Menshikov Palace

Menshikov’s Palace is one of the largest stone buildings in St. Petersburg. This Palace was founded on the same embankment as the Kunstkammer, and was the home of Prince Alexander Menshikov who was Peter’s favorite friend and governor of the city . Many events occurred at this palace. It was a meeting place for Peter’s “assemblies”, military celebrations, and it served as a place for foreign ambassadors and guests to stay. The original building of Menshikov’s palace faces the Neva. Along with this main building was a little courtyard, and orangery, and many fountains, sculptures, and a grotto. There was also a pier along the Neva side . From 1720-1727, for the purpose of expansion, the main building of the palace was enlarged by 2 blocks along the Neva.

Alexander Menshikov lived from 1673-1729. He had very close ties with Peter, and in 1707 became Duke and then the Governor General of St. Petersburg. Since he was the Governor General he had a lot of power, and commandeered this piece of land on Vasilevsky Island for this palace. He made this palace “the most luxurious house in town, far superior than the Summer Palace of Peter the Great” . Due to the bond that Peter and Menshikov shared, after Peter’s death in 1725, Menshikov made sure that the throne would be passed on to Catherine I. Menshikov then ruled Russia for two years. However, in 1727, just weeks before his daughter was to marry the heir to the throne, Menshikov was accused of treason and stealing money from the government and was kicked out of power. His whole family was exiled to Siberia . There are many interesting stories that go along with these buildings. There is an interesting twist associated with Menshikov’s Palace. Peter the Great’s grandson had a home built on the same property as the palace. Menshikov liked this idea because he saw it as a way to still have influence and power. But his hopes and thoughts were proven wrong, as shortly after Menshikov got thrown out of power, he and his family got deported, and the grandson left the new capital and went back to Moscow.

Sources for this page

http://www.tcaup.umich.edu/stpetersburg/nameindex.html“St. Petersburg In Architecture.” The Regents of The University of Michigan. 2003. 31 March 2003.

Dmitri Shvidkovsky. St. Petersburg: Architecture of the Tsars. Abbeville Press Publishers: NY, London. Paris.1996.42

http://www.saint-petersburg-hotels.com/menshikovskiy.htm “Museums of St. Petersburg”. Optima Worldwide Corp.2000. 31 March 2003.

http://www.cityvision2000.com/city_tour/university.htm “Virtual Tour”. Moscow Hotels, JSC. 2001-2002. 31 March 2003.