The Imperial Garage

Use this thread to ask questions about or discuss the Tsar's cars.

The Palace garages must have been exstensive, & I am sure all the automibiles, etc. were "requisitioned" by the various powers that had control.
I have seen a few photos of the Imperial Family in  open limos, but did not notice if the vehichles had the Imperial crest on them.
Not an automobile expert I would suppose these were all Rolls & Mercedes. As far as I know, Russia did not have an automobile "industry" per se.
On a seperate but still similiar topic, what happened to the Imperial stables?  It is a given that the horses must have been also "requisitioned" or downright stolen. But there was a a collection of court coaches that must have remianed , at least for some time.
[not referring to the State Coaches in Petersburgh & Moscow].

Robert,
There is a good overview of the Imperial Garages on the Alexander Palace site:
http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/impgarage.html

In all of the photos we have seen of the Imperial cars, we have never seen the Imperial Crest on them, although there may have been a small one painted on a door. There are a few photos showing Imperial Flags flying on the cars on several occassions.  As far as we have been able to determine, all of the Imperial cars vanished during the Revolution and Civil War years.  If anyone has any information about the Imperial Cars during or after the Revolution we would love for you to share it with us.

Nicholas II never owned a Rolls-Royce according to the archives we have seen.  He did own several Mercedes (although this was a decade before Mercedes merged with Benz).  You can see a full inventory of the Imperial cars as of 1912 on the link above.

There was one manufacturer (that we know of here) of automobiles in Russia before the Revolution, the "Baltic" company. The Imperial Garage had 2 of them for use of the Palace and suite.

 whats happned with the czars automobiles after war,
i know that lenin loved expensive car, he ordered a
 rolls royce equiped with skis for drive in heavy snow

We do know that Kerensky and the Provisional Govt. "requisitioned" cars out of the Imperial Garage. Kerensky was particularly fond of riding around Petrograd in one of Nicholas' personal cars, probably a Delaunay-Bellville. These are the last references I have ever found on the subject. Sadly, they all seem to have vanished during the Revolution and/or WWII, as there is no evidence so far (that I am aware of) that any of them still exist today.

I was told some years ago, by a kindly old [OLD] gent, that what was left of the former garages were either scrapped for war material or used for staff cars. As parts were impossible to replace, they no longer resembled their former glory and did not last long in war service.
Also, I have heard that some [a few] ambulances are in various war museum. They still carry the cyphers of their Imperial patrons. I would really like to know more about this. Anyone have any ideas ?

Not sure, but this could be one of the Imperial Garage buildings.  It is located just off Dvortsovaya Ulitsa in the location where the Garages are shown on most maps.

Not sure, but this could be one of the Imperial Garage buildings.  It is located just off Dvortsovaya Ulitsa in the location where the Garages are shown on most maps.

Scott, was this actually a little off Dvortzovaya, when you turn off onto Akademichesky Pereulok? I remember seeing this type of gate and wondering what was there... the gate looks very similar.

Hi Rob !

Nice to put a name with a face.
Delightful smile, clear eyes, God bless !

Spacebo!

Tania

Scott, was this actually a little off Dvortzovaya, when you turn off onto Akademichesky Pereulok? I remember seeing this type of gate and wondering what was there... the gate looks very similar.

If I remember correctly, this was on a short street just a few feet off Dvortsovaya.

The garage appears in better condition than the palace.

Thanks for these magnificent images Scott.  

It seems that there was an entrance to the underground tonnel from the garage too.

I have heard that Nicholas had 42 cars.

О гараже – открываем книгу Владимиро Бертаццони «Судьба Мантуанского рода Дании в России». Книгоиздательство «Всемирное слово» Санкт-Петербург 1996 год. Перевод с итальянского.
«1906 … Императорский гараж на Академическом проспекте, дом № 4; здание из красного кирпича в английском стиле, одно из первых, если не первое в России, предназначенное для размещения автомобилей – в данном случаи царских. Некоторое время спустя аналогичное здание было построено архитектором Миняевым – второй гараж стали называть белым, в отличии от красного, построенного Дании».
About garage - we open book Vladimiro Bertassoni « Destiny Mantuanskogo of a sort of Denmark in Russia ». A publishing house « the World word » St.-Petersburg 1996. Translation from Italian.
« 1906 … Imperial garage on the Academic prospectus, the house 4; a building from a red brick in the English style, one of the first, if not the first in Russia, intended for accommodation of cars - in data cases imperial. Some time later a similar building has been constructed by architect Minjaevym - the second garage began to name white, in difference from red, constructed Danini ».

Hikaru, please elaborate on what you know about the tunnel from the garages? 

Geglov, by the discription in your book it seems like the photos Scott posted were of the garages.  Where were they located on the map, in reference to the AP?

I am interested in the tunnels.....any info would be appreciated.

Arleen