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Marble Palace, built by the Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi, was a gift from Catherine II to her favourite Grigory Orlov for his active participation in the events of 1762, as a result of which the Empress was alone on the Russian throne. According to legend, the Empress herself made a sketch of the future building and showed it to the architect. Catherine ordered no expense to be spared in the construction. The lower part of the building was clad in granite, and the facades were clad with specially selected marble instead of plaster. For this purpose, a total of 32 varieties of this rare and expensive material were used. Marble was also used for the interior design. Hence the name of the palace - Marble Palace.

The Marble Palace was built for so long that Count Orlov died before its completion and did not manage to celebrate its inauguration there. Catherine II bought it back from the deceased's heirs and gave it for residential use to her grandson, Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich (at this time the palace received another name - Konstantin Palace). He was often on military campaigns and lived permanently in Warsaw from 1814, when he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the troops of the Kingdom of Poland.

At the end of the 18th century, the former Polish king and another former heart's friend of Catherine II, Stanislaus Poniatowski, lived here for a time.

Subsequently, the son and grandson of Nicholas I alternately lived in the Marble Palace - the Grand Dukes Konstantin Nikolayevich (General Admiral, leader of the liberal wing in the government) and Konstantin Konstantinovich (in his time a rather well-known lyrical poet who signed his works with the initials K.R.). During this time a lively and creative atmosphere prevailed in the palace. Its residents were passionate about literature and music, hosting musical evenings, concerts, and social balls. For example, in 1856, during a costume ball attended by a thousand guests, the first concert of the composer Strauss in St. Petersburg took place here.

Since 1995, the "Ludwig Museum in the Russian Museum" has been opened in the Marble Palace, based on works by contemporary artists from Europe, Russia, and America, gifted to the Russian Museum by the well-known German collectors Peter and Irina Ludwig.

Shortly thereafter, another permanent exhibition "Collection of the Petersburg Collectors Rzhevsky Brothers" was opened in the palace - a gift to the Russian Museum from the Rzhevsky collectors, who collected works of Russian painting, graphics, and applied art for over half a century. Furthermore, the palace's interiors naturally also attract attention. Their appearance from the time of Catherine II has been best preserved in the decoration of the representative staircase and the magnificent Marble Hall. The large White Hall, redesigned in the mid-19th century by architect Bryullov, is also interesting. The furnishings of the last quarter of the 19th century have been preserved in the private chambers of Konstantin Konstantinovich and his wife Elisabeth Mavrikievna, which are located along Millionnaya Street. They are small and have different furnishings: complex, unique carved decoration - in the music room, mahogany panels and embossed leather - on the walls in the library and study. The living room is adorned by the picturesque ceiling "Services of Art" by the artist Lipgart, whose motif was suggested by the Grand Duke himself.

📍 Coordinates of the location (map point) available here

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