Alexandra's Balcony

[princessjenna]

Does anyone have any pictures of the balcony before it was torn down? Or in old family pictures?

[Sarushka]

[princessjenna]

Thank you very much!

[Ortino]

Sarushka to the rescue! 

It's a shame they tore it down. Does anyone know why?

[Bev]

I'm sure it was useful and woderful for the family, but it kills the symmetry of the building. 

[Joanna]

The first photo posted by Sarushka appears to be either c1920s-1930s or late 1940s as the outer landscape area appears desolate and not maintained as during the imperial years with metal benches on the pathway, etc. Also the door to the Maple Room is missing. Was this change in the window symmetry completed prior to 1941?

Joanna

[BobAtchison]

The palace was surrounded by balconies on the back on the pond side.  There was one outside the rooms of Empress Maria Alexandrovna and she used to have citrus trees brought up on the balcony so she could have them on her balcony and the windows open.  Russian palaces always have balconies like this - Pavlovsk has one.  The Russians loved them.

The balcony was ripped off because it was closely associated with Alexandra - after the war the Soviet authorities and Stalin himself wanted every trace of Nicholas and Alexandra removed from the palace.

The Maple Room door is there - it's just hard to see. It always is.  The balcony was open to the museum staff on special occasions.  Kuchumov loved it there.  In the palace you really get the feeling like the balcony belonged there, like it is missing, you just really sense it... at least I do.

I wish I new what color it was painted!

Bob

[mek]

I have a question. I was at the Alexander Palace two years ago and I surprised how close to the street the palace is located.  In both of the old photos, there seems to be much more park area and no street where I expect to see it. Was the location of the  street along the side of the palace altered after these photos, or has it always been where it is today?

[Douglas]

The old iron balconies of the palace appear to be several colors.  The columns appear to be a color to match the palace walls, whilst the railings appear to be most likely a beige or soft brown color.  I doubt they were black as the Empress found the color black to be a bit severe. She would want the balconies to blend in with the color and design of the palace,

I have heard that the original plans and drawings of these balconies still exist and that they could be reproduced nearly exactly as they were originally.

[helenazar]

I have a question. I was at the Alexander Palace two years ago and I surprised how close to the street the palace is located.  In both of the old photos, there seems to be much more park area and no street where I expect to see it. Was the location of the  street along the side of the palace altered after these photos, or has it always been where it is today?

This photo is at a different angle than what you are probably thinking. What you see is the left side and back of the AP, where the pond is. The street is at about 1 o'clock in this photo. Here are some contemporary shots, at (kind of) the same angle as the b/w photo, to give you an idea of what I am talking about. Today most of that area around the AP is surrounded by trees, so you can't really it see tha palace that well from that angle.



Closer photo, which does not include the area where the balcony was:

 

[Sort of] the same angle seen from farther away, across the pond:



The area where the balcony would have been is now covered by trees.

Here are two paintings of that area - at that same angle, circa eary- to mid-1800's (no balcony yet).



I hope this helps.

[mek]

Thanks!  I guess the street isn't as close to the palace from that angle as I remember.

[helenazar]

I think you are remembering it from this angle, which was much closer to the main gate and the street:




Speaking of Alexandra's balcony, does anyone know if it was glassed in or somehow insulated? From what I understand, Alexandra used to lie on the balcony, even in the middle of winter, so this must have been the case...

[Sarushka]

You can also see the road in relation to the palace on the left side of this aerial view:

[mek]

What a great photo.  I don't believe I have seen this view before. 

[helenazar]

So I guess no one knows about the insulation on the balcony?