| Mariniisky Palace | |
|---|---|
Мариинский дворец | |
 The Mariinsky Palace at night | |
 Interactive map of the Mariniisky Palace area | |
| Alternative names | Marie Palace, Palais Marie, Mariinskiy Palace |
| General information | |
| Location | Saint Petersburg,Russia |
| Coordinates | 59°55′51″N30°18′34″E / 59.93083°N 30.30944°E /59.93083; 30.30944 |
| Construction started | 1839 |
| Completed | 1844 |
| Client | Nicholas I (House of Romanov) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Andrei Stackensneider |
Mariinsky Palace (Russian:Мариинский дворец,romanized: Mariinskij dvorec), also known asMarie Palace, was the lastneoclassicalImperial residence to be constructed inSaint Petersburg. It was built between 1839 and 1844, designed by the court architectAndrei Stackenschneider. It housesthe city's Legislative Assembly.
The palace stands on the south side ofSaint Isaac's Square, just across theBlue Bridge fromSaint Isaac's Cathedral. The site had been previously owned byZakhar Chernyshev, and contained his home designed byJean-Baptiste Vallin, which was built between 1762 and 1768. Chernyshev occasionally lent his home to foreign dignitaries visiting the capital, such asLouis Henri, Prince of Condé.
From 1825 to 1839, the Chernyshev Palace, as it was then known, was the site of theNicholas Cavalry College [ru], whereMikhail Lermontov was known to have studied for two years. The palace was demolished in 1839, and materials were reused in the construction of the Mariinsky Palace.
The palace was conceived byNicholas I as a present to his eldest daughter,Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, on the occasion of her marriage toMaximilian de Beauharnais,Empress Joséphine's grandson.
Although the reddish-brown facade is elaboratelyrusticated and featurescorinthian columns arranged in a traditional Neoclassical mode, the whole design was inspired by the 17th-century French Baroquemessuages. Other eclectic influences are visible in theRenaissance details of exterior ornamentation, and the interior decoration, with each room designed in a different historic style. The palace is now painted white.
The Mariinsky Palace returned to Imperial ownership in 1884, where it remained until 1917. During that period, the palace housed theState Council,Imperial Chancellery, andCommittee of Ministers, which after 1905 became theCouncil of Ministers. The grand hall for the sessions of the State Council was designed byLeon Benois.
On April 15, 1902,Socialist Revolutionary Party memberStepan Balmashov assassinated theMinister of Internal Affairs,Dmitry Sipyagin, while the minister was between meetings at the palace.
In 1904, painterIlya Repin completedCeremonial Sitting of the State Council on 7 May 1901. The painting was commissioned as a commemoration of the State Council's centenary. The canvas is 4 by 8.77 metres (13.1 ft × 28.8 ft), and features 81 historical figures, includingNicholas II. Repin recorded in his journal the painting was on display at theWinter Palace for some time before its installation at Mariinsky Palace.
TheRussian Provisional Government took full possession of the palace in March 1917, and gave it over to theProvisional Council soon after. Following theOctober Revolution, the palace housed various Soviet ministries and academies. During thewar with Germany, the palace was converted to a hospital, and was subject to intense bombing.
After the war, the palace became the residence of thePetrograd Soviet. During the1991 coup attempt, theEmergency Committee used the palace as a base of operations. Barricades and heavy fortifications were constructed along the palace's perimeter, which remained for some time after the coup was suppressed.
The palace has been the site of theLegislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg since 1994.
