Alix's bathroom

[Alibubba]

Hi!
     I have been wondering about the configuration of Alix's bathroom---where was the tub and toilet, where was the staircase to the children's rooms,etc.  I'm also curious about the toilet and oratory on either side of N & A's bed---anyone know what was where?  My husband thinks I'm weird about wanting to know about a bathroom---call it feminine curiosity---I like to know as much as possible!  Thanks!

[BobAtchison]

Alix's bathroom is described on the Palace site and there are pictures.

Alexandra's oratory was on the right side of the bed, the toliet on the left, behind the curtains.  The fixtures here were rather old-fashioned.

Her dressing room opened into her bathroom.  Here was a victorian style tub (covered by a cloth when not in use) and a toilet.  From this room a staircase opened to the right.  Halfway up the staircase from the bathroom was a room for her clothes and sewing.  There was another bathtub room and the way up as well.

[Alibubba]

     Thanks for answering so promptly---I must confess to being a computer illiterate, and I was so excited to find this resource, I posted questions that I subsequently found answers to once I started digging in the forum.  I must praise everyone who have done such wonderful, dedicated work!  I'm so happy to find answers, and people who share my interests, I could jump for joy!

[Joanna]

R.F. Meltzer designed Alexandra's bathroom - "...В Царском Селе по проекту Р.Ф. Мельцера изготовлена ванная для Александры Федоровны..."

http://koptseva.ru/index.php/2008/03/14/antikvarnyj-biznes-mebel-naprokat.html

Joanna

[EmmyLee]

I couldn't find the place on the website that described Alexandra's bathroom, so I don't know what pictures are up. I have these ones, however (if they are indeed of the actual bathroom):


I believe Geglov captured the images from this video:
http://alexanderpalace.org/palace/movie2.html

[BobAtchison]

The plumbing was installed in the bedroom for the wedding of Maria Alexandrovna to the Alfred.  These rooms were their honeymoon suite and her father kept them ready for her and her husband if they ever returned to Russia and wanted to stay in Tsarskoe.  It's interesting that the Prince of Wales stayed here at the same time and I believe Alice was there, too.  The rooms were closed up until Nicholas and Alexandra came.  The fixtures were updated.  Alexandra HATED the toliet in her bedrooms.  She had a TOTAL aversion to doing bathroom things where anyone could hear her or know she was using the bathroom.  It drove her crazy that you could hear the plumbing downstairs in the basement and in the corridor.  The new bathroom was put in alonside the bedroom and all these problems were solved.  Its funny, she had no problems changing baby diapers but the idea that bathroom smells might be anywhere - well, she couldn't stand it.

She hated cooking smells as well, especially when she was pregnant.  She loved the order of fragrant burning woods and incense, especially anything containing Frankincense and Myrrh.  She also loved the small of Chrstas and fir trees...

You will remember on the train to Siberia how she waited until everyine was asleep and out of the corridor before she would use the bathroom.

[EmmyLee]

I didn't know that Alexandra was so sensitive about using the bathroom when others could hear. It does seem to fit the personality we know, however. It's interesting how much your posts add to our knowledge of everything Romanov, Bob.

[BobAtchison]

It's so very Victorian, isn't it - and Alix learned it from the source, from her Grandmother.

However, her aversion to these smells was also a result of her fear of cholera, typhoid fever and other nasty things.  Alix had lost so many members of her family to this and she almost lost Nicholas.  After Nicholas's illness Alix went nuts about fresh air and leaving windows open all the time.  This had also been a habit of Victoria's but Alix didn't adopt it until then.

[Michael HR]

It's only when you read the site that you realize that the palace was in many ways quite small and intimate. Her bathroom was against the main corridor so that any one walking along there would or might be able to hear the bathroom. It was only when I studied the plans that I realized that the rooms were all on one floor as for years I had assumed that they were on two, bedrooms above etc. It almost reminds me of a hotel corridor if you see what I mean. Yekaterinburg must have been a torture for the Empress if only on the bathroom front as there was no privacy as such with rough guards stood nearby and so on. God knows how she managed and might help explain why she became so thin as not eating would reduce the need for the toilet to some extent. 

[BobAtchison]

Michael, the other problem was that the floors were wood - it was built as a summer palace, not for winter.  You could hear everything going on.  There was music, crashing trays, children laughing.  They palace was very quiet so these sounds were more noticeable when they happened.

[Michael HR]

Poor woman. If I recall were there guards in the corridor at night? She could never escape the fear of people over hearing I suppose.

[BobAtchison]

At night the guards withdrew to the vestibule at the front door of the imperial wing - there were at least six of them.  This was just one of 14 guard installations at night.  The glass doors were closed.  They were armed.  There was an alarm system.

[Michael HR]

I never knew there was an alarm system. I assume you mean panic/attack alarm in case of emergencies? was there a button in the bedroom?

[Robert_Hall]

I did not know either. I just reckoned that with all the guards & staff roaming the place, that was security enough.

[Mari]

Where was the alarm system?