“He Conquered Both Time and Space...” 225th Anniversary of Alexander Pushkin’s Birth
This is the first ever large-scale exhibition held in the Russian Museum to address the genius of Russian and wor...
Monday | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
Mikhailovsky Palace, Benois Wing are open until 8:p.m. | |
Tuesday | The Museum is closed |
Wednesday | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
Thursday | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
Friday | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
Sunday | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
6 Petrovskaya Embankment
Metro - Gorkovskaya
The Cabin of Peter the Great on Petrograd Island is a unique architectural monument and the oldest building in St Petersburg. In the records of Peter’s time the cabin was referred to as the “Initial palace” and the “Red mansion”. The 12,7×5,7 metre cabin, made of hewn pine, was built on May 26th, 1703, in a spot chosen by Peter himself. A wooden mortar and “flaming” cannon-balls were put on the roof to symbolize Peter I’s official army title of an artillery captain.
Attempts to preserve Peter I’s first palace were made even in his time. A special protective structure held by poles, designed by D. Trezzini, was put over the cabin in 1723 and glazed in 1822. The brick case we see today was designed by architect R.I. Kuzmin in 1844. In 1899 two lobbies engineered by architect N.M. Salko were added on the northern and southern side of the brick case. The northern lobby was made for the visitors while the southern one was used for accommodating Peter I’s boat.
In 1742, by order of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, the daughter of Peter I, a chapel of Image of the Saviour Uncreated-by-human-hands was opened in the dining room of the cabin. A family relic — the icon of the Saviour Uncreated-by-human-hands — which originally belonged to Peter I, was put in the chapel. Peter used to pray in front of the icon, asking for a blessing to found the new capital; the sacred icon followed the tsar at war, during his illness and the funeral. Nowadays the icon is kept in the Transfiguration Monastery in St Petersburg, in a special icon case in the right choir. The Chapel ceased to exist in 1929.
In the 1870s openwork cast iron railing was put around the plot surrounding the cabin and a small garden was laid out. Facing the Neva river, there is a bronze bust of Peter (designed by N.-F. Gillet and P.P.Zabello, based on B.C. Rastrelli’s original). Members of the royal family would plant trees in the garden around the cabin on special occasions. This tradition has now been revived, with Prince Michael of Kent planting an oak tree next to the cabin in May 2011.
In 1930 the Cabin of Peter the Great became a museum. In 1934 it was handed over to the Peterhof complex of Peter’s palaces and later, in 1938, it became part of Peter I’s Summer Palace museum. The cabin was not severely damaged during I Patriotic War. The museum exhibits were evacuated to the town of Sarapul near the Urals. The cabin remained protected by the museum staff and became the first museum in the city to reopen to the public, as early as in 1944.
In early 2004 The Cabin of Peter the Great became part of the State Russian Museum.
The Cabin of Peter the Great is a simple structure with a hallway in the centre followed by the tsar’s small bedroom, and a more spacious study and dining room. The area of the cabin on the outer perimeter is 65 square metres. Remnants of the original paintwork imitating bricks can still be found on the walls of the cabin, with their unusually large multi-faceted windows. This decorative technique was typically used in wooden structures during the first years of the city’s existence.
Wall painting of the cabin is the only surviving example of its kind. The high pyramidal roof is covered with shingles — small flat wooden boards imitating tiles. During the
Modern museum exhibition presented items related to Peter’s time, including the memorial. Among them: the uniformed dress of red cloth; East cane work, casting the hands of Peter with the impression made on the Lipetsk Ironworks in 1707, the boat-vereyka, chair of Peter I.
Modern exhibition of the museum comprises items dating back to Peter I’s time, including memorial paraphernalia, such as: red broadcloth uniform, an oriental cane, a model of Peter I’s hand based on an imprint made at Lipetsk foundry in 1707, a wherry, and Peter’s armchair.
The collection of masterpieces, chosen by the Russian Museum will allow you to make a first impression of the collection of the Russian Museum.
Russian Museum - one of the world's largest museums and is perhaps the only country where such a full treasure of national culture are presented.
Virtual tour of the museum complex. 2009 (Rus., Eng., Ger., Fin.)
In the online shop of the Russian Museum presented a huge range of souvenirs, illustrated editions and multimedia disks.
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The State Russian Museum
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