There is a huge layer of literature about Russian rulers. But it was under the Romanovs that Russia became one of the great powers in the world.

« The dynasty actually created and strengthened the Russian Empire. It was a powerful state, a colossal state, which was created by the Russian sovereigns - Peter the Great, Catherine the Great ... and others. This was the rise of Russian civilization. The Romanov dynasty is also of great importance in the social, economic, cultural and spiritual fields. It was a pivotal genus for Russian civilization over a three-hundred-year eventful period "(Evgeny Pchelov, Candidate of Historical Sciences).

Emperor Peter I is the brightest representative of the dynasty, the reformer of Russia, who dramatically accelerated the development of the state. For his services to the Fatherland, by the decision of the Senate, he was proclaimed the first emperor of the Russian Empire, while he was given the titles “Great” and “Father of the Fatherland”.
The rulers of Russia are warriors, diplomats, philosophers ... They are all different, but the main thing in their life was serving their country. The exhibition on the topic presents books, magazine publications, and illustrative material.

Historythe Russian state. Biography, XVIII century [Text]: essays / Ros. nat. b-ka; author-comp. EM Teper [et al.]. - Moscow: Book. chamber, 1996.

Becomingempire [Text] / [comp .: Amrakhova G. S.]. - Moscow: Veche, 2010 .-- 379, p. : ill. ; 21. - (Russia in the works of great historians).

Pashkov, B.G. Russia. Russia. The Russian Empire. Chronicle of reigns and events of 862-1917 [Text]: textbook. allowance / Pashkov B.G. - 2nd ed., revised. and add. - Moscow: CenterCom, 1997.

In the fight for power [Text]: pages polit. history of Russia in the 18th century. - Moscow: Mysl, 1988.

Anisimov, E.V. Russia in the middle of the VIII century [Text]: the struggle for the legacy of Peter / E. V. Anisimov. - Moscow: Thought, 1986.

Eidelman, N. Ya.Edge of the century [Text]: polit. wrestling in Russia, late XVIII - early. XIX century / N. Ya. Eidelman - Moscow: Thought, 1982.

Kamensky, A. B. From Peter I to Paul I: reforms in Russia in the eighteenth century [Text]: the experience of the whole. analysis / A. B. Kamensky; Grew up. state humanizes. un-t. - Moscow: [b. and.], 2001.

Three centuries: Russia from Troubles to our time [Text]: ist. Sat. : In 6 volumes.Vol. 3: XVIII century. First half / ed. V.V.Kallash. - Reprint. ed. - Moscow: Patriot, 1992 - (Reprint reproduction of the 1912 edition).

Three centuries: Russia from Troubles to our time [Text]: ist. Sat. : In 6 volumes. T. 4: XVIII century. The second half / ed. V.V.Kallash. - Reprint. ed. - Moscow: Patriot, 1992 - (Reprint reproduction of the 1912 edition).

300th anniversaryHouse of Romanov, 1613-913 [Text]. - Moscow: Sovremennik, 1990. - (Reprint reproduction of the anniversary edition of 1913).

Three hundredyears of the house of Romanov, 1613-1913 [Text]. - Reprint. ed. - Moscow: Assoc. "InformEKO", B. (1990). - (Reprint reproduction of the anniversary edition of 1913).

Russiaunder the scepter of the Romanovs, 1613-1913 [Text]. - Moscow; Tallinn: Mosk. and Tallinn. Phil. JV "Interbook", 1991. - (Reprint reproduction of the anniversary edition of 1912).

Birthempire [Text] / comp. A. Lieberman, S. Shokarev. - Moscow: The Sergei Dubov Foundation, 1997 .-- 538 p. - (History of Russia and the House of Romanovs in the memoirs of contemporaries. XVII-XX centuries).

Kamensky, A. B. The Russian Empire in the 18th century: traditions and modernization [Text] / Kamensky A.B. - Moscow: New lit. review, 1999 .-- 326 p. : ill. - (Historia Rossica).

Marasinova, E.N. Power and personality [Text]: essays in Russian. history of the 18th century / E. N. Marasinova; Grew up. acad. Sciences, Sci. Council "History of World Culture", Institute of the Russian Federation stories. - Moscow: Science, 2008.

Russiansovereigns, 1598-1917 [Text] / [author-comp. MG Davydov]. - Smolensk: Rusich, 2004.

With a swordand a torch: Palace coups in Russia, 1725-1825 [Text]: Sat. doc. and materials / comp., entry. Art. and comments. M. A. Boytsova. - Moscow: Contemporary, 1991.

Bychkov, A. A. Russian Empire of the Romanov era [Text] / Alexey Bychkov. - Moscow: AST [et al.], 2007.

Chulkov, G.I. Emperors [Text]: psychol. portr. / Chulkov G.I. - Moscow: Art, 1995.

Manko, A. V. Women on the Russian throne [Text] / A. V. Manko. - Moscow: School. press, 2002.

Chizhova, I. B. Ten Empresses [Text] / Irina Chizhova. - Moscow: EKSMO; St. Petersburg: Midgard, 2006 .-- 813, p., Fol. color ill., portr. : ill. ; 22. - (Women's age. Secular lionesses and fatal beauties).

About Emperor PeterI

Peter I (imp.). Selected [Text] / Peter the Great; comp., ed. entry Art. and comments. A. B. Kamensky; Institute of Societies. thoughts. - Moscow: ROSSPEN, 2010 .-- 485 p. ; 22. - (Library of Russian social thought from ancient times to the beginning of the XX century).

PeterGreat [Text]: memories. Diary entries. Anecdotes / comp., Entry. Art. p.5-50, and note. E. V. Anisimova. - St. Petersburg: Kultur.-skylight. about-in "Pushkin. Fund", etc., 1993. - 447 pages: 8 pages. - (Statesmen of Russia through the eyes of their contemporaries).

Bogoslovsky, M.M. Peter I [Text]: materials for biogr. : [in 5 volumes] / MM Bogoslovsky. - Moscow: Tsentrpoligraf, 2007.

Massy, \u200b\u200bR.K. Peter the Great [Text]: personality and era: [in 2 volumes] / Robert K. Massy; [trans. from English. Vitaly Volkovsky and Nina Luzhetskaya]. - St. Petersburg: Vita Nova, 2003.

Valishevsky, K.Peter the Great [Text]: ist. issled. / Kazimir Walishevsky. - Moscow: AST [et al.], 2004. - 474, p. - (The Golden Library of the Historical Novel. The Romanovs. Peter the Great).

Franticreformer [Text]. - Moscow: Sergey Dubov Foundation, 2000 .-- 554 p. - (History of Russia and the House of Romanovs in the memoirs of contemporaries. XVII-XX centuries).

PeterThe Great: pro et contra [Text]: the personality and deeds of Peter I assessed by Rus. thinkers and issled. : anthology / North-West. branch Ros. Acad. education, Rus. Christian. humanizes. in-t. - St. Petersburg: Publishing house Rus. Christian. humanizes. in-ta, 2001 .-- 758 p. : portr. - (Russian way).

Brickner, A.G. Illustrated history of Peter the Great [Text] / A. G. Brikner. - Moscow: Svarog and K ", 2000. - 682 p.: Ill. - (Great Russia).

Pavlenko, N.I. Peter the Great [Text]: ist. sketch / Pavlenko N.I. - Moscow: Mysl, 1990.

Tolstoy, A.N. Peter the Great [Text]: novel: [in 2 volumes] / A.N. Tolstoy. - Moscow: Mosk. worker, 1980.

Granin, D.A. Evenings with Peter the Great [Text]: commun. and the testimony of Mr. M. / D.A. Granin. - St. Petersburg: Istor. ill., 2000. - (Library of the Fund for the Memory of His Serene Highness Prince A.D. Menshikov).

Shildkret, K.G. Subjugular Rus [Text]: (trilogy) / K.G. Shieldcrete. - Moscow: Armada, 1994 .-- 792 p. - (Romanovs: dynasty in novels. Peter the Great (1672-1725)).

About Empress CatherineI

Petrov, P.N. In the Name of Her Majesty / V.N.Druzhinin. The wax person / Yu. N. Tynyanov. White and black. - Moscow: Armada, 1996 .-- 780 p. - (Romanovs: Dynasty in novels. Catherine I).

Tynyanov, Yu. N. Wax person. Petrov, P.N. In the Name of Her Majesty / V.N.Druzhinin. Wax person / Yu. N. Tynyanov. White and black. - Moscow: Armada, 1996 .-- 780 p. - (Romanovs: Dynasty in novels. Catherine I).

Pavlenko, N.I. Catherine I [Text] / N. I. Pavlenko. - Moscow: Young Guard, 2004.

About Empress Anna Ioannovna

Anisimov, E.V. Anna Ioannovna [Text] / Evgeny Anisimov. -. - Moscow: Young Guard, 2004 .-- 362 p., Fol. ill., portra., fax. : ill. ; 21. - (The life of remarkable people: ser. Biogr.; Issue 1076 (876)).

About Emperor John Antonovich

Karnovich, E.P. Love and the crown [Text] / EP Karnovich. Mirovich / G.P.Danilevsky. Two masks / V.A. Sosnora. - Moscow: Armada, 1994 .-- 764 p. - (The Romanovs: the dynasty in the novels; vol. 8. John Antonovich (1740-1764)). - Title region : John Antonovich.

About Empress Elizaveta Petrovna

Anisimov, E.V. Elizaveta Petrovna [Text] / Anisimov E.V. - Moscow: Young Guard, 2000.

Valishevsky, K.Daughter of Peter the Great [Text]: Elizaveta Petrovna / Valishevsky K. - Reprint. rep. with ed. A.S.Suvorin. - Moscow: Joint. advice.-fin. enterprise "IKPA"; Minsk: Polymya, 1990.

Valishevsky, K.Daughter of Peter the Great [Text]: Elizaveta Petrovna / K. Valishevsky; entry Art. E. V. Anisimova. - Reprint. rep. ed. 1911 - Moscow: Book: SP "Vneshiberika", 1990.

Maurin, E.I. Louis and Elizabeth [Text] / EI Maurin. Daughter of the Great Peter / N.E. Heinse. - Moscow: Armada, 1994 .-- 715 p. - (Romanovs: dynasty in novels. Elizaveta Petrovna).

About Emperor PeterIII

Samarov, G.On the throne of the great grandfather [Text]: translation / G. Samarov. Witness: [to Sat. in general: ed. and comments. N. Yu. Rumyantseva] / E. M. Skobelev. - Moscow: Armada, 1995 .-- 713 p. : portr. - (Romanovs: dynasty in novels. Peter III). - Title region : Peter III.

Mylnikov, A.S. "He did not look like a sovereign ..." [Text]: Peter III. Narration in doc. and versions / A. S. Mylnikov. - St. Petersburg: Lenizdat, 2001 .-- 670 p. : ill. - (Historical facts and literary versions).

About Empress CatherineII Great

Ivanov, V.N. Empress Fike [Text] / VN Ivanov. Catherine the Great / P.N. Krasnov. Peter's days / E. A. Salias. - Moscow: Armada, 1995 .-- 731 p. - (Romanovs: dynasty in novels. Book 1, Catherine the Great).

Catherine II (imp.). Notes of Empress Catherine II [Text]: trans. with fr. / Catherine II; Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Institute of History of the USSR; otv. ed. E. L. Rudnitskaya. - Reprint. repr., 1859, London. - Moscow: Nauka, 1990 .-- VIII, 277 p. - (Russia of the 18th century in the editions of the Free Russian Printing House by A.I. Herzen and N.P. Ogarev).

Obolensky, G.L. Age of Catherine the Great [Text]: the time of heroes and heroes. cases / G.L. Obolensky. - Moscow: Rus. word, 2001.

Donnert, E.Catherine the Great [Text]: personality and era / Erich Donnert; [trans. with him. Vladislav Pevchev]. - St. Petersburg: Vita Nova, 2003.

De Madariaga, I.Catherine the Great and her era [Text] / Isabel de Madariaga; [trans. from English. N. Luzhetskaya]. - [So. revised version of the book. "Catherine the Great" (1990)]. - Moscow: Omega, 2006 .-- 445, p., Fol. color ill., portra., fax. : ill. ; 24. - (Mysterious Russia. New look) (Yale University: the experience of objective research).

Tchaikovskaya, O. G. Empress. The reign of Catherine II [Text] / Chaikovskaya O. G. - Moscow: Olympus; Smolensk: Rusich, 1998 .-- 508 p. : ill. - (Legendary person).

Bushkov, A. A. Catherine II [Text]: diamond Cinderella / Alexander Bushkov. - Moscow: OLMA Media Group, 2007.

Ravich, N.A. Two capitals [Text] / N. A. Ravich. The last favorite / D. G. Zhdanov. Senate Secretary / E.A. Salias. - Moscow: Armada, 1995 .-- 633 p. - (Romanovs: dynasty in novels. Book. 2. Catherine the Great).

About Emperor PaulI

Peskov, A. M. Paul I [Text] / Peskov A. M. - Moscow: Molodaya gvardiya, 2000. - 420 p. - (The life of remarkable people: ser. Biogr.; Issue 783).

Krestovsky, V.V. Grandfathers [Text] / V. V. Krestovsky. Knights of Malta in Russia / E.P. Karnovich. Conspiracy / M.A.Aldanov. - Moscow: Armada, 1994 .-- 731 p. - (The Romanovs: a dynasty in the novels; vol. 12. Paul 1 (1754-1801)).

O. I. Kryukovskaya, librarian of the service department

White leader

End of the 18th century. San Ildefonso is a town somewhere on the outskirts of the Great North American Prairie. The sun always shines brightly here, the meadows turn green, the rivers silver. All the girls here are completely beautiful, because even the local ugly women have a refined taste and understand a lot about beautiful dresses.

The garrison officers match them - the chest is a wheel, the eyes are burning, the mustaches are bristling, with carelessness worthy of emperors, they drag long sabers along the ground, jingling their spurs. The carefree San Ildefonso broke, unbelted. Here they flirt, play cards, sometimes rampage.

But someone has to fight evil under the sun, even at the edge of the world. The Legend of the White Leader is one of the gems of adventure literature. The talent of Mine Reed, a subtle and captivating storyteller, is evident in this book from the very first lines and will hardly leave anyone indifferent.

The plot of the novel revolves around the relationship between the emperor, empress and their best friend, Alexander Menshikov. Will the heroes be able to keep their feelings and create a worthy empire?

Some of them are worthy of posthumous greatness, others, alas, ingloriously completed their journey. The reader will learn how Charlemagne tried to unite the whole of Europe, and Philip II turned to religion, how Hitler bribed his people, how Stalin built socialism. Over 600 illustrations clearly reflect the stages of each of the 100 presented rulers.

The book is intended for a wide range of readers.

The charming Ling Suyin is at the center of this web and is the only one who sees in the imperturbable, cruel young warrior not a living legend, but a man of flesh and blood, with feelings, doubts and suffering. Will the ruthless commander, who opposed himself to the entire empire, be able to find salvation and redemption without falling under the seductive spell, and what woman will become a worthy match for him in this war and ... in love?

Peter I Europeanized Russia by Asian methods. Catherine the Great tried to turn the country into a magnificent world power. Paul the First, with regrettable folly, tried to impose discipline and justice in the country ... The Divine Grace of the All-Russian Emperor Nicholas I (1796-1855) also had a Russian idea.

There is an apocryphal quotation - the words that he once wrote on the margins of a geography textbook: "Russia is not an agricultural, industrial or commercial power, Russia is a military power and its purpose is to be a threat to the rest of the world." The entire reign of Nicholas I became the embodiment of these words.

He sought - and achieved it. And like anyone who put everything on one card, in the end he lost. For a man of one idea becomes a man of one goal - and ultimately condemns himself to loneliness. There are enduring lessons of history. After the Crimean War, reforms began that led to the abolition of serfdom.

Has Russia become weaker after Nicholas I? Not. This was proved by the final conquest of the Caucasus, and the annexation of Central Asia, and Skobelev's victories in the Balkans. And who knows, perhaps Nicholas would not be disappointed in such a Russia: strong not only militarily, but also in agriculture, and in industry, and in trade.

The All-Russian Emperor Nicholas I is one of the key figures in Russian history, the tsar who did no less for the greatness and power of the Russian Empire than his great predecessors - Peter I and Catherine II. He became the embodiment of a ruler of a new type and a new - in every sense of the iron - XIX century.

The entire dramatic but surprisingly consistent sovereign path of this outstanding ruler will unfold before the modern reader: from a young man who is not yet completely confident in himself, but already forced to make fateful decisions, who, by chance, received the reins of monarchy, to a mature statesman, with a confident and iron hand holding the reins of government of a huge country.

Electronic publication includes the full text of the paper book and a selected portion of the illustrative documentary material. And for true connoisseurs of gift editions, we offer a classic book. Like all editions of the Great Rulers series, the book is provided with detailed historical and biographical commentaries.

The book has an excellent selection of illustrative material: the text is accompanied by more than 250 rare illustrations from domestic and foreign sources, many of which the modern reader will get acquainted with for the first time. Elegant design, excellent printing, the best offset paper make this series a wonderful gift and decoration of the library of the most discerning reader.

1812. Hour of Pride and Glory

1812 year. A huge army that has conquered half of Europe is advancing. The invincible emperor leads his army to the last line. What prevented Napoleon from conquering Russia? Weather and roads? Insurmountable distances? Tactical miscalculations? Or was it the first time that he faced a worthy adversary and was crushed by the power of resistance offered by the Russian army, led by outstanding commanders? In this book, the events of the Patriotic War of 1812 come to life in portraits and biographies of famous generals and marshals, descriptions and maps of the main battles, drawings of military weapons, and in these details the word "great era" takes on a new meaning.

The author of the texts is Sergei Nechaev, a renowned historian, writer and translator from French. The publishing house Corpus published his books "Three d" Artagnana "and" Venice of Casanova ". Project consultant is Mikhail Chereisky. Page by page, the book describes the most important events related to the period immediately preceding the Patriotic War of 1812, the course of hostilities themselves from participation of the Russian and French armies.

Do you dream of reviving the Russian Empire? Then this book is for you! Empire, that is, order, honor, strength, faith, dynamic development and prosperity - all this will definitely be there. On Earth and in the vastness of the Galaxy. But to the majestic Russian Empire 2.

0 has become a reality, first you need to restore the monarchy. Who will be the candidate? From what environment, by what criteria, should those worthy of the Russian throne be selected? Of course, the cruel and calculating enemy will try to prevent this. Conspiracies, sabotage, attempts on the life of applicants, battles in cyberspace, intrigues of special services are coming.

Blood will be spilled at the steps of the temple. But the day of the coronation will definitely take place. The emperor is coming to us !.

Dragon queen

By day Tina is a modest employee in a large corporation, and by night she is an artifact thief. She likes this kind of life on the edge, but one day she will meet a worthy opponent and from a free hunter will turn into a victim. The lord-executioner of the Northern Lands, the scourge of the emperor, the lord of terror ... What secret does his amber eyes hide? And will there be a winner in their confrontation?

The Winter Palace in St. Petersburg is the main imperial palace in Russia. The current building of the palace (the fifth) was built in 1754-1762 by the Italian architect B. F. Rastrelli in the style of magnificent Elizabethan baroque with elements of French rococo in the interiors. From the moment the construction was completed in 1762 to 1904, it was used as the official winter residence of the Russian emperors.

In total, during the period 1711-1764, five winter palaces were built in the city. Initially, Peter I settled in a one-story house, built in a hurry in 1703 near the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Peter the Great owned the area between the Neva and Millionnaya Street (on the site of the current Hermitage Theater). In 1708, here, in the depths of the site, a wooden "Winter House" was built - a small two-story house with a high porch and a tiled roof. In 1712, the stone Wedding Chambers of Peter I were built. This palace was a gift from the Governor of St. Petersburg A. D. Menshikov for the wedding of Peter I and Ekaterina Alekseevna.

In 1716, the architect Georg Mattarnovi, by order of the tsar, began building a new Winter Palace, at the corner of the Neva and the Winter Canal (which was then called the Zimnedomny Canal). In 1720, Peter I with all his family moved from a summer residence to a winter one. In 1725, Peter died in this palace.

Later, Empress Anna Ioannovna considered the Winter Palace too small and in 1731 entrusted its reconstruction to FB Rastrelli, who proposed to her his project for the reconstruction of the Winter Palace. According to his project, it was required to acquire, at that time on the site occupied by the present palace, houses that belonged to Count Apraksin, the Naval Academy, Raguzinsky and Chernyshev. Anna Ioannovna approved the project, the houses were bought up, demolished and in the spring of 1732 construction began. The facades of this palace were facing the Neva, the Admiralty and the "meadow side", that is, the palace square. In 1735, the construction of the palace was completed, and Anna Ioannovna moved into it to live there. The four-storey building included about 70 state rooms, more than 100 bedrooms, a gallery, a theater, and a large chapel.

After the death of Anna Ioannovna, the young emperor John Antonovich was brought here, who stayed here until November 25, 1741, when Elizaveta Petrovna took power into her own hands. Under Elizabeth, the addition of office premises to the palace continued. On January 1, 1752, the Empress decided to expand the Winter Palace, after which the neighboring areas of Raguzinsky and Yaguzhinsky were bought out. At the new location Rastrelli added new buildings. According to the project drawn up by him, these buildings were to be added to the existing ones and be decorated with them in the same style. In December 1752, the Empress wished to increase the height of the Winter Palace from 14 to 22 meters. Rastrelli was forced to redesign the building, after which he decided to build it in a new location. But Elizaveta Petrovna refused to move the new Winter Palace. As a result, the architect decides to rebuild the entire building; the new project was signed by Elizaveta Petrovna on June 16 (June 27), 1754.

The fourth (temporary) Winter Palace was built in 1755. It was built by Rastrelli at the corner of Nevsky Prospekt and the embankment of the river. Washing. It was destroyed in 1762.

From 1754 to 1762, the construction of the existing and currently building of the palace, which at that time became the tallest residential building in St. Petersburg, was underway. The building consisted of about 1500 rooms. The total area of \u200b\u200bthe palace is about 60,000 sq. m. Elizaveta Petrovna did not live to see the end of construction, Peter III took over the job on April 6, 1762. By this time, the facades were finished, but many of the interiors were not yet ready. In the summer of 1762, Peter III was dethroned, and the construction of the Winter Palace was completed under Catherine II.

First of all, the Empress removed Rastrelli from the work. The interior decoration of the palace was carried out by architects Y. M. Felten, J. B. Vallin-Delamot and A. Rinaldi under the leadership of Betsky. According to the original, made by Rastrelli, the layout of the palace, the largest ceremonial halls were on the 2nd floor and overlooked the Neva. As conceived by the architect, the path to the huge "Throne" hall (which occupied the entire space of the north-western wing) began from the east - from the "Jordan" or, as it was previously called, "Ambassadorial" staircase and ran through a suite of five entrance halls. In the south-western wing Rastrelli placed the palace theater "Opera House". Kitchens and other services occupied the northeastern wing, and in the southeastern part, between the living quarters and the "Big Church" arranged in the eastern courtyard, a gallery was spread.

In 1763, the empress moved her chambers to the southeastern part of the palace, under her rooms she ordered to place the chambers of her favorite G. G. Orlov. In the north-western risalit, the "Throne Hall" was arranged, in front of it there was a waiting room - the "White Hall". A dining room was placed behind the White Hall. Adjacent to it was the "Light Cabinet". The dining room was followed by the "State Bedchamber", which became the "Diamond Rest" a year later.

In 1764, Catherine II received from Berlin 317 valuable paintings with a total value of 183 thousand thalers from the private collection of paintings by Johann Ernst Gotzkowski on account of his debt to Prince Vladimir Sergeevich Dolgorukov. The paintings were housed in a secluded apartment of the palace, which received the French name "Hermitage" (a place of solitude); from 1767 to 1775 a special building was built for them to the east of the palace.

In the 1790s, by the decree of Catherine II, who considered it inappropriate for the public to enter the Hermitage through her own chambers, a gallery was created with the Winter Palace - the Apollo Hall - with the help of which visitors could bypass the royal apartments. At the same time, Quarenghi erected a new "Throne (Georgievsky)" hall, opened in 1795. The old throne room was converted into a number of rooms, provided for the quarters of the newly married Grand Duke Alexander. The "Marble Gallery" (of three halls) was also created.

In 1826, according to the project of K.I.Rossi, the Military Gallery was built in front of the St. George Hall, which housed 330 portraits of generals - participants in the war of 1812, painted over almost 10 years by D. Doe. In the early 1830s, in the eastern building of the palace, A. Montferrand designed the "Field Marshal", "Petrovsky" and "Armorial" halls.

After the fire of 1837, when all the interiors were destroyed, the architects V.P. Stasov, A.P. Bryullov and A.E.Shtaubert supervised the restoration work in the Winter Palace.

A modern three-storey building in the plan has the shape of a square of 4 wings with an inner courtyard and facades facing the Neva, the Admiralty and Palace Square. The splendor of the building is given by the magnificent decoration of the facades and premises. The main facade, facing the Palace Square, is cut by the arch of the main passage, which was created by Rastrelli after his work on the renovation of the palace in Strelna.

The palace building has 1084 rooms, 1945 windows, 117 stairs (including secret ones). The length along the facade from the side of the Neva is 137 meters, from the side of the Admiralty - 106 meters, the height is 23.5 meters.

Despite the restructuring and many innovations, the main planning scheme of the palace preserved the ideas of F.-B. Rastrelli. Palace buildings are formed around the Grand Courtyard. In the northwestern and southwestern wings, instead of the "Throne Hall" and the "Opera House", light courtyards were created, around which enfilades of living quarters were formed. From the east, the Small Hermitage is adjacent to the Winter Palace, built along the "Black passage". The buildings of the St. George Hall, the Great Church, the southeastern and northeastern wings of the palace go out into this passage; the space is divided into a system of courtyards and depressions: "Small" and "Big Church" courtyards (from the Great Church located here, founded back in 1763), "Church" and "Garage" (from a garage located here), "Kitchen Courtyard" ...

In the 1840s, a unique heating system was installed in the building with Ammosov furnaces, which were located in the basements, and heated clean air entered the premises through fire channels (later on this basis a water-air system will be created). In 1886, the Winter Palace was electrified.

The facades of the palace changed the color scheme several times. The original color had a very light warm ocher coloration with an emphasis on the order system and plastic decoration with white lime paint. In the protocols of the Chancellery from buildings, it is said about the release of lime, chalk, ocher and ink (red earth, which after processing was used as a pigment) for these works. In later documents there are such names as "pale yellow with white", "the color of a wild stone." The roof was tinned.

Until the fire of 1837, there were no fundamental changes in the color of the palace, with the exception of the roof, which in 1816 changed its color from white-gray to red. During the post-fire repairs, the facade color was made up of slaked Tosno lime, ocher, Italian mummy and part of the Olonets land, which was used as a pigment and had an ivory shade, while the roof was painted with red lead iron, giving it a brownish-red color.

In the second half of the 1850s - 1860s, under Emperor Alexander II, the color of the palace facades changed. The ocher becomes denser. The order system and plastic decor are not painted with an additional color, but they acquire a very light tonal selection. In fact, facades are perceived as monochrome.

In the 1880s, under Emperor Alexander III, the facades were split in two tones: a dense ocher expression with the addition of red pigment and a weaker terracotta tone. With the accession of Nicholas II in 1897, the emperor approved the project of painting the facades of the Winter Palace in the color of the “new fence of the Own Garden” - red sandstone without any tonal highlighting of the columns and decor. All buildings on Palace Square were painted in the same color - the headquarters of the Guards Corps and the General Headquarters, which, according to the architects of that period, contributed to the unity of perception of the ensemble.

The terracotta-brick color of the palace remained until the end of the 1920s, after which experiments and the search for a new decoloration began. In 1927, an attempt was made to paint it gray, in 1928-1930. - in a brown-gray scale, and a copper-gouged sculpture on the roof - in black. In 1934, an attempt was made to paint the palace with orange oil paint, highlighting the order system with white paint, but the oil paint had a negative effect on stone, plaster and stucco decoration. In 1940, a decision was made to remove the oil paint from the facade.

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, in order to disguise, the palace is painted with reversible glue gray paint. In 1945-1947, a commission consisting of the chief architect of Leningrad N.V. Baranov, head of the State Inspectorate for the Protection of Monuments N.N.Belekhov, representatives of the Leningrad City Executive Committee, the State Construction Control, the State Hermitage and scientific consultants decided to paint the walls of the palace with chromium oxide with adding emerald pigment; columns, cornices, interfloor rods and window frames - in white; stucco decoration, cartouches, capitals - ocher, while it was decided to leave the sculpture black.

Alexander II is one of the most prominent Russian monarchs. Alexander Nikolaevich was nicknamed by the people Alexander the Liberator.

The people really have something to call Alexander II that way. The emperor carried out a number of important life reforms. The course of his policy was distinguished by a liberal connotation.

Alexander II initiated many liberal initiatives in Russia. The paradox of his historical personality is that the monarch, who gave the people unprecedented freedom to the village, was killed by the revolutionaries.

They say that the draft constitution and the convocation of the State Duma were literally on the emperor's table, but his sudden death put an end to many of his undertakings.

Alexander II was born in April 1818. He was also the son of Alexandra Feodorovna. Alexander Nikolaevich was purposefully prepared for accession to the throne.

The future Emperor received a very decent education. The tsarevich's teachers were the smartest people of their time.

Among the teachers were Zhukovsky, Merder, Kankrin, Brunov. As you can see, the ministers of the Russian Empire themselves taught the sciences to the future emperor.

Alexander Nikolaevich was a gifted person, he possessed equilateral abilities, was a good-natured and sympathetic person.

Nicholas I was the third son of his wife, Maria Feodorovna. As soon as Nikolai Pavlovich was born (06/25/1796), his parents signed him up for military service. He became chief of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment, with the rank of colonel. Three years later, the prince first donned the uniform of his regiment. In May 1800, Nicholas I became the chief of the Izmailovsky regiment. In 1801, as a result of a palace coup, his father, Paul I, was killed.

Military affairs became the real passion of Nicholas I. Passion for military affairs, apparently passed on from his father, and at the genetic level. Soldiers and cannons were the Grand Duke's favorite toys, for which he and his brother Mikhail spent a lot of time. Unlike his brother, he did not gravitate towards science.

On July 13, 1817, the wedding of Nicholas I and the Prussian princess Charlotte took place. In Orthodoxy, Charlotte was named Alexandra Feodorovna. By the way, the marriage took place on the wife's birthday. The life of the royal couple was happy together. After the wedding, he became an inspector general in charge of engineering.

Alexander I was the eldest son, born on 12.12. 1777, during his reign. Since the relationship between the father and the grandmother did not work out, the empress took the grandson from his parents.

Catherine II, immediately inflamed with great love for her grandson and decided what she would make an ideal emperor out of the newborn.

Alexander was raised by the Swiss Laharpe, who was considered by many to be a staunch republican. The prince received a good education in the Western style.

Alexander believed in the possibility of creating an ideal, humane society, he sympathized with the French Revolution, pitied the Poles deprived of statehood, and was skeptical of the Russian autocracy. Time, however, dispelled his belief in such ideals ...

Alexander I became the emperor of Russia after the death of Paul I, as a result of a palace coup. The events that took place on the night of the 11th to the 12th of March affected the life of Alexander Pavlovich. He was very worried about the death of his father, and guilt haunted him all his life.

Paul I was the son of I. Born on September 20, 1754. From an early age, he was taught to read and write and various sciences: history, mathematics, foreign languages \u200b\u200band geography.

According to the recollections of his teachers, Paul was a man of a lively mind, perfectly gifted by nature. His childhood was difficult, he lost his father early. And he lost, as he himself believed, through the fault of his mother. Peter Fyodorovich, Pavel loved very much and could not forgive his mother for his death.

At the age of 17, Catherine II married her son to Princess Vilgemina, who was named Natalia Alekseevna at baptism. During childbirth, Natalia died.

In 1776 he married a second time. The wife of the heir to the Russian throne was Sophia-Dorote, who at baptism took the name Maria Feodorovna. Maria Feodorovna was related to the Prussian king. Apparently under the influence of his wife, he began to like many German customs.

Russia for Russians, and in Russian (Emperor Alexander III)

Alexander III is a significant figure in. During his reign, Russian blood was not shed in Europe. Alexander III provided many years of peace for Russia. For his peace-loving policy, he went down in Russian history as "a tsar - peacemaker."

He was the second child in the family of Alexander II and Maria Alexandrovna Romanov. According to the rules of succession to the throne, Alexander was not prepared for the role of ruler. The throne was to be taken by the elder brother, Nikolai.

Alexander did not at all envy his brother, did not feel the slightest jealousy, watching how Nicholas was being prepared for the throne. Nikolai was a diligent student, and Alexander in the classroom was overcome by boredom.

Alexander III's teachers were such honored people as the historians Soloviev, Grott, the remarkable military tactician Dragomirov, and Konstantin Pobedonostsev. It was the latter who had a great influence on Alexander III, largely determining the priorities of the domestic and foreign policy of the Russian emperor.

When Peter was three years old, the tsar-father gave him a children's saber. At the end of 1676, Alexei Mikhailovich died. The half-brother of Peter - Fedor ascends to the throne. Fedor was worried that Peter was not being taught to read and write, and asked Naryshkin to devote more time to this component of teaching.

Peter I Alekseevich 1672 - 1725

Peter I was born on 05/30/1672 in Moscow, died on 01/28/1725 in St. Petersburg, Russian Tsar from 1682, Emperor from 1721. Son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich by his second wife, Natalia Naryshkina. He ascended the throne for nine years, together with his elder brother Tsar John V, during the regency of his elder sister, Princess Sophia Alekseevna. In 1689, his mother married Peter I to Evdokia Lopukhina. In 1690, a son was born, Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich, but family life did not work out. In 1712, the tsar announced his divorce and married Catherine (Marta Skavronskaya), who since 1703 was his de facto wife. In this marriage, 8 children were born, but except for Anna and Elizabeth, they all died in infancy. In 1694, the mother of Peter I died, and two years later, in 1696, the elder brother, Tsar John V. Peter I, became the sovereign sovereign. In 1712, the new capital of Russia became St. Petersburg, founded by Peter I, where part of the population of Moscow was transferred.

Catherine I Alekseevna 1684 - 1727

Catherine I Alekseevna was born on 04/05/1684 in the Baltic States, died on 05/06/1727 in St. Petersburg, the Russian empress in 1725-1727. Daughter of the Lithuanian peasant Samuil Skavronsky, who moved from Lithuania to Livonia. Before the adoption of Orthodoxy - Marta Skavronskaya. In autumn 1703, she became the de facto wife of Peter I. The church marriage was formalized on 02.19.1712. Following the decree on the succession to the throne, not without the participation of A.D. Menshikov, she bequeathed the throne to the grandson of Peter I - 12-year-old Peter II. She died on May 6, 1727. Buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

Peter II Alekseevich 1715 - 1730

Peter II Alekseevich was born on 10/12/1715 in St. Petersburg, died on 1/18/1730 in Moscow, the Russian emperor (1727-1730) from the Romanov dynasty. Son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich and Princess Charlotte Christina Sophia of Wolfenbuettel, grandson of Peter I. Erected to the throne through the efforts of A.D. Menshikov after the death of Catherine I, Peter II was not interested in anything except hunting and pleasure. At the beginning of the reign of Peter II, power was actually in the hands of A. Menshikov, who dreamed of becoming related to the royal dynasty by marrying Peter II to his daughter. Despite the engagement of Menshikov's daughter Maria to Peter II in May 1727, in September followed by dismissal and disgrace, and then Menshikov's exile. Peter II was influenced by the Dolgoruky family, I. Dolgoruky became his favorite, and Princess E. Dolgorukaya became his bride. The real power was in the hands of A. Osterman. Peter II fell ill with smallpox and died on the eve of the wedding. With his death, the Romanov family was interrupted in the male line. He was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

Anna Ioannovna 1693 - 1740

Anna Ioannovna was born on 01/28/1693 in Moscow, died on 10/17/1740 in St. Petersburg, Russian empress in 1730-1740. The daughter of Tsar Ivan V Alekseevich and P. Saltykova, niece of Peter I. In 1710 she was married to the Duke of Courland Friedrich-Welgem, soon became a widow, lived in Mitava. After the death of Emperor Peter II (did not leave a will), the Supreme Privy Council at a meeting in the Lefortovo Palace on 01/19/1730 decided to invite Anna Ioannovna to the throne. In 1731, Anna Ioannovna published a Manifesto on the popular oath of allegiance to the heir. 01/08/1732 Anna Ioannovna, together with the court and the highest state. Institutions moved from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Power during the reign of Anna Ioannovna was in the hands of E. Biron, a native of Courland, and his proteges.

Ivan VI Antonovich 1740 - 1764

John Antonovich was born on 08/12/1740, killed on 07/07/1764, the Russian emperor from 10/17/1740 to 11/25/1741. Son of Anna Leopoldovna and Prince Anton Ulrich Braunschwezg-Brevern-Luneburg, great-grandson of Tsar Ivan V, grand-nephew of Empress Anna Ioannovna. On November 25, as a result of a palace coup, the daughter of Peter I, Elizaveta Petrovna, came to power. In 1744, John Antonovich was exiled to Kholmogory. In 1756 he was transferred to the Shlisselburg fortress. On July 5, 1764, Lieutenant V. Mirovich tried to free Ioann Antonovich from the fortress, but failed. The guards killed the prisoner.

Elizaveta Petrovna 1709 - 1762

Elizaveta Petrovna was born on December 18, 1709 in the village of Kolomenskoye, near Moscow, died on December 25, 1761 in St. Petersburg, the Russian Empress in 1741-1761, daughter of Peter I and Catherine I. She ascended the throne as a result of a palace coup on November 25, 1741, during which representatives of the Brunschweig dynasty (Prince Anton Ulrich, Anna Leopoldovna and John Antonovich), as well as many representatives of the "German party" (A. Ostermann, B. Minich, etc.) were arrested. One of the first actions of the new government was the invitation from Holstein to the nephew of Elizabeth Petrovna Karl Ulrich and the announcement of him as heir to the throne (the future emperor Peter III). In fact, Count P. Shuvalov became the head of domestic policy under Elizaveta Petrovna.

Peter III Fyodorovich 1728 - 1762

Peter III was born on 02/10/1728 in Kiel, killed on 07/07/1762 in Ropsha near St. Petersburg, the Russian emperor from 1761 to 1762. Grandson of Peter I, son of Duke of Holstein-Gottop Karl Friedrich and Tsarevna Anna Petrovna. In 1745 he married Princess Sophia Frederica Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbskaya (future Empress Catherine II). Having ascended the throne on December 25, 1761, he immediately ceased hostilities against Prussia in the Seven Years' War, and ceded all his conquests to his admirer Frederick II. The anti-national foreign policy of Peter III, disregard for Russian rituals and customs, the introduction of Prussian orders in the army caused opposition in the guard, led by Catherine II. During the palace coup, Peter III was arrested and then killed.

Ekaterina II Alekseevna 1729 - 1796

Catherine II Alekseevna was born on 21.04.1729 in Stettin, died on 06.11.1796 in Tsarskoe Selo (now the city of Pushkin), Russian empress 1762-1796. She came from a small North German princely family. Born Sophia Augusta Frederika Anhalt-Zerbst. Received a home education. In 1744, she was summoned to Russia with her mother by Empress Elizaveta Pertovna, baptized according to the Orthodox tradition under the name of Catherine and was named the bride of Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich (future Emperor Peter III), with whom she married in 1745. In 1754, Catherine II gave birth to a son, the future Emperor Paul I After the accession of Peter III, who was more and more hostile to her, her position became precarious. Relying on the guards regiments (G. and A. Orlov and others), on June 28, 1762, Catherine II made a bloodless coup and became an autocratic empress. The time of Catherine II is the dawn of favoritism, characteristic of European life in the second half of the 18th century. After parting with G. Orlov in the early 1770s, in the following years the Empress changed a number of favorites. As a rule, they were not allowed to participate in solving political issues. Only two of her famous favorites - G. Potemkin and P. Zavodovsky - became major statesmen.

Paul I Petrovich 1754 - 1801

Paul I was born on 09/20/1754 in St. Petersburg, killed on 03/12/1881 in the Mikhailovsky Castle in St. Petersburg, the Russian emperor 1796-1801, the son of Peter III and Catherine II. He was brought up at the court of his grandmother Elizaveta Petrovna, who intended to make him heir to the throne instead of Peter III. N. Panin was the main educator of Paul I. Since 1773, Paul I was married to Princess Wilhelmina of Hesse-Darmstadt, after her death in 1776 - to Princess Sophia Dorothea of \u200b\u200bWürttemberg (in Orthodoxy, Maria Fedorovna). He had sons: Alexander (in the future Emperor Alexander I, 1777), Constantine (1779), Nicholas (in the future Emperor Nicholas I, 1796), Michael (1798), as well as six daughters. Among the guards officers, a conspiracy matured, about which the heir to the throne, Alexander Pavlovich, was aware. On the night of March 11-12, 1801, the conspirators (Count P. Palen, P. Zubov and others) entered the Mikhailovsky Castle and killed Paul I. Alexander I came to the throne, in the very first weeks of his reign he returned many of those who had been exiled by his father and destroyed many of his innovations.

Alexander I Pavlovich 1777 - 1825

Alexander I was born on 12.12.1777 in St. Petersburg, died on 19.11.1825 in Taganrog, the Russian emperor 1801-1825, the eldest son of Paul I. By the will of his grandmother Catherine II, he was educated in the spirit of the 18th century enlighteners. His mentor was Colonel Frederic de Laharpe, a republican by conviction, the future leader of the Swiss revolution. In 1793 Alexander I married the daughter of the Margrave of Baden, Louise Maria Augusta, who took the name of Elizaveta Alekseevna. Alexander I succeeded to the throne after the assassination of his father in 1801 and undertook wide-ranging reforms. He became the main executor of the social transformations of Alexander I in 1808-1812. his State Secretary M. Speransky, who reorganized the ministries, created the state. advice and carried out financial reform. In foreign policy, Alexander I participated in two coalitions against Napoleonic France (with Prussia in 1804-05, with Austria in 1806-07). Defeated at Austerlitz in 1805 and Friedland in 1807, he concluded the Peace of Tilsit in 1807 and an alliance with Napoleon. In 1812 Napoleon invaded Russia, but was defeated during the Patriotic War of 1812. Alexander I, at the head of the Russian troops, together with his allies, in the spring of 1814 entered Paris. Was one of the leaders of the Vienna Congress of 1814-1815. According to official data, Alexander I died in Taganrog.

Nicholas I Pavlovich 1796 - 1855

Nicholas I was born on June 25, 1796 in Tsarskoye Selo, now Pushkin, died on February 18, 1855 in St. Petersburg, Russian emperor (1825-1855). The third son of Paul I. Enrolled in military service since birth, Nicholas I was brought up by Count M. Lamsdorf. In 1814, he first visited abroad with the Russian army under the command of his older brother Alexander I. In 1816 he made a three-month journey across European Russia, and from October 1816 to May 1817 he traveled and lived in England. In 1817 he married the eldest daughter of the Prussian king Frederick Wilhelm II, Princess Charlotte Frederic Louise, who took the name of Alexandra Feodorovna. Under Nicholas I, the monetary reform of Minister of Finance E. Kankrin was successfully carried out, streamlining money circulation and protecting the backward Russian industry from competition.

Alexander II Nikolaevich 1818 - 1881

Alexander II was born on 04/17/1818 in Moscow, killed on 03/01/1881 in St. Petersburg, the Russian emperor of 1855-1881, the son of Nicholas I. His educators were General Merder, Kavelin, as well as the poet V. Zhukovsky, who instilled in Alexander II liberal views and romantic attitude towards life. 1837 Alexander II made a long journey across Russia, then in 1838 - across the countries of Western Europe. In 1841 he married Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt, who took the name of Maria Alexandrovna. One of the first acts of Alexander II was the pardon of the exiled Decembrists. 02/19/1861. Alexander II issued a manifesto on the emancipation of the peasants from serfdom. Under Alexander II, the annexation of the Caucasus to Russia was completed and its influence expanded in the east. Turkestan, the Amur region, the Ussuri region, the Kuril skeletons in exchange for the southern part of Sakhalin became part of Russia. He sold Alaska and the Aleutian Islands to the Americans in 1867. In 1880, after the death of Empress Maria Alexandrovna, the tsar entered into a morganatic marriage with Princess Catherine Dolgoruka. A number of assassination attempts were made on the life of Alexander II, he was killed by a bomb thrown by the People's Will I. Grinevitsky.

Alexander III Alexandrovich 1845 - 1894

Alexander III was born on 02/26/1845 in Tsarskoe Selo, died on 10/20/1894 in the Crimea, the Russian emperor in 1881-1894, the son of Alexander II. The mentor of Alexander III, who had a strong influence on his outlook, was K. Pobedonostsev. After the death of his elder brother Nicholas in 1865, Alexander III became the heir to the throne. In 1866, he married the bride of his deceased brother, the daughter of the Danish king Christian IX, Princess Sophia Frederick Dagmara, who took the name of Maria Feodorovna. During the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-78. was the commander of the Separate Ruschuk detachment in Bulgaria. Created the Voluntary Fleet of Russia in 1878, which became the nucleus of the country's merchant fleet and the reserve of the military fleet. Having ascended the throne after the assassination of Alexander II on 03/01/1881, he canceled the draft constitutional reform signed by his father just before his death. Died Alexander III in Livadia in the Crimea.

Nicholas II Alexandrovich 1868 - 1918

Nicholas II (Romanov Nikolai Alexandrovich) was born on 05/19/1868 in Tsarskoe Selo, shot on 07/17/1918 in Yekaterinburg, the last Russian emperor in 1894-1917, the son of Alexander III and the Danish princess Dagmara (Maria Feodorovna). From 14.02.1894 he was married to Alexandra Feodorovna (nee Alice Princess of Hesse and Rhine). Daughters Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, son Alexey. He ascended the throne on October 21, 1894 after the death of his father. 02/27/1917 Nicholas II, under pressure from the high military command, abdicated the throne. 03/08/1917 was "imprisoned". After the Bolsheviks came to power, the regime of his detention was sharply increased, and in April 1918 the royal family was transferred to Yekaterinburg, where they were accommodated in the house of the mining engineer N. Ipatiev. On the eve of the fall of Soviet power in the Urals, in Moscow it was decided to execute Nicholas II and his relatives. The murder was entrusted to Yurovsky and his deputy Nikulin. The royal family and all confidants and servants were killed on the night of 16 July 17, 1918, the execution took place in a small room on the ground floor, where the victims were taken under the pretext of evacuation. According to the official version, the decision to kill the royal family was made by the Ural Soviet, fearing the approach of Czechoslovak troops. However, in recent years it became known that Nicholas II, his wife and children were killed on the direct orders of V. Lenin and Y. Sverdlov. After that, the remains of the royal family were discovered and by the decision of the Russian government on July 17, 1998, were buried in the tomb of the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg. The Russian Orthodox Church abroad canonized Nicholas II.