Author Topic: Re: Alexander Palace Design (Read 39323 times)

ron · « **Reply #30 on:** April 03, 2004, 03:09:21 PM »

Hi,
This message is for anyone who has actually been to the Alexander Palace, especially, Bob Atchinson. I've been fan of this web-site for about 2 years, when I happened upon it quite by accident. My interest in the palace happened as a result of reading Greg King's - The Last Empress - which I enjoyed immensely. His discriptions of the private wing were wonderful and when I got to see them on this site I was delighted. Anyway, it seems to me that the actual layout of the rooms is odd. Nicholas's reception room and working study are directly opposite from Alexandra's bathroom and bedroom. Also, the famous Mauve Room is also close by. Everything I read seems to indicate that Alexandra spent a good deal of the time reclining on her chaise there. Well, to me, it seems that this must have been somewhat noisy. I just imagine ministers and courtisans assembling in what appears to me a small area. Was this really a "working" palace, or perhaps it was just the family's home?
Insight from anyone is welcome...
ron

BobAtchison · « **Reply #31 on:** April 03, 2004, 04:59:43 PM »

The palace was really very quiet - servants wore special shoes and everyone tip-toed around - they did this for the sake of the Imperial family when they lived there. Very few people were allowed into the private wing.

The floors were wood so noises from the second floor carried through to the rooms below. From his office and reception room Nicholas could hear his daughters in the Music Room above where they had pianos and had dancing lessons.

Bob

nerdycool · « **Reply #32 on:** April 03, 2004, 05:22:42 PM »

Does anyone know the last time the palace's exterior was actually painted? I know that part of the palace's exterior paint has been restored recently, but before that? 80 years maybe?

BobAtchison · « **Reply #33 on:** April 10, 2004, 03:13:03 AM »

The railing was there until the war. During the war the courtyard garden was dug up and made into an SS graveyard.

Bob

Robert_Hall · « **Reply #34 on:** April 10, 2004, 06:31:58 AM »

And what happened to those graves ? [morbid curiosity perhaps, but sort of a semi-professional interest]

BobAtchison · « **Reply #35 on:** April 10, 2004, 10:51:07 AM »

I was told they were dug up - it's possible they weren't and are still there....

There are also the graves of the revolutionary mob out in the park....

Bob

BobAtchison · « **Reply #36 on:** April 10, 2004, 12:17:14 PM »

Robert:

Here's a small picture I have of the SS grave monument in front of the palace as it was found after the German retreat. The Alexander Palace was an SS hospital during the war.

Bob

Robert_Hall · « **Reply #37 on:** April 10, 2004, 04:00:24 PM »

Thank you. Although no fan of the SS by any stretch, I do find the monument interesting. They must have planned on staying quite a while. The retreat from Lenningrad was such a mess, I wonder if they actually did remove the graves. I could understand the Russians just paving them over.
Also, the palace in the background looks a bit of a shambles, doesn't it?

Antonio_P.Caballer · « **Reply #38 on:** April 10, 2004, 04:47:36 PM »

There were as well many spanish soldiers´graves in these parks, sometimes right in front of the palaces. They were there until recently. I read somewhere about a group of spanish descendants gone officially in 1993(cannot remember exactly)to dug up theirs fathers, grandfathers,etc... They were not only in Tsarskoe but in the very Parade ground in Pavlovsk palace park...

BobAtchison · « **Reply #39 on:** April 10, 2004, 05:14:50 PM »

Robert - the right wing received more damage than the left.

Bob

Robert_Hall · « **Reply #40 on:** April 10, 2004, 05:42:05 PM »

I do not know whether to feel more sorrow for the palace or the young men [of both sides] who lie buried there.

I had no idea about the Spanish soldiers until this discussion.

And why more damage to one side? was it because it was a hospital? Who did it? The initial German attack or the Russian retalliation?

BobAtchison · « **Reply #41 on:** April 11, 2004, 10:57:47 AM »

Robert - have you read Suzanne Massie's wonderful book on Pavlovsk? You can read about the Spanish Blue Brigade there. the book has errors about the Alexander palace in it, but when Suzanne wrote the book we didn't know as much as we do today and at that time Suzanne had never been inside the palace.

Bob

Antonio_P.Caballer · « **Reply #42 on:** April 11, 2004, 11:06:41 AM »

Hi, Robert
I totally agree with Bob about that book. It´s a must have for anyone interested in russian culture and one of the best books i will ever read!!!

Robert_Hall · « **Reply #43 on:** April 11, 2004, 11:12:00 AM »

Yes, I do have "Pavlosk" by Massie, read some years ago, just simply forgot the Spanish Blues. My lapsing memory I suppose.

jfkhaos · « **Reply #44 on:** June 15, 2004, 11:24:49 AM »

I found this drawing of the palace that might just interest some of our architectual buffs on the boards:

http://it.stlawu.edu/~rkreuzer/pete5/image10.jpg

News:

Author Topic: Re: Alexander Palace Design (Read 39323 times)

ron

nerdycool

Robert_Hall

Robert_Hall

Robert_Hall

Robert_Hall

jfkhaos