Malachite Room of the Winter Palace
The Malachite Room of the Winter Palace, St Petersburg, was designed in the late 1830s by the architect Alexander Briullov for use a formal reception room for the Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna, wife of Nicholas I. It replaced the Jasper Room, which was destroyed in the fire of 1837. [1]
The room obtains its name from the use of malachite for its columns and fireplace. This large salon contains a large malachite urn as well as furniture from the workshops of Peter Gambs (1802-1871), son of the famous furniture maker Heinrich Gambs, which were rescued from the 1837 fire.
During the Tsarist era, the Malachite Room served as not only a state drawing room of the Tsaritsa, but also as a gathering place for the Imperial family before and during official functions. [2] It was here that Romanov brides were traditionally dressed by the Tsarina before proceeding from the adjoining Arabian Hall to their weddings in the Grand Church. [3]
From June to October 1917 this room was the seat of the Russian Provisional Government. When the palace was stormed during the night of 7 November 1917, the members of the Government were arrested in the adjoining private dining room. [4]
Today, as part of the State Hermitage Museum, this room retains its original decoration.
References
Further reading
- Andrei Maylunas, Segei Mironenko (1996). A Lifelong Passion. London: Orian Publishing Group Ltd. ISBN 0-297-81520-2.
- The Guardian newspaper's website. retrieved 20 April 2008. Published by the Guardian. (eye witness account of the storming of the Winter Palace).
- Valse des Fleurs by Sacheveral Sitwell retrieved 27 April 2008.
External links
- The Malachite Room today Flickr. Retrieved 13 November 2008.
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