Marvelous Mariinsky Palace stands before us. Its elegant facade whispers tales of emperors and revolutionaries. This magnificent building wasn’t always here. Before the Mariinsky Palace stood the home of Zakhar Chernyshev. A prominent military commander he lent his residence to important guests. Louis Henri Prince of Condé once stayed there.
The Chernyshev Palace was demolished in 1839. Emperor Nicholas I commissioned a new palace. It was a wedding gift for his daughter Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna. She married Maximilian de Beauharnais Josephine’s grandson.
Andrei Stackenschneider designed the Mariinsky Palace. Construction lasted from 1839 to 1844. The palace’s neoclassical style is striking. It features Corinthian columns and rusticated facades. The design is a blend of styles. It incorporates French Baroque and Renaissance elements. Today the palace is painted white.
The Mariinsky Palace housed important government bodies. After 1884 it held the State Council. The Imperial Chancellery and Committee of Ministers were also located there. After 1905 it became home to the Council of Ministers. Leon Benois designed the grand hall used for State Council sessions.
Tragedy struck the palace. On April 15 1902 Stepan Balmashov assassinated Dmitry Sipyagin. Sipyagin was the Minister of Internal Affairs. The assassination occurred between meetings at the palace.
Ilya Repin painted a famous picture. It shows a ceremonial sitting of the State Council in 1901. This massive painting features 81 historical figures including Nicholas II. It was displayed in the Winter Palace before its final location at the Mariinsky Palace.
The Russian Provisional Government took over in 1917. Later the palace housed Soviet ministries and academies. During World War II it became a hospital. Intense bombing damaged the building. After the war it became home to the Petrograd Soviet. During the 1991 coup attempt it served as a base for the Emergency Committee. Barricades surrounded the palace.
Today the Mariinsky Palace is the seat of the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg. This beautiful palace has witnessed history unfold. It continues to stand as a symbol of Saint Petersburg’s rich past.