Stroganov Palace, one of the most beautiful buildings in St. Petersburg, is located in the city center at the beginning of Nevsky Prospect, not far from the Winter Palace. Both palaces were built by Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli. For Stroganov, he deviated from his principle of working only for kings, as Stroganov was incredibly wealthy and likely persuasive.

History of the Palace

In the 18th century, the plot on Nevsky Prospect, where Stroganov Palace now stands, was shared between tailor Johann Neiman, court chef Shestakov, and adjutant of General Saltykov. In the 1740s, Baron Sergey Grigoryevich Stroganov, a descendant of Novgorod merchants, acquired a large unfinished house for three families.

Sergey Grigoryevich wanted to reconstruct the building but faced difficulties: the neighboring chef did not want to give up his part of the house. However, Stroganov managed to persuade him, and in 1753 he commissioned Rastrelli to build the palace. The architect lived in Stroganov's house while the Winter Palace was being constructed according to his design. Although Rastrelli usually built palaces for royal figures, he made an exception for Stroganov. The new palace was erected in two years and initially painted a yellowish color, like the Winter Palace, later repainted pink. The palace became a model of Baroque, its facade adorned with stucco, columns, and sculptures, as well as the Stroganov coat of arms with two sable figures. Inside, there were 50 rooms, including the Grand Staircase, the Great Hall, and the Mirror Gallery, decorated with splendor and luxury.

The architect built his masterpiece on the site of a previous building, presumably created by Mikhail Zemtsov. Several architects later contributed to the palace, including Andrey Voronikhin, who designed the Picture Gallery and the Mineralogical Cabinet. In 1820, Karl Rossi and Pyotr Sadovnikov worked on the interiors. As a result, the building became a product of the efforts of several talented architects, and its style absorbed features from different architectural directions.

On the side facing the Moika River, Rastrelli placed medallions with antique profiles. According to one hypothesis, one of them depicts Rastrelli himself. It may have been his signature or a token of gratitude from the count. Another version suggests that Stroganov ordered his own likeness, while Rastrelli was captured in a portrait in the Picture Gallery.

The House of Alexander Stroganov

The son of Sergey Grigoryevich, Alexander Stroganov, glorified the family and gave the palace a modern look. Under him, the palace became one of the most fashionable places in Petersburg. Balls, parties, dinners, and theatrical performances were held here constantly. Alexander Stroganov was not only a socialite but also possessed a brilliant education, artistic taste, was a Freemason, president of the Imperial Academy of Arts, and director of the Imperial Public Library. In 1798, he received the title of count.

Alexander Stroganov continued his father's work, gathering a magnificent collection of paintings and sculptures. He encouraged the talents of his serfs, creating schools for them. Among his serfs was architect Andrey Voronikhin, who built Kazan Cathedral. The count granted him freedom, educated him at his own expense, and promoted his projects. Stroganov proposed Voronikhin as the architect of Kazan Cathedral and was the chairman of the council for its construction.

Rumors claimed that Voronikhin was the illegitimate son of the count, which explained Stroganov's noble deeds. Alexander Stroganov was actively involved in charity. A diverse audience gathered for dinners at the palace. It is suggested that beef Stroganoff was served at these dinners for the first time. However, it is more likely that the recipe was created for the count in his old age. Historians believe that the dish appeared at the charity dinners of the last count Stroganov.

More than 600 servants served the palace, which had about 50 halls. The central hall has remained almost unchanged since Rastrelli's time. It is adorned with a ceiling painted by Giuseppe Valeriani in the 1750s. Today, this hall can be seen in the restored museum.

Rumors claimed that every Sunday, candles were lit in the house to cleanse the memory and conscience of the Stroganovs. By the end of the 18th century, the Baroque style was replaced by Classicism and Empire style. The palace was remodeled by architect Demertsov, who added mirrored panels in the Grand Dining Room.

In addition to the grand halls, the palace had the Arabesque Drawing Room and several secret rooms. The count did not like to sleep in one place, so he had no bedroom. Rumors suggested that the secret rooms were used for stress relief.

The first sphinxes in Petersburg were installed at the main entrance to Stroganov Palace. They were moved from the Stroganov dacha, built by Voronikhin. They set a trend for Egyptian motifs in home decoration.

Collections of the Palace

The pride of the palace was the mineralogical cabinet designed by Voronikhin. The first floor housed a library on geology, while the second contained a collection of minerals. The ceiling was adorned with a ceiling painting, and the floor was made of rare wood species. Voronikhin also designed the Small and Large Drawing Rooms, the Hall of Yuber Robert, and the Physical Cabinet in the Egyptian style.

Rumors claimed that due to Stroganov's interest in chemistry, he was suspected of poisoning his wife and even Peter III. The hall for the picture collection was decorated by Voronikhin. The canvases covered the walls of the Picture Gallery, including works by Botticelli, Rembrandt, Rubens, and others. The collection was considered the second after the imperial one. Students of the Imperial Academy of Arts had access to the gallery for studying painting.

The paintings were framed in carved gilded frames. Guests could admire them while sitting on silk-upholstered chairs and sofas. This set has been preserved in the Russian Museum and returned to the Picture Gallery. The count loved his collection so much that he preferred to die among the paintings. He also collected coins, and his numismatic collection numbered over 60,000 items.

The legacy of Alexander Stroganov was continued by his descendants. The Stroganovs amassed the richest collections of paintings, silver, and coins. By the late 1920s, the collections were dispersed among museums, and many items were sold or stolen.

Current Status

After the October Revolution, a museum was organized in the palace, which lasted until the late 1920s. Then Soviet institutions occupied the building, causing damage to the interiors. Since the late 1980s, the palace has been part of the State Russian Museum, and restoration began. The official opening of the museum took place in 2003.

Today, the museum features two permanent exhibitions: "Russian Empire" and "Mineralogical Cabinet" of Alexander Stroganov. Exhibitions are held in the halls. The renovated palace-museum has become a decoration of Nevsky Prospect, embodying the soul of several generations of Stroganovs and the best architects.