The founding of the city on the Neva is connected with the events of the Great Northern War, which Russia waged with Sweden for the return of lands along the coast of the Gulf of Finland, lost by it in the first quarter of the 17th century. After a series of failures at the beginning of the war, Russian troops during the autumn of 1702-spring of 1703 cleared the entire Neva from the Swedes, from source to mouth.
The reclaimed lands needed reliable protection, as the Swedes did not stop trying to push the Russians back from the shores of the Gulf of Finland. On May 16 (27), 1703, on the island of Yennisaari (Hare) at the mouth of the Neva, Peter I founded a fortress, which was named in the Dutch manner "St. Petersburg", in the name of the Holy Apostle Peter. This day, which coincided with the feast of the Holy Trinity, went down in the history of our city as his birthday.
The fortress became the first construction of St. Petersburg. By autumn, wood-and-earth bastions had risen above the Neva, on which guns were placed. In the center of the fortress, a wooden church was erected, founded on June 29, 1703 in the name of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Cruciform in plan, it was crowned with a high spire.
From the first weeks of the foundation of the fortress, the construction of the surrounding Neva banks began. The lands of the relatively dry Beryozovy Island closest to the fortress, which soon became known as City Island, and even later - Petersburg Island, were developed most quickly. Here, at the end of May 1703, carpenters erected the "Red Khoromtsy" for the tsar. They were built of logs hewn on both sides, covered with planks in the form of tiles and painted like brick in the Dutch style. Khoromtsy, later called the House of Peter I, have survived to this day in relatively good condition. This is the only building that survived from the initial period of the city's construction. Already in the time of Peter the Great, a protective wooden gallery was erected around the House. In 1784, it was replaced by a stone case, rebuilt in 1844 by the architect R. I. Kuzmin.
Soon, next to the king's house, they began to build their houses and his entourage. Among them, the hut chambers of A.D. Menshikov, or the "Ambassador's Palace", as foreigners called them, stood out especially, since solemn receptions of ambassadors usually took place in this building.
The houses of R. V. Bruce, P. P. Shafirov, N. M. Zotov, I. P. Rzhevsky, G. I. Golovkin, U. A. Sinyavin and others were noticeably more modest. In 1706, a special Office of City Affairs was established to manage all construction affairs, headed by U. A. Sinyavin. She immediately began to implement the urban planning plans of Peter I, who not only personally supervised the work of architects, but also made draft designs of many buildings himself.
With the construction of the fortress-shipyard of the Admiralty on the left bank of the Neva, the construction of residential buildings of higher military and civil ranks also began here. The section of this bank between the Nameless Eric (Fontanka) and the Mya (Moika) River was chosen by Peter I for his summer residence. After Mew was connected to the Neva by the Swan Canal, a small island was formed, in the northern part of which the Summer Palace was built in 1710-1714. Its author is presumably the Italian architect D. Trezzini, who was born in Switzerland and came to Russia in 1703. The German architect A. Schluter participated in the finishing works of the building.
The palace is a rectangular two-storey stone building covered with a high hipped roof. Its facades are decorated with a narrow ornamental frieze, the corners are processed with rustication. Terracotta bas-reliefs-allegories, placed between the windows of the upper and lower floors, glorify the victory of Russia over Sweden. The main entrance to the palace, from the side of the garden, is marked by an excellent sculptural composition, the center of which is the image of Minerva framed by victorious banners and military trophies.
The external appearance of the palace has changed little over the past almost three centuries. The fact is that even during the life of Peter I in the Summer Garden, near the Swan Canal, new summer chambers were built, more extensive than the Summer Palace. After the construction of the large summer palace of Elizaveta Petrovna on the banks of the Moika, on the site of the current Mikhailovsky Castle, the old palace of Peter I was abandoned. This saved him from alterations in the process of repairs. Now the building seems to be less tall, because due to many years of adding soil, its plinth has ceased to be visible. Peter I loved the Summer Palace and lived there with his family from spring to late autumn. The interior of the palace has an enfilade arrangement (seven rooms on each floor). There are no big rooms here. On the first floor, the decoration of the vestibule, the walls of which are sheathed with carved oak panels, dissected by Ionic order pilasters, is of significant artistic value. Masterfully executed by the sculptor N. Pino, the bas-relief image of Minerva. The office of Peter the Great is also decorated with no less taste, where the picturesque plafonds by G. Gzel, a tiled stove and a panel have been preserved. On the second floor, the Green Cabinet is especially interesting, in the design of which picturesque inserts, molding and gilding are used.
The Summer Palace is an integral part of the Summer Garden ensemble, the oldest of the gardens in St. Petersburg. Founded in 1704 by order and plan of Peter the Great, the garden was laid out in a regular style, which assumed a strict geometric layout of alleys, galleries and ponds. In 1716-1717, the work was supervised by the prominent French architect J. B. Leblon, who was invited to the Russian service. After his death, construction continued under the supervision of the architect M. G. Zemtsov. Garden masters J. Rozen, and then I. Surmin, were engaged in green plantations.
Taking care of decorating the garden, Peter I generously gave money for the purchase of marble statues and busts, which were purchased mainly in Italy. The works of such great masters of decorative sculpture as D. Bonazza, P. Baratta, D. Zorzoni, A. Tarsia and others adorned the alleys.
In the mid-1720s, the Summer Garden acquired a complete, integral look. It was decorated with all kinds of pavilions, pavilions, fountains, enclosures. Contemporaries especially admired the Grotto, skillfully decorated inside with shells and stones. By the end of the 1720s, the territory of the garden stretched from north to south - from the Neva to the Bolshoi Perspective Road (now Nevsky Prospekt), and from east to west - from the Fontanka to the Krivusha River (now Ekaterininsky Canal).
During the time of Peter the Great, the Summer Garden played an important role in the life of the city. This was due to the relocation of the royal court from Moscow to the banks of the Neva in 1712, with the placement of various court services here. Assemblies and receptions of foreign ambassadors were held in the garden, magnificent festivities and illuminations were held on the occasion of military victories, name days and marriages of members of the royal family were celebrated. First of all, thanks to the Summer Garden and other palace and park ensembles, the young city was already beginning to resemble that “paradise” (from the French paradis - paradise), which Peter I passionately dreamed of.
Work on the "regulation" of the banks of the Neva and Fontanka, which unfolded in the second half of the 18th century, led to significant changes in the appearance of the Summer Garden. In 1771-1784, it was surrounded from the north, from the side of the embankment, by a magnificent openwork fence, made according to the project of the architect Yu. M. Felten. The exceptional harmony and slenderness of the forged lattice make it one of the outstanding works of art. In 1826, the garden was also fenced off from the south by a cast-iron grate, built according to the project of the architect L. I. Charlemagne.
At the same time, the architect K-I. Rossi rebuilt the Grotto into a pavilion called the Coffee House. A year later, a Tea House was built in the northeastern part of the garden, and thirty years later, a monument to I. A. Krylov was erected next to it according to the project of the sculptor P. K. Klodt.
The description of Petersburg made by a foreigner who visited the new capital in 1720 is curious: “Here every senator, minister and boyar should have a palace; another had to line up three when ordered. Happy was the one who was assigned a dry place, but whoever came across a swamp and swamp, he warmed his forehead in order while he established the foundation. Even now, although the houses have been rebuilt, they shake when a carriage passes by them... The palaces are huge, made of stone, with outbuildings, kitchens and conveniences, only they have been hastily built, so that at the slightest wind the roof tiles fall down. The gardens are very beautiful. I heard from the king himself, who said to us: "If I live three years, I will have a better garden than the French king at Versailles." And in fact, a lot of marble statues, columns were brought here by sea from Italy, England and Holland, even a whole gazebo made of alabaster and marble was brought from Venice for a garden located right by the river, between the canals.
Almost at the same time as the Summer Palace, in 1710-1711, the first Winter Palace of Peter I was built. Later, a canal was dug nearby to the Moika (Winter Canal). The two-story building "in the Dutch style", covered with a high roof, was decorated with a small elegant portal with fittings above it and narrow pilasters. Soon the palace was small. Therefore, in 1719-1721, according to the design of the German architect G. Mattarnovi, the second Winter Palace was built on the site where the Hermitage Theater is now located. The shape of the building, rectangular in plan, clearly showed the influence of compositional techniques of Northern European architecture. Its facade, facing the Neva, was decorated by the architect with pilasters and enlivened with bas-reliefs.
In 1726-1727, the palace was significantly expanded by the architect D. Trezzini. He added two wings to the building and emphasized its center with four columns and a lavishly decorated attic. The decoration of the palace chambers also became richer. After the death of Catherine I (in 1727), work on finishing the building ceased.
In the same years, the palace estate of A. D. Menshikov, the first governor-general of St. Petersburg, was being built in the eastern part of Vasilyevsky Island. The compositional center of the estate was the palace, erected on the banks of the Bolshaya Neva. Its construction was carried out in several stages. The building began to be built in 1710 by the architect D. M. Fontana, continued and mostly completed in 1722 by the architect G. Shedel.
The main, three-story building of the palace looked quite impressive thanks to a porch with columns and an attic with a sculpture against the backdrop of a high roof. This impression was strengthened by the side risalits, ending with curved pediments topped with princely crowns. The façades of the main building and its side wings were decorated with pilasters made floor by floor with carved stone capitals.
The layout of the building, which had an enfilade arrangement of rooms, was simple. The vestibule with the main staircase, the vaults of which are supported by two rows of smooth columns, has been well preserved to this day. In addition, tiled wall cladding in a number of rooms on the second floor, Dutch tiled stoves have more or less survived. In the Nut Cabinet, under a picturesque plafond painted in the 1720s, during the restoration, a fresco of the first quarter of the 18th century depicting Peter I as a victorious warrior was discovered. From the palace to the north, to the Malaya Neva, stretched a huge garden, which had a regular layout. Fountains, gazebos, greenhouses, a grotto, various pavilions were arranged in it. Unfortunately, nothing has survived from this once peculiar ensemble to this day. After the arrest and exile of Menshikov, the palace entered the treasury. In 1732, the land gentry (since 1800 - the First Cadet) corps was located in the building. This led to significant changes in its appearance. At the end of the 50s, an eastern wing was added to the palace - symmetrically to the western one, built under Menshikov. Almost simultaneously, the high roof with a fracture was replaced by an ordinary gable roof.
The main, "assembly" hall, located on the second floor of the palace, was turned into a double-height church hall. The throne and the iconostasis of the manor Resurrection Church, which had fallen into disrepair, were transferred to it.
In 1765, this hall was thoroughly rebuilt, giving the windows of the second floor a semi-circular completion and making the windows of the third floor oval. The roof of the building was crowned with a low spire with a cross. The church built in the hall was again consecrated in the name of the Nativity of John the Baptist. In the second half of the 19th century, the Council of the Main Directorate of Military Educational Institutions was located in the Menshikov Palace proper. The first attempt to restore some of the premises of the building dates back to this time. In 1888, a significant part of the palace was occupied by the Museum of the First Cadet Corps, in the exposition of which there were many valuable works of painting and sculpture. Revolutionary upheavals had a detrimental effect on the interior of the palace. The church hall was looted, the museum was ruined and closed. For more than thirty years, the building was occupied by the Leningrad Military-Political School, and then by various institutions. In 1967 it was transferred to the State Hermitage. After many years of restoration work, it was possible to partially recreate the original appearance of the palace; an exposition dedicated to Russian culture of the first third of the 18th century was deployed in its halls.
The Summer and Menshikov Palaces are among the first stone residential buildings in St. Petersburg. Comparatively well-preserved to this day, both buildings are the most valuable architectural monuments of the Petrine Baroque.
The palace buildings of St. Petersburg also include the so-called palace of Peter II, founded in 1727 on the territory of the Menshikov estate. With the move of Peter II to Moscow, the construction of the palace was interrupted for three decades. Only after the transfer of the site to the Land Gentry Corps, it continued and ended in 1761. The facade of the new building had much in common with the facade of the Menshikov Palace, which ensured the unity of the stylistic appearance of the development of this section of the Bolshaya Neva embankment.
Gradually, the boundaries of development moved apart, covering more and more new sections of the Neva delta.
In 1722-1726, the so-called Spy Palace was built on a small island located on the seashore at the mouth of the Fontanka River. From here, the fairway was clearly visible, followed by ships from the Gulf of Finland to the Bolshaya Neva. The building was designed by the Dutch architect S. van Zwieten. Its basis was a three-story building with a tower, to which two two-story outbuildings adjoined at a right angle. On the sides stood four pavilions topped with small domes. Built in the typical forms of suburban Dutch villas, the palace was, according to I. E. Grabar, “one of the sweetest and most amiable monuments of the Petrine era in St. Petersburg.” Unfortunately, already in the middle of the 18th century, the buildings on the Spy Island fell into complete disrepair and then underwent a radical restructuring.
To the south of the Podzorny Island, on the bank of a small channel, in 1711 a wooden two-story palace was built, which became the summer residence of the wife of Peter I Catherine and was called Ekateringofsky. It was built in memory of the first naval victory won by the Russians over the Swedes in early May 1703 in the Northern War. The author of the project of the building is presumably D. Trezzini. A small park was laid out in front of the eastern facade of the palace.
Under Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the palace was re-finished and significantly expanded. Two outbuildings were added to the building, assembled from the details of the wooden palace of Empress Anna Ioannovna, located in the Summer Garden. A stone fence with a lattice was built around the oaks planted by decree of Peter I. But in 1779, the outbuildings were dismantled and the palace returned to its original appearance. In the 1820s, a museum was opened in the Yekateringof Palace, which exhibited genuine things of Peter I, household items of Peter the Great's time.
The significantly expanded park became a place for aristocratic festivities. After the revolution, a youth workers' club was located in the palace. In 1924, the building was badly damaged by fire and dismantled.
By the end of the 1720s, the appearance of St. Petersburg had already been determined. Palaces rose on the banks of the Neva, country estates were located along small rivers, and regular gardens stretched out. And although stone houses coexisted with vegetable gardens, swamps, wastelands, and palaces with soldiers' and workers' settlements, this was already the capital of the state by its nature.
The architectural forms of the time of Peter the Great were greatly influenced by the schemes of city palaces and villas by the Italian architect A. Palladio, as well as the work of famous French and German masters, represented in Russia by the works of J. B. Leblon and A. Schluter.
Simultaneously with the planned development of St. Petersburg, work began on the development of the surrounding lands. The victories won by the Russian troops on June 27, 1709 near Poltava and the Russian fleet on July 27, 1714 near Gangut, reliably ensured the city's security. Even in the first years of the Northern War, piers and the so-called "traffic rooms" were built to communicate with the island of Kotlin on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, in which Peter I sometimes stopped with his retinue. One of them was given the name Strelninskaya manor (or - Strelina manor), the other - Peterhof ("Petrov's yard"). Soon summer royal residences began to be built here.
The beginning of the palace and park ensemble of Strelna was laid by the construction in 1711-1717 of the wooden palace of Peter I near the mouth of the Strelka River. The modest one-story building, which had “two halls and eight rooms with a light room,” differed little from other similar buildings. The name of its builder remains unknown. In front of the northern facade of the palace, flower beds with two fountains were laid out, and a direct “perspective” to the sea was laid along the axis of the building. Household services, greenhouses, fruit and linden gardens soon arose around. The wooden Church of the Transfiguration, built not far from the palace, also entered the manor complex.
Under the successors of Peter I, the palace fell into complete disrepair and began to collapse. In 1749-1750 it was renewed and partially rebuilt by the architect B. F. Rastrelli. At the same time, the facades of the palace underwent some alteration. The architect emphasized its central two-story part with a six-columned portico supporting a balcony. This determined the formation of the baroque appearance of the building. In the late 1830s, the palace was dismantled and rebuilt by the architect H. F. Meyer, who strictly followed the plan of his predecessors. The miraculously preserved building still stands on a high coastal hill.
The Strelna Palace looked much larger, the construction of which unfolded somewhat to the east by order of Peter I. Initially, the building project was commissioned by the Italian architect S. Cipriani, but his plan remained unfulfilled. Somewhat later, in 1717, the project of the palace and the park was made by the architect J. B. Leblon, but this project was only partially implemented, creating canals that have survived to this day.
The construction of the Strelna Palace began only some time later, in June 1720, according to the plan and under the guidance of the Italian architect N. Michetti. The laying ceremony was attended by Peter I, who at that time attached great importance to Strelna. It was assumed that the palace being built "will be almost more magnificent than Versailles in France." Hundreds of masons and plasterers, taken from other royal construction sites, were involved in the work. However, soon Peter I, busy with state affairs, ceased to be interested in the progress of construction, as a result of which the construction of the building slowed down.
After the departure of N. Michetti from Russia, the construction of the palace continued under the supervision of the architect T. N. Usov and was completed in rough in 1726. Ten years later, it was badly damaged by fire. The restoration and completion of the building were carried out by the architect B. F. Rastrelli in 1751-1755.
The majestic, somewhat elongated building of the palace rose on the edge of the natural coastal ridge. In the middle part it is cut through by a triple through arcade connecting the two wings of the building. This solemn arcade, a figured rronton in the center, groups of paired columns, a high roof and, finally, the very size of the palace distinguish it from similar buildings of the first third of the 18th century. With its grand appearance, the building is a bit reminiscent of the Venetian palazzo of the Renaissance.
On the lower terrace in front of the palace, a regular park was laid out, one of the first in Russia, divided by canals intersecting at right angles. They played a decisive role in its planning.
An even more impressive palace and park ensemble was created west of Strelna, in the Peterhof area. Here, in 1710, the construction of the royal country residence began. The initial plan of it was made by Peter I himself. A number of his sketches have been preserved, where the layout of the park is outlined and the construction sites of future palaces are indicated.
The compositional center of the ensemble is the Grand Palace, located on a natural coastal ledge facing the sea. The construction of the palace (originally it was called the Upper Chambers) began in 1714 under the guidance of the draftsman I.F. Braunstein, but stopped after a year and a half. In 1716, all the work was headed by the architect J. B. Leblon, who made significant changes to the project. The palace erected by him was a two-story building, from the windows of which a magnificent view of the Gulf of Finland and the island of Kotlin opened.
In the center of the palace, Leblon placed a two-height main hall, decorated with wood panels, paintings and carvings. In 1721-1723, the architect N. Michetti added two-story side wings to the building, connected to the central part by small galleries stretching along the slope. The decoration of the study of Peter I, decorated with carved oak panels based on the drawings of N. Pino, was completed.
Simultaneously with the construction of the Grand Palace, work began on the construction of the Grand, or Sea, Canal and the laying out of the regular Lower Park and Upper Garden, the common planning axis of which was the axis of the palace. At the very foot of the Grand Palace, forming a single whole with it, the Grand Cascade was erected - the largest fountain ensemble in the world. Its construction began in 1715, and in 1723 a ceremonial launch of the fountains took place. The architects J. B. Leblon, N. Michetti, M. G. Zemtsov and the fountain master P. Sualem took part in the construction of the Grand Cascade. The cascade included three waterfall stairs and a grotto.
Among the oldest buildings of Peterhof is the small seaside palace of Peter I Monplaisir (“My Pleasure”), located in the Lower Park. Started in 1714, Monplaisir was basically ready by 1722. The central part was built first, and then galleries with side pavilions - lusthauses (“pleasure houses”) were attached to it. In 1723, all finishing work was completed. The construction was carried out under the leadership of I.F. Braunstein, J.B. Leblon, N. Michetti.
The facades of the palace, set on an artificial embankment, are extremely modest, although they are decorated with a balustrade, pilasters and rustication. The interior of the building, on the contrary, is distinguished by undoubted sophistication. The decoration of the Great Hall and the Lacquer Room is especially good, the plafond paintings of which were made by the French decorator F. Pilman together with the Russian masters F. Vorobyov, L. Zakharov, D. Solovyov, S. Bushuev, M. Negrubov. In Monplaisir, Peter I collected many works of Dutch, Flemish and Italian painting, which made up the first art gallery in Russia, numbering more than 170 canvases.
In front of the southern facade of the palace there is a front garden with intricate flower beds and fountains, created in 1721-1723 by architects N. Michetti, I. Ustinov and fountain master P. Sualem.
The wide alley leading south from the Monplaisir Palace is closed by the Chess Mountain cascade, which began to be built in 1721. Initially, it was called "Ruin", as they wanted to decorate it as the ruins of a Swedish fortress. In the late 1730s, the cascade was rebuilt according to the design of M. G. Zemtsov, I. N. Davydov, I. Ya. Blank. For some time it was called the "Dragon Mountain" because of the three wooden dragons placed side by side, made by the carver K. Osner. Later, when the drain slopes were painted with black and white squares, the cascade began to be called "Chess". The marble statues decorating it are the rarest collection of decorative park sculpture of the 18th century.
On the sides of the square in front of the "Chessboard Hill" there are two monumental Roman fountains, reminiscent of the fountains in front of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. Built in 1739 by Blank and Davydov, in 1763 they were remade in stone and lined with marble according to the project of B. F. Rastrelli.
The oldest palace buildings in the Lower Park are also the Hermitage pavilion and the Marly Palace. The first of them was erected in 1721-1724 according to the project of I. F. Braunshtein with the participation of the sculptor K. Osner. The facades of a small two-story building surrounded by a moat are light and airy: they are enlivened by white pilasters and cut through by high windows framed by architraves. For the first half century, decorative figures stood above the semicircular pediments of the northern and southern facades, and vases at the corners of the roof. The elegant hall, which occupies the entire second floor of the building, houses a collection of paintings. It includes over 120 paintings by Dutch, Flemish, French and Italian masters of the 17th-18th centuries. Many of them were from the personal collection of Peter I.
Another notable building in this part of the park, the Marly Palace, was built in 1720-1723 according to the design of I.F. Braunstein. The palace standing between two ponds is visible from afar. Actually, there is nothing "palace" in his appearance. Outwardly, this is an ordinary two-story house, covered with a figured hipped roof and decorated with peculiar semicircular pediments on the eastern and western facades. Nevertheless, the elegance of decoration, the severity of proportions, the picturesque location give special significance to this large building. The interior of the palace is also distinguished by its simplicity and austerity. Of greatest interest are the Oak and Chinar cabinets, finished with carved panels, made according to the drawings of N. Pino. The kitchen, lined with two-color tiles, is also original.
Near the palace in 1722-1726, according to the project of N. Miketti, a magnificent cascade was created, originally called the "Marlin Cascade". In 1732, M. G. Zemtsov decorated it with marble and gilded lead statues, and covered the plumb steps with gilded copper sheets, after which the cascade received a new name - the Golden Mountain. On the square in front of the cascade, Menagery "economical" fountains were built and two monumental marble statues of Italian work of the early 16th century - "Earth" and "Air" were installed. As a result of the most complex land management works, vast territories adjacent to the palaces were turned into genuine works of art.
In those years when the summer residence of Peter I was being created in Peterhof, ten kilometers to the west, the construction of the country estate of A. D. Menshikov, who received large possessions on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, began. The estate was named Oranienbaum ("Orange Tree"). Here, on one of the sections of the coastal ridge, in 1710 the construction of the palace began according to the project of the architect D. M. Fontan. After some time, the management of the work passed to the architect G. Shedel, who completed the construction in 1727. The Menshikov palace residence then had no equal in St. Petersburg and the suburbs both in size and in the richness of the external and internal decoration. One of his contemporaries, after visiting Oranienbaum, wrote in his diary: “The house was built on a mountain, and it has an excellent view. It consists of a two-story building and two semicircular galleries leading to two relatively large round outbuildings. A very beautiful church is built in one of them, and the other is occupied by a large hall ... The rooms in the palace are small, but beautiful and decorated with beautiful paintings and furniture.
The decoration of the Panteleymonovskaya church, located in the western pavilion of the palace, was especially pompous. The majestic four-tiered iconostasis was made by carvers and gilders, who worked under the guidance of the Moscow painter IP Zarudny. Another, eastern, pavilion was filled with items made of Japanese, Chinese and Saxon porcelain, which is why this pavilion received the name Japanese.
Stairs with retaining walls descended from the palace to the lower parterre park, broken at the foot of the coastal terrace. In the 1770s they were thoroughly rebuilt by the architect A. Rinaldi. These ladders still exist today.
The regularly planned Lower Park is an integral part of the palace complex. Its Main Alley, oriented along the central axis of the palace, was continued in the 1730s by the sea channel with a vast harbor.
For two and a half centuries, the Great Oranienbaum (Menshikov) Palace has seen many owners. The design of the premises has almost completely changed: now there is little resemblance to how they looked in the past. However, the appearance of the building, despite the alterations of the interiors, was generally preserved. This makes the palace a particularly valuable artistic and historical monument that laid the foundation for the architectural ensemble of Oranienbaum.
At the same time, the first palace buildings appeared south of St. Petersburg - in the Saar manor, first donated by Peter I to A. D. Menshikov, and then transferred to the wife of the tsar, Ekaterina Alekseevna. In 1717-1723, according to the project of the architect I.F. Braunstein, a small two-story stone palace was erected here, distinguished by its simplicity of form and modesty of decoration. Soon, the Saar Manor was sometimes referred to in documents no longer as a manor, but as Sarsky or Tsarskoye Selo.
The garden located next to the palace was re-planned by J. Rosen, one of the authors of the Summer Garden planning project. The garden stretched from the stone chambers to the place where the Hermitage is now located. Its higher part, adjoining the palace from the east, received the name of the Upper Garden, and the part, located below and further, - the Lower Garden. The territory to the west of the stone chambers was set aside for the menagerie.
A small palace with outbuildings surrounding it and a wooden church became the base on the basis of which a grandiose palace-and-park ensemble grew up about a century later.
Palaces in St. Petersburg, Peterhof, Oranienbaum, Strelna were a kind of symbols of self-affirmation of the country, which entered a new era of historical development. The volume of palace construction reflected the wide scope of Peter's reforms.
The sudden death of Peter I in 1725, followed shortly by the death of Catherine I, an attempt to seize power by the Supreme Privy Council, dissatisfied with some of Peter's reforms, the relocation of the imperial court to Moscow - all this adversely affected the development of St. Petersburg. The construction of the young city actually froze for several years. In a short time, the city was almost half empty.
A.P. Kryukovskikh. Palaces of St. Petersburg. Lenizdat, 1997.It is clear why Peter, the autocratic tsar of a feudal state, at first seized the traditions of burgher Holland with such fervor: everything was in his favor here - experience in craftsmanship, experience in the sciences and, most importantly, experience in communicating with the sea and conquering the sea. From Holland, Peter ordered craftsmen and artists, bought paintings there, studied shipbuilding himself there, and he wanted to make his great brainchild - Petersburg - look like Amsterdam.
Great opportunities for the further development of Russian architecture were revealed in the construction of a new city on the banks of the Neva, originally founded as a port and fortress, but soon turned into a capital. From the very beginning, St. Petersburg was built as a city, and not as a collection of landed estates: by decree of 1714, Peter categorically forbade building in the depths of courtyards, the facades had to stretch along the streets, straight and wide.
The construction of St. Petersburg was accompanied by extensive work to strengthen the banks of the Neva and small rivers, and the construction of canals. For the successful solution of new tasks, foreign architects were invited, who helped to quickly master the experience of Western European construction; at the same time, Russian masters were sent abroad to study. Of the invited foreign architects, only those who had lived in Russia for a long time, got acquainted with local conditions, and approached the solution of the tasks set broadly and seriously had a significant impact on the development of Russian architecture. The largest among them was D. Trezzini, who built the Peter and Paul Cathedral and the Peter and Paul Gates in the fortress, designed the building of the Twelve Colleges and the Gostiny Dvor. The buildings built by Domenico Trezzini contributed to the formation of the characteristic techniques of the new Russian Baroque style.
The largest Russian architects, whose work developed in the process of building St. Petersburg, were M. Zemtsov, I. Korobov, P. Eropkin. The general direction of their work characterizes the most important main areas of construction in the second quarter of the 18th century. M. Zemtsov was a builder of buildings of various purposes - palace and administrative. One of Zemtsov's famous works was the Anichkov Palace on Nevsky Prospekt. The name of Korobov is associated with great work in the Admiralty. Eropkin was an outstanding urban planner. The style of architecture of this time can be characterized as early baroque, in which Russian architectural traditions of the 17th century and the introduced forms of Western European construction were fused together. Peter the victor wanted to be no worse than the European monarchs, not to yield to them in brilliance.
He invited the royal architect Leblon from France and entrusted him with the main role in the construction of the country residence of Peterhof, which he planned to make likeness of Versailles and even surpass the French original. Indeed, Peterhof is dazzling, especially its central panorama with cascades of fountains. Decisive for the flourishing of Russian baroque was the activity of Rastrelli's father and son. The son of the sculptor Rastrelli, Bartolomeo Rastrelli Jr., was an architect.
He can be considered a Russian artist, since he worked exclusively in Russia. Rastrelli created in the full sense of the word the national Russian style in architecture, which has no direct analogies in the West. Russian art owes him the brilliant flourishing of the palace ensemble. From a port city and a fortress city, Petersburg was turned by him into a city of palaces. It began under Anna, and really unfolded in the reign of Elizabeth, that is, in the 40s and 50s. Russian architecture of the middle of the century was partly created, partly inspired by him. The Grand Palace of Tsarskoye Selo, the Winter Palace on the banks of the Neva, the Stroganov House on Nevsky Prospekt, the Cathedral of the Smolny Monastery - these are its best examples.
They are festive and strict, plastic and clear. In the middle of the 18th century, Rastrelli's influence on contemporary architects was enormous, especially on those who had to build according to his drawings. Russian architects can be attributed to the Rastrelli school: Chevakinsky - he built the St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Kvasov built a palace and a church in Kozelts, Rastrelli's influence also affected Kokorinov. The most prominent figure in Moscow was represented by Ukhtomsky, who had for Moscow almost the same importance as Rastrelli for St. Petersburg. Of its buildings, the highest bell tower of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the triumphal arch - the Red Gate in Moscow, which, unfortunately, has been demolished, is of the greatest importance.
In the 60s in Russian art there was a turning point towards classicism. Although classicism reaches full maturity at the beginning of the 19th century, but already in the second half of the 18th century, Russian architecture rises to a very high height. Having overcome the splendor of the baroque, its pretentiousness, its external splendor, these masters achieve deep expressiveness with rigor and simplicity. The first herald of new ideas in architecture in Russia was the French architect Vallin-Delamot.
The buildings of Delamotte are no longer palace estates, but go straight to the streets, with all their sides. Delamotte almost does not introduce sculptural decorations into the decoration of the main walls. A favorite form of decoration during this period is a sagging garland or light bas-reliefs depicting various objects suspended on ribbons. The work of Delamotte was of great importance for Russian architecture: Delamotte had a great influence not only on his students Bazhenov and Starov, but also on other architects working in St. Petersburg. If Petersburg was the center of the entire cultural and political life of the country in the first half of the 18th century, then in the second half Moscow begins to revive again. A significant role in this was played by the decree on the "freedom of the nobility" of 1761, which freed the landlords from compulsory military service.
From the second half of the 18th century, Moscow construction began to flourish; at first, the largest nobility builds their palaces-estates here: the Razumovskys, Sheremetyevs, Kurakins, Dolgoruky, etc. Their palaces differ from St. Petersburg more in breadth, more "estate"; No wonder Moscow was called a "big village". It is more difficult than in St. Petersburg, here the legacy of baroque and rococo splendor is being outlived, and the assimilation of classicism is going on more difficultly.
Future Russian architect Vasily Ivanovich Bazhenov studied at the Ukhtomsky school, then studied at Moscow University and finally graduated from the Academy of Arts. After a business trip abroad, he settled in Moscow, with which his largest buildings and projects are associated. A particularly prominent place among them belongs to the project of the Kremlin Palace and construction in Tsaritsyn near Moscow. In contrast to the characteristic techniques of the palace buildings of the middle of the century, Bazhenov puts forward the solution of the general tasks of planning in the first place. He outlines the creation on the territory of the Kremlin hill of a whole system of squares and passages connecting them, and conceives the entire palace, taking into account the general layout and specific features of the area. In the construction of the ensemble in Tsaritsyn, Bazhenov also boldly and in a new way approached the task assigned to him.
In contrast to the palace structures of the middle of the century, he created here a picturesque landscape park with small pavilions placed in it, organically connected with the specific sites on which they were erected. In the original architectural forms of the Tsaritsyno buildings, Bazhenov tried to develop the traditions of ancient Moscow architecture. Of Bazhenov's buildings in Moscow, Pashkov's former house is of particular importance. The architect made good use of the relief of the site and took into account the location of the building in the immediate vicinity of the Kremlin. Bazhenov was not only a remarkable practical architect, he also belonged to the largest representatives of Russian artistic culture.
Along with Bazhenov, M. Kazakov worked in Moscow, he owes his education to the Ukhtomsky school. Kazakov's practical activity began in Tver, but his most important buildings were completed in Moscow. Kazakov built many different buildings in Moscow, among which the University and the Golitsyn Hospital, the first large city hospital in Moscow, stand out in particular. At the end of the 18th century, large construction work was carried out by Giacomo Quarenghi, native of Northern Italy, it was only after his arrival in Russia that he got the opportunity to create major works. Among the numerous buildings made according to his projects, simple and concise in form, public buildings also predominate - the Academy of Sciences, the State Bank, shopping arcades, educational institutions, and a hospital. One of the best buildings of Quarenghi is the building of an educational institution - the Smolny Institute.
The interior spaces are at Quarenghi in deep accordance with the external architecture. Its halls are majestic by their very size. In addition, they are almost always rectangular; Quarenghi is especially fond of square plans, which give the greatest balance. The same proportionality is widely used by Quarenghi in exterior design, in accordance with all elements of the building. Creativity Quarenghi from beginning to end was holistic and unified.
"Radio excursions"
Palace of Peter III in Oranienbaum
In May 2018, after a two-year restoration, the palace of Peter III in Oranienbaum was reopened to visitors. This is one of the two surviving buildings of the once-existing Peterstadt fortress (the second building is the Entrance Gate of Honor).
Petershtadt Fortress - named after the owner, heir to the Russian throne Pyotr Fedorovich - was founded in 1755 as an amusing fortress. It is known that the Grand Duke was very fond of amusing military battles, he was especially fascinated by fortification, in which he succeeded a lot. Therefore, Pyotr Fedorovich started his training fortress in accordance with all the rules of military science, and it was a rather complex fortification structure. Holstein officers from the homeland of the heir were also discharged here, the Commandant's House, casemates, arsenal buildings and everything that should be in a real fortress were arranged.
Simultaneously with the fortress, the owner's palace was also built. Pyotr Fedorovich ordered it to the architect Antonio Rinaldi, later the favorite architect of the grand ducal couple.
After the well-known events of the palace coup in 1762, the palace fell into disrepair and gradually fell into disrepair. Oranienbaum successively passed to the heirs of Peter III - his son and grandchildren Alexander, Konstantin and Mikhail.
The Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich himself was not particularly interested in this estate of his, but the division of it was at the full disposal of his wife, Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna. And since then, Oranienbaum enters the time of its second heyday. And the preservation of this whole palace ensemble and, in particular, the palace of Peter III, we owe it to the Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna and her heirs, the Dukes of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. But first things first.
Gleb Pavlovich Sedov, the guardian of the palace of Peter III, says:
“The Palace of Peter III is a pavilion of the Rococo era of the middle of the 18th century, built by the architect Antonio Rinaldi in the style of Italian pavilions. He used the cut corner technique, which in Italy was often used by architects to create the effect of a square.
In the palace you can see six restored interiors, which appear in a historical guise. In a short time, in two years, the walls and ceilings of the palace were returned to their historical color, focusing on the clearings that were carried out during the restoration process. The parquets were also carefully restored. Historical painting returned to its place in the central hall of the palace and in the office. A number of discoveries were also made during the restoration process.
The Palace of Peter III was never a residential palace. Summer pavilion, a pavilion on the territory of the fortress, intended for the rest of Peter Fedorovich, the Grand Duke, who builds his amusing fortress Peterstadt here. Built by his order by the Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi in 1759, this palace has retained its architectural forms completely to this day. This is one of the few monuments of the 18th century that were not lost or destroyed during the Great Patriotic War, which has retained its architectural forms.
The interiors have undergone some changes, and elements of decoration of the 19th century appeared. Because the palace was in oblivion for a long time, and in the 19th century it was in a very deplorable state. Thanks to the care and will of Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna, the mistress of Oranienbaum, this palace was restored. This restoration was continued by the architect Price, and in the 1880s the palace reopened its doors in an updated form. This is one of the first examples of the restoration approach in Russia at the end of the 19th century, because the main idea, the concept of the work of the 1880s was precisely restoration - the preservation of Antonio Rinaldi's parquets, the preservation of stucco decoration. The color scheme, which today has been preserved from the 19th century, has undergone some changes.
You are greeted by a portrait of the owner of the palace - Pyotr Fedorovich - and in front of him are the porcelain soldiers of the Meisenovsky manufactory, which were in the collection of Pyotr Fedorovich in large numbers. He had one of the largest porcelain collections in Russia at that time. Moving on, you can pay attention to fragments of the collection of the Chinese Pyotr Fedorovich in a small room.
The central hall of the palace - the so-called Picture Hall - got its name from the tapestry hanging, which was arranged here by order of Grand Duke Pyotr Fedorovich in the middle of the 18th century. This tapestry has been lost. After the death of the emperor, Catherine takes out all the paintings and many items from the collection of Peter to St. Petersburg. And they dissolve in the Hermitage, the Academy of Arts, in private collections. We have lost traces of many of them today.
In Soviet times, after the war, the first custodian of the Elzinger Palace, together with the architect Plotnikov, did a great job and recreated the tapestry hanging in its historical appearance. These are not memorial works, they were not in these places under Pyotr Fedorovich. This is a very precise historical selection of paintings according to the list of academician Shtelin, which Elzinger found in the archive. These are the works of the XVII-XVIII Flemish, Italian, German schools. These are originals. They were very selective. Those. Based on Stehlin's list, researchers in the post-war era selected the appropriate eras and schools of painting. Therefore, the painting presented today is quite interesting. These are Rotary, Pietro Liberi, students of Rubens, Guido Reni, Salvator Rosa...
Tapestry hanging is a method, a method of placing paintings in the interior, when the painting is placed completely, without frames and completely covers the walls like wallpaper. Many of the paintings in this collection are from the Oranienbaum collection, many of them came from the Central Depository during distribution after the war. This is Gatchina and some museums in St. Petersburg. Those. with the world on a string, as they say. We restored the tapestry hanging in the form it looked after the war in the Soviet era in the same quantity and in the same proportions.
In the Picture Hall, semicircular corners are made, and paintings are also hung around them. They are on a single stretcher, this is a canvas stretched on one large stretcher. These corners were carefully dismantled and restored in this form, and then returned to their place. Also in the Picture Hall there is a picturesque ceiling, which we miraculously opened during the restoration. We knew that there was once a picturesque ceiling here, but in the process of inspection we stumbled upon a blank canvas. As it turned out later, he was simply tightened by them. It is a picturesque 19th-century ceiling and was completed in conjunction with architect Price's restoration work in the 1880s.
And special attention deserves the panels that fill the space of walls, slopes of doors and windows in the three rooms of the palace. Initially, for a long time it was believed that these were panels by Fedor Vlasov. Indeed, it was he who made this complex of unique lacquer panels for Pyotr Fedorovich. But they didn't survive. In the 80s of the 19th century, masters Sadikov and Volkovysk restored this complex on the basis of residual samples, repeating many subjects, and now we can see this example of chinoiserie of the late 19th century, created by masters in a complex technique - tempera painting, glue, varnishes, etc. . Very difficult. They were not dismantled, they were restored right here on the spot.
There are some gaps in the trellis hanging. We have restored the picturesque volume that was in Soviet times, but perhaps we will choose the size and the school, but this is also not so simple.
The office of Pyotr Fedorovich. It is now a mixed decoration of the XVIII and XIX centuries. Parquet floors and moldings on the ceiling are combined with the painting that appeared here in the 19th century, which, as part of the restoration work, returned to its historical places. This is a painting by the German artist Hans Schmidt, which was painted in the city of Weimar. He received an order while there, he did not come to the palace of Peter III. This painting in the study on hunting themes, pastoral scenes in the bedroom. He writes them there and sends them here, they are installed here as picturesque wallpaper. In Soviet times, they were dismantled with the wording "inappropriate to the aesthetic level of the monument" and were stored in our storerooms in a ruined state. Separately, I want to note the feat of the restorers, who managed to restore this painting, which was practically invisible. And we returned them today to their historical places.
During the restoration process, another discovery was made here. One of the picturesque panels was in its place under three layers of late fabric. Apparently, due to its poor preservation, numerous breaks, losses, it was decided to leave it in its place. And we are grateful to the Soviet restorers, because this panel was originally preserved in its place. We left it in almost the same state, only slightly strengthening it, in which it was discovered.
In Soviet times, until 1953, when the palace opened its doors again as a museum, a large number of various organizations were located here from the 17th year. There was also a forest cooperative, for some time a zoo and various other institutions. During the Great Patriotic War, people even lived here for some time, people stoked stoves. Therefore, the palace from the 17th year to the 53rd was operated not as a museum. And unfortunately, the level of care for him was inappropriate. After the war, a decision was made, and the museum appearance of the palace was returned.
The bedroom of Peter III did not retain the historical decoration of the time of Peter Fedorovich. In the corner stood a bed with a crimson canopy. But in place of the bed is a memorial item, which was made by order of Peter. This is a cabinet made in the style of chinoiserie by master Francis Condor, who imitates porcelain products. The cabinet is made in such a way that it seems to the viewer that it is a porcelain item. This is an authentic 18th century memorial item from the palace. During the Great Patriotic War, a shell fell into the bedroom here, which miraculously did not explode. He destroyed the fireplace that was here. The fireplace was not recreated during the restoration work. We plan to do this in the future. For now, we are demonstrating an imitation of this fireplace, which was made from a pre-war photograph. It was a stucco stucco fireplace with an abundance of shelves. And on the historical painting, which returned to its place, there are traces of a view and small traces of carved shelves at the top. Those. painting returned to its place. Some of the works have not been preserved, so we covered the empty walls with ordinary canvas, tinting it in the color of the author's primer. For one work, it was decided not to restore the frame, since it is fundamentally different from all other frames, we did not want to invent.
In general, it should be noted that in the palace of Peter III, and in Oranienbaum in general, but also in the palace in particular, we emphasized carefully the reconstruction, and practically nothing that was completely lost, we did not recreate. Those. everywhere we left clearings with color on the planes of the walls and ceiling, we did not recreate what was completely lost. This is precisely the conservation approach that we adhere to at the Peterhof State Museum-Reserve, Oranienbaum in particular. Not restoration, but conservation in the first place.
About the stories. In the office, hunting themes are Jean-Baptiste Oudry, who wrote these hunting plots for the castle of Fontainebleau, for Louis XV and inspired Schmidt because there were a large number of engravings on this subject ( uvrazh - a pictorial edition, a set of separate sheets of illustrations (in a folder or bound) with a minimal signature text or with extensive explanatory text in the form of a printed and bound independent book block - approx. ed.). And in the bedroom is Antoine Watteau, who also inspired Schmidt for these scenes. Gallant painting, pastorals, what was fashionable in the Rococo era. And we already see with you the second Rococo, which was fashionable in the 19th century.
The last room is the boudoir of the palace, where the plaster molding of the ceiling has been preserved in its main volume from the 18th century. This plaster molding is XVIII, which was designed by the architect Antonio Rinaldi for Pyotr Fedorovich. All military attributes are present here, in the center is the monogram "PF", the initials of the Grand Duke, and four compositions on a military theme that tell about the amusing battles that took place here in Oranienbaum. The pond next to the palace was called the Great Pleasure Sea, which is visible from the window of the boudoir with a balcony. And on this pond, Pyotr Fedorovich had two galleys and a frigate built in 1/4 of the real size, and the most large-scale military exercises and games were held here. The garrison of the fortress consisted of up to two thousand people in the summer. Those. Peter's hobbies were by no means of a toy, but of a very serious military nature. This room had woven wall decoration. In the 19th century, Price allowed himself to make some changes, and in the late 19th century, walnut wood finishes appeared.
And in the wardrobe closet, which has been preserved, we present the original uniform, cocked hat and sword of Pyotr Fedorovich, who returned to this palace after restoration.
Another door leads to a secret staircase, which, of course, as in any castle or fortress, should always be in such rooms for inconspicuous care.
The version that Peter signed his renunciation here is unproven. It is known that on the night of the coup, he came here, spent the night in Oranienbaum - or in the Great Menshikov Palace, or here, and was taken to Ropsha.
The uniqueness of this project is that nowhere in Russia – at least I don’t know any examples – when in two years the artistic decoration of the premises, all furnishings, nets, the palace itself, its facades in such a short time and with such quality are comprehensively restored, this is a great a victory that we were able to return the palace to the cultural space of St. Petersburg.
- In the 19th century, the restoration of the palace was carried out by order of the Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna and continued by her daughter Ekaterina Mikhailovna. What is the reason for such an interest in the personality of the emperor among this branch of the Romanovs?
A very good question. Elena Pavlovna devoted her life to patronage, as well as to the study of Oranienbaum. She commissioned a voluminous study on the history of Oranienbaum. She greatly honored all of its previous owners - both Menshikov and Peter - so the idea of restoring Peter III echoed her idea of \u200b\u200brespect for her predecessors. And Ekaterina Mikhailovna continued this work, because the order for the restoration of the palace was issued under the Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna. It's just that the works that were carried out in the 80s of the XIX century, including the commission of painting by Hans Schmidt - her daughter already participated in it.
It must be said that Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna did almost more for Russian science, culture, history than all other members of the Imperial family. And we will definitely tell about it in detail in our radio tours. As well as about the first owner of the palace - Emperor Peter III. A tragic, ambiguous, mysterious figure, frankly, largely slandered, but, despite his short reign, he also managed to do a lot for Russian culture, especially music. Listen to the programs under the heading "Radio excursions" with the music editor of the radio "Grad Petrov" Olga Surovegina - "The history of Oranienbaum in musical pictures" about this.
Almost every Russian emperor, in addition to a huge retinue and other close associates, had his own architect. We recall the exquisite projects of court favorites.
Peter I and Domenico Trezzini
To build a new capital, at the invitation of Peter I, many talented architects arrived in the future Petersburg, but the most notable of them was the Swiss architect Domenico Trezzini. He could not find work at home, so he first went to Denmark, and when he was promised a salary of a thousand rubles a year, he left for Russia. His first and most famous building in St. Petersburg was the Peter and Paul Fortress with a cathedral. Subsequently, he erected the Winter and Summer Palaces of Peter I, the building of the Twelve Colleges. Domenico Trezzini showed himself not only as a talented architect, but also as a good teacher: he became the first teacher of architecture in Russia and brought up the famous architect Mikhail Zemtsov.
Elizabeth I and Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli
Winter Palace. Architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Photo: Florstein
Rastrelli began his path to the top of the architectural Olympus under Anna Ioannovna - he was a sought-after specialist with an annual salary of 1200 rubles a year, a service apartment in the Winter Palace and uninterrupted imperial orders. Under Elizabeth I, his life could have changed dramatically - the new empress, who came to power as a result of a palace coup, planned to get rid of all those close to Anna Ioannovna, including her architect. Rastrelli saved talent: no one in Russia could build like that in the baroque style loved by Elizabeth I. So she entrusted him with the construction of her Summer Palace. Rastrelli subsequently built the Grand Palace at Peterhof, the Winter Palace, and the Smolny Monastery. After the death of Elizabeth Petrovna, Catherine II sent Rastrelli on vacation to Italy to improve his health, and when he returned, it turned out that other architects were already in demand in Russia.
Catherine II and Charles Cameron
Catherine II invited Charles Cameron to Russia after she got acquainted with his architectural work The Baths of the Romans, which was highly valued in Europe. Here Cameron received an apartment, a salary of 1,800 rubles, and a contract to create an architectural ensemble in Tsarskoye Selo. He showed himself as a master of landscape architecture: he built the Cold Bath, the Agate Rooms, the Cameron Gallery, the Hanging Garden. In Alexander Park, he erected a Chinese village and bridges in oriental style. It was also Charles Cameron who helped the architects Adam Menelas and William Guest to settle in Russia. However, Paul I, having ascended the throne, immediately decided to get rid of his mother's beloved architect - Cameron was fired, his house was taken away from him, but at the same time he was forbidden to leave Russia.
Paul I and Vincenzo Brenna
Saint Isaac's Cathedral. Architect Auguste Montferrand. Photo: Marina Luchkina
The court architect of Paul I was the Italian Vincenzo Brenna. He met the future emperor during the journey of the heir to the throne in Europe. Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich offered him a job decorating the palace in Pavlovsk - and Brenna ended up in Russia. He also participated in the work on the Gatchina Palace and St. Isaac's Cathedral by Antonio Rinaldi, completed the construction of the Mikhailovsky Castle, and helped build the interiors of the Kamennoostrovsky Palace. After the death of Paul I, Brenna remained in Russia for the first time - he was provided with work by the emperor's widow Maria Feodorovna, but later he was forced to return to Europe.
Alexander I and Karl Rossi
Alexandrinsky Theatre. Architect Carl Rossi. Photo: Alexxx1979
In the Alexander era, one of the most influential architects of St. Petersburg was the Italian Carl Rossi. His outstanding works were the ensemble of the Mikhailovsky Palace and the square in front of it, Palace Square with the building of the General Staff, Senate Square with the buildings of the Senate and the Synod, as well as the Alexandrinsky Theater with the square in front of it and the street nearby (today it bears the name of the architect Rossi). In the 1820s, Rossi was the highest paid architect in St. Petersburg - he received 15,000 rubles a year. His authority was recognized not only in Russia, but also abroad: in particular, he was invited to teach at the Florentine Academy of Arts. With the death of Alexander I, Russia's position at court was greatly shaken - he did not get along with the entourage of Nicholas I, resigned in 1832, and in 1849 died practically in poverty.
Nicholas I and Andrey Stackenschneider
Tsaritsyn pavilion. Architect Andrey Stackenschneider. Photo: IzoeKriv
Andrey Stackenschneider began his career as a simple draftsman in the Committee for Buildings and Hydraulic Works. He worked under the guidance of Montferrand on the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral, then received his first order - the reconstruction of the Benckendorff estate near Revel. After that, Stackenschneider was noticed by the emperor's associates and presented at court. At first, he worked for Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich on Kamenny Island, later, for Nicholas I, he built His Majesty's Own Dacha, the Farm Palace, Tsaritsyn and Olgin pavilions in Peterhof. For the royal family, the architect also built the Novo-Mikhailovsky and Nikolaevsky palaces, rebuilt the halls of the Winter Palace and the Small Hermitage. Under Nicholas I, Stackenschneider was one of the highest paid and most influential architects. His house on Millionnaya Street became a kind of cultural center of the city, where the intellectual elite gathered - Ivan Turgenev, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Ivan Aivazovsky and others.
Alexander II and Hippolyte Monighetti
Nicholas II and Silvio Danini
Kokorev's mansion. Architect Silvio Danini. Photo: Mossir
Silvio Danini was the last court architect of the imperial family. He became an architect close to Nicholas II after he rebuilt the Znamenskaya Church in Tsarskoye Selo, which drew attention to himself. Danini's main projects were the restructuring of the right wing of the Alexander Palace into the chambers of Nicholas II, as well as the work on arranging the local park: he erected bridges and decorative garden monuments. However, the architect worked not only by order of the imperial family: in the same Tsarskoye Selo, Danini built the Kokorev mansion in the Art Nouveau style, a school for nannies, a house of charity for crippled warriors and other buildings. Danini outlived his patron a lot - despite his closeness to the royal family, he was not subjected to repression in Soviet times and died in 1942 in
