


The Winter Palace of Peter I
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The Winter palace of Peter I, a unique architectural and memorial monument of the early 18thcentury, is situated inside the building of the Hermitage Theatre. The research of the Hermitage architects conducted from 1976 to 1986 proved that when constructing the Theatre (1783-1789) Giacomo Quarenghi preserved some parts of the ground and first floor of the Peter's palace and also groups of appartments of different purpose. Underneath the scene of the Theatre a part of the gala courtyard was discovered surrounded with two side arcade galleries and suites of rooms of the Winter Palace.
The official residence of Peter I was being constructed in 1719-1722 by Domenico Tresini from the design of Georg Mattarnovi who had died in 1719. Two stories of the southern facade of the building were decorated with arcades facing the courtyard. The surface of the walls retain elements of architectural decor - rustic and medalilions, under the layer of plaster of the later period traces of paints are discovered according to which the walls are painted today. The northern facade facing the Neva river that has not survived was notable for particular solemnity for the architect designd it using the motif of the Roman triumphal arch. In autumn 1723 the house-warming party was held in the Throne Room with a feast and fireworks. In January 1725 Peter the Great died in one of the rooms not preserved today. The gala courtyard today is cobbled in "Dutch style" with bricks and used as an exhibition ground for the gala carriage of Peter I and the sledge for masquerades of the early 18th century.
Some rooms belonging to the ground floor of the "Small chamber rooms" of Peter I constructed by Georg Mattarnovi in 1716-1720 on the bank of the Winter canal occupy the space under the hall of the Hermitage Theatre. The "Small chamber rooms" were a complex of living rooms and out-buildings including a harbour, a garden with a fountain and a slip to keep and maintain the sailing boat of Peter I. Decoration of the rooms is restored according to documents describing work done in them - wall panels of Dutch tiles, inlaid parquet floors, oak-wood shutters and window sashes. The furnishings of the rooms is compiled of the things that belonged to Peter I personally from the State Hermitage collection.
Apart from that on two stories of the Hermitage Theatre along the Winter canal there are twelve living rooms preserved from the "Newly built chambers" of Empress Catherine I designed by Domenico Tresini in 1726-1727.
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