Menshikov Palace

The palace of the first governor of St. Petersburg, Alexander Danilovich Menshikov who was a close associate of Peter the Great, is located on Vasilievsky Island.

The palace was built in the 1710-1721 by the architects Giovanni Maria Fontana and Gottfried Johann Schädel. This is the largest stone building in St. Petersburg of the time of Peter the Great. The Palace was the center of a sprawling estate. The building was surrounded by a well-attended garden decorated with numerous sculptures, beautiful fountains, dark grottoes and greenhouses. A pier was built on the bank of the Neva River. Here was the official residence of A.D. Menshikov -who was the General Governer of the capital.

After the disgrace of Menshikov in 1727, the palace was passed to the treasury. Later it was rebuilt according to the project of Domenico Trezzini, and since 1731 it turned over to the "Land Nobility Corps". In 1800, it was renamed to the 1 st Cadet Corps. After the revolution of 1917, various educational institutions were located in the building. The Museum first opened its doors to the visitors in 1981.

Today an exposition called "Culture of Russia of the first third of the XVIII century" is located in the halls of the Palace. Works of fine art and decorative applied art from the collections of the State Hermitage recreate the decoration of the interiors of that period. Visitors can see the restored vestibule and the main staircase, the Menshikov’s Walnut cabinet, reception room, bedroom, dining room and chambers of D.M. Menshikova. There are peculiar rooms decorated with white and blue Dutch tiles.