Menshikov Palace, St. Petersburg

Menshikov Palace, St. Petersburg

Menshikov Palace is a Petrine Baroque-style edifice situated on Universitetskaya Embankment of the Bolshaya Neva on Vasilyevsky Island, and is one of the oldest palaces in St. Petersburg. It is also the first stone building in the city.

Alexander Menshikov, the former owner of the palace, was a prominent Russian statesman and a close friend of Peter the Great. Although a commoner by birth, he eventually received the title of Serene Highness, became governor of Ingermanlandia, and achieved the rank of General Field Marshall. Unfortunately, Menshikov was also known for his deceitfulness, which eventually caused his demise.

Built as a residence for the then Governor General of Saint Petersburg, which is yet another title Menshikov held, the luxurious property reflects a combination of influences. The Dutch cobalt tiles, Italian marble, Russian stove tiles, leather, textiles, and tapestries decorate the palace interior in full splendor and perfectly accentuate the 17th- and 18th-century sculptures, paintings, and artwork displayed throughout the building.

The construction lasted from 1710 and was overseen first by the Italian architect Giovanni Maria Fontana, and, later, by the German architect Gottfried Johann Schädel. The palace opened for residents in 1711, whereas finishing works on it continued until 1727, when Menshikov and his family were exiled to Siberia and the property was confiscated.

Formerly the political, cultural, and social center for Peter the Great and his associates, the Menshikov Palace later housed the First Cadet Corps and, as of 1981, has served as a branch of the Hermitage Museum, showcasing a collection of Russian art of the late 17th-early 18th centuries. In addition, many of Menshikov’s belongings are also available for viewing.

Tips:
Check out the Dutch cobalt-tiled rooms – quite a site, well worth seeing.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in St. Petersburg. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Menshikov Palace on Map

Sight Name: Menshikov Palace
Sight Location: St. Petersburg, Russia (See walking tours in St. Petersburg)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in St. Petersburg, Russia

Create Your Own Walk in St. Petersburg

Create Your Own Walk in St. Petersburg

Creating your own self-guided walk in St. Petersburg is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
St. Petersburg Introduction Walking Tour

St. Petersburg Introduction Walking Tour

Russia's northern capital, Saint Petersburg is the country's second largest city where nearly every stone breathes history. It is named after apostle Saint Peter and traditionally dubbed by the Russians as “the Window to Europe” “opened” by Peter the Great on 27 May 1703 on the site of a captured Swedish fortress amid the swamp and the Neva River.

The city is integral with...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.3 Km or 2.7 Miles
Russian Literary Heritage Walking Tour

Russian Literary Heritage Walking Tour

If you're an ardent fan of Russian literature, St. Petersburg is undoubtedly your dream destination. Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Gogol, Nabokov and many other Russia's literary greats have blessed this city with their presence – born, lived, worked, or set their characters here. To a great extent, St. Petersburg is a huge stone book, whose pages have been created by prominent Russian...  view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles
Vasilyevsky Island Walking Tour

Vasilyevsky Island Walking Tour

Situated just across the river from the Winter Palace, Vasilyevsky Island constitutes a large part of Saint Petersburg's historic center.

There are various versions of the origin of the island's name suggesting either Vasily-related etymology or perhaps just a corruption of the previous Swedish or Finnish name, e.g. Vasikkasaari (“Calf Island”). Legend has it, however, that some...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Nevsky Prospekt Walking Tour

Nevsky Prospekt Walking Tour

Nevsky Prospekt (Avenue) is the main artery of Saint Petersburg, named after the Alexander Nevsky Lavra (monastery) found at the eastern end of it. The monastery commemorates a prominent warlord and legendary figure in the Russian history, Prince Saint Alexander Nevsky (1221–1263).

Upon his founding of the city in 1703, Tsar Peter the Great planned the course of the street as the outset of...  view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Bolshevik Revolution Walking Tour

Bolshevik Revolution Walking Tour

When thinking of the events that changed the course of history in the 20th century, one of the first places that comes to mind is St. Petersburg. The “cradle of three revolutions” waged against the Tsarist autocracy saw the country's most important revolutionary events unravel, sending shock waves across the entire globe. What started in February 1917, reached its climax in October when...  view more

Tour Duration: 4 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 9.8 Km or 6.1 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


16 Unique Russian Things to Seek in St. Petersburg

16 Unique Russian Things to Seek in St. Petersburg

The "cradle of two revolutions", St. Petersburg bears cultural and historic significance for Russia that is hard to overestimate. Perhaps, nearly every stone in the downtown part of the city breathes history and can qualify as a memorable souvenir, although picking up them for such purpose...