Marble Palace: excursions, expositions, exact address, phone. Marble Palace Marble Hall of the Russian Museum

The Marble Palace is the first architectural complex lined with natural stone. The creation of this masterpiece, one of the main attractions of St. Petersburg, goes back to the distant past, and is fraught with many interesting facts.

Story

On the site where the marble Palace is now located, in 1706 the Drinking House was built, then from 1714 to 1716, a Postal Yard with a pier was built in this place according to the project of Domenico Trezzini. Initially, the Postal House was the Mazankov building, then, after the reconstruction, wooden two-story houses appeared. Here, Peter I often liked to hold ceremonial events. Currently, the Postal Embankment is called the Palace Embankment, and the Manege was built on the site of the Postal Yard, which later burned down.

Creation of the complex

The famous Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi built the Marble Palace from 1768 to 1785. The idea of ​​creating a majestic architectural complex belongs to Catherine II. Upon completion of construction, the Empress wanted to present the Palace to her favorite Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov. Such a generous gift was in gratitude for the courage and devotion in the events of 1762. It was this moment that became the key for Catherine II to be on the Russian throne. The count's response was the huge Persian diamond Nadirshah. Nowadays, the stone is known under the name "Orlov".

The first stone was laid in 1769. Every day, about 150 masons worked on the creation of the palace. Mikhail Ivanovich Mordvinov supervised the construction work, and Antonio Rinaldi and Pyotr Egorov carried out architectural supervision. The empress personally visited the construction site, and rewarded the best workers with coins.

Slabs of marble and granite were brought in 1768, and already in 1769 brick vaults and walls were erected. The processing of natural stone was carried out from 1770 to 1774. And the decoration with marble and granite was started in 1774. Antonio Rinaldi had an accident, after which he had to leave Russia and return to Italy.

Description of the palace

At the very entrance to the palace there is an inscription “Building of Gratitude”, a little higher is a turret with a clock, and next to it are two figures: on the right - Loyalty, on the left - Generosity.

A service building was built in the eastern part. There were stables, carriage houses, rooms for servants. In the western part there were premises for household needs.

In the Marble Palace, the main staircase is decorated with statues: Morning, Day, Evening and Night. Each of them symbolizes the most precious thing that a person has at every stage of life. Morning is childhood, the most carefree time. The day is youth, the time when life begins. The evening is maturity, when a lot has already been lived, but there is still so much ahead. Night is old age, when everything is lived, and it remains only to enjoy the rest.

Climbing up to the second and third floors, you can see sculptures representing the spring equinox. All sculptures on the Main Staircase were created in honor of the valor, fortitude and courage of Grigory Orlov.

On the ground floor there were kitchens and boiler rooms. All office premises were equipped with all necessary mechanisms.

The second floor is of particular value. In its northern part is the Bolshaya Neva enfilade. This part of the palace can be accessed from the Main Staircase. Further, if you go through the Oval Passage, you can get into the Lacquer Hall. And if you walk through the Great Dining Room, you can see the heart of the palace - the Marble Hall. It is here that the famous "sacrifice" bas-reliefs are located; they were made for St. Isaac's Cathedral by Antonio Rinaldi. Next is the Orlovsky Hall, here you can see various expositions that tell about the valor and greatness of the Orlov brothers. After it is the Catherine's Hall, by visiting it you can find out the details of the life of the great empress. On the south side to the Catherine's Hall, there are the private quarters of Count Orlov.

The Art Gallery is located in the southeastern part of the palace. It presents about 206 masterpieces of painting. Here you can see the creations of such masters as Rembrandt, Poussin, Raphael and many others.

On the third floor there are living quarters, a library, living rooms, as well as a Chinese sofa.

The life of the palace after construction

Unfortunately, Count Grigory Orlov did not live to see the completion of the palace. He died on April 13, 1783. After the count died, Catherine bought the palace from his heirs, and gave it as a gift to her grandson Konstantin Pavlovich.

The palace was empty for about 10 years, but after his marriage, Konstantin Pavlovich decided to create a family nest on the territory of the Marble Palace. But he did not have long to enjoy Catherine's gift, as he was expelled on her own orders for bad behavior with his wife.

From 1795 to 1796, the captive Tadeusz Kosciuszko lived in the palace, he was the leader of the Polish confederates. After the death of Catherine, it was liberated by Paul I. From 1797 to 1798, the palace belonged to the former Polish king Stanislaw August Poniatowski. But in 1798, after his death, Konstantin Pavlovich returned to his palace.

Under Konstantin Pavlovich, an art gallery and a large library were opened on the territory of the palace. We can safely say that with his return the palace has found a new life.

In 1814, Konstantin Pavlovich was appointed governor of the Kingdom of Poland, and he had to leave St. Petersburg. After his departure, the palace passed to the Court Office.

On March 6, 1832, Nicholas I handed over the palace to his second son, Konstantin Nikolaevich. After the fire in the Winter Palace in 1837, silverware and a foreign library were stored here.

On August 20, 1845, it was decided to start rebuilding the Marble Palace. The restructuring project belonged to the architect Alexander Pavlovich Bryullov. It was decided to increase the ceiling of the palace by one floor. Then, next to the Front Office, open the library. And build a Great Hall to hold concerts and musical evenings. It was also planned to restore the Turkish and Greek baths. Everything that was planned was carried out as soon as possible, and already in 1849, on December 29, Konstantin Nikolayevich and his wife entered the palace.

After the death of Konstantin Nikolaevich, the palace passed to his son Konstantin Konstantinovich. From that moment on, concerts and literary evenings were often held here. There were no global changes under Konstantin Nikolaevich with the palace.

During the First World War, a hospital for wounded soldiers was located on the territory of the Palace complex. Despite the difficult situation, the widow of Konstantin Konstantinovich lived in the palace, but then she and her children had to move to Zherebtsov's house.

After the end of the war, the Ministry of Labor of the Provisional Government was placed on the territory of the palace. So that the precious collection of artworks would not be lost, it was moved to the Hermitage. At different times, various institutions were located here. So, for example, from 1919 to 1936 there was the Academy of the History of Material Culture, the Central Bureau of Local Lore.

After the academy was closed, the palace would be transferred to the Leningrad branch of the Vladimir Ilyich Lenin Museum. According to the project of Nikolai Evgenievich Lansere, the complex was rebuilt. The main staircase was preserved, as well as the famous Marble Hall. The museum opened its doors to visitors in 1937 on November 8th. Currently, the palace hosts various exhibitions of both local and foreign artists.

According to some sources, it is known that Catherine herself made the first sketch of the palace.

A box with gold coins was walled up in the foundation of the palace.

According to legend, there is a secret door on the side of Marble Lane, allegedly Count Grigory Orlov and Ekaterina went on a date through it.

The first telephone appeared on the territory of the palace in 1883.

On the opening day of the museum in 1937, on November 8, an armored car was installed at the entrance, Lenin spoke from it on the day of his arrival in Petrograd. In 1992, the armored car was sent to the Artillery Museum.

The Marble Palace is one of the most beautiful in St. Petersburg. Life in it, however, did not bring happiness to any of its owners. Its walls remember thefts, and violence, and even shooting live rats from a cannon.

On the tour you will be told that the palace (on the site of the former Post Office, destroyed by a grandiose fire in 1737) was ordered to be built by Catherine II - it was a gift from the Empress Grigory Orlov, her associate and long-term favorite. Orlov was supposed to live on the same street as the empress, very close to winter palace. Writer and historian P.I. Sumarokov in his "Review of the reign and properties of Catherine the Great" mentions that the empress herself drafted the future palace; and she commissioned the court architect Antonio Rinaldi to implement it. The architect had to work hard to put into practice the plan outlined by the royal hand - it is believed that this is why the building has an irregular shape in terms of (it has no right angles). They spared no funds for the construction of the palace - Rinaldi was provided with a variety of types of stones: granite, agate, lapis lazuli and 32 types of marble from different parts of the world, with which the palace was decorated not only inside, but also outside.

By the way, where did the idea come from to decorate the facades of the palace with marble instead of plaster? Probably, this is due to the fact that it was during this period that marble began to be mined in Russia (until the middle of the 18th century, this material was exclusively imported, expensive and rarely used). The birthplace of the first Russian marble is the Karelian village of Tivdia. Beautiful pale pink Tivdia marble began to be delivered to St. Petersburg, it was used to decorate St. Isaac's Cathedral and other buildings; but it was this palace that was first decorated with marble on the outside. Unfortunately, marble tends to fade and collapse, especially under the influence of high humidity (and in St. Petersburg, as you know, it rains almost all the time), so now the palace does not look as spectacular as it did in the 18th century.

The marble quarry in Ruskeala is one of the places where Karelian marble is mined.

History of the Marble Palace in St. Petersburg

The palace for Grigory Orlov was under construction for 17 years. During this time, his affair with the Empress ended; public service also ceased - Orlov resigned for health reasons; and at a very respectable age of 43 for that time, Orlov unexpectedly got married. His wife was the 18-year-old maid of honor Ekaterina Zinovieva, who was his cousin. There were rumors in the world that Orlov was forced to marry, since the girl was pregnant; other contemporaries claimed that Orlov was insanely in love with his cousin. Be that as it may, the marriage was illegal - the Orthodox Church forbids marriages between close relatives. A scandal broke out, the Orlov case reached the Senate, which decided to divorce the spouses and imprison them in monasteries; but here Catherine II stood up for her former favorite and canceled the decision of the Senate, thereby showing truly royal magnanimity. True, the marriage was short-lived - Princess Orlova died at the age of 23 from consumption; and Orlov, after the death of his wife, went mad from grief and died two years later in his estate near Moscow. He never managed to live a day in his luxurious residence - by the time of his death, the interior decoration (also, of course, marble) had not yet been completed.

After the death of Orlov, Catherine II bought the palace to the treasury. Coincidentally, all subsequent owners of the palace bore the name Konstantin. First, the Empress gave it to her grandson, the six-year-old Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich. The fate of this member of the Romanov family developed in a peculiar way. He could become an autocrat twice: after the conquest of the Ottoman Empire, Catherine II intended to make her second grandson the Byzantine emperor (which is why the boy received the name Constantine), but the Greek project was not implemented. Subsequently, Konstantin was supposed to take the Russian throne after the death of the childless Alexander I, but he himself refused this prospect.

Shooting rats from a cannon

Konstantin Pavlovich went to his father. He looked like Paul I outwardly - short, snub-nosed.

Like his father, he was fond of military affairs, and was also distinguished by an eccentric, eccentric character and unpredictable behavior. At the age of 16, he, like other grand dukes, entered into a dynastic marriage with a German princess (in Orthodoxy - Anna Feodorovna). The young couple settled in the Marble Palace, and this life could hardly be called happy. The maid of honor and memoirist Varvara Nikolaevna Golovina testifies: “Konstantin’s behavior, when he felt like a master in his own house, showed that he still needed strict supervision. By the way, some time after his marriage, he amused himself in the arena of the Marble Palace by shooting from a cannon loaded with live rats.<…>To the bad treatment that the Grand Duchess Anna had to endure from her husband from the first day of her marriage, his infidelity and self-will were also mixed. Konstantin made connections unworthy of his dignity, and gave dinners to actors and actresses in his chambers. At the same time, Konstantin was jealous of his wife even for his brother Alexander, did not let her go to balls, etc.

At the beginning of the reign of Alexander I, another story happened that tarnished Konstantin's reputation. The Grand Duke was carried away by the wife of the court jeweler, the Frenchwoman Madame Araujo, who did not respond to his courtship. Then she was brought by force to the Marble Palace, where Konstantin raped her, after which his drinking companions-guards did the same. From shock, Madame Araujo died the same day. The case was hushed up, but rumors about the participation of the emperor's brother in it quickly spread throughout St. Petersburg. Documentary evidence of this story does not exist, but given the personality of Constantine, it cannot be called incredible. The family life of the Grand Duke ended with the fact that Anna Feodorovna fled from her husband to Germany, which, however, the Grand Duke was not particularly upset about. After some time, the Synod issued a divorce.

Liberal not only in politics

In 1814, Konstantin Pavlovich became the governor of the Kingdom of Poland and left St. Petersburg forever. For some time, the palace did not have a permanent owner, until, finally, Nicholas I handed over the palace to his second son - who was also called Konstantin and who was also a very bright personality.

Konstantin Nikolaevich, a staunch liberal, was one of the major figures in the "epoch of reforms." He was one of the developers of the abolition of serfdom, one of the authors of the judicial reform, and a reformer of the fleet. However, he was a liberal not only in the public sphere, but also in family life. At first, his life with Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna developed happily, six children were born in marriage. But in adulthood, as often happens, the Grand Duke fell in love. His chosen one was the ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater Anna Kuznetsova, for whom he rented a mansion on English Avenue. Konstantin Nikolaevich actually lived in two families, and he also had children from Kuznetsova. The “official” family of the Grand Duke continued to live in the Marble Palace.

Here one of the most serious scandals in the Romanov family happened. In the Marble Palace there was an icon, presented to Alexandra Iosifovna by Nicholas I, in an oklad of precious stones. Once, several diamonds were missing from the salary. The investigation established that the eldest son of the Grand Duke, Nikolai, committed the theft. The parents were shocked. However, to arrange a trial of a member of the imperial family was unthinkable for the prestige of the dynasty; and in the end, Nikolai was declared insane and expelled from St. Petersburg.

sinful poet

The “jewel thief” was disinherited, so after the death of Konstantin Nikolaevich, the Marble Palace went to the next oldest son, Konstantin Konstantinovich.

On duty, he was a general and inspector of military educational institutions, and by vocation - a poet. He published under the transparent pseudonym "K.R." his poems, which were highly appreciated by his contemporaries (including P.I. Tchaikovsky, who wrote several romances based on his poems). The Grand Duke was in all respects an attractive personality - talented, intelligent, possessing a fine spiritual organization and deeply religious (in his youth he dreamed of becoming a monk); besides, he treated his wife well and had nine children. But from the surviving personal diaries of K.R. it is known that all his life he unsuccessfully tried to get rid of interest in male representatives. Although in that era, non-traditional orientation was no longer perceived as something out of the ordinary; but K.R. sincerely considered himself an unworthy sinner and was tormented by pangs of conscience all his life. The prince-poet died shortly before the revolution and did not know how tragically the story of the Romanov family ended and how his three sons (for whom Konstantin Konstantinovich once lovingly designed children's rooms in the Marble Palace) were in 1918 thrown alive into a mine near Alapaevsky …

In 1937, a branch of the Museum of V.I. Lenin. The creators of the museum did not stand on ceremony with historical interiors - the marble finish was dismantled, the murals were painted over, the sculptural decorations of the early 18th century were removed. And at the entrance to the palace, an armored car “Enemy of Capital” was installed - allegedly it was from him that V.I. Lenin spoke in April 1917; although many historians doubt that the armored car is the same.

From personal experience: For me, as for a Petersburger, the Marble Palace has always been a symbol of the rapid changes that our country was going through. A childhood memory, for some reason vividly cut into consciousness: a marble car standing in the yard. Few remember her now, but she was! The sculpture of Ha Shult appeared in 1992 and, of course, immediately received the nickname "friend of capital."

Marble "Mondeo Foundation" instead of Lenin's armored car - imagine how symbolic it was at that time! I also remember that someone suggested in Berlin to put a marble T-34 on this occasion. However, Ford didn't last long. Where he was put, I could not find out (another St. Petersburg mystery!), but Emperor Alexander III took his place. It is also symbolic - a return to the roots, reconciliation with the past. Now they are talking about the fact that it would be nice to return Alexander to his original place, to Vosstaniya Square. I wonder who will enter the yard after him? And will our country ever calm down?

That's all for today. Come to Petersburg!

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The Marble Palace, a unique architectural monument of the 18th century, is located on Palace embankment Neva in historical center St. Petersburg. It was built in 1768 - 1785. designed by the Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi (1709-1794). The palace was erected by the order of Empress Catherine II and was intended for the General-Fieldzeugmeister Count G.G. Orlov (1734-1783).

G. Orlov did not live to see the end of the construction of the palace. After his death, Catherine II bought the palace from his heirs, the Orlov brothers, and presented it to her second grandson Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich (1779-1831) for his marriage, which took place in 1796. After his death, Emperor Nicholas I assigns the palace to his second son, the great Prince Konstantin Nikolayevich (1827-1892).

In 1844 - 1849. The Marble Palace and the Service House that belonged to it were reconstructed according to the project of the architect Alexander Bryullov (1798-1877) for the wedding of the new owner of the palace. The main changes affected the second floor, where a new planning structure was created, and the front and residential interiors received a new artistic finish. In place of the 18th century hanging garden was set up a winter garden.

In 1892, the Marble Palace was inherited by the son of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich - Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich (1858-1915). He lived in apartments created for him on the ground floor of the palace, overlooking Millionnaya Street, artistic decorations, which have partially survived to this day. At present, a memorial exposition dedicated to the Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, a Silver Age poet who wrote under the cryptonym "KR", is deployed here.

The sons of Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, who inherited the Marble Palace with the Service House after his death, for lack of funds to maintain the complex of buildings, were forced to sell it into national ownership. These events took place in the autumn of 1917, when the Provisional Government was already in power in Russia and the Ministry of Labor was located in the palace.

From 1919 to 1936 The palace housed the State Academy of the History of Material Culture. This period in the history of the palace is characterized by the spontaneous adaptation of the front and residential interiors of the building to the needs of a large scientific institution. During this period, the systematic restoration of the facades and lattice of the palace began.

In 1936, the Leningrad City Council decided to place the Leningrad branch of the Central Museum of V.I. Lenin. The work on designing the reconstruction of the palace and the creation of museum equipment was headed by N.E. Lansere (1879-1942). The new museum within the walls of the palace was opened on November 7, 1937. The museum, created in an extremely short time, was one of the first examples of a truly professional rethinking of an architectural monument in its new quality that meets the requirements of the time.

A new period in the history of the Marble Palace began in December 1991, when, by decision of the St. Petersburg City Hall, the palace was transferred to the disposal of the State Russian Museum. A new concept for the use of the Marble Palace was developed - "Russian art in the context of world art." Since that time, a systematic study and scientific restoration of the unique monument has been carried out. The decor, historical layout and volumes of the premises are being restored.

The Marble Palace also houses the permanent exposition of the "Ludwig Museum in the Russian Museum" - a collection of German collectors Peter and Irene Ludwig, who donated their collection to the Russian Museum, which presents works by domestic and foreign artists of the second half of the 20th century.

The expositions deployed in the constantly updated and restored halls of the Marble Palace reflect the role and place of Russian art in the context of the world art. Understanding this role allows you to better understand the originality of national traditions and the originality of domestic masters and, at the same time, to feel the traditional pan-European roots.

Architecture and interiors

The Marble Palace is a unique monument of Russian architecture of the second half of the 18th century. Along with the Winter Palace, the Marble Palace is the main attraction in the panorama of the Palace Embankment of the Neva. It is one of the few examples of early classicism architecture in St. Petersburg. In the history of Russian architecture, the palace is a unique example of the use of natural stone in the decoration of a building, its exterior facades are of the main artistic value, they have come down to us with a few exceptions in their original form.

The general composition of the facades consists in the solution of the first floor lined with dark red granite as the basis for a large order of the second and third floors of the building, lined with light gray granite.

The Corinthian order, which united the second and third floors with the help of pilasters and three-quarter columns made of pink Tivdia marble, with white marble bases and capitals, alternates rhythmically with window openings. The platbands and windows are made of gray Ruskeala marble. Relief white marble garlands are placed between the windows of the second and third floors.

The northern and southern facades of the palace face the Neva embankment and the Field of Mars, respectively, and are designed for perception from a great distance. They have clearly defined central axes of symmetry with balconies enclosed in niches with semi-circular endings and topped with a cartouche on the attic. Balcony railings are made of marble with gilded bronze balusters. On the attic of the building along the entire perimeter of the outer facades there are vases of gray dolomite.

Between the palace and the service house, on a granite plinth of red granite, there is a forged lattice with gilded decorative elements. The granite pillars of the fence top off the marble vases, and on the sides of the entrance gate there are marble military fittings.

The main eastern façade of the palace, facing the front courtyard - kurdaneur has a rich sculptural decor. It is crowned by a watch pavilion decorated with marble vases, which houses the palace chimes, recreated by the Russian Museum in 1999. Two marble allegorical statues are installed on the sides of the pavilion: "Generosity" and "Fidelity" by F. I. Shubin.

Since 1994, an equestrian statue of Emperor Alexander III by P. Trubetskoy has been exhibited in front of the main entrance to the Marble Palace. It has been kept in the collection of the Russian Museum since 1939, and earlier in 1909 - 1937 it was located on Znamenskaya Square (now Vosstaniya Square) in front of the Moscow Railway Station. This work is an outstanding monument of Russian monumental sculpture of the early 20th century.

Upon entering the Marble Palace, we find ourselves in the space of the Main Staircase - unique in the history of Russian architecture of the 18th century. interior, which has retained its original decoration almost unchanged. The decoration is made of various types of colored marble. Opposite the entrance, on the wall, there is a marble relief with a portrait of the architect A. Rinaldi, which appeared here at the request of the first owner, Count G. Orlov, in recognition of the architect's merits. The authorship of this portrait has not yet been established.

The main artistic decoration of the main staircase is a sculpture made of Italian marble and installed in niches, as well as relief compositions on the walls of the third floor and stucco decoration of the ceiling.

The sculptures of the main staircase of the Marble Palace are the only allegorical ensemble of the 18th century that has survived in St. Petersburg. In the niches decorated with marble shells, between the first and second floors, there are four marble statues representing the time of day: Night - a female figure with traditional attributes: an owl; works by an unknown master ; Morning - a female figure in the form of the goddess of the morning dawn, Aurora; attributes: a solar disk at her feet and a garland of roses in the hands of the goddess; Noon is a female figure with its inherent attributes: an arrow is a symbol of the sun's rays, a sundial shows noon, and the signs of the zodiac (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) remind of the invariability of this phenomenon throughout the year; Evening - a female figure in the form of the goddess of hunting Diana, who goes hunting at dusk. Her attributes are a bow and a quiver of arrows. The author of these three statues is the sculptor Fyodor Shubin.

And in the rectangular niches, between the second and third floors, there are two statues that symbolize the Spring equinox - a female figure with a flower garland in her hands, at her feet the head of a ram - the zodiac sign of Aries, into which the sun enters after the onset of the spring equinox. And the Autumn Equinox - a male figure with a bunch of ripe grapes in his hand.

On the inner walls of the platform of the third floor there are relief images of the four main virtues: Moderation, Fortitude, Prudence and Justice. In the center of the western wall there is a composition: "Games of Cupids". The clock face completed the entire composition of the staircase space. Tower chimes of the palace in the XVIII century. had two dials: one - on the facade, and the second located horizontally in the ceiling. Currently, there is a plafond "The Judgment of Paris" by Joseph Christie, transferred here from the hall of the palace in the middle of the 19th century.

The Marble Hall is unique in the history of Russian architecture of the 18th century. interior, the original decoration of which has largely survived to this day. The cladding of the walls of the hall is made of various varieties of domestic and Italian marble. Initially, the hall was one-story, now, after the reconstruction of A. Bryullov, it is two-tiered. Its space is illuminated by the windows of the second and third floors. The walls are decorated with the Corinthian order. The pilasters are made of Tivdia marble with gilded bronze bases and capitals. They rest on a plinth stretching along the perimeter of the walls, divided by panels of green Italian marble, which are filled with relief depicting vases with draperies.

The sculptural decoration of the Marble Hall was created by outstanding Russian sculptors. Along the perimeter of the walls of the hall there are 14 round bas-reliefs on the theme of "Sacrifices" made by the sculptor Fyodor Shubin in collaboration with the Italian sculptor Antonio Valli, two desudeportes above the doors were also made by F. Shubin. On the western wall there are two bas-reliefs by M. Kozlovsky: “The Return of Regulus to Carthage” and “Camillus delivers Rome from the Gauls”. The ceiling is decorated with a picturesque ceiling by S. Torelli "The Wedding of Cupid and Psyche". A rare ornamental stone - lapis lazuli was also used in the decoration of the hall. Window frames and balcony doors were made of gilded bronze. Door leaves and typesetting parquet, which had a complex pattern, were made of various varieties of colored wood.

In 1844 - 1849. in the Marble Palace, a reconstruction was carried out, the author of which was the architect A. Bryullov. According to his projects, a new decoration of residential and ceremonial interiors of the second floor was created. Their decoration was distinguished by both a variety of historical styles and the materials used for decoration.

A. Bryullov was a representative of the eclectic architectural trend, which was widely developed in the middle of the 19th century. This was reflected in his work on the creation of interior decoration of the palace. During the reconstruction of the Marble Hall, the architect retained the original decoration of the first tier, and, having dismantled the ceiling between the second and third floors, moved the picturesque ceiling of S. Torelli "The Wedding of Cupid and Psyche" to a new floor and created a different pattern of stucco gilded decor. At the same time, gilded bronze chandeliers with crystal ornaments appeared. The architect left the inlaid door panels and parquet original.

The Russian Museum carried out in 2001 - 2010. restoration and repair work to restore the artistic decoration of the Marble Hall, to the state it had in the middle of the 19th century. The splendor of the interior is complemented by a multi-colored parquet of the 18th century reconstructed according to the surviving drawings. with rare and complex ornamentation. Also, on the basis of historical photographs, two marble fireplaces with mirrors in gilded carved frames were recreated.

The main reception room - the central room of the Neva enfilade is another hall of the palace that has preserved the original elements of historical decoration. There are eight monolithic columns of polished Serdobol granite, stucco decoration of the vaulted ceiling and fragments of parquet. In 2015, restoration work on the reconstruction of the decorative decoration of this interior is being completed. Marble fireplaces, inlaid parquet made of precious woods were recreated there, the stucco molding of the ceiling was cleared and re-gilded, door panels were restored, and a bronze gilded chandelier was recreated. Opened doorways to adjoining rooms.

In the western part of the building, overlooking Marble Lane, there is the largest room in the palace - a double-height hall created in the process of reconstruction by A. Bryullov. He received a new artistic decoration, and became known as the White or Gothic, because of the neo-Gothic style elements used in its design. Bryullov divided the space of the hall into three parts, installing the supports of the ceilings supporting the vaults, decorated with bundles of thin "Gothic" columns turning into fan vaults. On the sides of the doorway of the southern wall of the hall, two marble columns were installed, on which figures of Russian knights are placed. A marble fireplace with a mirror in a carved gilded frame is located along the central axis of the northern wall. This is the only authentic fireplace from the middle of the 19th century. preserved in its historical place in the Marble Palace to the present day.

In 2002, a comprehensive restoration and reconstruction of the White Hall was completed: figures of Russian knights along the perimeter of the hall and sculptural images of double-headed eagles, stucco decoration of the ceiling were recreated, window openings of the second light on the eastern wall were opened. Chandeliers and sconces are recreated from gilded bronze. Reconstruction of type-setting parquet was carried out.

Adjacent to the White Hall from the north is the Greek Gallery, in which the artistic decoration has also been recreated: the facing of the walls with artificial marble has been restored, and the typeset parquet has been reconstructed. The stucco decoration of the ceiling with coloring was restored, and bronze gilded chandeliers were recreated.

Doors from the Greek Gallery lead to the Winter Garden, A. Bryullov arranged it on the terrace of the Hanging Garden, which was located here earlier, it occupies the space of the second and third floors. The decorative arches of the vault rest on cast-iron columns and semi-columns, the metal ceiling above the third floor is adorned with caissons. The windows of the rooms on the third floor overlook the garden, and a small balcony with an elegant wrought iron railing has been recreated on the eastern wall. In the middle of the garden, on a mosaic stone floor, rises a marble fountain with three bowls. A fountain, a large three-leaf glazed door, three arched openings connecting the garden room with the Flower Garden and a balcony at the level of the third floor with a decorative lattice were recreated in the garden. In the Flower Garden, a marble fireplace with a mirror was recreated, a doorway leading to the former library in the Nevsky Enfilade of the Palace was opened.

On the ground floor of the palace, overlooking Millionnaya Street, the interiors of the private apartments of Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich have been preserved; they were created in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. they visibly reflected the aesthetic preferences of their owner. The Grand Duke's office, paneled in mahogany, is made in the Jacob style. Musical (Gothic) room, completely made of oak. Its decoration is stylized based on motifs borrowed from examples typical of Gothic architecture. There is also a living room with a five-part picturesque ceiling on the vaulted ceiling. The plot program of the plafond "Service to Art", written by E. K. Ligart, was compiled with the direct participation of the customer himself - Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich. Adjacent to this room is the so-called Marble Living Room, the walls of which are lined with artificial marble. The interiors of the library and the reception room of the Grand Duke have also been preserved and restored. In these halls there is a memorial exposition dedicated to the poet of the Silver Age, who wrote under the cryptonym "K.R." - Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich Romanov.

In 1994, an agreement was signed on the formation of the Ludwig Museum in the Russian Museum. The owners of the collection - the spouses Peter and Irene Ludwig - donated works of Russian and foreign artists of the 20th century to the museum. from your collection. This act marked the beginning of the development of the main concept of the Marble Palace: "Russian art in the context of world art." Currently, the palace has a permanent exhibition of the Ludwig Museum, which presents works by artists whose work reflects the development trends of fine arts in the second half of the 20th century. both in our country and abroad.

In 1998, St. Petersburg collectors Yakov Aleksandrovich and Iosif Aleksandrovich Rzhevsky donated their collection to the State Russian Museum. Most of the collection are works of easel painting of the 18th - 20th centuries, among which are the works of I.K. Aivazovsky, Yu.Yu. Clover, I.I. Dubovsky, I.I. Mashkova, P.P. Konchalovsky and B.M. Kustodiev. A particularly rare part of the collection are clocks - fireplace, floor and travel clocks, made by various watchmakers of the late 18th - first half of the 19th centuries. Watches with unique clock mechanisms, with a fight, perform several melodies, and are also interesting in the decorative design of the dial and case. This private collection also includes graphics, sculpture, furniture, lighting fixtures, and artistic bronzes.

The Marble Palace is an integral part of the State Russian Museum and a masterpiece of Russian architecture of the 18th - 19th centuries. Its cultural and historical significance is comparable to the collections kept by the State Russian Museum.

Owners

Grigory Grigorievich Orlov (1734 - 1783) count, prince since 1772. Member of the coup of 1762, which brought Catherine II to power, since 1765 - general feldzeugmeister, general director of the cavalry guard corps, Her Imperial Majesty's adjutant general and actual chamberlain, chief of the Life Guards cavalry regiment , President of the Office of the Foreign Guardianships and holder of various orders. The Ober-Jägermeister office, which was in charge of the imperial hunt and fireworks, was subordinate to him. He remained in the service until his death. Died in Moscow.

The participation of G. Orlov in historical events and his services to the Fatherland, the Empress noted the issue of a commemorative medal: “For delivering Moscow from an ulcer”, the creation of the Triumphal Gate in Tsarskoye Selo, and the construction of the Marble Palace, above the entrance of which there was an inscription: “The Building of Gratitude”.

After the death of Count Catherine II bought the Marble Palace from his brothers for two hundred thousand rubles, and separately acquired a collection of paintings and miniatures that were in the palace for the imperial collection.

In 1796, Catherine II presented the Marble Palace to her second grandson, Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich. From 1797 - 1798 The palace served as the residence of the last king of Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski.

Stanislav August Poniatowski (1732 - 1798). King 1764 - 1795 S.A. Poniatovsky was invited to St. Petersburg to participate in the work of the “Debt Commission”, which dealt with the distribution of the debts of the Commonwealth between Russia, Prussia and Austria for the annexed lands and on account of the liquidation of the loan of 1777 received under the guarantees of Russia. The king arrived in Petersburg with a small court, in which 160 people served.

The king's private apartments were located on the second floor of the northeastern part of the building, including the Marble Hall. In February 1798, S.A. Poniatowski died suddenly of apoplexy. A specially established "Sorrowful Commission" prepared the burial of the monarch. Mourning celebrations took place in the Great Hall, designed by V. Brenna.

Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich (1779 - 1831) was brought up together with his elder brother by the future Emperor Alexander I, was fond of military sciences. Colonel, chief of the St. Petersburg Grenadier Regiment, chief of the Life Guards of the Izmailovsky Regiment, head of the cadet corps, inspector general of the cavalry. Participated in the Italian and Swiss campaigns of A.V. Suvorov. The commander of the guard during the wars of 1805 - 1807. Was in military campaigns 1809 - 1812. In the battle of Austerlitz he commanded the guards corps. Since 1814, troops in the Kingdom of Poland were subordinate to him. Since 1816, the commander-in-chief of the Polish army, was constantly in Warsaw. From 1818 he was a member of the Polish Sejm (from the suburbs of Warsaw - Prague). Since 1826, after the death of the governor of Poland, he actually performed his duties. In 1831, fleeing the uprising in Warsaw, he left for St. Petersburg, died of cholera in Vitebsk, was buried in Peter and Paul Fortress. For decades, the Marble Palace was occupied by employees of the Grand Duke's court with their families. With a large population, the premises of the palace needed reconstruction and repairs. These works were supervised by A.N. Voronikhin, who was the court architect of the Grand Duke in 1803-1810.

In 1832, after the death of the owner, Konstantin Pavlovich, Emperor Nicholas I granted the Marble Palace to his second son, Konstantin Nikolayevich, by personal decree. The young Grand Duke was brought up in the family, but the palace remained a residential building for the courtiers.

Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich (1827 - 1892), Admiral General, head of the Naval Ministry, carried out a number of reforms of the Russian fleet, participated in the preparation of the famous "Manifesto", which freed the peasants from serfdom.

In 1848, the marriage of Konstantin Nikolaevich to Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna, born Princess of Saxe-Altenburg, took place. The Grand Duke's family moved to the palace after the reconstruction, carried out according to the project of A.P. Bryullov, in December 1849.

On December 20, 1849, the Highest Decree of the Emperor reported: “the rebuilt Marble Palace with all the decorations and the service house belonging to it, the Sovereign Emperor, most mercifully deigned to present His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich as a gift to His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich for eternal and hereditary His Highness possession and ordered this palace to be called Konstantinovsky ".

The Grand Duke showed great interest in music, he himself played several musical instruments. Knowing and loving literature, he contributed to the publication of the first posthumous collected works of N.V. Gogol. For the first time, the works of I.A. Goncharov, V.I. Dal, A.N. Afanasyev, A.I. Ostrovsky, D.V.

Many writers and musicians visited the Grand Duke at the Marble Palace. In the White Hall of the palace, concerts were held with the participation of E. Balakirev, A. Rubinstein, N. Rimsky-Korsakov. Here, on May 2, 1856, the first performance of I. Strauss took place in St. Petersburg.

Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna (1830-1911), born Princess of Saxe-Altenburg, wife of Konstantin Nikolaevich. The marriage produced 6 children.

Alexandra Iosifovna was a bright personality among the outstanding women of her time. She stood at the origins of the emergence of the Red Cross in Russia, the service of nurses in hospitals, and the construction of hospitals. At its expense in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877 - 1878. sanitary warehouses were organized, medicines and equipment for hospitals were purchased, a special sanitary train was created. For 25 years, the Grand Duchess led the St. Petersburg Council of Orphanages under the department of institutions of the Empress Maria, whose meetings often took place in the drawing room of the palace.

The Grand Duchess took an active part in the activities of the Imperial Russian Musical Society and the creation of the Conservatory. At her request, in 1889 the building of the Imperial Bolshoi Theater was transferred to the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Funds for the reconstruction of the building were allocated from the office of Her Imperial Highness.

In 1892, after the death of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, the Marble Palace was inherited by his son, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich.

Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich (1858 - 1915) known as a poet and translator, signing with the cryptonym "KR", from 1889 he was president of the Academy of Sciences. Through his efforts, the Academy established the "Class of Fine Literature". He began his military service in the navy and was later transferred to the army. In 1882, he was commander of a company of the Life Guards of the Izmailovsky Regiment, where he organized Izmailovsky Leisures, a kind of theatrical, musical and literary association of officers. Poems were read at meetings of officers, incl. famous poets A.N. Maikov and Ya.P. Polonsky.

Musical works were performed there, performances were staged. The best production of The Tragedy of Prince Hamlet, translated by Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, also took place in the Marble Palace, in the Great Hall, where the stage was built. main role performed by the Grand Duke himself. The performance was attended by members of the Imperial family.

The Grand Duke was the Chief Commander, and later the General - Inspector of the Military Educational Institutions of Russia. Under his leadership, a lot of work was carried out to develop training in military schools, as well as to improve education in general.

In 1889, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, having become a trustee of the Two-Year Women's Pedagogical Courses, contributed to their reorganization into a higher educational institution - the Women's Pedagogical Institute.

Also under the auspices of the Grand Duke were the Agricultural Courses, organized in 1899, whose students were accommodated in the Service House of the Marble Palace. The courses were open to all comers of different classes aged 10 to 18 years. 5 thousand children were engaged in them, but the interest in them was so great that the number of those who wanted to attend them reached 14 thousand.

Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich was married to Grand Duchess Elizaveta Mavrikievna, nee Princess of Saxe-Altenburg, since 1884, nine children were born in the family.

Grand Duchess Elizaveta Mavrikievna (1865 - 1927), born Princess Elisabeth of Saxe-Altenburg, Duchess of Saxony.

Grand Duchess Elizabeth Mavrikievna directed her efforts to create a large family and charity. The Grand Duchess took many institutions of Empress Maria in Pavlovsk under her wing. She was the Patron of the Society for the Care of Poor and Sick Children. Thanks to her efforts in the early 1900s. The Society put into circulation consumer books in all major cities of Russia. The books listed firms that undertook to give discounts when selling goods for cash.

In 1906, having succeeded Alexandra Iosifovna, she headed the Council of Orphanages, becoming a trustee of the Alexander Orphanage, the Society for Helping the Poor Women of the City. Under her patronage, the first overnight workhouse for homeless children and adolescents was adopted in St. Petersburg with assistance in acquiring a specialty and in finding a job.

Grand Duchess Elizaveta Mavrikievna lived in the palace until 1918, and left Russia with her young children and grandchildren. Her three sons - John, Konstantin and Igor were executed in 1918 in Alapaevsk.

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The Marble Palace, located in the center of the northern capital, is considered one of the most majestic and striking buildings in the city. This architectural monument of the 18th century is truly unique. The fact is that this is the first building in St. Petersburg, in the decoration of the facade of which a natural material was used - marble. It should be noted that 32 types of marble brought from different countries were used for the construction.

The Marble Palace was a gift for the queen's favorite, Grigory Orlov. Catherine decided to generously thank Grigory Grigorievich for helping her become empress.

Initially, on the site of the Marble Palace, there was a two-story building of the Post Office, designed by Domenico Trezzini. Here Peter I held his assemblies and festive events. Also in the building were a restaurant, a hotel and a post office. Interestingly, in good weather Peter used to come here on foot from the Summer Garden. In winter, the hotel guests lived like on a powder keg. If the king unexpectedly came to the Post Office Yard, then all the residents were instantly evicted. After a while, the Manege was built here, and the post office moved to another place. But the new building of the Manezh burned down already in 1737.

In 1769, by decree of Catherine II, a large-scale construction of the Marble Palace began here under the guidance of architect Antonio Rinaldi. This majestic building was a gift for the queen's favorite - Grigory Orlov. Catherine decided to generously thank Grigory Grigorievich for helping her become empress. Of course, Orlov could not help but make a return gift and chose the luxurious Nadir Shah diamond as a present. The cost of the stone was 460 thousand rubles - fabulous money for that time. By the way, about the same amount of money was spent on the construction of the Marble Palace itself.

There is a version that Catherine II personally made a sketch of the project of the Marble Palace.

Marble for facing the building was brought from Italy, Greece and Russia.

Interestingly, a large box with coins, which was also made of marble, was laid in the foundation of the building. About 300 people worked daily at the construction site of the Marble Palace. The Empress personally monitored the progress of work and encouraged the most active builders.

The interior of the Marble Palace is striking in its splendor. Here everything was thought out to the smallest detail. The main staircase was decorated with statues of Morning, Day, Evening and Night, as well as sculptural groups representing the spring and autumn equinoxes. In addition to luxurious halls, there was a library, a large art gallery, bedrooms, living rooms, an office, Turkish and Greek baths. The construction of this huge house was delayed. Count Orlov died without seeing the finished palace. True, in those years he was no longer the favorite of the Empress.

Later, the Marble Palace belonged to the grandson of Catherine II, Konstantin Pavlovich Romanov, and his children. After the revolution, the building was nationalized, and all the rich collections were transferred to the Hermitage. In the palace at different times there were such organizations as the People's Commissariat of Education, the Administration of Palaces-Museums, the Central Bureau of Local Lore and others. In 1992 the house was handed over to the Russian Museum. An equestrian monument to Alexander III was erected in front of the building.

Practical Information

The Marble Palace is located at the address: St. Petersburg, Millionnaya street, 5/1, Nevsky Prospekt metro station.

Ticket price for adult visitors - 350 RUB, for schoolchildren and students - 170 RUB. You can purchase a complex ticket to visit the Marble, Mikhailovsky, Stroganov Palaces and Mikhailovsky Castle for 650 RUB. The reduced price of such a ticket is 300 RUB. You will have to pay an additional fee for photography - 500 RUB.

Address: Millionnaya st., 5/1

Prices on the page are for September 2018.

B is one of the most famous buildings of the 18th century. The palace was built according to the calculations of arch. A. Rinaldi at the behest of Catherine II for her favorite G.G. Orlov. It is known that the empress personally made a sketch of the future building, and the architect embodied her plan. Count Orlov was so delighted with the work of the architect that, as soon as he took possession, he ordered the installation of a marble relief with a portrait of Rinaldi.

The count was awarded such a royal gift for helping Catherine to take the Russian throne. The favorite appreciated the gift and, for his part, presented Catherine II with a huge diamond, the cost of which was almost equal to the cost of the entire building. Today this diamond is called “Orlov”.

The construction of the palace began in 1769, the construction work was led by M. Mordvinov. The Empress often came to the construction site and marked good craftsmen with special awards. In 1774, the decoration of facades and interior halls with granite and 32 types of marble began, moreover, white marble was brought from Italy. The roof was covered with copper sheets, the connection and soldering of which was carried out with such diligence that the roof stood without repair until 1931.

The construction of the palace took so long that Orlov, without waiting for its completion, died in 1783, on April 13. The work on the construction of Marble was coming to an end when another misfortune happened: A. Rinaldi fell from the scaffolding. The architect, without waiting for the completion of the construction, went to his home in Italy, leaving behind this great creation.

All halls, private chambers, boudoir, stairs, art galleries of the palace are richly decorated with gilding, stucco and statues. On the third floor there was a Library, living quarters, living rooms for card games, a Chinese sofa room, and a hall where they played ball. The palace is notable for the fact that there was the Catherine's Hall, glorifying Catherine and the Orlovsky Hall, glorifying Orlov and his brothers.

On the ground floor there was a boiler room, a kitchen, a church and service rooms, which were equipped with mechanisms that supply water to the Garden, a bathhouse, a kitchen and a pool.

After the revolution, the building passed to different departments, until the architect N. Lansere, in 1937, rebuilt it into a museum, trying to keep the interior decoration in its original form.

Today, the Marble Palace hosts exhibitions, meetings of political figures, scientific work is being carried out, and the premises are being restored.

You can get to the Marble Palace from the station. Metro - Nevsky Prospekt.