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Mikhail Alexandrovich Palace in Saint Petersburg, Angliyskaya Embankment

The Mikhail Alexandrovich Palace is a historical building in St. Petersburg, the last owner of which was Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, the brother of Emperor Nicholas II.

Excursions are conducted around the palace.

The Mikhail Alexandrovich Palace is located in the center of St. Petersburg, on the English Embankment (the Neva River).

The facade of the mansion, facing the English Embankment, is quite modest and does not stand out particularly among other buildings of the Neva embankments.

Today the palace is an architectural monument of the 18th century. The facade is faced with granite and light ceramic tiles, the lower floor is rusticated. It has two bay windows and three balconies. The bay windows are decorated with reliefs with classical motifs (garlands, masks, torches). The door of the central balcony also has decorations.

The history of the house on this site dates back to 1713, when the Englishman Osip Nye, a famous shipwright who worked at the Admiralty shipyards, bought the site.

After the house changed owners; it was rebuilt in stone and modified, including a complete reconstruction and redevelopment of the house was carried out in 1831-1832 by the architect V. A. Glinka, for the chief of the Main Naval Staff of His Serene Highness Prince Alexander Sergeyevich Menshikov. As a result of the remodeling, the water supply was carried out into the house; half of the prince was placed in the dress circle: a marble study, a library, blue and green living rooms, a round hall, a dining room decorated with columns; and on the first floor - the chambers of his wife Ekaterina Sergeevna.

After the estate was inherited by the son of Alexander Sergeevich-Vladimir Aleksandrovich Menshikov, under whom in 1870-1874 the mansion was rebuilt by academician K. K. Rahau in the eclectic style that was fashionable at that time. "The facade is modest, calm and extremely elegant," wrote the magazine "Architect"....Inside the room, almost everything is cleaned in the style of Louis XV... the dance hall and the grand staircase are especially remarkable."

Menshikov's heirs sold the property to the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty on May 4, 1896.

In 1911-1913, the court architect R. F. Meltzer partially remodeled the mansion in the Art Nouveau style for the new owner - Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, the brother of Emperor Nicholas II.

After 1917, the palace was nationalized and in 1922 it was transferred to the All-Russian Society of the Deaf. Many of the interiors were redone in the post-revolutionary period.

Information sign on the wall of the building

Today, excursions are conducted around the palace.

Inside the former palace there are: a staircase and a dance hall, a working office with a bay window of Mikhail Alexandrovich with wooden panels and a built-in bookcase. The former dining room has preserved wall paneling, doors, an Art Nouveau mirror and old batteries. Three fireplaces made of white and colored marble, wide sliding doors of Karelian birch and some details have survived: the elevator frame, forged exterior lights, window fittings, etc.

An arch leads from Galernaya Street to the courtyard of the palace. Further, through a separate entrance (the door is not locked), you can freely get to the back staircase of the former palace.

Practical information

The Mikhail Alexandrovich Palace is located in the historical center of St. Petersburg, at the address: English Embankment, 54 / Galernaya Street, 55.

Nearest metro stations: "Sennaya Ploshchad", "Sadovaya", "Spasskaya", "Admiralteiskaya" and "Vasileostrovskaya".

All accommodation facilities in St. Petersburg, including in the city center and more remotely from it, can be viewed and booked here

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