St. Petersburg is famous for its magnificent buildings, many of which date back to the 18th century. One of them is the Tauride Palace (photo on the right). Its construction began in 1783 and lasted about six years. Its architect is I. E. Starov is one of the first representatives of the school of Russian classicism.
The Tauride Palace in St. Petersburg: the history of creation
A vast area on the left bank of the Neva on Shpalernaya Street in St. Petersburg was chosen as a place for the construction of the palace. Not far from this place was the Smolny Monastery. Initially, the building was not called a palace. In those days, structures of this type were called houses. This was given the name House of the Horse Guards, and it was intended for the private use of the illustrious Prince Grigory Potemkin, a favorite of Empress Catherine the Great. However, the owner of all this splendor almost never lived in the Tauride Palace due to constant trips.
Description of the House of the Horse Guards
The building of the palace is considered a striking example of classicism - a style characteristic of Russia in the late 18th - early 19th century. From the side of the facade, it differs in many ways from the luxurious palaces of the Rococo and Baroque eras. The Taurida Palace has a U-shape and consists of several structures, the total area of which is about 66 thousand square meters. meters. The façade of the building is 260 meters long and is decorated with a six-columned portico in the Doric style. Above the central building, whose height is 12 meters, there is a drum with a dome. On its sides are one-story galleries that connect it to the outbuildings. Despite the fact that for more than three centuries the interior decoration of the buildings has undergone many changes, in the Tauride Palace today you can still see the magnificent interior decoration. You can learn about the original appearance of the interior from the descriptions of contemporaries. For example, the great poet Derzhavin, after visiting the palace, was shocked by its splendor and sang about what he saw in his poems. The surroundings of the palace were also majestic. Directly in front of him was a quiet harbor of a round shape with a pier. She had pleasure boats for the inhabitants and guests of the estate. The park area consisted of many picturesque hills, small ponds, canals, bridges, extensive flower beds, greenhouses, greenhouses, etc.
Catherine's Hall and other interior spaces
The Catherine's Hall is considered the central room in the Tauride Palace. Its vestibule is a domed room with a colonnade, in front of which are the Triumphal Gates withjasper and granite pillars. The Catherine's Hall was otherwise called the White Column. The author based it on the architectural elements of the Hellenic era. During the holidays, it was able to accommodate up to 5 thousand guests. At the end of the hall was the rotunda of the winter garden with eight columns. In the middle of it was placed a statue of Catherine the Great (author F. Shubin). Beautiful exotic plants grew in the garden. In the Tauride Palace, in addition to the Catherine's Hall and the winter garden, the Chinese and Divan halls, the art gallery and the Gobelin living room are also noteworthy. The ceilings and some walls of the rooms are painted by skilled craftsmen. There was a large collection of paintings and statues.
Further fate of the Tauride Palace
During the reign of the son of Catherine the Great, Paul the First, the Tauride Palace was given over to the barracks. However, since 1801 the palace was restored again and became one of the residences of the imperial house, and at the beginning of the 20th century - the building of the State Duma. After the first revolution, Kerensky's provisional government was located in its premises. Currently, annual international economic forums take place here. The building of the palace today also houses the general office of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwe alth (CIS) countries.
