Located on the main tourist artery of Saint Petersburg, Nevsky Prospekt, stands the magnificent 19th-century architectural monument — the Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace. Many of us, passing by, have likely seen the powerful Atlantes on its facades, but not everyone knows that inside there are several luxurious state rooms that can be visited during a palace tour.
How to Get There by Metro
The nearest metro stations to the palace are “Mayakovskaya,” “Dostoevskaya,” and “Gostiny Dvor.” From there, it's no more than a 10-minute walk to the palace.
A Bit of History
The architect of the palace’s current building is Andrei Stackenschneider, who also designed the grand Nikolaevsky Palace in St. Petersburg, as well as the Kolonistsky and Lugovoy parks in Peterhof. The Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace was built in 1848 on the site of an old three-story palace.
The first owners of the palace were the Beloselsky-Belozersky princes, who also owned Krestovsky Island in the northwest of Saint Petersburg. Their receptions were compared to imperial balls. Due to financial difficulties, the family was forced to sell the palace.
The next owner was Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, who received the palace as a wedding gift for his wife, Princess Ella of Hesse (Elizaveta Fyodorovna). She later passed the palace on to her nephew, Dmitry Pavlovich, who is known for his involvement in the assassination of Grigory Rasputin.
During World War I, the palace housed an Anglo-Russian hospital. After the 1917 revolution, the building was nationalized and became the headquarters of the local Communist Party committee.
Today, the palace is managed by the Presidential Property Management Department. The building is leased by the Saint Petersburg branch of Channel One and the Museum of the Establishment of Democracy in Modern Russia named after Anatoly Sobchak.
Palace Tour
As with many other palaces, the tour begins with the grand staircase, which leads to the second floor and the state rooms. The size of the staircase area is impressive. Looking at the building from Nevsky Prospekt, it’s hard to imagine the scale within. In some halls, the ceiling height exceeds 8 meters.
The palace’s state rooms, though few, are diverse in style. If the Oak Room’s highlight is its wooden decor, the State Dining Room features a more restrained and majestic interior with paintings. Notably, the palace's interiors are authentic and have been restored recently.
It’s worth noting that you can visit the palace not only with a guided tour but also by attending an event in the Mirror Hall. Here, you can enjoy a comedy play or simply listen to music.
One unique spot on the tour is the Raspberry Drawing Room. This lavish room is off-limits for photography as it is rented by Channel One, but it’s a great reason to join the tour, which ends in this very room.
Among the palaces in the central part of Saint Petersburg, I would also recommend the Yusupov Palace on the Moika River — its interiors are sure to leave no one indifferent.
In summary:
- A great guide and an interesting history of the palace;
- The rooms are very diverse;
- Arrive early to secure tickets and visit the cloakroom.
