Mikhail Mikhailovich Palace (also known as Maly Mikhailovsky or
Malo-Mikhailovsky) is a palace in the center of St. Petersburg, an
architectural monument. Designed by Maximilian Messmacher. It is called
a palace, although it was never used for its intended purpose, since
Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich was expelled from Russia after marrying
Sophia Merenberg.
Intensive restoration work is currently
underway. There is information that a five-star hotel is planned to be
built in the palace. In February 2011, the palace was sold by the state
at a starting price of 520 million rubles. structures associated with
the current tenant of the building (Romtrade company)
The land currently occupied by the palace remained in the possession
of the Admiralty shipyard for a long time. However, in the 1870s, as a
result of the transfer of production from the city center, the site was
vacated for rapid development. Soon all the land was sold. One of the
buyers was the grandson of Nicholas I, Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich.
He purchased the property in 1884. Having become an adult, the prince
ordered the famous architect Messmacher to build a palace on this site.
According to legend, among what was said to the architect were the
words: "We need to live somewhere."
Construction ended in 1885,
although some work continued until 1891, and the finishing of the
premises was delayed until 1900. Such a duration of work is not
surprising, given that many of the technologies used in the construction
were innovative for that time. In addition, the building was equipped
with water supply, sewerage, telephone, gas and electricity were
connected to the building. Even the area in front of the entrance was
paved.
The palace was named after the owner - Mikhailovsky,
however, in order to distinguish it from Mikhailovsky and
Novo-Mikhailovsky, they decided to call it Malo-Mikhailovsky. In fact,
there is little reason to call the palace in this way, since the Grand
Duke did not even live a day in his residence. The reason was the
expulsion of Mikhail from Russia because of his marriage to Pushkin's
granddaughter Countess Sofya Nikolaevna Merenberg.
After the
owner left in 1893, the palace was rented out for 10 years to the
Southwestern Railway Administration. Eight years later, in 1904, Mikhail
Mikhailovich, at the request of his brother Alexander Mikhailovich,
finally transferred the building to the use of the Main Directorate of
Merchant Shipping and Ports. But the organization was soon abolished,
and the Ministry of Trade and Industry moved to the palace.
In
September 1910, the German embassy expressed a desire to purchase the
mansion. The deal did not take place due to security reasons from
undercover activities, since the Russian Admiralty was located nearby.
The palace stood empty all winter, until in March 1911 the insurance
joint-stock company Russian Lloyd bought the building. In this regard,
the architect P.K. Bergshtresser largely rebuilt the residence in
accordance with the needs of the company.
With the advent of
Soviet power, the society was nationalized, and its headquarters in
February 1918 was transferred to the balance of the city economy
commissariat.
In February 2011, the palace was sold by the
Property Fund of St. Petersburg to LLC "Palace of the Grand Duke Mikhail
Mikhailovich Romanov", which bought the object almost at the starting
price - 520 million rubles. A year later, the new owner again put the
palace up for auction. Its price is set at 1.3 billion rubles, which is
more than twice the amount that the city authorities received for the
palace.
The palace was richly decorated and well-planned. The premises were
finished by pupils of the School of Technical Drawing of Baron A. L.
Stieglitz under the guidance of the head of this school and the
architect of the entire residence - M. E. Messmacher. For this work, the
architect was awarded the Order of Anna, 2nd degree.
On the side
of the Admiralteyskaya embankment on the first floor there is a main
staircase, a vestibule, a large and a small reception room.
Subsequently, the lobby was expanded at the expense of the Grand
Reception Room. An office was set up in the northeast.
The second
floor was divided into two parts: one for the owner, the second for the
hostess. The so-called Own staircase led upstairs, or rather to the half
of the owner. The doors to the dressing room, bedroom and bathroom of
her husband were facing her. The only way to get to the women's part of
the floor was through the library.
The palace is made in the Neo-Renaissance style. The façade is clad in gray and dark pink sandstone. The first floor is rusticated, the second is decorated with paired semi-columns, the third - with pilasters. Wide arched windows cut through the façade. The corner of the palace is surrounded by a balcony at the mezzanine level. The building is completed with a cornice with a balustrade.