Current State of the Semi-Circular Hall

[NAAOTMA]

What Bob has said about the Palace in this thread is so true. There is such a huge opportunity to pull it back from the brink, and there is so much there to work with compared to the ruins of Pavlovsk and other palaces now beautifully restored/undergoing continual restoration. I hope that this group can support Bob's lifelong work in a concrete way. As the group in Scotland seems to have a network set-up that works, is there any way to connect with them? Work through them? I know it is a leap of faith for you, Bob, as you have been so burned in the past, but it does seem that your life mission is to see the Alexander Palace restored, the park beautiful in the summmer sun. It is so close. Just let us know what we can do to help. Melissa K.

[David_Newell]

I am with Robert H on this one as long as the rooms are being used there is hope. We must get something done to save the AP. My guess is that if the floors are buckling then there is water penetration some where. Its the main cause of most damage to older buildings. Also is the heating system working or even adequte for the size of rooms. Its all depressing but not as bad as I had expected. WE really must start bullying the big corporations for help. Any ideas who we can mug so to speak!!!

David Newell London

[Dominic_Albanese]

In support of Johanna's idea - Bob what about a letter asking how to get the AP restored and offering to help do it from a number of us in the United States.  In other words, what would it take to get a serious effort undertaken at restoration.  Especially it if talks about the money that could be raised from tourism.

Honestly, the letter will probably have inimal impact, but it may have some impact who know's?  A letter to Putin ure couldn't hurt and it won't cost must to do.

I'm happy to help if you decide to do it.  Though I think others on this site can speak more passionatley and eloquently than I.

dca

[Sarai_Porretta]

What is so wrong with the room being used for table tennis ? For all we know, the Romanovs themselves could have used it for the very same pourpose !! After all, it was a Victorian indoor past-time.

This reminds me of a reference to ping-pong in the letters of Grand Duchess Maria on this site, dated June 8, 1916: "Shvybz [Anastasia] got a ping pong as a present for her birthday, that is a table-tennis. And we played it with her. It was very tiresome as we had to lie on the floor all the time to look for and pick up the balls..." This serves as a nice confirmation that the family did play ping-pong; I just wonder where they would have played this game, in their rooms or perhaps maybe even in the hall as is stated above.

[Donny]

I suspect that they did play table tennis in the Semi Circular Hall, as this room is large enough to accomodate the table and all of the running around.

The Hall was also used for showing of movies and on occasion for dining.  

It was also the last room that  the Imperial family saw as they left the palace for Siberia.

[mek]

As of last June, there was a fence that prevented anyone from going around the side where Alexandra's balcony stood.  I'm not sure if the other wing has a fence as well, since I didn't go over that way.

[La_Mashka]

I was there last August, and as has been mentioned there is a fence preventing you to get anywhere around the palace, or to even view the Alexandra rooms from outside.

Also, it seems like the "grass" hasnt been cut in years.


As for restoration, personally I was most interested in visiting the Alexander Palace, and was a bit disappointed with what I saw. I doesnt look like any work is going on in the palace.

When you visit the Catherine Palace, Pavlosk and Gatchina you will see workers, and you will be told which rooms and being restored.

At Gatchina, we were able to see the restoration work in progress at the Tsarina bedroom...  

And its just sad to know NOTHING is happening at the Alexander Palace....  

[ChristineM]

'Nothing' can happen in any real sense towards the very major restoration which is required at the Alexander Palace.   It is still a building which belongs to the Russian Ministry of Defence - there is no available funding.

It is impossible to get any closer to the palace exterior on the garden elevation or on both the wings.   Although the green wooden pallisade and watchtowers have been removed, they have been 'updated' with a tall fence made from row upon row of razor wire.   No work has been done to  improve the gardens or restore the terrace.

tsaria