Marble palace. History. State halls. Marble Palace (21 photos) Millionnaya 5 marble palace
The Marble Palace in St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. Its main feature is that the craftsmen used more than 30 different types of marble in the construction of the building. Some of the types of marble used were mined nearby, in the same city. Other grades of material were imported from afar, from Italy itself. The Marble Palace was built in the 18th century, and became the first building constructed from such expensive and beautiful materials.
A little about history
The construction of the Marble Palace took 17 years. This beautiful architectural structure was presented by Empress Catherine the Great to Count Grigory Orlov as a reward for special military services to the Fatherland. How it looks, look at the photo and video in the article. The lengthy construction of the Palace did not allow Grigory Orlov to wait for the gift. He died, and Catherine the Great subsequently bought her own gift from the heirs of the count, and gave it to her grandson. Further, the Marble Palace located in St. Petersburg was passed from hand to hand, the architectural structure changed many owners. At different times, on the territory of this palace, one could see the library, and the housing of the imperial family, and the art gallery. There was a period when a prisoner was kept here - the leader of the Polish Confederates.
Reconstruction of the palace
In 1832, reconstruction was carried out inside the building of the Marble Palace in St. Petersburg, and this architectural structure acquired one more floor, and besides it, a ballroom, in which parties were held, famous throughout St. Petersburg, see the video and Photo. At the time when the Marble Palace was owned by Konstantin Romanov (the son of Prince Nikolai Romanov), literary evenings, plays and performances on various topics were often held in the building. During the October Revolution, the building of the marble palace housed various offices associated with the Ministry of Labor, created by the provisional government. The works of art collected in this Palace were then transferred to the Hermitage.
Description
The interior decoration of the Marble Palace amazes visitors with its splendor. Every detail of the interior is permeated with the spirit of courage and courage. Indeed, the idea of Empress Catherine the Great was originally just that. She wanted to show the courage, bravery and courage of the owner of the palace. In the palace halls there are various bas-reliefs and statues that recreate various heroic events that took place in the life of Count Grigory Orlov. The construction of this architectural object was headed by an architect from Italy - Antonio Rinaldi, and with him the construction was carried out by about four hundred more masters. Empress Catherine even came to see how the construction was being carried out, and upon completion she personally awarded the workers who took part in the creation of this architectural masterpiece.
The ground floor of the palace is decorated with gray marble, while the upper floors are decorated with beautiful pink marble. The halls are also decorated with marble from the inside, and one of them has a name similar to the name of the Palace - Marble. Its walls are faced with Karelian, Italian, Greek marble, as well as with Baikal lapis lazuli.
Main staircase
Main staircase of this palace is decorated with grayish-silver marble, and the sculptural accompaniment of this staircase is represented by niches in which themed sculptures are placed, personifying day, morning, evening, night, spring and autumn equinox. Bas-reliefs, figures of eagles, trophies - all these elements are made of white marble and are the decor of the main staircase of the Marble Palace.
Now the Marble Palace receives visitors every day, despite the reconstruction. Various thematic exhibitions are held inside the building. Visitors will be able to see paintings by foreign and domestic artists in this building. Getting to the architectural structure is not difficult. It will be enough for a traveler to drive to Millionnaya Street, 5. The entrance to the Marble Palace is paid, and its doors are open to visitors on all days except Tuesday. Discounts are valid for families and excursion groups.
A beautiful and picturesque view of the Neva River opens from the windows of the Marble Palace. You can get here by metro, getting off at the station "Nevsky Prospekt" or by taxi, standing at the stop "Suvorovskaya Ploschad". Fixed-route taxi numbers are K76 and K46.
What can tourists see
Now, in the Marble Palace in St. Petersburg, tourists can see many interesting compositions and exhibits. Many of them reflect the role of Russian art in the global context. On the territory of the palace there is a permanent exhibition about foreign artists in Russia in the period of the 18th-19th centuries. By visiting it, you can learn useful information about the relationship between European and Russian artists. Another exposition entitled "The Museum of Ludwig in the Russian Museum" allows you to trace how Russian art is developing in close relationship with the artistic culture of the world.
One of the last owners of the Marble Palace was Konstantin Romanov, and in his chambers there is now an exhibition that tells visitors about one of the poets of the Silver Age, Konstantin Romanov, who lived in this room. This exhibition is also worth visiting for everyone who came to the Marble Palace on a tour.
Video
This is a short film that immerses you in the atmosphere of the Marble Palace. After watching this video, you will have a clear idea of what the Marble Palace is, which is located in St. Petersburg. You can also subscribe to our channel and see other sights of our vast Russia.
The Marble Palace is one of the most interesting palaces in St. Petersburg. This architectural ensemble is entirely made of natural stone. Facades and interiors are decorated and faced with various types of marble. This is where the name comes from.
History of the Marble Palace
The Marble Palace is one of the most beautiful buildings in St. Palace Embankment
Favorite gift
The palace was created by order of Catherine II for her favorite Grigory Orlov. The Empress presented a gorgeous gift as a token of gratitude for her active participation in the events of 1762, as a result of which she became the rightful mistress of the throne.
Catherine's beloved did not remain in debt, he gave her a huge persian emerald, the value of which was almost equal to the value of the palace.
At her command, an inscription was made over the entrance to the palace, addressed to Orlov - "The building of gratitude." The construction, which began in 1768, lasted so long, 17 years, that Count Orlov died before the completion of the work, not having time to celebrate a housewarming in it.
Palace owners
In 1785, Catherine bought the palace from the heirs for 1.5 million rubles and soon presented it to her 16-year-old grandson Konstantin Pavlovich on the occasion of his marriage.
However, she soon had to deprive the heir of the gift for "unworthy behavior." The young prince, mocking his 14-year-old wife, fired live rats from a cannon in the corridor.
Then in the Marble Palace lived alternately the son and grandson of Nicholas I. So he became for many years the residence of one of the branches of the Romanov family- Konstantinovich, although it was intended for Count Orlov.
During the First World War, the palace was used as a hospital for wounded officers. In Soviet times, the Russian Academy of the History of Material Culture was located there. During this time, many interiors were lost.
Later, the former grand ducal residence turned into the Lenin Museum. Its courtyard was adorned with the "Enemy of Capital" armored car, from which the leader of the revolution delivered his fiery speeches.
Now, on the site of the armored car, an equestrian statue of Alexander III has been placed. Since 1994, the building of the Marble Palace was taken over by the Russian Museum.
Architectural features
The Marble Palace occupies a whole block between the Neva River and Millionnaya Street, it seems that it grew out of Neva granite. Gray-pink granite and the walls of the building echo the color of the St. Petersburg sky. The building was rebuilt in the style of early classicism of Russian architecture of the second half of the 18th century.
External structure of the palace
The palace has a complex shape. The main entrance is in the courtyard and overlooks the garden. Above the entrance there is an inscription: "The building of gratitude".
The eastern façade is crowned with a graceful clock tower adorned with marble vases. It contains the palace chimes. The facade is generously decorated with columns, pilasters - vertical ledges in the wall.
On the sides there are two allegorical marble statues "Generosity" and "Loyalty" by F.I. Shubin. The interiors of the palace are decorated with over 40 works by this architect. The front yard from the south and from the side of the Neva is bounded by a forged lattice placed on granite pillars with marble vases.
In 1780, in the eastern part of the site was built Service building, in which there were stables, arena, coachman, hay sheds. On the ground floor there were kitchens, a boiler room, a church, and a machine for supplying water to the ceremonial baths. On the second floor there is a bathroom, a steam room, a ballroom.
The western part, intended for household needs, was closed by the front facades of the buildings located on Millionnaya Street.
On the fence connecting the service wing with the palace, there are relief friezes "The Serving of the Horse to Man".
External facades
The main artistic value of the palace is the external facades, finished with natural stone. The ground floor is faced with pink-red Tivdian granite, which perfectly matches the granite embankment of the Neva. The two upper floors are decorated with light gray granite.
The thickness of the walls of the palace is 1.5-2 meters. The height of the building is from 12 to 22 meters. The columns, made of pink marble, alternate rhythmically with the window openings. Window frames are made of gray Ruskeala marble. Between the windows of the second and third floors - embossed air white marble garlands.
The architecture of the building has baroque features: the graceful pretentious shape of the clock tower, the intricate contour of the roof created by openwork vases, the complex configuration of the grand staircase.
For the decoration of facades and interiors, 32 types of marble were used. Huge blocks of stone were delivered along the Neva from quarries near Ladoga and Onega lakes. White marble was brought from Italy.
The northern and southern facades facing the Neva embankment and the Field of Mars are designed for perception from a long distance.
Balcony rails are made of marble with gilded bronze balusters, low figured columns in the form of miniature columns. Along the entire perimeter of the facades there are vases made of gray dolomite, a durable translucent stone with a glass luster.
Interiors of the Marble Palace
The interiors of the palace are distinguished by rich interior decoration using a rare and expensive stone - agate. All this luxury is designed to emphasize the strength and masculinity of its owner, Count Orlov.
According to Rinaldi's idea, the artistic decoration of the interior was to become a worthy continuation of the stone decoration of the facades. The architect realized his idea when decorating the main staircase and halls of the palace.
A majestic staircase, decorated with various types of colored marble, leads to the second floor in the suite of ceremonial halls. Its monolithic columns are surprisingly picturesque.
The main staircase is made according to the project of Rinaldi from marble of gray-silver shades.
The ceiling of the staircase is crowned with the "Judgment of Paris" plafond. Numerous sculptures decorating the staircase were created from Italian marble by architect F. Shubin especially for the Marble Palace.
Opposite the entrance, on the wall, is a marble relief with a portrait of Antonio Rinaldi. He appeared here at the request of Count Grigory Orlov in recognition of the architect's merits. Shortly before the completion of the work, the architect was seriously injured, having fallen from the scaffolding. Without waiting for the end of construction, for this reason he left Russia for Italy.
The basis of the artistic decoration of the main staircase is a sculpture made of Italian marble and installed in special niches. The relief composition on the walls of the third floor and decorative overlap complement the unusual decoration of the main entrance.
The sculptures of the main staircase of the Marble Palace represent an allegorical ensemble. In the niches between the first and second floors, there are four marble statues that represent the time of day and symbolize human life stages.
- Morning is a person's childhood. This is a female figure in the form of the goddess of the morning dawn Aurora. At her feet is a solar disk, and her arms are entwined with garlands of roses.
- Noon is the youth of man. A female figure with an arrow, a symbol of the sun's rays. The sundial shows noon.
- Evening is a mature age. A female figure in the image of the goddess of the hunt, Diana, who goes hunting at dusk, grabbing a bow and a quiver with arrows.
- Night is a person's old age. A female figure with the attribute of the night - an owl.
There are two statues in rectangular niches between the second and third floors:
- The vernal equinox is a female figure with a flower garland in her hands, at her feet is the head of a ram, the zodiac sign of Aries, into which the sun enters after the vernal equinox.
- The autumnal equinox is a male figure with a bunch of ripe grapes in his hand.
On the walls of the third floor there are relief images of four main Virtues:
- Moderation.
- Prudence.
- Justice.
- Strength of mind.
On the western wall there is a composition "The Game of Cupids", which is crowned with a rich clock dial.
Along the entire length of the staircase there are sculptures of nymphs. All the symbols of the main staircase glorified the military valor, fortitude and deeds of Grigory Orlov.
The marble hall of the palace
The marble hall of the palace is unique. Decorating the hall, the architect used various types of Russian and Italian marbles, combining them in various ways.
The walls are faced with Ural, Karelian, Greek, Italian marble. In the decoration of the main premises of the palace, the architect used a rare ornamental stone - lapis lazuli.
The ceiling is supported by pillars in the form of thin columns that turn into fan vaults. On the sides of the doorway, two marble columns were installed, on which the figures of Russian knights were placed.
On the east side of the hall, the sculptor depicted double-headed eagles... Along the perimeter of the walls there are 14 round bas-reliefs on the theme of "Sacrifice".
The window frames and balcony doors are made of gilded bronze. The door leaves and stunning flooring made from complex patterned parquet flooring create a unique atmosphere that characterizes the delicate taste of architects and sculptors.
The hall is decorated with gilded bronze chandeliers with crystal dressing. Two marble fireplaces with mirrors in gold carved frames emphasize the generosity of the Empress, at whose command the palace was built.
Winter Garden
Nearby - a winter garden, arranged on the terrace of the second and third floors. Its decorative arches are supported by cast-iron columns and semi-columns.
The metal ceiling is decorated with caissons, graceful geometric recesses along its entire surface.
On the east side - balcony with an elegant wrought iron lattice... In the middle of the garden, a marble fountain with three bowls rises on a mosaic stone floor.
A large three-winged glass door opens the entrance to the Flower Garden, in which a marble fireplace with a mirror blends harmoniously into the sea of flowers.
Halls of the Marble Palace
Marble was also used in the decoration of other halls of the palace.
- The white hall looks rich and sophisticated, decorated with slender white columns.
- The lacquer hall is decorated with wood, the walls are decorated with panels with paintings of the exploits of Alexander the Great. Velvet walls are crowned with the monogram of the Empress. In front of her stately portrait there is a pedestal with a vase decorated with war trophies.
- The Oryol and Catherine Halls glorify activity, symbolize the valor and luxury of the Empress and her favorite. The bas-reliefs of the Russian sculptor M. Kozlovsky, glorifying duty, loyalty to the Fatherland, self-sacrifice and generosity of the commanders, stand out for their ideal whiteness.
- The Chinese hall is very beautiful and fashionable. During important receptions, it served as a ceremonial dining room.
- The Art Gallery presents 206 masterpieces of painting.
State of the art
Since 1994, the palace has regularly hosted art exhibitions, meetings, and concerts. Opened here permanent exhibitions:
- Russian art in the context of world art.
- Foreign artists in Russia in the 18-19 centuries.
- Ludwig Museum at the Russian Museum.
- Collection of St. Petersburg collectors of brothers Rzhevsky
- Konstantin Romanov is a poet of the Silver Age.
Also regularly held exhibitions of works by contemporary Russian and foreign artists. Spouses Peter and Irena Ludwig donated to the museum works of Russian and foreign artists of the 20th century from their collection.
In 1998, the Rzhevsky brothers from St. Petersburg, who had preserved works of Russian painting for half a century, donated their collection to the Russian Museum. Among them are works by Aivazovsky, Klever, Dubovsky, Mashkov, Konchalovsky, Kustodiev.
Particularly rare part of the collection - mantel clock, floor and road, made by different watchmakers of the 18-19 centuries. All watches with unique watch mechanisms, with striking, perform several melodies, with an interesting decorative design of the dial and case.
Most of the collection represents graphics, sculpture, furniture, lighting fixtures, and artistic bronze. In 2015, the Bank of Russia issued a commemorative 25-ruble coin dedicated to the Marble Palace.
Recently I read the diary of Nikolai Ivanovich Pirogov, "Questions of Life", published in "Russian Antiquity" for 1884-1885 and 1887. In addition, there with great pleasure I read the essay by Protodeacon V. Orlov "The Marble Palace", dedicated to the centenary of the completion of the palace construction (May issue of 1885). The essay gives the history of the construction of the palace, it is indicated what and how much money was spent, the names of the masters who were involved in the work are listed. Also given detailed description two house churches and kept in shrines that were in the palace. I could not find this information on the Internet. A copy of the sketch is available in full in the album http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/amsmolich/album/313723/.
And suddenly an excursion! Of course, we signed up right away. During the excursion, we were told what is already available on all sites, including the site of the Russian Museum. This explains our disappointment with my mother from what we heard, but what we saw left the best impressions.
The tour consisted of two parts. The first part is historical, with a visit to three ceremonial halls. There used to be 70 ceremonial rooms in the palace (but they don't talk about that!). And only the Marble Hall has survived, the other two halls have been rebuilt from old photographs and drawings. Parquet was also dismantled everywhere. There was practically nothing left in the palace. Everything was destroyed by the communists.
The second part was dedicated to V. book Konstantin Konstantinovich and his work, with a visit to seven rooms in which for some reason it is forbidden to take pictures. These premises were also restored from photographs, as the communists believed that nothing should remain in the palace that would remind of the royal family. Therefore, everything was destroyed.
Below are a few lines from the sketch "The Marble Palace". My photographs plus a set of postcards purchased at the palace.
Under Peter the Great, on the site of the present-day Field of Mars, “bestial persecution” was usually carried out, and where the Marble Palace was subsequently built, there was a post office, near which in 1711 a “beast house” was arranged and in it were placed: a large elephant, lions, tigers, sent as a gift from the Persian Shah. “The post yard,” says Ruban in his “Description of Petersburg”, “was a hut and stood on the spot where the great peace of the marble house is now being built. At this post yard, Tsar Peter I repeatedly sent celebrations to certain holidays and victories. "
Bashutsky, describing the postal yard in his Panorama of St. Petersburg, notes that “the capital has long felt a lack of such an institution, for there has not yet been a house where visitors could stay without wasting time looking for an apartment throughout the city. This house was in charge of a special caretaker, who had the rank of an army ensign, with a very moderate content, which was later increased by allowing him to open another special hotel, to prescribe a certain amount of wine and other products duty-free. In addition, he was allowed to use part of the collection from letters sent, but this income was very insignificant, since no more than two kopecks were paid for delivering a letter, for example, from St. Petersburg to Moscow. Under Peter I, the Mya (Moika) river was deepened and cleared, from which two canals were drawn: one near the present Marble Palace, after being filled up, and the other still exists under the name of the Winter Canal. Under Catherine II, this place was called "Tsaritsyn Meadow"; in 1818 the name "Field of Mars" was given.
So, on Tsaritsyno Meadow, Catherine II decided to build a house of marble, and the following legend exists: having conceived the construction, the Empress invited one of the foreign architects and, showing him a drawing of the palace she herself had thrown over, asked his opinion about this plan. Knowing that the project belonged to the monarch, the architect was scattered with enthusiastic praise, listening to which the empress said: "If it is so good, then take over its construction." The agreement, of course, immediately followed, but the architect, in fulfilling the imperially sketched plan, was put in great difficulty, even in the outlines of the capital walls, and this is how they explain, if you go around the rooms of the palace, it becomes noticeable that there are no right angles in it either in no chambers, no embrasures of windows and doors.
The builder of the Marble Palace was Antonio Rinaldi.
F.Ya. Alekseev. View of the Palace Embankment. 1790th. 
The entire course of the construction of the Marble House from the very beginning to the end was of particular interest to Catherine II; She repeatedly personally visited the building and ordered to award the participants with money, as can be seen from the reports, and in general nothing happened in it without her orders. A handwritten note by Catherine II (1781 or 1782) has survived: “With extreme surprise I hear that in the Marble House Micah. Yves. Mordvinov gives Gampel the will to break down walls and rearrange doors as he pleases; ask in which and which rooms such a breakdown occurred and tell Micah. Iv., So that he does not break anything in that house without reporting me. Bring me a plan with the meaning of that reckless withdrawal. As Gampel knows better than Rinaldia. Doesn't he scrape the walls and cut down the bricks in the pipes, as in Tsarskoe Selo, in order to start fires?
The empress was entrusted with the direct supervision of the construction of the Marble Palace, Colonel of Artillery Micah. Yves. Mordvinov. Mordvinov kept detailed reports, where all costs were taken into account with an accuracy of ¼ a penny.
Obren and Jacotte. Marble palace. 1840-1850. Lithograph after drawing by Charlemagne and Durui. 
At the Sestroretsk factories, a factory was set up in 1772 for forging copper sheets on the roof. The marble was obtained from Yekaterinburg from the office of building houses and gardens.
In 1772 Gr. Gr. Orlov retired. Catherine, with her own handwritten draft of the decree, among many precious gifts, appointed Orlov and the Marble Palace. As a result, Mordvinov, on September 25th, was given a decree: “when you will finish building the stone house under your supervision at the postal pier, as ordered from us, and when it is completely removed, and in such a state will be brought so that the owner entered it and could live, then give the keys to gr. Gr. Gr. Orlov, because we grant him this house with all the furniture in it for eternal and hereditary possession. "
F.S. Rokotov. Portrait of Catherine II. 1779
S. Torelli. Portrait of Count G.G. Orlova. 1763 
But the construction of the palace took a long time, and Orlov was not destined to read the inscription on the frieze of the palace, at the behest of Catherine: “building of gratitude”, he died without moving to this house, in Moscow, on April 13, 1783.
After Orlov's death, Catherine turned to the relatives of the deceased with a proposal to redeem the property of Grigory Orlov, since in her opinion “this is superfluous for you; Gr., But also to your own benefit all of you will turn. " She made an inventory and appraisal of this property, which, according to her calculations, was "about a million and twenty thousand rubles." And with the installment plan for ten years, the interest on her calculations will amount to "up to five hundred thousand rubles." When consent was received, she ordered "not to take any duties on this sale."
After the death of Mikhail Ivanovich Mordvinov in 1782, Colonel Buxgewden was in charge of the construction of the palace. Such detailed reporting as in Mordvinov's was not carried out in subsequent years, but only brief notes and reports exist.
In total, 1,219,677 rubles were spent on the construction of the palace from April 1768 to May 1785. 46 ¼ K. But this is without cost for three years, from 1778 to 1780, since these reports of Mordvinov have not been preserved in the archives.
In terms of exterior decoration and interior decoration, the Marble Palace serves as a wonderful monument to Catherine's generosity. The lower floor is all overlaid with hewn wild stone, the upper two are multi-colored, polished Finnish and Siberian marble.
A rich gray marble grand staircase with niches for statues and vases, designed by Rinaldi, leads to the middle and upper floors.
Sculptures by F.I. Shubin after a drawing by architect Rinaldi. Night, Morning, Noon, Evening. 
The plafond of the main staircase. I. Christ. "The Judgment of Paris". 
On the day of the wedding c. book Konstantin Pavlovich (performed on February 15, 1796), which took place in the church Winter Palace, after the dinner table in the St. George Hall and at the end of the ball, a reception for the newlyweds took place in the Marble Palace. A few days later, Catherine dined with her grandson, and this is what she wrote about the Marble Palace in a letter to Grimm: “Je pense qu'il est difficile de trouver une plus belle maison, plus richement meublee et avec plus de gout, de commodite, de richesse ; nous sommes amuses avant et après le diner a parcourir toute la maison, et j'en suis tres contente, et le sieur Constantin aussi. "
Soon after the partition of Poland, in 1797, the King of Poland Stanislav-August Poniatowski arrived in St. Petersburg, who from the palaces offered for him and his retinue: Stone, Tauride and Marble, chose the latter, why Konstantin Pavlovich had to temporarily settle in the house of the former chief marshal Shepeleva.
In February 1798, Poniatovsky died in the Marble Palace and was buried on February 18 under the Catholic Church on Nevsky Prospect.
Marcello Bachiarelli. Death of Stanislav-August Poniatowski. 
After the death of Konstantin Pavlovich (June 27, 1831), the Marble Palace was empty, most of the furniture and things were moved to other palaces, and on March 6, 1832, the palace was assigned to the Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich.
Since 1849, within 4 years, the palace underwent major repairs. Restored by Alexander Pavlovich Bryullov.
On December 10, 1849, the Marble Palace was presented as a gift, in hereditary possession to His Imperial Highness Konstantin Nikolaevich. In 1888, the palace passed to his son, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich.
Interestingly, only the Constantines owned the palace.
In 1919-1936, the building housed the Russian Academy of the History of Material Culture (in fact, a museum of local lore), and after its liquidation - a branch of the Central Lenin Museum. To accommodate the exposition, the palace was redesigned by architects N.E. Lanceray and D.A. Vasiliev, which led to the loss of the architectural decoration of the halls. In 1992, the Marble Palace was transferred to the Russian Museum.
White hall. A.P. Bryullov
The hall is designed in the Gothic style. At one time there was an arsenal here - a collection of weapons was kept. 
All the chandeliers from this room were destroyed by the communists. They were melted down because they needed non-ferrous metal.
Bryullov's drawings of these chandeliers have not survived, so it is not possible to restore them.
Therefore, the restorers made new chandeliers from the surviving drawings of Bryullov.
The fireplace in the White Room is authentic: 
Winter Garden. A.P. Bryullov
The marble hall. A. Rinaldi. A.P. Bryullov 
Plafond S. Torelli. "Wedding of Cupid and Psyche" 
All chandeliers in the Marble Hall are genuine: 
Eagles in honor of the one to whom the grateful Catherine built the palace: 
The sculptor Mikhail Kozlovsky made a bas-relief for the Marble Hall, representing Regulus returning from Rome to the Carthaginian captivity, and Camille liberating Rome from the Gauls.
Regulus - Roman consul in 256 BC, who transferred the war with Carthage to Africa, won two victories over the Carthaginians; when they began to ask for peace, Regulus offered them extremely difficult conditions. The Carthaginians then gathered an army, inflicted a terrible defeat on the Romans and took Regulus prisoner. He was in captivity for 5 years, after which an embassy was sent to Rome to negotiate a peace advantageous for Carthage. According to legend, together with this embassy, Regulus was sent to Rome on the condition that he return to Carthage if he fails to persuade the Romans to peace on Carthage's terms. Regulus acted in Rome in favor of his compatriots, setting them up against Carthage, and since the embassy was unsuccessful, he returned to Carthage, where he was executed.
It is believed that this allegory was a hint from Ekaterina Orlov, who gave her his word not to divulge some secrets known to both of them. Allegory means loyalty to the given word.
The second bas-relief is of Camille liberating Rome from the Gauls.
In the 390s BC. after a seven-month siege, both the besieged and the besieged began to starve, and among the Gauls an infection opened up. Consequently, the parties were inclined to enter into negotiations. The leader of the Gauls, Brennus, agreed to withdraw with his army for a thousand pounds of gold. They brought gold and began to weigh it. The Gauls wanted to deceive the Romans and get more precious metal. At first slowly, and then openly, they began to pull down the scales with weights. The outraged Romans protested. Then Brenn took off his heavy sword and threw it on the scales where the weights were. "What does it mean?!" - exclaimed the Romans. “Woe to the vanquished — that's what that means!” Brenn shouted. At that moment Camille appeared with his army, declared the treaty invalid, drove the Gauls out of the city and defeated them in a great battle eight miles from Rome.
What Catherine wanted to say with this allegory, I do not know. During the excursion, they did not tell us a word about this bas-relief.
Interestingly, in Soviet times, October children were admitted to the pioneers in this hall.
To be continued.
The construction of the Marble Palace lasted 17 years. The building harmoniously complemented the ensemble of the Neva embankment. Granite and multi-colored marble of various types have become the main materials for construction and interior decoration. The stone originality of the building was eventually expressed in the name "Marble".
In the three-story building, built of variegated stone, pilasters and columns alternate evenly with windows. The clock tower, attic, pilasters of the two upper floors of the palace are made of pink Tivdian marble. The decor of the windows on the first and second floors is made of white Ural. The basement of the building is made of Vyborg pink granite - rapakivi - with a rough structure. Copper frames on all floors are gilded. The appearance of the times of Catherine II has been preserved in the interiors and decor of the central hall. Ural marble of a gray-silver hue prevailed in the design of the main staircase. The steps are made of Brusny sandstone of the color of an amulet. In the niches there are marble sculptures by Fedot Shubin, embodying the autumn and spring equinox, as well as the times of the day: morning, afternoon, evening, night.
On the walls there are stucco high reliefs: "Cupids' games" and four female figures on the sides, symbolizing "fortitude", "justice", "prudence" and "moderation".
The marble hall has almost completely preserved the original stone decoration. Its walls are divided by fourteen pairs of vertical projections, on which are elongated grooves with gilded capitals and bases. On the white marble wall garlands there are eagles symbolizing the first owner of the palace. Rounded marble bas-reliefs are placed in lunettes and are located along the walls of the hall. Reliefs of the sculptor M. Kozlovsky gracefully complement the decor - "The Return of Regulus to Carthage" and "Camille Delivers Rome".
In the bulkheads and above the vaults, reliefs of white marble stand out. The color variations of the marble around the panel are complemented by dazzling lapis lazuli. The plafond by S. Torelli "The Wedding of Cupid and Psyche" decorates the upper part of the hall.
During the reconstruction, the interfloor overlap of the second and third floors was dismantled. Daylight began to penetrate into the hall from the windows on both sides. The plafond was raised to the height of the third floor and bronze chandeliers with crystal were placed. The decorated stucco molding of the second floor ceilings remained from the time of restructuring according to the project of A.P. Bryullov. Sculptures of knights and two-headed eagles were combined with national Russian motives.
The large White Hall received major changes - interior and architectural updates. Arched openings and cross vaults were completely covered with ornaments modeled in the Gothic style. The columns were made of artificial white marble. Six tall Palladian windows appeared above the annexed Oak Gallery. From the hall the Greek Gallery goes to the winter garden.
In the ornamental modeling of the White Hall, Bryullov managed to combine Gothic and original Russian motives. The architect managed to leave the outer part of the building in the style of mature classicism of the 18th century and at the same time created the interiors in the neo-romantic style of those years.
The Marble Palace was built as a gift from Empress Catherine II to one of her favorites - Grigory Orlov. But the count died even before the finishing of the premises and could not see the palace in full glory.
Under Emperor Nicholas I, the building of the palace was in disrepair. The major reconstruction was entrusted to the court architect A. Bryullov. He not only restored the building, but also partially altered it. Mainly the layout of the premises and the design of the facades have been preserved. The surviving trim, including door leaves and parquet flooring, was removed. The interiors of the halls were decorated in different styles: classicism, rococo, gothic and late renaissance.
During the possession of the palace by the Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, several new premises were created on the first floor: a musical living room in the Gothic style, the lower library, and an English study. The Grand Duke, being a famous translator and poet of the Silver Age, turned the palace into the center of the cultural life of the capital. Intellectuals discussed books by Russian and foreign authors, musical evenings were held in the halls, performances were staged in which the princely couple took part with their children.
The greatest damage was done to the Marble Palace during the years of the placement of the exposition of the branch of the Museum of V.I. Lenin. Architect N.E. Lanceray prepared halls for museum premises and in many respects retained the decorative decoration of historical interiors. But during the operation, the architectural design of the second floor suffered the most. Wall paintings and artificial marble were painted over, unique fireplaces were broken, and finishing fabrics were destroyed.
Since the transfer of the Marble Palace as a branch to the Russian Museum, a detailed restoration of the interiors has been carried out, the reconstruction of the original layout and appearance of the premises. The variety of colors of perfectly processed marble and the favorable arrangement of the halls allow the palace to maintain the status of the most noble building of the 18th century.
It now hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions of world artists. The halls of the Museum of Ludwig in the Russian Museum display paintings by contemporary artists donated to the Russian Museum by German collectors Irena and Peter Ludwig. A large collection of brothers Joseph and Yakov Rzhevsky is exhibited in the halls of the second floor.
Based on materials from www.culture.ru
Other names: Konstantinovsky Palace, V.I.Lenin Museum.
The Marble Palace is one of the most interesting palaces in St. Petersburg; during its construction, for the first time in Russia, natural stone was used: more than thirty varieties of marble and granite. The Marble Palace became for many years the residence of one of the branches of the Romanov family - the Konstantinovichs, although it was originally intended for a completely different owner.
The history of the creation of the Marble Palace
The palace project was commissioned by Catherine II by the Italian Antonio Rinaldi, who served as an architect at the Russian court for over thirty years. By order of the Empress, a bas-relief with his image was installed in the Marble Palace (the only surviving portrait of the architect, made in 1782 by Fedot Shubin).
The palace was built for Count Grigory Orlov, who had many services to Russia and who was also the lover (and according to some modern sources, the morganatic spouse) of Catherine II. Above the entrance to the Marble Palace, at the behest of the Empress, the inscription "The building of gratitude" was made.
The construction of the building began in 1768 and lasted 17 years - the construction of palaces in Russia in the 18th century was not a quick matter ... Grigory Orlov did not live to see the end of the work - he died in 1783, after which Catherine bought the palace from his brothers for 200 thousand rubles and In 1796, on the occasion of the wedding, she presented it to her second grandson, Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich. During his tenure as the owner of the palace, he was rebuilt many times, including altering the interiors of the palace by A. Voronikhin, who was the court architect of the Grand Duke in 1803-1810. After the death of Konstantin Pavlovich in 1831, the palace was redeemed from his heir, the illegitimate son of Paul, to the treasury and in 1832 was donated by Emperor Nicholas the First to his second son Konstantin Nikolaevich, who at that time was only five years old. The noble owner of the palace continued to live with his family, while the courtiers continued to live in the palace. The situation changed in 1849, after the wedding, Konstantin Nikolayevich and his wife moved to live in the Marble Palace, re-finished for them by the architect Alexander Bryullov.
Architecture of the Marble Palace
The Marble Palace occupies an entire block between the Neva River and Millionnaya Street, in the plan it has a complex shape, from the side of Millionnaya Street the courtyard is closed by a wrought-iron fence. The main entrance to the palace is in the courtyard, the eastern facade of the building is crowned with an elegant clock tower, lavishly decorated with columns, pilasters, bas-reliefs with military fittings and allegorical figures. Since the palace is an example of the construction of early classicism, the features of the Baroque are still noticeable here: the graceful and pretentious shape of the clock tower, the intricate contour of the roof created by vases, the complex shape of the grand staircase ...
The copper window frames of the second floor and balustrades of the balconies retained the gilding of the late 18th century.
Interiors of the Marble Palace
More than any other premises, the spirit of the time of Catherine II was preserved by the main staircase and the ceremonial halls of the palace. The main staircase is faced with marble, the monolithic columns and pilasters are amazingly picturesque, the "Judgment of Paris" plafond crowning the staircase was painted in 1784 to decorate one of the halls of the palace, and in the 19th century, during the reconstruction of the building, it was moved to its present location. Recall that it is on the stairs that you can see the only portrait image of the architect Antonio Rinaldi. All the sculptures that adorn the staircase were created from Italian marble by F. Shubin specifically for the Marble Palace and now occupy their historical sites.
The Marble Hall of the palace is absolutely unique, it has preserved its decoration from the end of the 18th century. Decorating the hall, Rinaldi used a combination of multi-colored Russian and Italian marbles; against the background of this multi-colored splendor, the bas-reliefs of the famous Russian sculptor M. Kozlovsky on the themes of the Punic wars, glorifying duty, loyalty to the fatherland, self-sacrifice and generosity of the ancient commanders stand out with the exceptional whiteness. The decoration of the hall of amazing beauty is complemented by colored parquet flooring of the 18th century and a picturesque ceiling by the master Torelli "The Wedding of Cupid and Psyche", painted especially for the Marble Hall of the Marble Palace. In the middle of the 19th century, the ceiling of the hall was raised by one floor and beautiful bronze chandeliers and marble fireplaces with mirrors in carved gilded frames appeared in it.
