Kamenny Ostrov Palace, hidden among trees in a quiet corner of St. Petersburg, is located at the tip of Kamenny Island, where the Big and Small Neva diverge. The history of this former imperial residence is shrouded in rumors and legends. Here, emperors had affairs, uncovered conspiracies, and even met with ghosts. Until 2015, access to the palace grounds was closed, but now it is open, and the main hosts are children. The Academy of Talents of St. Petersburg has taken residence here.

The island on which the palace stands was called "Kavisaar" in pre-Peter times, which translates from Finnish as "stone." According to legend, its foundation, a huge boulder, rose from the waters of the Neva in ancient times. The people of St. Petersburg also referred to it as "Stone Nose" due to the shape of the island.

Kamenny Island often changed hands. In 1704, Peter I gifted it to the first chancellor of the Russian Empire, Gavriil Ivanovich Golovkin. The chancellor's wooden house, painted "to look like brick," with a high roof and two towers, could hardly be called a palace.

In 1746, the island passed to Chancellor A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, who built a huge estate with a palace and garden here. However, in 1758 he was arrested, stripped of his property, and exiled from the city for secret negotiations with Catherine Alexeyevna, the future empress. Catherine II, upon coming to power, returned Bestuzhev-Ryumin from exile, but she had her own plans for the island. She decided to build a residence for her son Paul, who did not love his mother, who had overthrown and destroyed his father. On Kamenny Island, not far from the Winter Palace, she could keep him under control.

The architect Vasily Bazhenov was invited to build Kamenny Ostrov Palace, but his designs did not satisfy the empress. Historians still debate who authored the palace, but it was most likely Giacomo Quarenghi. An archaeologist from Italy brought drawings to the Hermitage that turned out to be of Kamenny Ostrov Palace.

Construction began in the spring of 1776 under the direction of architect Y.M. Felten, but was interrupted by a severe flood. Then the work was led by J. Quarenghi. The concise lines of the palace, in the style of classicism, harmoniously fit into nature. One facade faces the river, the other, the garden-park.

The western wing housed a theater, while the eastern contained the living quarters of Paul Petrovich and his wife. The facades were adorned with porticos with pediments, and a granite staircase led to the entrance from the side of the Small Neva. Marble staircases with cast-iron railings led to the service entrances.

Through the main entrance, visitors entered the anteroom with frescoes depicting Rome, created according to a design by V. Brenna. The decorative panels were made by the Frenchman Robert. The doors of the anteroom led to the Grand Hall, decorated with mirrors. The idea for the decor came to Paul after visiting Versailles. Tall female figures supported the lamps, giving the hall a resemblance to the Louvre. Family celebrations, balls, and masquerades took place here.

From the Grand Hall, one could exit to a balcony overlooking the garden. In summer, the hosts and guests enjoyed the landscapes while sitting in wicker chairs. Two ceremonial halls, the Raspberry Drawing Room and the Landscape Salon, as well as the Grand Duke's offices, were connected by a staircase used only by the hosts and their guests. These halls have survived to this day.

Not far from the palace stands the Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, built according to Y.M. Felten's design in honor of the Chesme victory. It is said that Paul I ordered a secret passage to be laid from it to the palace so he could sneak into the church and sing in the choir. The temple, made of red brick, resembles a medieval English Gothic structure. People call it "Red." According to legend, Paul’s cross was kept here. In the 1930s, the church was nearly demolished, but later it was turned into a sports hall. It returned to the faithful in 1990.

The palace also had a living room, dining room, and the Grand Duchess's study, a library, children's and guest rooms, and service areas. Sculptures, mirrors, fireplaces, oak floors, and wallpapers amazed contemporaries. Catherine celebrated the completion of construction with a reception in the garden's orangery.

Access to the residence could be gained through several gates, including the Grand Gates, in the form of a triumphal arch. Their author, architect Thomas de Thomon, transformed the garden around the palace into a regular one, while the distant parts were landscaped.

Paul did not like the palace, like everything associated with his mother. After coming to power, he built a residence for himself in Gatchina and abandoned Kamenny Ostrov Palace. In 1797, the last Polish king Stanisław August Poniatowski settled here. Subsequently, the building was remodeled by famous architects.

Alexander I, Paul’s son, loved Kamenny Ostrov Palace, disliking castles in military style. From 1808 to 1811, the palace was completed for him according to L. Ruska's design. A pier with two sphinxes was built on the Small Neva.

There is a legend that Alexander, while walking in the orangery, was struck by a lemon tree and ordered a post to be set up near its fruit. A soldier, awakened by the lemon falling to the ground, rushed to the emperor shouting "It’s ripe!" Alexander awarded him the rank of "lemon lieutenant."

In the early years of Alexander I's reign, the "Secret Committee" gathered in the palace to discuss reforms. The emperor had to resort to secrecy, as his entourage did not want change. The committee included Nikolai Novosiltsev, Pavel Stroganov, Adam Czartoryski, and Viktor Kochubey. For meetings, a third floor with Alexander I's office and secret staircases was added. After the construction was completed, all documents were destroyed. In the "upper" office, M.M. Speransky prepared a project for a parliamentary monarchy.

In 1812, Alexander entrusted Kutuzov with command of the army at Kamenny Ostrov Palace. Here, according to legend, the animated Bronze Horseman, the monument to Peter I, galloped in to assure the emperor that the enemy would not pass while he stood in the square. Alexander left the monument in place.

Six months before the uprising on Senate Square, Count Arakcheev introduced Alexander I to the Englishman Ivan Sherwood, who reported a conspiracy. Sherwood was made a spy, promoted to officer, and transferred to the guard. His secret name "Sherwood-Faithful" was altered by the officers to "Sherwood-Scoundrel."

The palace turned out to be an ideal place for romances. On the opposite bank of the Small Neva was the dacha Ma Folie, where Alexander was long involved with Maria Antonovna Naryshkina. She bore several daughters from the emperor.

Empress Elizabeth Alexeyevna also became infatuated with officer Alexey Okhotnikov. The palace was unguarded, and no one interfered with their meetings. Rumors circulated that Elizabeth had a daughter with Okhotnikov, whom Alexander recognized as his own. Okhotnikov soon died of tuberculosis or was murdered.

Nicholas I burned the correspondence between Elizabeth and Okhotnikov; only part of it and a letter from Alexandra Feodorovna, Nicholas's wife, survived.

After Alexander's death, the palace passed to his brother Mikhail Pavlovich and his wife Elena Pavlovna. Mikhail distinguished himself in the Russo-Turkish War, refusing the order, believing that success was achieved at the cost of soldiers' lives. Nicholas I gifted him a sword and Turkish cannons, which were installed at the palace.

After Mikhail's death, the palace passed to his widow Elena Pavlovna, known for her love of the arts. Here she was introduced to Pushkin. Elena Pavlovna was at the origins of the creation of the conservatory, and the first director A.G. Rubinstein lived in her palace.

Subsequently, the palace was owned by the descendants of the princely couple. The last owner, Elena Georgievna Sachsen-Altenburg, became a patriot: with the onset of World War I, she switched to Russian citizenship, opened a hospital in the palace, and donated to the Red Cross.

In Soviet times, the palace became a closed sanatorium for military pilots. The eastern part of Kamenny Island was called "Little Land." More than 30 dachas and mansions on the island were remodeled into dachas for the party elite. The island was referred to as "The Haul of Party Bosses," "The Island of Deaf Fences." In the 1990s, bandit mansions appeared here.

In 2008, the sanatorium was closed, and restoration of the palace began. The work was carried out using old technologies: the foundation was strengthened, and the roof was replaced. The Grand Hall was returned to its historical appearance: the walls were covered with artificial marble, chandeliers, sconces, sculptures, and mirrors were restored, and the ceiling painting was renewed.

It was planned that the restored palace would be the residence of the government of St. Petersburg, but it was decided to give it to children. Since 2015, it has housed the "Academy of Talents," an educational institution that allows schoolchildren to try themselves in various professions. The academy identifies talented children and helps them realize themselves.

At the "Academy of Talents," there is a Center for Intellectual Games, a Holographic Theater, a Museum of Historical Costume, and a Journalism Center. 24 halls of the palace are equipped with the latest technology. In the video studio, aspiring journalists edit programs. The "Guardians of the Palace" club protects the interiors and conducts tours.

At the "Academy of Talents," one can see living paintings. A portrait of a historical figure appears on an LCD panel, which tells about itself as visitors approach.

The academy hosts exhibitions, concerts, and seminars. Life buzzes in the halls of the palace, and the park is one of the few places in St. Petersburg for a break from the urban hustle. It is called "Quiet Rest." Sitting on a bench by the river, one can imagine Kamenny Ostrov Palace 200 years ago when history was being made here. One hopes that now its future is in the hands of the graduates of the "Academy of Talents."