Description of the attraction
From 1853 to 1861 in St. Petersburg on the Blagoveshchenskaya Square (Labor Square), the construction of the residence of the Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich was underway. Since 1721, the Admiralty's Rope Yard was located on this site. Then there were barracks for sailors.
Emperor Nicholas I personally chose the place for the palace of the third of his sons. The right to develop the project was given to A. I. Stackenschneider, and architects K. Ziegler and A. Lange were chosen as his assistants. The construction was supervised by R. A. Zhelyazevich, K. A. Ton, A. P. Bryullov.
During the ceremony of laying the foundation of the residence on May 21, 1853, a small box with gold coins and a copper plate with a commemorative inscription were laid in the foundation. Nikolaev residence is located on 2 hectares. In addition to the main building, there are rooms for servants, a riding hall, stables. The construction of the palace cost 3 million rubles. The consecration ceremony of the palace was held in the winter of 1861.
The recognized master of eclecticism, Stackenschneider, used Renaissance techniques in the design of the palace facade. The decor of the lobby contains details of stone left over from the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral. The main staircase was decorated with 17 paintings by N. Tikhobrazov. On the second floor, there were the White Lounge, the Chinese Lounge, the Small Dining Room, the Pink Lounge, the Banquet Hall, and the Dance Hall decorated with Jensen's sculptures. The furniture was ordered from A. Tour's workshop.
The personal apartments of Nikolai Nikolaevich and his wife Alexandra were located in the eastern wing of the building. Nikolai's rooms were connected to the billiard room, reception room, standard room, study. The walls were decorated with paintings by I. Shvabe. Alexandra's chambers were adjacent to her husband's. From them it was possible to go out into the winter garden and the boudoir. On the first floor of the residence there were rooms for children, and nearby - for teachers, a gym and several more guest rooms.
In the eastern part of the palace there was a two-story church for 60 people. It was consecrated in 1863 by Protopresbyter V. Bozhanov. The walls of the temple and interior details were decorated by the professor of painting L. Tirsch. Church utensils are made of silver at V. Sazonov's factory.
Telegraph communications, water supply and sewerage systems were connected to the palace. There was an arena next to the building, which was connected to the palace by a covered passage. Since Prince Nikolai Nikolaevich was a member of sports and agricultural societies, he allowed exhibitions of horses, dogs, pedigree cattle to be held there. The servants lived in a comfortable five-story building. A glacier was located in the garden of the residence in a grotto made of Finnish granite.
Balls were often held in the Nicholas Palace. The brother of the owner of the palace, Prince Mikhail, was a frequent visitor. An amusing fact is that, according to the observations of contemporaries, Nikolai liked to dance with girls, and Mikhail liked to dance with married ladies.
In 1868, an accident occurred in the palace. Princess Tatiana Potemkina arrived at the engagement of Nikolai's niece, Duchess Eugenia of Leuchtenberg and Prince Alexander of Oldenburg. When she was in the elevator, it fell down from the top floor. The princess miraculously survived.
Princess Alexandra often organized charity bazaars in the White Drawing Room of the palace.
In 1880, reconstruction and redevelopment for matured children began in the Nikolaev residence. As a result, Petr Nikolaevich's apartments appeared on the first floor in the southern part, and Nikolai Nikolaevich junior - in the northern part.
In 1890, after the death of Grand Duke Nicholas, for the debts, the palace was handed over to the Department of Fates. In the Nicholas Palace, it was decided to make a women's institute, which was named in honor of the daughter of Emperor Xenia - Xeniinsky. The palace was rebuilt by architects R. A. Gedike and I. A. Stephanitz. The opening of the Ksenia Institute took place in March 1895 in the presence of Emperor Nicholas II.
After the revolution, the palace was given to the Union of Trade Unions. They began to call it the Palace of Labor. The regional committee and branch trade unions, the People's University of Trade Unions, the library, the printing house and the editorial offices of the Vestnik Trade Unions magazine and Trud newspaper worked here. During the war, there was a hospital in the palace. The building was seriously damaged by shelling and bombing. It was restored after the war. Now in the Nikolaev Palace is the Council of the Federation of Trade Unions of St. Petersburg and the region.
