Palace of Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich (Malo-Mikhailovsky Palace)
This grand neo-Renaissance style palace was built in 1885-1891 by Maximilian Messmacher. Although it was designed for Mikhail Mikhailovich, the grandson of Nicholas I, the Grand Duke himself did not live here a single day. The Grand Duke planned to live here with his beloved wife Sofia Merenberg, the granddaughter of the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. However, his headstrong marriage angered the Emperor Alexander III causing him to forbid the Grand Duke from staying in Russia. His name was practically struck from the list of families, and he was dismissed from service. The bride and groom had to go first to Cannes in the south of France, and then to Kenwood House in England. Meanwhile the palace was passed on to government and commercial customers.
Originally this area served only as a department of the Admiralty. It was not until the 1870s that the construction of houses was allowed here. One of the buyers of the land was young Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich, or "Mish-Mish" to his family. The architect of Mikhailovsky Palace was the talented German-Russian palace designer and decorator Maximiliam Messmacher. He not only created the project and supervised the construction, but he also made sketches for the lanterns, grills, and even the furniture. The palace is notable for its rich sculptural decoration and the elegance of its Renaissance Revival forms. The rooms were finished by pupils of the Baron Stieglitz School of Technical Drawing, supervised by the head of the school - Messmacher. For his work, the architect was awarded the Order of Anna 2nd degree. The palace was equipped with the latest technology: there was gas, electricity, a telephone, and running water and sewage. The sidewalk in front of the building was covered with asphalt.
After the departure of the Grand Duke, the palace housed several government agencies including the Ministry of Industry and Trade. In 1911 the building was bought by the insurance company Russian Lloyds. To get the building to meet their needs the civil engineer Pavel Bergshtresser reconstructed the residence. After the October Revolution, the palace housed several Soviet organizations, including the Main Office of Trade. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the building has been occupied by a few private companies, and its future is currently uncertain.
| Address: | 8, Admiralteyskaya Naberezhnaya |
|---|---|
| Metro: | Admiralteyskaya |
| Directions: | Exit Admiralteiskaya Metro Station and turn left, right and left again onto Nevsky Prospekt. Follow the road round along the west side of Palace Square, and turn left at the Neva River onto Admiralteyskaya Naberezhnaya |
| What's nearby? | Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya (Palace Embankment), Palace Bridge, Neva River, Admiralty |
