Menshikov Palace (Saint Petersburg)

Welcome to the Menshikov Palace, the most luxurious and significant residence of early 18th-century Saint Petersburg. As we stand on the Vasilevsky Island embankment, looking across the Neva River, we are contemplating the very…

We begin our journey at the palace's main facade on the Universitetskaya Embankment. The initial structure, built between 1710 and 1712, was the work of Francesco Fontana. …

Moving around the side of the palace, we see the Grand Courtyard, an open space at the rear that was created starting in 1713 by the German architect Johann Gottfried Schadel. Schadel, who came from Hamburg, extended the side…

Entering the palace, we are transported into the refined atmosphere of the 1720s. The interiors of the Menshikov Palace are famous for their extensive use of Dutch ceramic tiles. …

Following Alexander Menshikov’s sudden fall from favor and subsequent banishment to Siberia in 1727, the palace underwent a major functional transformation. Empress Anna Ivanovna decreed that the building be turned into the First…

The modern life of the palace began in 1966, when it officially became a branch of the State Hermitage Museum. At that time, the building was in a state of significant disrepair, having been used for various administrative…

As we conclude our tour of the Menshikov Palace and return to the Universitetskaya Embankment, we look at the building one last time with fresh eyes. We have seen the 'first stone' that anchored this city to its northern…