Publications in the Architecture section

Where did the Romanovs live?

Small Imperial, Marble, Nikolaevsky, Anichkov - we go for a walk along the central streets of St. Petersburg and recall the palaces in which representatives of the royal family lived.

Palace embankment, 26

Let's start the walk from the Palace Embankment. A few hundred meters east of the Winter Palace is the palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, son of Alexander II. Previously, the building built in 1870 was called the "small imperial court". Here, almost in its original form, all the interiors have been preserved, reminiscent of one of the main centers of the social life of St. Petersburg at the end of the 19th century. Once upon a time, the walls of the palace were decorated with many famous paintings: for example, on the wall of the former billiard room hung "Barge Haulers on the Volga" by Ilya Repin. Monograms with the letter "V" - "Vladimir" have been preserved on the doors and panels.

In 1920, the palace became the House of Scientists, and today the building houses one of the main scientific centers of the city. The palace is open to tourists.

Palace embankment, 18

A little further on the Palace Embankment you can see the majestic gray Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace. It was erected in 1862 by the famous architect Andrey Shtakenshneider for the wedding of the son of Nicholas I - Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolayevich. The new palace, for the reconstruction of which neighboring houses were bought out, absorbed the styles of baroque and rococo, elements of the Renaissance and architecture from the time of Louis XIV. Before the October Revolution, there was a church on the top floor of the main facade.

Today, the palace houses the institutions of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Millionnaya street, 5/1

Even further on the embankment is the Marble Palace, the family nest of Konstantinoviches - the son of Nicholas I, Konstantin, and his descendants. It was built in 1785 by the Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi. The palace was the first building in St. Petersburg to be faced with natural stone. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, known for his poetic works, lived here with his family, in the pre-revolutionary years - his eldest son John. The second son, Gabriel, wrote his memoirs "In the Marble Palace" in exile.

In 1992 the building was transferred to the Russian Museum.

Admiralteyskaya embankment, 8

Palace of Mikhail Mikhailovich. Architect Maximilian Messmacher. 1885–1891 Photo: Valentina Kachalova / photo bank "Lori"

Not far from the Winter Palace on the Admiralteyskaya Embankment, you can see a neo-Renaissance building. Once it belonged to Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich, the grandson of Nicholas I. It was started to be built when the Grand Duke decided to marry - Alexander Pushkin's granddaughter Sophia Merenberg became his chosen one. Emperor Alexander III did not give consent to the marriage, and the marriage was recognized as morganatic: the wife of Mikhail Mikhailovich did not become a member of the imperial family. The Grand Duke was forced to leave the country without having lived in the new palace.

Today, the palace is leased to financial companies.

Labor Square, 4

If you walk from the palace of Mikhail Mikhailovich to the Blagoveshchensky bridge and turn left, on Labor Square we will see another brainchild of the architect Stackenschneider - the Nikolaevsky Palace. Until 1894, the son of Nicholas I, Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder, lived in it. During the years of his life, there was also a house church in the building, everyone was allowed to attend services here. In 1895, after the death of the owner, a women's institute named after Grand Duchess Xenia, sister of Nicholas II, was opened in the palace. Girls were trained in the professions of an accountant, housekeeper, seamstress.

Today, the building, known in the USSR as the Palace of Labor, hosts guided tours, lectures, and folklore concerts.

English embankment, 68

Let's go back to the embankment and go west. Halfway to the Novo-Admiralteisky Canal is the palace of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich, son of Alexander II. In 1887, he bought it from the daughter of the late Baron Stieglitz, a well-known banker and philanthropist, whose name is the Art and Industry Academy he founded. The Grand Duke lived in the palace until his death - he was shot in 1918.

The palace of Pavel Alexandrovich was empty for a long time. In 2011, the building was transferred to St. Petersburg University.

Embankment of the Moika River, 106

On the right side of the Moika River, opposite the island of New Holland, is the palace of the Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna. She was married to the founder of the Russian air force, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich, the grandson of Nicholas I. The palace was presented to them for a wedding - in 1894. During the First World War, the Grand Duchess opened a hospital here.

Today the palace houses the Lesgaft Academy of Physical Education.

Nevsky prospect, 39

We leave on Nevsky Prospekt and move in the direction of the Fontanka River. Here, at the embankment, the Anichkov Palace is located. It was named so after the Anichkov Bridge in honor of the old family of pillared noblemen Anichkovs. The palace, built during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna, is the oldest building on Nevsky Prospekt. Architects Mikhail Zemtsov and Bartolomeo Rastrelli participated in its construction. Later, Empress Catherine II donated the building to Grigory Potemkin. On behalf of the new owner, the architect Giacomo Quarenghi gave Anichkov a more austere, close to modern look.

Starting with Nicholas I, the heirs to the throne mainly lived in the palace. When Alexander II ascended the throne, the widow of Nicholas I Alexandra Feodorovna lived here. After the death of Emperor Alexander III, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna settled in the Anichkov Palace. Nicholas II also grew up here. He did not like the Winter Palace and most of the time, already being emperor, he spent in the Anichkov Palace.

Today it houses the Palace of Youth Creativity. The building is also open to tourists.

Nevsky prospect, 41

On the other side of the Fontanka is the Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace - the last private house built on the Nevsky in the 19th century and another brainchild of Stackenschneider. At the end of the 19th century, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich bought it, and in 1911 the palace passed to his nephew, Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich. He sold the palace in 1917, being in exile for participating in the murder of Grigory Rasputin. And later he emigrated and took the money from the sale of the palace abroad, thanks to which he lived comfortably for a long time.

Since 2003, the building has been owned by the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, it hosts concerts and creative evenings. On some days there are guided tours of the halls of the palace.

Petrovskaya embankment, 2

And walking near Peter's house on Petrovskaya Embankment, you should not miss the white majestic neoclassical building. This is the palace of the grandson of Nicholas I, Nicholas Nikolaevich the Younger, the supreme commander of all land and sea forces of the Russian Empire in the early years of the First World War. Today, the palace, which became the last grand-ducal building until 1917, houses the Representation of the President of the Russian Federation in the Northwestern Federal District.

Palace Embankment

And, leaning on the colonnades, Granite masses rise in an unshakable line of Palaces Above the darkened Neva!.. N. Agnivtsev.

Location: left bank of the Neva, from Troitsky to Palace Bridge

Palace Embankment, one of the most picturesque in St. Petersburg, is located on the left bank of the Neva, between Kutuzovskaya and Admiralteyskaya embankments. It crosses Suvorovskaya Square and is connected by the Palace Bridge to Vasilyevsky Island, and by the Troitsky Bridge to the Petrograd Side. The ensemble of the Palace Embankment includes architectural structures of outstanding artistic value: Winter Palace, Small and Old Hermitages, Hermitage Theatre, Marble Palace, House of Scientists and other buildings.

Soon after the founding of St. Petersburg, in 1715, the general scheme of the Palace Embankment was outlined. In those days, it was called Upper, and retained this name until the end of the 18th century. In 1754-1762, according to the project of the architect Rastrelli, the Winter Palace was erected, which became the royal residence. It was he who gave the name to the Palace Square, Palace Embankment, Palace Passage and Palace Bridge located next to it. During the heyday of Soviet power, when it became a good tradition to rename streets and avenues, naming them in honor of prominent figures and memorable dates of the revolution, Palace Embankment turned into the Ninth of January Embankment. However, already in 1944, the original name was returned, and has remained unchanged since then.

In the middle of the 18th century, the Palace Embankment was faced with granite, it was complemented by picturesque descents to the water, made by the master G. Nasonov according to the project of the architect I. Rossi. In the 19th century, at the place where the entrance to the Palace Bridge is located today, there was a pier decorated with bronze sculptures of lions (sculptor - I. Prokofiev) and porphyry vases. In 1873 they were moved to the Admiralty Embankment.

On the Palace Embankment is the former palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, designed by the architect A. Rezanov in the style of a Florentine palazzo. Today it houses the House of Scientists (Palace Embankment, 26). House No. 20 belonged to I. Moshkov, Peter I's quartermaster. The old walls of the building are preserved under late plaster. House number 18 was built in the middle of the 19th century by the architect Stackenschneider for Grand Duke Mikhail. There is no stylistic unity in the development of the Palace Embankment, but its appearance gives the impression of harmony, balance and architectural integrity.

History reference

1715 - Creation of the embankment. 1754-1762 - erection of the building of the Winter Palace, which gave the name of the embankment. 1763-1767 - the embankment is lined with granite, slopes to the water are built. 1763-1766 - construction of the Hermitage Bridge across the Winter Canal. 1767-1768 - construction of the Verkhne-Lebyazhy bridge over the Lebyazhy Canal. Legends and myths

There are several palaces on the Palace Embankment, including the official royal residence, so it is not surprising that many legends about the palaces themselves and their owners are associated with this place in St. Petersburg. For example, among the employees of the Hermitage there is a legend about the last owner of the Winter Palace - Emperor Nicholas II. It is said that in the evenings the ghost of the martyr tsar appears in the galleries of the Hermitage, sadly looking around his former possessions.

Palace embankment is practically the same age as St. Petersburg. In 1705, on the then swampy river banks, the house of one of the founders of the Army Fleet, Admiral General Fyodor Matveyevich Apraksin, was built. Later, Anna Ioannovna settled in this house. Like the embankment itself, originally called the Upper, the mansion was wooden. According to it, during the period of active development, the so-called “red line” was determined for the entire street.

In 1712, the Wedding Chambers of Peter I were erected, next to them the houses of the emperor's close associates gradually grew. Four years later, the personal residence of the tsar, the Winter Palace of Peter, was erected here (today it has been preserved only partially and is located in the building of the Hermitage Theater). And in 1710-1714, in the Summer Garden, the construction of the palace of the same name was underway according to the project of Domenico Trezzini, the founder of the European school in domestic architecture. This building has come down to us almost unchanged and is now a branch of the Russian Museum.

The central quarters gradually turned into the realm of "stone chambers", but only in the middle of the 18th century, when piles were installed along the shallow water of the river and additionally strengthened the coast with earth, it became possible to build a renovated embankment. It was from Dvortsovaya that the history of the stone streets of the city began; it was the first to be dressed in granite slabs in accordance with the plan of the architect Yuri Felten. At the same time, the first stairs-berths appeared. After the construction of the Winter Palace according to the project of Bartolomeo Rastrelli was completed, its modern name was assigned to the embankment.

However, half a century later, the appearance of the street was not at all ceremonial - piles of building materials intended for the construction of the General Staff were piled between the barns and sheds. By order of Nicholas I, another architect with Italian roots, Carl Rossi, developed a reconstruction project. The descent to the Neva was decorated with bronze sculptures of lions and vases of polished porphyry. The latter were a gift to the Russian Emperor from the King of Sweden Charles XIV. In 1873, both of them were moved to the Admiralteyskaya embankment, where they are still located.

Since its inception, the street has had different names: Cash or Stone Line, Upper or Millionnaya Embankment, Embankment of the Ninth of January. Since 1944, the name Palace Embankment has been officially fixed.

Attractions Palace Embankment

Palace Embankment is included in the list of the Cultural Heritage of the Russian Federation. Due to the fact that the construction continued for more than one decade, it cannot be said that the buildings standing here are made in a single architectural style, each era had its own dominant. Initially, the tone was set by the summer and winter residences of the first Russian emperor, built in the spirit of the Petrine baroque. Then came the turn of the monumental Rococo. Guests of the city can see the heritage of these styles in the facades of the Winter Palace and the Great Hermitage. But in its original form, most of the monuments of the 18th century were not preserved and were either completely demolished, like the wooden Opera House, on the site of which Betsky's mansion is now located, or significantly altered in subsequent years, like the Cantemir Palace, which, through the efforts of several architects, turned into Gromov's house.

But there are still quite a few examples of classicism on Palace Embankment today: the Hermitage Theater, which absorbed the Winter Palace of Peter I, the Marble Palace - the first St. Petersburg building completely lined with natural stone, the Saltykov House with partially preserved interiors, the Betsky House already mentioned above, the Small Hermitage.

Gromov's mansion and the Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace represent architectural eclecticism, since with numerous alterations initiated by the heirs or new owners, the architects to a greater or lesser extent retained the features of the original buildings. A separate line is worth mentioning the former palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, where the House of Scientists is now located. He's in the second half 19th century was designed by the first chairman of the St. Petersburg Society of Architects Alexander Rezanov in the style of a Florentine palazzo.

Interestingly, despite the heterogeneity of buildings, Palace Embankment in St. Petersburg looks harmonious and architecturally integral.

How to get there

There are piers for motor ships on the Palace Embankment. Nearby there are stops along the route of several buses and trolleybuses at once. The nearest metro station is Admiralteyskaya, but in the warm season it will not be difficult to walk from the Nevsky Prospekt and Gostiny Dvor stations.

Palace Embankment at Wikimedia Commons

On the embankment are the buildings of the State Hermitage, the Russian Museum, etc.

Communication with the city road network

Main highways

Streets

Water communications

Transport

ground public transport only crosses the embankment, without passing along it.

On the embankment there are piers serving water sports transport:

Public transport crossing the embankment:

• Stop "Palace embankment" at the Palace Bridge:

• Stop "Suvorov Square" at Trinity Bridge:

Construction history

Coastline formation

At the beginning of the 18th century, the swampy bank of the Neva had not yet been fortified, building was carried out in the depths of the plots, so the embankment ran approximately in the middle of the block between the current Millionnaya Street and the modern Neva embankment and was called upper embankment. However, already in 1716, due to the expansion of land plots, it shifted to the north: broke the piles along the shallow water of the river and built a new embankment that still exists today.

In April 1707, a decree was issued that strictly regulated the allotment of plots for building, depending on the official and property status of the petitioners. The same decree established the size of land plots. All of them with a narrow side (from 5 to 12 sazhens) overlooked the banks of the Neva and were intended only for persons related to the Admiralty Department.

Architectural ensemble

stone parapets

In 1761, Catherine II born grandiose ambitious plans for the renewal of the capital. The tasks of urban planning began to come to the fore, the Commission on the stone structure of St. Petersburg and Moscow was established, the chief architect of which was Yuri Felten. Among the first measures to transform St. Petersburg was the replacement of the wooden Neva embankment with a stone parapet with piers. In July 1762, a decree followed:

The decisive role in the implementation of this plan belonged to Felten. Labor-intensive work on the construction of the granite embankment continued until 1780. Shaky ground strengthened pile driving, in some places the earth was filled. The pier-stairs were supposed to be straight ledges, but in the final version they acquired oval outlines. " Along the entire coast and piers, although the balustrades were appointed with iron bars, but ... for strength, panels were made of sea hewn stone". From the same stone they laid out " a pedestrian». « From this pedestrian to the houses from under the old road, the weak earth was taken out, and instead, the foundation was strengthened to the present depth and fixed with special hard paving.". Lanterns on metal poles were placed along the entire embankment. Then, at the old Winter Palace, a stone “ bridge with vault and balustrade". The bridge across the Fontanka was conceived of stone only near the coast, and in the middle it was wooden, with a lifting device, but for the sake of strength it was built " all stone with vaults”, the one that has survived to this day.

Attractions

Notable residents

• Representatives of the ruling Romanov dynasty - Summer Palace of Peter I, Winter Palace of Peter I, Winter Palace, grand ducal palaces.
• I. I. Betskoy - house 2
• I. A. Krylov (1791-1796) - house 2
• Prince Peter of Oldenburg - house 2
• C. Yu. Witte - house 30
• Tarle, Evgeny Viktorovich (01.1933 - 1955) - house 30, apt. four
• Giacomo Quarenghi - house 32
• Joseph Orbeli - house 32
• K. E. Makovsky - house 30 (house of G. F. Mengden)

For the main part of the Alexander Column (a granite monolith weighing 600 tons), mined in 1830-1832 in the Pyuterlak quarry, a special pier was used on the Palace Embankment. Ship engineer Colonel Glasin dealt with transportation issues, who designed and built a special boat called "Saint Nicholas", with a carrying capacity of up to 1100 tons. A special pier was built to carry out unloading operations. Unloading was carried out on a wooden platform at the end of the pier, which coincided in height with the ship's side. The contractor, the merchant's son V.A. Yakovlev, was in charge of the mining and delivery work, who was responsible for the entire part of the operation from the beginning to the moment the monolith was unloaded ashore.

Write a review on the article "Palace Embankment"

Notes

Literature

• Gorbachevich K. S. , Khablo E. P. Why are they so named? On the origin of the names of streets, squares, islands, rivers and bridges in Leningrad. - 3rd ed., Rev. and additional - L.: Lenizdat, 1985. - S. 106-107. - 511 p.
• Gorbachevich K. S. , Khablo E. P. Why are they so named? On the origin of the names of streets, squares, islands, rivers and bridges of St. Petersburg. - 4th ed., revised. - St. Petersburg. : Norint, 1996. - S. 71-72. - 359 p. - ISBN 5-7711-0002-1.
• City names today and yesterday: Petersburg toponymy / comp. S. V. Alekseeva, A. G. Vladimirovich, A. D. Erofeev and others - 2nd ed., revised. and additional - St. Petersburg. : Lik, 1997. - S. 40. - 288 p. - (Three centuries of Northern Palmyra). - ISBN 5-86038-023-2.

Main highways: Streets of the Admiralty Island: Streets of Kazan Island: Streets - He left a long time ago. She was dying... “I am very sorry about her illness,” said Prince Andrei. He chuckled coldly, evilly, unpleasantly, like his father. - But Mr. Kuragin, therefore, did not honor Countess Rostov with his hand? - said Prince Andrew. He snorted his nose several times. “He could not marry because he was married,” said Pierre. Prince Andrei laughed unpleasantly, again reminding himself of his father. “Where is he now, your brother-in-law, may I ask?” - he said. - He went to Peter .... However, I don’t know,” said Pierre. “Well, it doesn’t matter,” said Prince Andrei. - Tell Countess Rostova that she was and is completely free, and that I wish her all the best. Pierre picked up a bundle of papers. Prince Andrei, as if remembering whether he needed to say something else or waiting for Pierre to say something, looked at him with a fixed look. “Listen, you remember our dispute in Petersburg,” said Pierre, remember about ... “I remember,” Prince Andrei hastily answered, “I said that a fallen woman must be forgiven, but I did not say that I could forgive. I cant. - How can you compare it? ... - said Pierre. Prince Andrew interrupted him. He shouted sharply: “Yes, to ask for her hand again, to be generous, and the like? ... Yes, it is very noble, but I am not able to follow sur les brisees de monsieur [follow in the footsteps of this gentleman]. “If you want to be my friend, don’t ever talk to me about this… about all this. Well, goodbye. So you pass... Pierre went out and went to the old prince and princess Marya. The old man seemed livelier than usual. Princess Mary was the same as always, but out of sympathy for her brother, Pierre saw in her joy that her brother's wedding was upset. Looking at them, Pierre realized what contempt and anger they all had against the Rostovs, realized that it was impossible for them to even mention the name of the one who could exchange Prince Andrei for anyone. At dinner, the conversation turned to the war, the approach of which was already becoming obvious. Prince Andrei spoke incessantly and argued now with his father, now with Desalles, the Swiss educator, and seemed more animated than usual, with that animation that Pierre knew so well the moral reason. On the same evening, Pierre went to the Rostovs to fulfill his assignment. Natasha was in bed, the count was in the club, and Pierre, after handing over the letters to Sonya, went to Marya Dmitrievna, who was interested in finding out how Prince Andrei received the news. Ten minutes later Sonya came in to Marya Dmitrievna. “Natasha certainly wants to see Count Pyotr Kirillovich,” she said. - Yes, how can I bring him to her? It’s not tidied up there,” said Marya Dmitrievna. “No, she got dressed and went out into the living room,” said Sonya. Marya Dmitrievna only shrugged her shoulders. - When this Countess arrives, she completely exhausted me. Look, don’t tell her everything, ”she turned to Pierre. - And scolding her spirit is not enough, so pitiful, so pitiful! Natasha, emaciated, with a pale and stern face (not at all ashamed as Pierre expected her), stood in the middle of the living room. When Pierre appeared at the door, she hurried, obviously undecided whether to approach him or wait for him. Pierre hastily approached her. He thought that she, as always, would give him a hand; but, coming close to him, she stopped, breathing heavily and dropping her hands lifelessly, in exactly the same position in which she went out into the middle of the hall to sing, but with a completely different expression. “Pyotr Kirilych,” she began to say quickly, “Prince Bolkonsky was your friend, he is your friend,” she corrected herself (it seemed to her that everything had just happened, and that now everything is different). - He told me then to turn to you ... Pierre sniffed silently, looking at her. He still reproached her in his soul and tried to despise her; but now he felt so sorry for her that there was no room for reproach in his soul. "He's here now, tell him... to just... forgive me." She stopped and began to breathe even faster, but did not cry. “Yes ... I will tell him,” Pierre said, but ... “He did not know what to say. Natasha was apparently frightened by the thought that could come to Pierre. "No, I know it's over," she said hastily. No, it can never be. I am tormented only by the evil that I did to him. Just tell him that I ask him to forgive, forgive, forgive me for everything ... - She shook all over and sat down on a chair. A never-before-experienced feeling of pity overwhelmed Pierre's soul. “I will tell him, I will tell him again,” said Pierre; - but ... I would like to know one thing ... "What to know?" asked Natasha's gaze. - I would like to know if you loved ... - Pierre did not know what to call Anatole and blushed at the thought of him - did you love this bad man? “Don’t call him bad,” said Natasha. “But I don’t know anything…” She began to cry again. And an even greater feeling of pity, tenderness and love swept over Pierre. He heard tears flowing under his glasses and hoped that they would not be noticed. “Let's not talk anymore, my friend,” said Pierre. So strange suddenly for Natasha this meek, gentle, sincere voice seemed. - Let's not talk, my friend, I'll tell him everything; but I ask you one thing - consider me your friend, and if you need help, advice, you just need to pour out your soul to someone - not now, but when it will be clear in your soul - remember me. He took and kissed her hand. “I will be happy if I am able to ...” Pierre was embarrassed. Don't talk to me like that, I'm not worth it! Natasha screamed and wanted to leave the room, but Pierre held her by the hand. He knew he needed something else to tell her. But when he said this, he was surprised at his own words. “Stop, stop, your whole life is ahead of you,” he told her. - For me? Not! Everything is gone for me,” she said with shame and self-abasement. - Everything is lost? he repeated. - If I were not me, but the most beautiful, smartest and best person in the world, and would be free, I would this minute on my knees ask for your hand and love. Natasha, for the first time after many days, wept with tears of gratitude and tenderness, and looking at Pierre left the room. Pierre, too, after her, almost ran out into the anteroom, holding back the tears of tenderness and happiness that were crushing his throat, put on a fur coat without falling into the sleeves and got into the sleigh. “Now where are you going?” asked the coachman. "Where? Pierre asked himself. Where can you go now? Really in a club or guests? All people seemed so pathetic, so poor in comparison with the feeling of tenderness and love that he experienced; in comparison with that softened, grateful look with which she last looked at him through tears. “Home,” said Pierre, despite ten degrees below zero, opening a bearskin coat on his wide, joyfully breathing chest. It was cold and clear. Above the dirty, half-dark streets, above the black roofs stood a dark, starry sky. Pierre, only looking at the sky, did not feel the insulting baseness of everything earthly in comparison with the height at which his soul was. At the entrance to the Arbat Square, a huge expanse of starry dark sky opened up to Pierre's eyes. Almost in the middle of this sky above Prechistensky Boulevard, surrounded, sprinkled on all sides with stars, but differing from all in proximity to the earth, white light, and a long tail raised upwards, stood a huge bright comet of 1812, the same comet that foreshadowed as they said, all sorts of horrors and the end of the world. But in Pierre, this bright star with a long radiant tail did not arouse any terrible feeling. Opposite, Pierre joyfully, with eyes wet with tears, looked at this bright star, which, as if, having flown immeasurable spaces along a parabolic line with inexpressible speed, suddenly, like an arrow stuck into the ground, slammed here into one place chosen by it, in the black sky, and stopped, vigorously lifting her tail up, shining and playing with her white light among countless other twinkling stars. It seemed to Pierre that this star fully corresponded to what was in his soul, which blossomed towards a new life, softened and encouraged.

The Palace Embankment was originally called the Upper Embankment. It was built in the depths of the plots, because at the beginning of the 18th century the marshy banks of the Neva had not yet been fortified. It took place in the middle of the block between Millionnaya Street and the Neva embankment. In connection with the expansion of land, already in 1716 it was shifted to the north. In the shallow water of the river, piles were beaten and the embankment that has survived to this day was built.
In April 1707, a decree was issued, according to which strict regulations began on the allocation of plots for building. At the same time, the official and property status of the applicants became a priority. The same decree established the size of land plots. The narrow side of each allotment faced the side of the Neva bank. The plots were intended only for persons related to the Admiralty department.
Building of the modern Palace embankment. What is on the left bank of the Neva, began from the first years of the existence of St. Petersburg. In 1705, the first house appeared here, which belonged to General-Admiral F.M. Apraksin, in 1707 the Kikiny Chambers were rebuilt. By the mid-1710s, work was underway to strengthen coastline Neva on the site of the palace embankment. The shores were strengthened with wooden walls, piers appeared along the embankment. Thus, it was possible to move the riverbed at least eighty meters. In the thirties of the XVIII century, instead of Apraksin's house, the Winter House was built for Empress Anna Ioannovna. Since the second half of the 18th century, the embankment has been called Millionnaya.
By the sixties, the millionth embankment was dressed in granite, semicircular descents to the Neva appeared here. But since the construction work of the architect Ignazio Rossi was performed poorly, later the embankment had to be rebuilt according to the project of Yu.M. Felten. As a result, the bank of the Neva "moved away" for another twenty meters.
On the embankment there was the Post Office Yard (on the site of the modern Marble Palace), which is why it was often called the Post Office. In the sixties of the XVIII century, the Hermitage Bridge and the Verkhne-Lebyazhy Bridge appeared, which connected the Palace Embankment with the Kutuzov Embankment.
By the end of the 18th century, a lot of interesting buildings were already appearing on the territory of the Palace Embankment in St. Petersburg. These are the buildings of the Hermitage, and the Hermitage Theatre, and the Marble Palace, and the Saltykovs' house, and many others. In the 19th century, the palaces of Novo-Mikhailovsky and Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, the office building of the Marble Palace were built here.
After 1917, the embankment became the 9th of January embankment.
The Palace Embankment is connected to Vasilyevsky Island by the drawbridge of the Palace Bridge, which appeared here at the beginning of the 20th century. The embankment is connected with the Petrogradskaya side by the Trinity Bridge, built here at the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries.