Vorontsov Palace in St. Petersburg
Vorontsov Palace in St. Petersburg is one of the outstanding creations of architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, located in the historical center of the Northern Capital, opposite the Gostiny Dvor. The Baroque building is characterized by lush facade decoration and luxurious interior. The spacious halls and other rooms of the Vorontsov Palace are decorated with skillfully executed moldings and carvings, and the windows are framed with decorative platbands. Between the palace and the street spread a front yard and installed a cast-iron fence, which was cast according to a drawing made by Rastrelli himself.
Highlights
Vorontsov Palace in St. Petersburg appeared in the mid-18th century, when Russia was ruled by Peter the Great’s daughter, Empress Elizabeth I. The luxurious apartments were intended for a very influential man, Chancellor of the Russian Empire Mikhail Illarionovich Vorontsov. However, the cost of constructing the rich building was so great that Vorontsov had to cede the already built palace to the Russian treasury.
.Vorontsov Palace in St. Petersburg is incredibly beautiful and immediately attracts the attention of passersby. It looks very harmonious and perfect in the overall composition and details. Not without reason, Rastrelli’s palace complex is considered one of the most outstanding architectural monuments of the XVIII century.
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The ancient palace was home to the Suvorov School, which later moved to Moskovsky Prospekt. In the Malta Chapel, to the south of the Vorontsov Palace, there is a museum telling the history of Russian cadet corps. In addition, concerts of organ music are held here.
History of the Vorontsov Palace
Chancellor M. I. Vorontsov held a high state post, was one of the Empress’s closest and had family ties with the Romanovs. A man of his rank was supposed to have a luxurious estate in the capital of the empire. Mikhail Illarionovich decided not to save on construction and invited the best architect of the time, an Italian by birth, Bartolomeo Rastrelli.
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The construction of the Vorontsov Palace in St. Petersburg began in 1741 and lasted 12 years. In addition to the main building, the chancellor’s estate included several other buildings and a regular garden with pools and fountains that extended to the Fontanka embankment. This picturesque garden has not survived, and the place it occupied is now built up.
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The maintenance of such a huge farm cost the Chancellor very dearly. And, despite the fact that the Empress gave Vorontsov 40 thousand rubles, the funds were not enough. The Count was able to live in his new possession only five years, and then for debts transferred it to the Treasury.
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For some time Vorontsov Palace in St. Petersburg was used as a guest house, as well as for noisy masquerades and entertaining balls. At the end of the XVIII century, Russian Emperor Paul I gave the building to the Order of Malta. The famous architect Giacomo Quarenghi was invited, and the building of the Maltese Chapel was added to the palace from the south side.
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From the beginning of the XIX century, for more than a hundred years, the Vorontsov Palace housed a prestigious educational institution for young military men – the Corps of Pages. After 1917, the traditions of military education were continued. At first, the building housed an infantry school for the Red Army command staff, which was later reorganized into an infantry school. And from 1958 to the present day, Suvorovtsy students have been trained here.
.Vorontsov Palace today
Vorontsov Palace in St. Petersburg is similar to the letter “P” or, as they used to say, built by “rest”. The main building has three floors and the side wings have two floors each. The palace consists of 50 rooms, the main of which are the two-light and library halls.
.Vorontsov Palace can be viewed from the outside, and you can also visit the museum of the cadet corps. Museum expositions are located in the Malta Chapel, and it is convenient to walk to it from the side of Lomonosov Street. In addition, regular concerts of organ music are held here, which are very popular with St. Petersburg residents and guests of the city.
.How to get there
Vorontsov Palace in St. Petersburg stands on Sadovaya Street, 26, very close to the metro station “Gostiny Dvor”. Streetcar No. 3 stops near the palace (stops “Gostiny Dvor” or “Apraksin Dvor”), as well as buses No. 49, 181 and route cabs No. K212 (stop “Ulitsa Lomonosova”).
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