Alexander Palace Restoration

[Inok Nikolai]

More from Paul Gilbert:

Rare Book Returned to the Alexander Palace

http://www.angelfire.com/pa/ImperialRussian/blog/index.blog/1440028/rare-book-returned-to-the-alexander-palace/

[Tsarfan]

i've noticed in a few photos of the restored Semi-Circular Hall that there appears to be a partial (is it a fresco??) in the arched niche above the cornice to the immediate right of the door.

I've noticed the same thing.  I have just assumed it was a patch of the unrestored wall, left to demonstrate the state of the room prior to restoration.  A similar thing was done when the Sistine Chapel was cleaned a few years ago so that visitors could see the contrast between the fresco as first realized and the state into which it had fallen after centuries of candle-burning and city pollution had done their work.  In fact, this approach is becoming quite common in restoration work.

But I'm just guessing here.

[EmmyLee]

I'm assuming that you're both talking about this section.



You're right about it being a patch of the unrestored wall showing how the wall looked before the restoration. As you can see in the photo below (I know it's not of the exact same spot, but it's the same idea), you can see that there are painted windows-- so yes, kind of a fresco above the real windows. That's what they're showing by leaving it unpainted. I wonder if they'll ever go back and add the painted windows?

[Maria the Beautiful]

Tsarfan and EmmyLee - thank you both for your replies.  I was not aware that it is common to leave unrestored areas in restorations.   Yes, you can barely make out the painted window frames in the unrestored portion.  I never would have picked up on that.

[Sanochka]

What is happening with the Alexander Palace restoration?  I haven't seen any new pictures posted in the Forums, or anyplace else for that matter, ever since the Parade rooms were completed. 

[Joanna]

Fragment of original flooring in AP that survived - hard to tell if this suite of rooms is right wing 2nd floor childrens or left wing 2nd:
http://www.nvspb.ru/photo/9886.jpg

AP Basement repairs:
http://www.nvspb.ru/photo/9888.jpg

AP room after departure of navy in 2009 - fireplace mantle appears original, could give idea of which room:
http://www.nvspb.ru/photo/9889.jpg

Joanna

[Forum Admin]

At the moment, there are no ongoing restoration projects in the Palace.  The autochromes have completely changed everything.  They will now be able to restore the AP to exactly what it looked like on the day the IF left for Tobolsk.  That is now the current goal.  While the government has allocated funds for the restoration, they were budgeted out for several years from now.  We are hoping that the process may be moved up sooner if possible, now.

[EmmyLee]

So has work stopped in the right wing of the palace?

[Sanochka]

Thank you for the update, Forum Admin.  It really is a startling development, and clinches what I know many have suspected - and hoped for - all along.  I well remember how the AP languished from neglect for decades.  And then the announcement that it was going to be restored.  And how it was going to be restored, perhaps, to the way it was in the early 1800s.  And now to the way it looked the day the IF left it for the last time.  Talk about hemming and hawing!

If the autochromes will help restore it to a more authentic condition, then I say the additional time needed to achieve that will be worth the wait.

[macristo]

Excuse me for asking a silly question: what are exactly the autochromes?
Thanks a lot.

[Forum Admin]

http://forum.alexanderpalace.org/index.php?topic=17195.0

[macristo]

Thank you very much for your quick answer!!!!

[Marie-Catherine]

I couldn't find the info, but I was wondering what will happen to the children's room on the second floor ?

[lilianna]

When I was in April at the palace, and asked about the restoration of the kids' rooms, I was told that they will not do, because few photos and descriptions of the rooms. Maybe it will make a playing room Alexis. When I go to Pushkin in September I will  ask again.

[londo954]

I noticed that the rooms that connect Alexandra's Corner Drawing Room to the Picture Gallery are now open (Small and Large Library and Mountain Hall) are now open but still need restoration. I wonder whether the lamps will be returned from the Egyptian Hall (Pavlovsk) to restore the library since they were borrowed from there in the first place?