MENCHIKOV PALACE
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The Great Palace of Menchikov was built between 1711 and 1727 by Fontana, Braunstein and Schädel in the Russian Baroque style. It is one of the oldest buildings in the Oranienbaum complex. Its main idea is to be part of the monumental panorama when welcoming guests arriving in St. Petersburg by sea. Greatness and decadence: in 1727 Alexander Menchikov, who was the first governor of St. Petersburg and the Colbert of Peter the Great, fell into disgrace on the death of the powerful Tsar in 1727. He was exiled to Western Siberia, his palace was donated to the Admiralty College and converted into a naval hospital. In 1743, the estate was taken over by Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich, who became Emperor Peter III. Reconstructions of the entire palace complex were carried out under the direction of Rastrelli, and later Rinaldi.
Two semi-circular galleries are connected to its central building. They join the Japanese pavilion to the east and the chapel to the west. The Japanese pavilion usually displays traditional Chinese and Japanese arts of the 17th and 20th centuries, with a large majority of porcelain. Monumental staircases and a courtyard of honour define the general aspect of the palace. It normally houses a collection of 17th- and 18th-century Western paintings. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, the Grand Palais was renovated several times and the interior layout was modified according to the taste of its owners.
