of rooms communicating with each other, however, the real arrangement of the premises became fundamentally different. The main staircase was displaced from the center of the main facade to the left side of the lobby. The pomp level decreased, but it became warmer.
On the second floor, the traditions of palace architecture were respected. Two enfilades, located perpendicularly, intersected, forming a hall-rotunda. Next was the Pompeian lounge, adjacent to the Oval lounge and the Oval dining room.
Living spaces
The rooms of Princess Maria Nikolaevna began with a reception room, followed by an office. A series of rooms was continued by a bedroom, a boudoir, a toilet room and another study, Corner, or Oval. In the right wing was a special ramp to go to the upper floors. It was a series of gentle inclined spans, on which you could walk or ride in a small stroller. On both sides of the aisle, exotic plants were planted, creating an atmosphere of the tropics. Walking along an improvised mountain road had a beneficial effect on the tone of the inhabitants of the palace.
Chambers of the Duke of Leuchtenberg
The husband of Maria Nikolaevna lived in rooms with windows on St. Isaac's Square. His chambers began with the front reception, which was continued by the billiard room, living room and Turkish office. There was an extensive collection of weapons. On the ground floor, a chapel with stained-glass windows was arranged for Maximilian. The stained-glass windows were brought from the German city of Munich, the homeland of the Duke.
Construction completion
After the Mariinsky Palace of St. Petersburg was built, it was opened for free visits. Everyone could examine him and even visit the house church located in the attic. Visitors climbed up the stairs leading from the lobby, the ramp was only half open, and there was no way out of it to the roof.
Attendants and courtiers lived on the third floor and in the wings of the palace, which were called Officers and Hoffmeister. It is characteristic that all the premises of the Mariinsky Palace were freely communicated, there were no forbidden zones or closed rooms anywhere. Princess Maria Nikolaevna professed an open lifestyle, she herself was available for communication and demanded the same from her subjects.
Death of the duke
In 1852, at the age of 35, Maximilian Leuchtenberg died, leaving Maria Nikolaevna with two sons - Eugene and George, who, after marriage, settled with their wives in the eastern part of the palace, where they lived until the death of their mother, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, who died in 1876. By that time, the Mariinsky Palace of St. Petersburg was burdened with debt, and the heirs considered the only right decision to sell the parental home. However, no buyers were found, and then the building was registered with the tsarist treasury department.
Center for Russian Statehood
In 1884, the Mariinsky Palace of St. Petersburg passed into the royal treasury for three million rubles and became state property. On July 14, 1884, Emperor Alexander III signed a decree according to which the palace was declared the official meeting place of the Council of State. And in February 1885, the Mariinsky Palace hosted the committees of the Council of Ministers, the State Chancellery, and the Special Chancellery for petitions in the highest name.
Consecration
On February 11, 1885, the Mariinsky Palace was proclaimed the center of Russian statehood. The priests present attended a special service with the consecration of the building and the interior.
When the State Duma was established in 1905, the State Council expanded significantly. The rotunda of the palace did not accommodate all the participants. The Winter Garden was taken under the conference hall, which was radically rebuilt, and on October 15, 1908, the State Council was already working in new conditions.
New time
The February 1917 revolution changed a lot in the country. First of all, the Provisional Government arose, which was located in the Mariinsky Palace and worked until August. Then there was the All-Russian Commission on Constituent Assembly Elections. After the October Revolution, the People’s Commissariat of Property and the Supreme Council of the National Economy moved to the Mariinsky Palace in full force.
Tours in St. Petersburg
In the city on the Neva, many masterpieces of architecture, ancient and modern, are collected. Cathedrals coexist with civil buildings, but each building is a piece of history. The northern capital as a whole is the cultural heritage of Russia, a conglomerate of achievements in art and architecture. Everywhere grand tourist sites to explore a small part of them will require more than one week. Therefore, excursions around St. Petersburg are organized, which include a maximum of visits with minimal time. Each group of tourists is accompanied by a guide, and comfortable buses are used as transport.
The Mariinsky Palace today is also the cultural heritage of Russia, its visit is included in all tourist routes. On ordinary days, the palace can be viewed from the outside, and on weekends its interior becomes available. The program of visits to city historical sights also includes the entire St. Isaac's Square in St. Petersburg with monuments to Peter I and Nicholas I, palaces, the legendary Angleterre Hotel. St. Isaac's Cathedral with unique malachite pilasters from floor to ceiling, a unique mosaic floor, and an incredibly accurate architectural model made of linden by the fortress Maxim Salin is especially interesting for visiting.
After visiting the cathedral, you can go to the Mariinsky Palace, whose address is St. Isaac's Square, 6.