Palace sights in St Petersburg
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Anichkov Palace
Occupying an entire block between pl Ostrovskogo and the Fontanka River, the Anichkov Palace was built between 1741 and 1750, with input from a slew of architects, including Rastrelli and Rossi. The palace was twice a generous gift for services rendered: Empress Elizabeth gave it to her favourite Count Razumovsky and later Catherine the Great presented it to Potemkin. This was also Tsar Nicholas II’s favourite place to stay in St Petersburg – he far preferred the cosy interiors to the vastness of the Winter Palace. The Anichkov Palace became the city’s largest Pioneer Club headquarters after 1936 and to this day it houses more than 100 after-school clubs for over 10,000…
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Petrodvorets
Most European rulers had at least one Versailles, and Peter the Great was no exception. He built a series of palaces on the site now known as Petrodvorets. Fountains play a very large part in its grandeur. Petrodvorets' other charms include the Grand Palace, enlarged for Empress Elizabeth and later remodelled by Catherine.
The Grand Cascade and Water Avenue is a symphony of fountains and canals partly engineered by Peter himself. In the Grand Palace, the pendulous chandeliers and paintings are originals. Peter's original villa, Monplaisir, has bright and airy galleries facing the sea - it's easy to see why it was his favourite place to doss. The gardens are dotted with…
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Marble Palace
Between Mars Field and the Neva is another branch of the Russian Museum, the Marble Palace, built for Catherine the Great’s lover, Grigory Orlov, from 1768 to 1785. Designed by Antonio Rinaldi, the palace is so named because it uses 36 different kinds of marble in its construction, both inside and out. Check out the grey-and-blue marble staircase and the fantastic Marble Hall. The art on display here is eclectic, ranging from 17th-, 18th- and 19th-century works done by foreign artists in Russia to the splendid Ludwig Museum, part of the modern art collection of chocolate billionaire Peter Ludwig. This is one of the few chances to see such a large collection of…
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Palace of Grand Duke Alexey Alexandrovich
This fabulous derelict mansion at the very far end of the Moyka River belonged to the son of Alexander II. The wrought iron and stone fence is one of its most stunning features, with the Grand Duke’s monogram adorning the central gates. The palace was built in 1895 by Maximilian Messmacher, and each façade represents a different architectural style, perhaps reflective of the character of Grand Duke Alexey himself. The interior is equally diverse, although it is not open to the public. Used as a Pioneers’ Palace during the communist era, the building sat empty for years and eventually fell into terrible disrepair. It is now undergoing a badly needed renovation.
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Yusupov Palace
In a city of glittering palaces, the sumptuous interiors of the Yusupov Palace more than hold their own. A series of sumptuously decorated rooms, each more spectacular than the last, culminate in a gilded jewel box of a theatre, where classical music, ballet and opera performances are still held; check the website for details. Attending such a performance is recommended as it includes a tour of the palace first (minus the tour group crowds that can descend on the place in the summer) and a viewing of the cellar room where the plot to murder Rasputin was hatched, complete with hokey waxworks of the mad monk and his nemesis Felix Yusupov.
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Menshikov Palace
Another branch of the Hermitage is in the riverside Menshikov Palace, built in 1707 for Alexander Menshikov, a close friend (many now say lover) of Peter the Great. Menshikov effectively ran Russia from here for three years between Peter’s death and his own exile. The palace’s impressively restored interiors are filled with period art and furniture. Fact sheets in English on each of the rooms are available.
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Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace
The photogenic salmon-pink backdrop to the Anichkov most is provided by the 1840s rococo Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace. Check the posters outside for details of the concerts that are occasionally held in the palace’s grandly oak-panelled and stuccoed concert hall.
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Yelagin Palace
The Yelagin Palace, built for his mother by Tsar Alexander I, who had architect Carlo Rossi landscape the entire island while he was at it. The palace, with beautifully restored interiors, is to your right as you cross the footbridge from Kamenny Island.
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Museum of Music
In the Sheremetyev Palace (1750–55), is the Museum of Music, which has a collection of musical instruments from the 19th and 20th centuries, some beautifully decorated.
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