Mariinsky Palace

Brief information

The Mariinsky Palace began as a personal wedding gift, but its form was shaped from the start not by a ceremonial dream, but by the cramped site on St. Isaac's Square. The future palace had to be fitted between the already existing ministry buildings while also avoiding any rivalry with St. Isaac's Cathedral. As a result, the building reads as a compromise: the palace facade preserves a solemn rhythm, but the overall plan is subordinated to the uneven boundaries of the site.

Later, the private residence became a political building. In the 1880s, the State Council was moved here, and in the early 20th century a separate block for meetings was built in the courtyard and connected to the main building by a gallery. After the revolutions and Soviet alterations, the palace once again remained a seat of power: since 1994 it has housed the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg.

What to notice first

You can compare the facade with the building's plan: the right wing is shorter than the left and stands at a slight angle to the square because it follows the direction of Voznesensky Prospekt. Three risalits help the facade look unified: the side ones are topped with austere triangular pediments, while the central one projects slightly and is raised by a tall attic with large volutes.

It is worth noticing the ground floor with its faceted, "diamond" rustication. For Russia, this was an early use of a motif from Italian palazzi, and it immediately makes the lower tier heavier and more relief-like. Inside, the ramp in the western risalit is especially important: the oval spiral "staircase without steps" was made for Maria Nikolaevna because of her joint illness. Another trace of the change in function is the Benois courtyard block: its facade differs from the palace through the use of plaster stringcourses instead of stone decoration.