Palace Square in St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg, Russia) - description, history, location, reviews, photos and videos.
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Palace Square is the main square of St. Petersburg, the architectural ensemble of which was formed in the second half of the 18th - first half of the 19th century. The name of the square was given by Winter Palace, with a southern façade facing the square. Concerts and public events are held on Palace Square, this is the most popular place in St. Petersburg among tourists.
Ensemble of Palace Square
Winter Palace
The main façade of the Winter Palace, cut through by the arch of the main passage, overlooks the square. The ensemble of the square also includes the Small Hermitage, the three-story building of which faces Millionnaya Street, and the New Hermitage with a portico decorated with giant statues of Atlanteans.
Palace Square
Main Headquarters
Along the southern border of the square in 1819-1829. The arched building of the General Staff was erected (architect K. I. Rossi), the buildings of which stretched for 580 meters. The two wings are connected by an Arc de Triomphe, consisting of three interconnected arches decorated with bas-reliefs. The arches are not located strictly one after the other, so if you go through them onto Palace Square, its grandeur and spaciousness will gradually appear before your eyes. At the top of the arch stood a chariot drawn by six horses, driven by two warriors in Roman armor. In the cart stands the majestic goddess Glory with a laurel wreath in one hand and a standard in the other.
Alexander Column
In the center of the square rises the Alexander Column (1830-1834, architect Auguste Montferrand) from a giant polished monolith pink granite height 25.6 fathoms. At its top there is a figure of an angel with a cross, made by sculptor B.I. Orlovsky. The ensemble of Palace Square would not be complete without this massive monument. The Column and Triumphal Arch of the General Staff are dedicated to Russia's victory in the war with Napoleon. The text on the plaque at the foot of the column reads “Grateful Russia to Alexander I.” It is noteworthy that the column is supported on the pedestal only by its own weight.
Guards Corps headquarters building
In 1837-1843 A large headquarters building for the Guards Corps was built in the east of the square. The architect A.P. Bryullov had a difficult task - to erect a new building that would be in harmony with both the General Staff in the classicist style and the Baroque Winter Palace. The four-story neutral building perfectly copes with its function and gracefully closes the ensemble of Palace Square on the eastern side.
Palace Square stuns people who see it for the first time with its grandeur and strict perfection. Here, like nowhere else in the city, you can feel the spirit of imperial St. Petersburg. In the center of the square stands the Alexander Column, designed by the architect Auguste Montferrand. (French, by the way!) in honor of Russia's victory over Napoleon. The column, carved from a granite monolith, is supported on a pedestal solely with the help of precise calculations and its own enormous weight (about 600 t). It is no coincidence that in the first years after its installation, many St. Petersburg residents avoided the column - there was no chance it would fall.
At the top of the Alexander Column is a bronze figure of an angel trampling a snake with a cross. They say that the sculptor Orlovsky gave the face of the angel a portrait resemblance to Emperor Alexander I, and the head of the snake resembles the face of Napoleon. Whether this is true or not is difficult to assess from below - the column is very high. It was specially erected above the Vendome Column in Paris, built in honor of Napoleon's victories. The result is the tallest triumphal column in the world (47.5 m).
In the 19th century The following epigram circulated around the city regarding the sculpture crowning the column:
In Russia everything breathes with military craft, And the Angel makes a cross on guard.
In 1925, on the anniversary of Lenin's death, the new Soviet government had the idea to replace the figure of an angel on the Alexander Column with a ten-meter bronze statue of Lenin. People's Commissar of Education Lunacharsky condemned this project. He sent a letter personally to the chairman of the city council, Zinoviev, in which he delicately but convincingly proved the absurdity of this idea. An irritated Zinoviev imposed the following resolution on him: “Well, to hell with them. Leave them a column with an “empire” angel.” This is where the matter ended, and the Empire angel with a cross at the ready still keeps his watch over the city.
The main building of Palace Square is, of course, the Winter Palace, the main residence of the Russian emperors. This grandiose building in the form of a powerful square with a courtyard, richly decorated facades and sculptures on the roof was erected in the mid-18th century. for Empress Elizabeth Petrovna the famous Italian architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli.
This striking example of the Russian Baroque style, which Peter’s daughter liked so much for its luxury and splendor, became the fifth winter royal house. All the previous ones turned out to be too small and not majestic enough for the Russian monarchs. The first Winter Palace, built for Peter I, was located on the banks of the Winter Canal, on the site of the current Hermitage Theater. Next to it was the palace of Admiral General Apraksin, which, according to his will, went to Emperor Peter II. Tsarina Anna Ioannovna ordered extensions to be made to it and lived in it for some time, until Rastrelli built a new Winter Palace for her, which seemed cramped to the next Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Therefore, in 1754, in its place, Rastrelli founded a new, current Winter Palace. Elizabeth hurried the architect, but construction dragged on for almost ten years.
The New Winter Palace, created, as the decree on its construction stated, “for the united glory of all Russia,” became a real masterpiece of Rastrelli’s work. Its solemnly elegant appearance was combined with the lush decoration of enfilades of halls and rooms, richly decorated with gilded carvings and mirrors.
Elizaveta Petrovna died before finishing work was completed, and her nephew Peter III was the first to move into the Winter Palace. However, he did not last long in power and almost did not have time to master his new residence. The first real owner of the palace was his wife Catherine II, who took the Russian throne after the overthrow of her hated husband. The new empress ordered the baroque interiors of the palace to be remodeled in a classical style, since by this time aesthetic tastes had changed and interest in baroque art began to fade. Classicism, on the contrary, quickly came into fashion thanks to archaeological excavations in Pompeii, Herculaneum and other Italian cities. Subsequently, by order of Catherine, the buildings of the Small and Large Hermitages, as well as the Hermitage Theater, were built next to the Winter Palace, and later, under Catherine’s grandson Nicholas I, the New Hermitage.
In 1837, a huge fire destroyed the interior decoration of the Winter Palace. The best Russian architects and builders of that time in a very short time (a little over a year) revived the palace, preserving the main ideas of the author. At the same time, the facade of the building and individual interiors were left in their original form, but the time was different, new tastes were triumphant, so many new, also magnificent interiors appeared in the palace, which have survived to this day.
The Winter Palace is the largest and most luxurious palace in the city, one of the most magnificent symbols of Russian autocracy. Imagine, it has 1050 rooms, 117 staircases, 1886 doors, 1945 windows! His high (22 m) During the reign of Nicholas I, it was recognized as a standard in urban planning. It was forbidden to build taller houses.
Zhukovsky wrote: “The Winter Palace as a building, as a royal dwelling, perhaps did not have anything like it in all of Europe. With its enormity, its architecture, it depicted a powerful people who had so recently entered the midst of educated nations, and with its inner splendor it reminded of the inexhaustible life that boils in the interior of Russia... The Winter Palace was for us a representative of everything domestic, Russian, ours.”
Russian monarchs with their families, as well as a huge staff of servants, lived in the Winter Palace. It hosted magnificent holidays and balls. The palace served as the official residence of the Russian emperors until the February Revolution of 1917, after which the ministers of the Provisional Government settled in it. the 25th of October (November 7) 1917, following a signal given by the gunshot of the cruiser Aurora, the palace was stormed by revolutionary sailors and soldiers, and the ministers were arrested. The palace was nationalized and later turned into a museum. Now the Winter Palace is the main part of the State Hermitage.
The Guards Corps Headquarters building, which closes the square to the east, was built by the architect Alexander Bryullov, brother of the artist Karl Bryullov, author of the famous painting “The Last Day of Pompeii” (you can see it in the Russian Museum). During important holidays, a huge panel is usually placed on the facade of this building, which has already become a traditional part of the ceremonial decoration of the city.
Palace Square is connected by the Pevchesky Bridge (it is famous for its unusually beautiful, seemingly lace fence) from the Moika embankment.
Palace Square in St. Petersburg is a place beloved by guests and residents of the city, the heart of the Northern capital. This is one of the most beautiful architectural ensembles in the world. The best Russian architects worked on its creation. It got its name from the Winter Palace, built according to the design of the architect F.B. Rastrelli in the mid-18th century.
In 1819, on the instructions of the emperor, the architect K.I. Rossi developed a project for a single architectural ensemble glorifying the victory of Russian weapons in the War of 1812. The architect's idea was to combine the existing original interiors and new buildings into a single whole.
Along the southern border of the square, a semicircular extended facade of the General Staff building was built, the length of which is 580 m (the longest facade of a building in the world). In the middle of the building is a grandiose Arch with images of the flying geniuses of Glory, and the Chariot of Glory, decorated with a sculptural composition, with figures of warriors and the chariot of the winged goddess of Victory - Nike. (sculptors N. Pimenov and V. Demut-Malinovsky). The height of the sculpture group is 10 meters, the height of the arch is 28 meters, the width is 17 meters.
In 1834, according to the design of the architect Auguste Montferrand, the Alexander Column was opened in memory of the victory of Russian troops over Napoleon's army. Named in honor of Emperor Alexander I. The column, weighing 600 tons and 47.5 m high, is crowned with the figure of an angel with a cross trampling a snake with a cross - a symbol of the victory of good over evil. The angel's head is bowed to the ground, so that his face is visible from below.
(architect B. Orlovsky). Bas-reliefs on the pedestal of the column glorify the victories of Russian weapons (sculptors I. Liptse, P. Svintsov).
The connecting link of all the buildings was the completion in 1843 of the construction on the eastern side of the Guards Corps Headquarters building (architect A.P. Bryullov). The façade of the building is decorated with a portico of twenty Ionic columns.
The most beautiful building on Palace Square is the Winter Palace. This grandiose building occupies 9 hectares of land and has about one and a half thousand rooms. At that time it was the most high building In Petersburg. And it was not allowed to build houses above it in the central part of the city.
The pale green and white colors of the façade of the Winter Palace give the airiness and gracefulness characteristic of the Baroque style. The brilliant architect Rossi managed to combine the Winter Palace and the austere building of the General Staff into a single composition.
Palace Square is one of the most attractive places in St. Petersburg. However, there is an opinion that mass celebrations and concerts harm priceless architectural monuments. (Let us remember the fire during the New Year 2000, when the scaffolding above the arch caught fire from firecrackers). Therefore, the issue of banning celebrations and concerts on it is being discussed. At the same time, Palace Square will always be open for tourists and citizens.
How to get to Palace Square
- Get to metro station "Nevsky Prospekt". Follow the signs "Exit to the Griboyedov Canal". When exiting the metro, you will find yourself at the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and the Griboyedov Canal. Walk along Nevsky Prospekt towards the Admiralty (its spire can be seen from any point on the avenue). At the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and Bolshaya Morskaya Street, you will see the huge Arch of the General Staff Building on the right. Turn right. After passing through the arch, you will find yourself on Palace Square.
- New metro station "Admiralteyskaya" is located much closer to Palace Square than Nevsky Prospekt station. However, it is very deep - to get to the top you need to ride two escalators. In addition, you will probably have to change to the purple metro line to get here, which is not always convenient. When exiting the Admiralteyskaya metro station, turn right and walk a few meters to the nearest intersection. At the intersection, turn left (this will be Bolshaya Morskaya Street) and follow to the General Staff Arch. Behind the arch there will be Palace Square.
This is what the main square of St. Petersburg looked like before 1819. During the reign of Peter, instead of the Arch and the General Staff Building, St. Petersburg residents saw an ordinary green meadow, which in rainy weather was covered with mud.
Under Anna Ioannovna, hares were bred here, and in the era of Elizabeth Petrovna, fat cows grazed in the meadow, melancholy chewing grass. In the second half of the 18th century, Admiralty Meadow served as a construction site for the Winter Palace. Also, military exercises were held here and cattle were grazed, supplying dairy products to the royal court.
Since under Paul I the Mikhailovsky Castle, and not the Winter Palace, became the center of social life, no one was involved in the improvement of Palace Square. The situation changed after Alexander ascended the throne, who, after the war with Napoleon, decided not only to improve the appearance of mercy, but also to obtain a building where important government institutions would be located: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the General Staff.
I. Bart. View from Palace Square to the Admiralty. Gouache. 1810s Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
It must be said that under Catherine, the southern border of the square was built up with houses according to Felten’s design, and one of them, as well as the plots in the eastern part of Palace Square, had to be purchased in order for them to subsequently become part of a grandiose architectural ensemble.
The development of the building project for the General Staff and two ministries was entrusted to the architect Carlo Rossi, who decided that the main message of the new architectural brainchild should be the glorification of the victory of the Russian people in the war with Napoleon. No one then had any idea that Russia would be able to build the longest building in Europe at that time, which would seem to pierce the continuous ribbon of its own façade with a monumental Arc de Triomphe, crowned with the chariot of Victory and figures of warriors.
Russian architect of Italian origin, Carl Rossi is the author of many buildings and architectural ensembles in St. Petersburg. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
Start of construction
On March 16, 1819, Alexander issued a decree and convened a special committee “For the establishment of a regular square and stone, brick, pottery and lime factories opposite the Winter Palace.” It is difficult to imagine the array of work that awaited the great architect. For the harmonious coexistence of the previous buildings with the new building, the architect repeated the line of their facades, and in order to eliminate the disproportion, he decorated them with porticos, which is why the unequal wings of the house began to look the same in length even to the most attentive eye.
Part of house No. 1 on Bolshaya Morskaya Street had to be demolished, changing the direction of the street so that it faced only the center of the Winter Palace. When the construction of the western building was completed in 1823, workers began to create the eastern building, first of all constructing a facade facing Palace Square. The corner of the building near Moika was made angular, for which people even called it the iron.
At the first stages of construction, no money was spared for the new city landmark, and the base of the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, looking at the square, was made of expensive granite. However, under the next ruler, Nicholas I, when the country was living in a regime of severe austerity, the plinth on the side of the Pevchesky Bridge was laid from comparatively cheap material - Pudozh stone. At the same time, the facade of the General Staff building was repainted yellow, whereas under Alexander it was pearl gray.
The painting "View of the Winter Palace from the Admiralty. Changing the Guard" by Vasily Sadovnikov. Watercolor. 1830s. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
Flood of 1824
Despite the fact that the work progressed at an enviable pace, not everything in the construction process was smooth. For example, the implementation of Rossi's project was prevented by the famous flood of 1824. The historian and expert on St. Petersburg, Bashutsky, recalled: “through the air, spinning high and quickly, wide sheets of iron torn from the new building of the General Staff were flying; the storm played with them like feathers; two long wooden sidewalks across between the fences of the unfinished building made a dam, on which the waves rested with a roar and, having reached its height, poured into Malaya Millionnaya; Through a narrow alley overlooking the Neva, a huge barge was pushed by the water, blocking the street. People, caught by the wave, climbed through windows, onto lampposts, clung to the eaves and balconies of houses, and hid on the tops of trees planted around the boulevard.”
“What, brother, will the arch support its own weight?”
Be that as it may, work on the arrangement of the square continued and their crowning achievement was the Arc de Triomphe, at the foot of which, on pedestals protruding from the wall, rest grandiose compositions of military armor-reinforcement, above which tower figures of warriors, and even higher soars the chariot of Victory with six horses. , clearly silhouetted against the sky.
The triumphal arch of the main headquarters was opened on October 24, 1828. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Lelik
The sculptors Pimenov and Demut-Malinovsky worked on the creation of the sculptures decorating the arch. They were given only two months to work. By the way, under Alexander, the Arch was supposed to be crowned not by a chariot, but by two female figures holding the Russian coat of arms, but Nicholas did not like this idea. Soon, an image of a cavalry group appeared on the drawings.
There is an interesting historical tale associated with the apparent fragility of the Arch. Allegedly, Rossi's foreign colleagues, and later the emperor himself, doubted the strength of the new masterpiece. According to eyewitnesses, Nicholas I asked the architect: “What, brother, do foreigners doubt: will the arch support its own weight?” To this Rossi replied: “Your Majesty, I will climb it while removing the circle, and if it falls, I will fall along with the arch.”
When the construction work was at the last stage, Rossi, together with the workers, climbed the Arch and, waving to the emperor from there, proved its strength.
Initial project, 1820, view from Nevsky. Lithograph by K. Beggrov. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
The finished architectural masterpiece
The final touch that completed the renovation of Palace Square was made in 1834, when Auguste Montferrand, by order of Nicholas I, built the Alexander Column in its center in memory of the victory of Alexander I in the war with Napoleon. It is curious, but the idea of building the monument was proposed by none other than Carl Rossi himself, but it was up to the Frenchman Montferrand to think through and implement it.
Thus, in the period from 1819 to 1834, the square gradually acquired its modern appearance, against the backdrop of which important state events took place. Few people know, but in the year when the revolution broke out and the square became one of the most important witnesses to the atrocities taking place, all the buildings on it were by that time painted red brick, and in the post-war years they were again repainted in emerald tones.
Now the composition of the General Staff Building and the Arch is made in yellow, which looks harmonious against the background of the green building of the Hermitage.
Now the composition of the General Staff and the Arch is made in yellow. Photo: Creative commons/Walter Smith
One of the symbols of St. Petersburg and one of the most visited tourist places of this city - Palace Square. This architectural ensemble began to take shape in the second half of the 18th century, its formation was completed in the first half of the 19th century.
The square is formed by several historical and architectural monuments- The Winter Palace (this landmark gave the square its name), the Guards Corps Headquarters Building, the semicircular General Staff Building and, of course, the famous Alexander Column. The area measures approximately five and a half hectares. In some sources you can find information that its size is eight hectares, but this is not true.
The square is under the protection of UNESCO: it was included in the list World Heritage.
Where it all began...
In the first years of the 18th century, a fortress-shipyard surrounded by ramparts was founded in the city. Also, a ditch was dug around the fortress, in front of which there was a space free from any buildings. Its size was enormous. This space was necessary for defense purposes: in the event of an enemy attack on the fortress from the land side, it would help the artillerymen repel the attack.
But after a short time after the fortress was completed, it lost its military significance. And along with it, the open space located behind the ditch also lost it. On this empty territory they began to store lumber needed for various construction works. Anchors were also stored there large sizes and other supplies related to shipbuilding. Part of the territory was occupied by a market. By that time, the space that once had defensive significance was overgrown with grass and became a real meadow. A few more years passed and the territory changed again: new streets passed through it in three rays. They divided the territory into several parts.
Then a new period in the history of the future famous square began. At this time it was used as a place for folk festivals. Fireworks sparkled above it, fountains splashed on it, in which there was wine instead of water.
In the 40s of the 18th century, a royal decree was issued, according to which oats should be sown in the future square (which at that time was still a meadow). Later, court cattle grazed in the meadow. Sometimes soldiers performed drills here. During that period of time, the Winter Palace was being completed and rebuilt, and the open space in front of it was often used for construction purposes.
In the mid-60s of the 18th century, a kind of knightly tournament took place in this space. It was a grandiose celebration, especially for which a temporary round theater without a roof was built from wood. The attire of the festival participants was strikingly luxurious.
From meadow to parade ground
At the end of the 70s of the 18th century, at the behest of the empress, the process of transforming the square began. A design competition was held, and after the winner was announced, construction work began. At the end of the century, the square looked like this: a huge space was surrounded by houses on three sides and, according to contemporaries, resembled an amphitheater.
At the beginning of the 19th century, architect Anton Mauduit proposed a plan for redevelopment of the square. It is on this plane that the square first takes on the shape that is now so familiar to us. In the first half of the 19th century, the appearance of the square gradually changed and transformed. In the 1930s, the famous column was erected in its center. At the beginning of the 20th century (as well as the 19th century), military parades and reviews often took place on the square.
One of the darkest pages in the history of the square was the event that was later called “Bloody Sunday”. A procession of workers carrying a petition with economic and political demands to the Tsar was dispersed in the square. During the dispersal of this demonstration, hundreds of people died: firearms were used against unarmed demonstrators.
In the first years of the 20th century, all the buildings on the square were painted brick red, which seemed to become a harbinger of the events of 1917. In the 40s of the 20th century, the buildings were returned to their original appearance: their walls were repainted in light colors. Soon after the revolutionary events, a monument to the writer and philosopher Alexander Radishchev was erected on the square. The bust was made of plaster. After standing for about six months, it was overturned by a gust of strong wind and has not been restored since then.
During Soviet times, parades and festive demonstrations took place on the square. In the first post-revolutionary years, large-scale theatrical performances on revolutionary themes were held on this territory. At the beginning of the 30s, the square was reconstructed: the paving stones were removed, the space was asphalted; the granite pillars that surrounded the famous column have also been removed. In the 40s, the idea of moving the column and device to the airfield area was considered. But this plan was not implemented. In the 70s, reconstruction work was carried out on the square again. The asphalt was replaced with paving stones. Lanterns were installed at the corners of the square.
Square in the 21st century
At the beginning of the 21st century, restoration work took place on the square, during which an archaeological find was made - the remains of an outbuilding that belonged to Anna Ioannovna. More precisely, the foundation of this building was found - once luxurious, consisting of three floors. The archaeological find was carefully studied, many photographs were taken of it, after which it was again covered with earth. A few years later, the Alexander Column was restored.
The square often hosts social and sporting events, and concerts of famous performers are held. IN winter time An attempt was made to turn the square into a skating rink with a paid entrance, but this caused outrage from many public organizations and the skating rink ceased to exist. Relatively recently, a pavilion with mirrored walls was installed on the square, which reflected the entire architectural ensemble. This pavilion did not last long: it was destroyed by a gust of wind and then dismantled.
Architectural ensemble of the square
Let us tell you in more detail about those historical and architectural sights that make up the ensemble main square St. Petersburg:
The Alexander Column was erected in memory of the victory of Russian troops over Napoleon's army. The author of this majestic building in the Empire style is the architect Henri Louis Auguste Ricard de Montferrand. The column project he developed was approved by the emperor in the late 20s of the 19th century, and in the mid-30s the grand opening of the monument took place. The column was made of pink granite in one of the quarries located near St. Petersburg. Transporting the convoy to the city became a difficult task. A special barge was even built for this purpose. Today the column is one of the main attractions of the city. Sometimes, recalling the famous poem by the classic of Russian poetry, it is called the “Pillar of Alexandria,” but this is a wrong name.
The Winter Palace is another important part of the square ensemble. It was built in the middle of the 18th century. The author of the project is Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli. The palace was built in accordance with the canons of the Elizabethan Baroque (the facades and rooms are distinguished by luxurious decoration). Initially, the building was the residence of Russian rulers, where they spent the winter months. In the second half of the 30s of the 19th century, a terrible fire broke out in the palace, which could not be put out for several days. The property salvaged from the palace was piled around the famous column. At the end of the 30s of the 19th century, the palace was restored. During Soviet times, the building housed exhibitions of the State Hermitage.
In the eastern part of the square there is the building of the former Headquarters of the Guards Troops. The author of the project is the artist and architect Alexander Bryullov. The building was built in accordance with the canons of the late classical style. Thanks to its elegance and severity, it fit perfectly into the architectural ensemble, which was very difficult: on one side of the Headquarters there is a Baroque palace, on the other - an Empire style building. The headquarters was built in about six years: construction work began in the second half of the 30s of the 19th century and was completed in the early 40s. Several years before the development of the project and construction of the building, there was an idea to build a theater on this site. This idea was never brought to life.
On the south side of the square rises the General Staff building. It was erected at the beginning of the 19th century. The author of the project is architect Carl Rossi. The three buildings of the building form an arc, the length of which is five hundred and eighty meters. The buildings are connected by a triumphal arch. It is crowned with a sculptural group depicting the chariot of Glory. The architects of this group are Vasily Demut-Malinovsky and Stepan Pimenov. In pre-revolutionary times, not only the General Headquarters, but also three ministries were located in the buildings. In the first post-revolutionary years, the building housed the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs of the RSFSR. Later there was a regular police station here. Currently, the Headquarters of the Western Military District is located here, occupying part of the building. The wing, located on the eastern side, was transferred to the State Hermitage in the early 90s of the 20th century.
