Mansion of General-Governor, residence of GD Sergei Alexandrovitch

She still owned Ilinskoe & Nicholas gave her permission to go on living in the Kremlin for as long as she wanted. Serge also owned the Byeloselsky-Byelosersky in St. Petersburg which Ella handed over to Dmitri. She woukld basically have been LOADED with money but being so wonderfully good she kept hardly anything for herself  

That red and white palace was a Museum of the History of the Great October Revolution in the 1970's.  When Stalin had Tverskaya widened I believe they moved the palace back and added the extra story mentioned above.

If I remember correctly the building had these sad lions in front that looked like more like big mean dogs than cats.

Bob

The palace you describe is the  former English Club (Tverskaya 21) built originally in 1780 destroyed in the fire by Napoleon  and renovated by an architect Menelas. Stylistically it belongs to Russian empire. English Club was an exclusive club for Russian nobility residing along Tverskaya. After the revolution of 1917 it was occupied by Revolution Museum, later it became an exhibition of presents offered to Stalin. Now it is the Museum of Modern Russian History. The lions guarding the entrance were a trendy accessory of a city mansion in the beginning of 19th century. It is particularly amusing  because muscovites never saw a single lion. A notable exception took place when a couple of lions was presented to Russian Tzar Alexei Michailovich long before English Club.

As for the Palace of Governor General of Moscow (Tverskaya 13) you are referring to it was originally built  in 1778-82 as the palace of General Governor count  Chernyshov by the well-known Russian architect M.Kazakoff. The ancient bricks of recently destroyed city walls were used. The palace  is an example of late Russian classicism. After count Chernyshoff death in 1784 the palace was purchased by State and since then it became the official residence of Moscow’s General Governors.
After the revolution of 1917 palace was occupied by Soviet administration, the place in front of it was named Sovietskaya and decorated with the gypsum monument to Revolution.
The palace was renovated in 1929-30th years during the reconstruction of Tverskaya street. It was moved to 13 meters in deep of the site. Later in 1946 2 floors  were added to existing building by the architect Chechulin.
The walls were painted in red and classical details in white (the original palace was yellow and white which were the traditional colors of Russian classicism).
The interiors were also renovated, however original  main staircase by Kazakoff is retained as well as White and Red Halls. The ceiling paintings of the original palace were restored by the Soviet painter Korin.
About monument in front of the palace. The square was named Skobelevskaya in honor of the hero of Russian-Turkish war general Skobeleff, an equestrial monument to whom stood in the centre. The Soviets replaced general by  the sad gypsum woman, symbolising Revolution. The severe weather quickly destroyed sad symbol, and the place was empty until 1960th when it was decorated by the equestrial figure of Yuri Dolgoruki. Nowadays the palace belongs to Moscow administration.

Once I saw a watercolor showing Sergei's dressing room in a palace of Moscow.

Does anyone have it? I am looking for it, but cannot find it.

Thanks so much

For some who loves litterature could read the well known russian (anrachist ) author Savinkov.

His book pale horse("Memoirs of a Terrorist")deals with the murder and tentativs of murdering Ella's husband...interesting...
Savinkov who writes about his own experience as an anarchist has longly spied Sergei's home in the hope of catching some of the highest information for the succeed of the " operation".


Vassili

Once I saw a watercolor showing Sergei's dressing room in a palace of Moscow.

Does anyone have it? I am looking for it, but cannot find it.

Thanks so much

I've just found out 2 pictures of 2 rooms of the Palace on Tverskaya (G-G mansion) in 1902-1909 years. They are drawing-rooms not dressing -room

Red Drawing room



I wonder who is in the portrait on the wall? Empress Maria Fedorovna? or GD Ella?


And another picture. A Drawign room of GDss Elizaveta Fedorovna (Ella)

Svetabel - a million thanks for posting those watercolours.   Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna's drawing room has her stamp ALL over it.

tsaria

I've just found out 2 pictures of 2 rooms of the Palace on Tverskaya (G-G mansion) in 1902-1909 years. They are drawing-rooms not dressing -room

Dear Sveta,

THANKS A LOT the same .
as you know I love watercolours!!!

You've made my day.

gleb

I think it's Maria Fedorovna, but I am not a great expert.

White Drawing Room

And 2 floorplans of the Mansion - 1t and 2nd floors - appartments of Grand Duke and Grand Duchess.

First floor

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v433/feomarie/Palaces/7e.jpg

Second floor

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v433/feomarie/Palaces/7f-.jpg

And that have been demolished,what a pity,it is just wonderful!

Thanks a million for sharing!
Vassia

Svetabel,
Thank you so much for posting the plans of the Governor General's Palace.  You always find the most interesting items to post.  I do have a guestion that your source (or you yourself) might be able to answer.  On the floorplan the front facade of the building has 15 window openings (and I assume on the 1st floor 14 + the main entrance.  However pictures I have seen of the palace today show only 12 + the main entrance.  It looks like the central entrance and facade were greatly altered and three of the windows were replaced by the large central French doors within the arch.  Can you confirm this?  Is there any description of what was altered on the building when it was moved back and renovated?

Thanks again for your wonderful posting. As usual, you add so much to the site.

BobG

Bob, thanks for you kind words.

Well , as for the number of the windows on the front facade

In the XIX century

http://img1.msk.ru/data/uf/26937/3/49/34951.dnl_cemepuk-csaepmurnpu_mu_rbepjyni_okniudh._u._peianrr.jpg

And now, in the beginning of the 1990s

http://www.temples.ru/show_picture.php?PictureID=456

As I know the building was reconstructed in 1944-1947 years and the front facade was changed.

Svetabel,
Another wonderful picture!  I can just see a tiny bit of the Winter Garden on the left side of the building!  It is so exciting to see the building exactly as it was shown in the floorplans. Thanks so much!
BobG

more pictures of the G-G Mansion in the 1890s

http://fotomoscow.homefree.ru/album/1/1213.jpg