Gatchina Palace

[Valmont]

I think the "Mezzanine" is the correct word.

[Joanna]

To give a sense of the location of the Arsenal mezzanine:


Palace courtyard with the Arsenal on the right. The mezzanine is the row of small windows between the larger ones of the first and second floor. Although they appear very small and are compared to the vast palace, the photo of Alexander's study shows that they were actually bigger to a degree and did light the rooms. Although having said that, it still amazes me that Alexander IIIs family with five children and maids/valets/nannies/tutors squeezed themselves into this small area for the long periods of time that they did reside here:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Gatschina-Schloss_2006_a.jpg/800px-Gatschina-Schloss_2006_a.jpg

Plan of the palace and park:
http://gatchina3000.ru/misc/images/general_plan_palace_park_jpg.jpg

Joanna

[BobG]

In the Gatchina topic (http://forum.alexanderpalace.org/index.php?topic=1414.0) There are some wonderful photos posted by Svetabel showing AIII & MF's rooms as they were used by them.  Unfortunately, brnbg aka: liljones1968's  plans of the family quarters are no longer available.  Maybe we can pesuade him to repost to get a sense of how extensive their suite was.
BobG

[Reco]

BobG,

brnbg aka: liljones1968 post the plans again in February 25, 2008, 10:31:53 PM

Many thanks to him.

Reco

[EmmyLee]

Perhaps the ceilings seem so low in comparison to the typical ceiling heights in the other palaces, but still it looks like he'd constantly kerplunk his head any time he stood up!

Exactly! The ceilings seem very low for a palace. I was also thinking that even if the Alexander Palace was refurnished similar to this (fairly sparse, but getting the idea across better than blown up photos of the original rooms), it would be a much better exhibit than what's there right now.

Thank you, Joanna! Your pictures were wonderful. For some reason, I'd always pictured Gatchina as a darker place (I don't know why), so your pictures show that it must have been a much more pleasant, sunny place to live in than I'd imagined.

[Douglas]

The Imperial family lived in the mezzanine of the palace.  They did not live in the formal bedrooms and formal salons of the palace.  The rooms they occupied were intended for retainers and high ranking servants.  The Tsar felt more comfortable in these small, low ceiling rooms.  Other members of the extended family thought he was strange to live in this manner.

It is actually easier to heat these rooms than the large drafty salons.  In these small spaces he was comfortable.

[Michael HR]

Good for him. Shows he was a down to earth Tsar when you consider the Palaces he had to choose from. 

[EmmyLee]

It is nice to see a ruler with little regard for ornate rooms with luxurious furnishings. It makes Alexander III seem fairly humble, seeing as he preferred to live in rooms meant for servants (even if they were higher ranking). And Douglas, you have a very good point about the heating of such rooms. They would indeed be much easier to heat with those low ceilings and the fact that those rooms were really quite small. I'd take a small, warm room over a huge, cold room any day.

[Alixz]

I wonder if the decoration is correct for the period.  If it is, I commend Alexander and Marie for that as well. 

I have always thought I would suffocate in the decor of the Alexander Palace that Alix lived in.  So many patterns and colors all competing with each other.

This one seems simple and inviting.  The furniture is beautiful.

[Joanna]

The photographs although great to understand the size and layout of the rooms do give a distorted idea of what was c1880s. Today the walls are painted with hues of lightness but comparing with Svetabel's photographs, the wallpapered walls, carpets and furniture covers were of different patterns and, although in black/white, I can imagine the color schemes were heavy multi-clashing. The walls were chockablock with pictures/photographs/icons and the tables were strewn with knickknacks. If the photos were taken c1920s-30s, then all the other paraphernalia of the family's life is missing.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v433/feomarie/Palaces/1stDressingRoomAlexanderIII.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v433/feomarie/Palaces/Bedroom_AlexIII_MariaFed.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v433/feomarie/Palaces/Bedroom_AlexIII_MariaFed_3.jpg

Joanna

[EmmyLee]

Wow, those photos can really make one feel a little claustrophobic. I think for me, it would feel even more cluttered in Gatchina than the AP due to those low ceilings.

[Joanna]

In this article on Jacobean Russian Furniture, there are some photographs of Gatchina interiors. Of one, it is enlarged sideview of what appears to be a school desk that I think may have been in the rooms of Nicholas and George. Can anyone confirm or have another opinion?

http://www.geridon.ru/zhakob_article/9b.jpg

Article:
http://www.geridon.ru/articles/?id=8

Joanna

[Joanna]

Photograph of the Gatchina tunnel entrance:
http://ljplus.ru/img3/v/a/valeryanna/Snimok_79.jpg

There are many photographs of exteriors/interiors of various palaces, for example:
Peterhof Cottage:
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/valeryanna/Alexandria%20And%20Cottedge/morskoy_cabinet_small.jpg
Poster made of Chinese Palace, Oranienbaum:
http://ljplus.ru/img3/v/a/valeryanna/100_0740.jpg

Full site:
http://valeryanna.livejournal.com/tag/%D0%BE%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8+%D0%BB%D1%8E%D0%B1%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE+%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B0

Joanna

[Joanna]

Some translations so far - photographs of all the rooms that I have were c1940 and are similar to some that have been posted on this topic:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/skinheadbrian/My%20Photos/gatchmezarsenalblock.jpg

This should be labeled First Floor of the Arsenal Block where Alexander III had a suite of reception rooms:

1. Main Hall
2.
3.
4. Theatre
5. Chinese Gallery
6.
7.
8. 4th Reception Room of Alexander III
9. 3rd Reception Room of Alexander III
10. 2nd Reception Room of Alexander III
11. 1st Reception Room of Alexander III
12. Reception Study of Alexander III
13.
14.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/skinheadbrian/My%20Photos/gatch1stflarsenalblock.jpg

Mezzanine Floor

1. Marble Staircase
2. Corridor
3.
4. Bedroom of Marie F. & Alexander III
5. Drawing Room of Marie F.
6. Dining Room
7. Private/Working Study of Alexander III
9. 1st Dressing/Wardrobe of Alexander III
10. 2nd Dressing/Wardrobe of Alexander III

Suite of Grand Duchess Xenia A.
12. Bedroom of Xenia A.
13. Study of Xenia A.
14. Bathroom of Xenia A.
15.
16.
17.
18. Drawing Room of Xenia A.

Suite of Grand Duke Mikhail A.
19.
20.
21. Study of Mikhail A.
22. Bedroom of Mikhail A.
23.
24.
25. Bathroom of Mikhail A.

Suite of Grand Dukes Nicholas A. & George A.
26.
27. Bedroom of Nicholas & George
28. Study of George A.
29.
30. Bathroom of George A.
31. Study of Nicholas A.
32. Classroom of Nicholas & George

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/skinheadbrian/My%20Photos/gatgrndflarsenalblock.jpg

Ground Floor:

1. Marble Staircase
2. Arsenal Hall (Windows face on to Private Garden)
3.
4. Corner Study of Nicholas I
5.
6. Reception Room of Nicholas I
7.
8. Main Military Study of Nicholas I
9. Bedroom of Nicholas I and Alexandra F.
10. Bathroom of Alexandra F. wife of Nicholas I
11. Oak Study of Alexandra F.
12. Main Study of Alexandra F.
13. Drawing Room of Alexandra F.
14. Dining Room
15 Reception Room of Alexandra F.
16. Gothic Gallery (Nicholas I suite corridor facing inner courtyard)
17. Reception Room of Alexander II
18. Drawing Room of Alexander II
19. Bathroom of Alexander II
20. Study of Alexander II
21. Bedroom of Alexander II and Marie Alexandrovna
22. Bathroom of Marie A.
23. Study of Marie A.
24. Drawing Room of Marie A.
25. Dining Room
26. Reception Room of Marie A.

Joanna

[Reco]

Somebody put this plan in the forum

ground floor

 

mezzanine floor



first floor