Author Topic: Re: Alexander Palace Design (Read 39324 times)

pers · « **on:** January 27, 2004, 05:40:51 PM »

I am glad there are other architectually-minded people also wondering what the exact dimensions are. Years ago I obtained a copy of the original plan from a book and it seems though as if the dimensions on this plan is given in sazhen. For your info (if you do not already know), 3 arshin= 1 sazhen. One arshin = 0.71m (2'4"?), thus one sazhen = 2.13m.
I have had two trips to St Petersburg and Tsarskoye Selo and of course, made a number of visits to the Private Wing of the Alexander Palace that is open to the public. I think the dimensions of the rooms in the private wing is 9 arshin x 14 arshin. The width of the corridor I think is 4 arshin. The two doors opposite one another in the corridor giving access to Alexandra's dressingroom/bathroom and on the opposite side of the corridor to the formal reception room of Nicholas I guess are 2 arshin wide each. What about the height of the ceilings?
Maybe Bob Atchison has an exact blue print of the floors. He is the expert. I read in Edvard Radzinsky's book "The Last Tsar" that he makes reference to the blue prints. Of course someone has a copy somewhere...
What about putting on the website the layout of the basement as well as the second floor?

pers · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2004, 05:31:43 AM »

Yes, that would be 32 ARSHIN, and just over 10 sazhen (divided by 3). I think the corridor walls are at least 1 arshin each, and the outside either 2arshin each or one-and-a-half arshin each. I worked out the dimensions of the Private Wing at 28.7m x 71.64m walls included, based on the copy of the plan with a scale of measurement on it.

BobAtchison · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2004, 12:23:57 PM »

I'll check through my stuff and see if I can find the measurements. I have detailed measurements of some of the rooms as done by Meltzer in his plans for the redecoration of 1902 - I will have to look.

fernando giannotta · « **Reply #3 on:** January 29, 2004, 09:15:04 AM »

HELLO
I WOULD LIKE TO SE A DRAWING OF THE CHILDREN ACCOMODATIONS, DO YOU HAVE A PHOTO
FOR ME???

THANKS FERNANDO

Forum Admin · « **Reply #4 on:** January 29, 2004, 09:22:53 AM »

According to the plan drawn up for the World Monuments Fund survey of the Alexander Palace the dimensions are:

the width of the Imperial Residence aisle is 80' (the 'internal' width is indeed 74')
the External or Park facade length of the aisle is 205'
the Internal or Courtyard length of the aisle is 72'
the inside/courtyard width between aisles is 245'
thus the total length across the Palace is 405' (80'x2+245')

JD · « **Reply #5 on:** January 29, 2004, 12:30:03 PM »

Fernando, is what you want on the main page? If you scroll down you'll see "Palace Tour: The Children's Floor" which contains pictures of the children's bedrooms, classrooms, and playroom.

edit: Just realized you were probably talking about the layout. Disregard!

pers · « **Reply #6 on:** January 31, 2004, 09:35:17 PM »

I must apologize. I made a mistake when I responded to one of the postings above. I think the rooms measure 10 arshin by 14 arshin, and NOT 9X14 arshin as mentioned above. Those of you that know a lot about the Russians shall be familiar with arshin and sazhen as measurements. I quote from the Oxford Russian Dictionary:"arshin (Russian measure, equivalent to 28 inches or 71 cm)" and "sazhen (Russian measure of length, equivalent to 2.13 metres)".

I am burning with curiosity about the detailed Meltzer plans since he basically did most of the renovations for the Private Wing. It would also be interesting to see whether he used feet, metres or sazhen as measurement. Since Quarenghi designed the palace but worked with a Russian workforce (I suppose) maybe the russian measurements were used.

Also for clarification, the length and width measurements stated above in metres I made from using the plan I have with a scale of measurement on it rather than my own guessing of the arshins. Those of you who are interested, the book is PETROV, A.N. (Anatolii Nicholaevich) "Pushkin: Dvortsii i parki. Leningrad: Iskusstvo, 1969. It is the original design of the first floor as on this website.

F.R.S.G. · « **Reply #7 on:** February 04, 2004, 09:22:42 AM »

hello

who have photos of the internal corridor of the
palace, the imperial wing accomodations???

thanks fernando

Forum Admin · « **Reply #8 on:** February 04, 2004, 09:41:25 AM »

Fernando,
The Alexander Palace Time Machine site has photos of the personal rooms of the Imperial Family. What photos are you looking for which are not already up?

BobAtchison · « **Reply #9 on:** February 10, 2004, 02:29:13 PM »

Hi Fernando:

I have never seen a photograph of the corridor of the Imperial Wing - I imagine it was too dark to photograph. The only natural light came from windows opening into the vestible. Nicholas II had the walls covered with artifical marble from the Concert Hall when it was destroyed. I imagine they had to keep the lights on in the corridor even during the daytime, especially in winter when there were few hours of daylight. Imagine what it would have been like before electric lighting.

Bob

pers · « **Reply #10 on:** February 10, 2004, 04:24:24 PM »

When I was there in January 2000, I took a photograph from the Vestibule towards the inside down the corridor. The doors (which mostly consist of glass panes except for the lower part) from the Vestibule to the corridor itself were closed. The photo is not very clear because of the reflection of the camera's flash, but then again there is not that much to see, as Bob Atchinson indicates. It is just a very long corridor. There is also a clear sign forbidding photographing. Maybe one of us on visit should try and sneak a photo in the summer... The corridor is dark, and the lamps that hang down the length of the corridor have always been on when I was there.

BobAtchison · « **Reply #11 on:** February 10, 2004, 04:43:55 PM »

I'd like to see your picture!!! The corridor was really splendid before it was damaged during the war. There were a number of famous paintings there and tapestries along with brilliant chandeliers - all gone!

When I was there I kept looking for the location of the elevator in the corridor. I never really could see the evidence of it, but I didn't have anough time to look closely for traces of it in the floor and ceiling.

Bob

Greg_King · « **Reply #12 on:** February 10, 2004, 05:29:29 PM »

One thing I'd like to see if it exists is a photograph of the Concert Hall before it was destroyed. Have you run across any, Bob? I might have done without knowing it since I think all I've seen are some sketches.

Greg King

BobAtchison · « **Reply #13 on:** February 10, 2004, 06:49:33 PM »

I have three pictures of it - they aren't great quaility. One of these seems to be the one used in Soviet publications.

Bob

pers · « **Reply #14 on:** February 11, 2004, 05:41:32 AM »

The staff at the palace, have a bench or two in the passage where the elevator was situated, for people watching the video that they show on a tv. So you cannot see anything, at least, neither could I.

What you can see in the corridor, is the old entrance markings where the wall joins the floor of the door leading into the Maple room, opposite the door to Nicholas' new study.

As for the photo of the corridor, it is pasted into my album of my trip, and I do not have an idea where the negative is. I'll search for it. I also took a photo of the the mostly glass and wood "door box" (not sure what you call it) that covers the big door in the Vestibule towards the outside. Bob, if you are coming this way, you are most welcome to see the two photos.

Do you have clear detailed plans of Alexandra's dressingroom/ bathroom area?

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Author Topic: Re: Alexander Palace Design (Read 39324 times)

fernando giannotta

JD

F.R.S.G.