The Alexander Palace (New Tsarskoselsky) was presented as a gift by Catherine II to her eldest grandson, the future Emperor Alexander I, on the occasion of his marriage to Grand Duchess Elizaveta Alexeevna. According to the idea of the sovereign grandmother the palace had to be similar to the château at Ferney, where the great thinker of that time - Voltaire - lived. But in 1792 the architect G. Quarenghi presented another project to the Empress and could convinced her of its advantage. The palace construction was completed in May of 1796, and in June the Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich, his spouse and his court moved into the New Palace.Courtyard facade design (click to enlarge)The New Palace in the classical style is considered to be the pearl among the creations of Quarenghi and one of the main masterpieces in the world. The art-critic I.E.Grabar wrote that “there are palaces bigger and more regal, but there is no palace which architecture is more beautiful”. In the center of the main northern façade is a magnificent Corinthian colonnade passage consisting of two rows of columns. In 1838 two sculptures were placed in front of the colonnade: Park facade design (click to enlarge)one represented a boy playing svaika (a big nail), another - a boy playing babkas (knuckle-bones). A.S. Pushkin immortalized these sculptures in his poems. During 150 years the owners reconstructed the palace several times, but its appearance did not change.The Alexander Palace was a summer dacha for the Imperial Family in the 19th century, but it became a real home for the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Fiodorovna during the last 13 years of their reign. From this palace the family of Nicholas II was sent into exile in Tobolsk.
music: Chopin - Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11
More info: www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/