The Mariinsky Palace, Kiev. History and description of the Mariinsky Palace in Kiev

In modern Kiev, preserved a sufficient number of architectural monuments of different periods. The facades of historical buildings store a lot of entertaining stories, they personally witnessed a change of eras. However, only a few years later fulfill their original functions, for example, the Mariinsky Palace. Kiev is the capital of Ukraine, and one of the most beautiful and magnificent residences of the past is actively used for receptions of noble guests and holding all sorts of meetings and high-level meetings today.

Construction of a residence in Kiev for the royal family

The daughter of Peter the Great, Elizabeth Petrovna, during her visit to Kiev was struck by the beauty of the city. She personally chose the place for the construction of the royal residence and ordered to begin the erection. In just 5 years, the Mariinsky Palace was rebuilt. Kiev became even more beautiful, and the representatives of the royal family no longer had a question where to stay while visiting the glorious city. The main architect of the project was Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who previously built the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. The official year of the end of construction is called 1755. However, in fact, the design of the interiors was completed only in 1760. Elizaveta Petrovna never had time to personally visit the Mariinsky Palace. The history is full of ridiculous coincidences and surprising facts, but, anyway, its present owner the residence has found only in 1764. In the elegant palace PA Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky, appointed then Governor-General of Little Russia, settled. Since that time, this chic palace complex has been used to receive all the most high-ranking guests from abroad and members of the royal family.

Facade and interiors

The main style of the palace is the Baroque: it is an abundance of bas-reliefs on the facade, the volume and variety of various sculptures. The composition is symmetrical - this is the main two-story house and two identical side wings. The palace looks really festive and solemn. Primary colors: turquoise, white, and light yellow underlined columns. On the back of the residence is the City Hall, or the Tsar's Garden, founded once by Peter the Great and well-appointed in 1743. The facade of the palace is facing the Mariinsky Park (founded in 1874), notable for its winding alleys and landscape style. Until the end of the nineteenth century, the residence was loved by the emperors and their relatives, and was also constantly used by the local governor-general.

The period of decay and revival

Originally the entire second floor was built of wood. In 1819, the palace suffered a severe fire, as a result of which the building suffered very badly. For a considerable time the restoration was not carried out, and the residence was in a terrible, almost ruinous state. Alexander the Second gave new life to the great apartments. The emperor ordered to restore the palace, build the second floor of the brick. But the wife of Alexander the Third - Maria Feodorovna - really revived the palace. It was in honor of it that it received its modern name Mariinsky Palace. Kiev liked the Emperor's wife so much after the cold and humid Petersburg, that she lived here for a long time, dealing with urban needs, and in her free time she walked in the adjacent park and received guests at the residence. After the coup in 1917, the palace complex was occupied for some time by the revolutionary committee. Then there was a technical school and an agricultural museum. The palace suffered during the Great Patriotic War: a bomb hit its main building.

Restoration work

Restoration of the residence immediately after the war took up talented architects under the leadership of the great master of his craft PF Aleshin. And this was the right decision, thanks to which the architectural masterpiece in a worthy state has reached our days. In 1979-1982, a planned restoration was held in honor of the next anniversary of the residence. Remarkable is the fact that during the works the original drawings and plans of Rastrelli, the first architect of the palace, were used.

Mariinsky Palace (Kiev): photos taken in our days

Today, the chic structure still impresses with its beauty and pomposity. Despite its difficult history, the architectural masterpiece is in excellent condition for its venerable age. However, what to say about luxury and wealth of decoration, if today one of the official residences of the President of Ukraine is the Mariinsky Palace. The description, even the most detailed, is not able to convey the entire beauty of the facade and interior of this complex. During the last large-scale restoration, many elements and objects of interior decoration were created according to the original technologies of the eighteenth century.

Residence today

Surely, after reading the fascinating story and looking at the colorful photos, you already wanted to personally visit the Mariinsky Palace. Kiev - a city incredibly popular with tourists due to the abundance of monuments and interesting museums. However, it is impossible to get inside the Mariinsky Palace today. The building is used as the current presidential residence. But you can look at the facade from a small distance. There is a building at the address: Kiev, M. Hrushevsky Street, house 5. However, you can also find out what the interiors look like inside everyone who was interested in the Mariinsky Palace. Photo of interiors you can see in our article, and also regularly in Kiev newspapers, telling about political events in the city.