Russian Palaces

[brnbg68]

Originally Posted by Ritka

Are we sure it's the LARGEST? I thought there was an Austrian palace larger. (Perhaps Schonbrunn? I'm not so good with the Austrian names)

i think you may be thinking of the Hofburg, the Vienna residence of the Austrian emperor and, i believe, that of the Holy Roman Emperor.



Schönbrunn was their (weekend?) residence, just outside the city.

[Toledo]

Interesting topic. I love architecture trivia.

I always thought Peterhof was the largest one in relation to property size, not on size of the main palace itself. But I believe is the Forbiden City in Peking the one that takes the prize. It's a city of palaces.
I've been playing a lot with a great free program called Google Earth where you can zoom in these palaces once you track the location with the NASA satellite. With it you can see a perfect picture of these palaces as if you were flying overhead using the mouse wheel to zoom into the towns. For example, this is Paris from above: http://earth.google.com/sites/images...ltowerx600.jpg

[Warren]

Originally Posted by brnbg68

i think you may be thinking of the Hofburg, the Vienna residence of the Austrian emperor and, i believe, that of the Holy Roman Emperor.

The Habsburg ruler of Austria and the Holy Roman Emperor were one and the same from 1438.

[Ritka]

Originally Posted by brnbg68

i think you may be thinking of the Hofburg, the Vienna residence of the Austrian emperor and, i believe, that of the Holy Roman Emperor.



Schönbrunn was their (weekend?) residence, just outside the city.

Oh, that's it, thank you very much! That was actually bugging me, I felt like I got it wrong in my original post.

[CasiraghiTrio]

Versailles is often thought of as the greatest palace in the world, but did you guys know that Russia's Kolomenskoe palace was built in 1671 around the same time and was even "greater"? Kolomenskoe had baths and toilets even for the servants (Versailles did not have any baths and toilets, not even for the royalty and nobles). Kolomenskoe was a wooden palace, but its exterior was deceiving and on the inside it was nothing like its rather austere exterior. There were 3,000 micapaned windows, 270 rooms (small, yes, compared to other palaces), mirrors, velvet drapes, and elaborately painted ceilings. It was the favorite retreat of Tsar Alexis, father of Peter the Great, but sadly was destroyed by Catherine the Great in 1771.
I don't suppose anyone knows where to find pictures of this lost treasure? Obviously I mean pictures of paintings possibly? I don't know if a painting was ever done of the palace while it stood. It would be a pity if not.

[Toledo]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

..It was the favorite retreat of Tsar Alexis, father of Peter the Great, but sadly was destroyed by Catherine the Great in 1771.
I don't suppose anyone knows where to find pictures of this lost treasure? Obviously I mean pictures of paintings possibly? I don't know if a painting was ever done of the palace while it stood. It would be a pity if not.

I got good news for you. I typed the name in google to find you some pictures and found an article that the palace will be rebuilt.
Palace of Alexey Mikhailovich to be restored in Kolomenskoe

Here is a high resolution picture of a rendition of Russia's Kolomenskoe palace

This picture of the palace has some color added to it

[RussianHistoryBuff]

The Amber Room is a beautiful treasure that will once again bring splendour to Russia when its reconstruction is completed. It would seem that someone would have located the original panels by now, but that is another matter. There is a new book that came out roughly a year ago. If you go to www.bn.com [the official Barnes&Noble website] you can use their search engines to find it.

[Ritka]

I've read the book as well. It's very good and reads like a novel. If anyone is looking for it, make sure that you don't confuse it with the Steve Berry novel of the same name.

[Toledo]

Ice palace of Russian empress opened in St. Petersburg
December 29, 2006
work over the ice palace devoted to the Russian empress Anna Ioannovna

[lamass]

thank you toledo that palace is very cool. no pun intended

[Toledo]

Originally Posted by lamass

thank you toledo that palace is very cool. no pun intended

You are right on that!

When I saw it I was amazed on the detailed work it had. It reminded me a documentary we saw (PBS or one of the Discovery line Chanels?) related to a competition in Norway or Sweden to built an ice hotel with eletricity.

[lucien]

Finally,it was announced that the Defence Naval Research Institute will leave the right wing of the Alexander Palace within the next 6 months.The Palace will then be entirely turned over to the State Museum Tsarskoye Selo.At last,everyone was wondering for decades what a Naval institute was about in the beloved home of the last Tsar,Nicholas II,Alix and the children.That particular part of the Palace is rundown,broken windows,overgrown paths,alas,typical russian neglect.

Virtual Pushkin - Tsarskoye Selo - The Defense Research Institute will completely depart from Alexander Palace with in next 6 month


Dear Helen Azar,often visited/lived for a year in Pushkin town and visited Nicky's last home,Alexander Palace and grounds,as well as the Catherine Palace often while making video's .

"Walking to the Alexander Palace",and a wealth of other video's by her,courtesy dearest Helen Azar.

YouTube - Walking to the Alexander Palace

A walk to the Children's Island,behind the AP,courtesy Helen:

YouTube - Children's Island

The Catherine Palace:

YouTube - A Walk Around Catherine Palace

Courtesy dearest Helen.

[Next Star]

The palaces are fabulous and so nice to look at.Thanks to all those who posted.

[AnastasiaEvidence]

It's a pity we can't see the upstairs rooms of OTMA today. OTMA bedroom, it's a pity that this is the only know photos that exists.

Olga and Tatiana's AP room.

Big pair's room in water colours.



Maria and Anastasia's room in the AP.


Alexandra's mauve room
http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/d...ova/Alexander%

Imperial bedroom. Look at those icons! Over 800.
http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/d...ova/Alexander%

The AP hallway
http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/d...or/Hallway.jpg

http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/d...r/DSC00919.jpg

NAOTMAA's formal clothing.
http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/d...ova/Alexander%

[christowilson]

Who can help with the Livadia Palace? I'm looking for pictures of the Tsars and families holidaying there, also accounts of their lives there.

[Viv]

A shot of the Alexander Palace taken by me on a photocall
on my way back from Catherine Palace to St. Petersburg.
We spent about 15 mins. there; unfortunately I didn't see the
palace from the garden!

This photo isn't close enough to show the extend of disrepair,
but if you focus on the columns you might get an idea.

viv

[AnastasiaEvidence]

Originally Posted by christowilson

Who can help with the Livadia Palace? I'm looking for pictures of the Tsars and families holidaying there, also accounts of their lives there.

Here are some photos of the imperial family at the livadia palace.


http://livadia.org/ana/1907-1912/81.jpg the imperial children in 1911 pose outside beside the livadia palace.
http://livadia.org/ana/1907-1912/82.jpg

http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/d...8/olgarita.jpg (livadia beach Olga and Rita pose in 1915)
http://livadia.org/ana/1907-1912/90.jpg livadia portrait of the imperial family 1911.

http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/d...ivadia1914.jpg OTMA at livadia in 1914

http://livadia.org/ana/1907-1912/52.jpg Anastasia at livadia palace in 1912

http://livadia.org/tanya/images/otma...rossbodice.jpg imperial children at livadia in 1914.

http://livadia.org/tanya/images/nickyalixanyatatia.jpg Nicholas, Tatiana and Alix are resting from tennis outside at livadia. 1914

http://livadia.org/mashka/images/aoma1914_1.jpg Olga, Anastasia, Maria, officer and Alix in 1914.

http://livadia.org/tanya/images/tatarbor.jpg Tatiana outside in 1914

http://livadia.org/mashka/images/otma1914_1.jpg Anastasia, Olga, Nicholas and Tatiana with Maria, 1914.

[christowilson]

Thank you so much - very, very much appreciated!!