Philology Adele Cain M.A.2/3

By Khaza Mokhammed Ph.D.

2/3

Her ascent to the imperial throne marked the country’s return to Petrine traditions. It was an era of cultural resurgence. The youngest daughter of Peter I performed admirably, whether in military and imperial policy or developing Siberia. During her reign, huge, magnificent palaces were built as a symbol of state authority. The architecture of the mid-18th century actively glorified the power of the Russian Empire in the world.

The Elizabethan Baroque style abandoned austere façades and Western European forms. The empress preferred curvaceous forms, gold trim, bright details.

The Great Catherine Palace in Tsarskoe Selo is one of the most visited sights of St. Petersburg and an object of Russia’s cultural heritage. It is located in the city of Pushkin, 25 kilometers from Palace Square.

History of the Catherine Palace

The site of the Catherine Palace was once the estate of a wealthy Swede. But, as a result of the Northern War, these places passed into the possession of the Russian state. After some time, Peter the Great presented this estate to Martha Skavronskaya, who later converted to Orthodoxy and became Ekaterina Alekseevna. Then she became the wife of Peter I.

Before her death, Elizaveta Petrovna ordered all the statues in the park to be gilded. Catherine the Great, now the owner of the palace, ordered the will of the late empress to be respected. However, after several statues were gilded, she discovered the cost of such work, and immediately ordered that it should halt.

During her reign, the Empress altered the style and layout of the Catherine Palace so that it became more comfortable to live in and more modest – of course, to the extent that this suited the Empress. In this she was assisted by Charles Cameron, who created the Arabesque and Lyons drawing rooms, the Chinese Hall, the Domed Dining Room, the Silver Study, the Blue Study and the Bedchamber.

Exterior decoration, courtyard & the interior of the palace

The majestic building of the Catherine Palace still amazes today with the luxury and richness of the decoration of the façades. It is amazing how much effort the restorers put into the work to achieve such results. The area of the Catherine Palace in Pushkin is almost 60,000 square meters, and each of them has been painstakingly restored.

The palace was built in the Baroque style, and its façade is lined with overhead porticoes so that their symmetrical axial system is in harmony with the spatial plan of the park. The façade of the palace is decorated with a classic gilded colonnade and exquisite stucco moldings, as well as graceful antique statues. The appearance of the imperial residence corresponds to the architectural fashion of the 18th century, but one can also discern the personal contribution of each ruler in it.

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