What is the Winter Palace located there? Winter Palace: wiki: Facts about Russia. Brief description of the Winter Palace
Winter Palace in St. Petersburg (Dvortsovaya Square, 2 / Palace Embankment, 38) - former imperial palace, currently part of the Main museum complex State Hermitage. 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. Is an object cultural heritage federal significance and object world heritage UNESCO as part of the historical center of St. Petersburg.
From the end of construction in 1762 to 1904, it was used as the official winter residence of the Russian emperors. In 1904, Nicholas II moved his permanent residence to the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoye Selo. From October 1915 to November 1917, a hospital named after Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich operated in the palace. From July to November 1917, the palace housed the Provisional Government. In January 1920, the State Museum of the Revolution was opened in the palace, sharing the building with the State Hermitage until 1941.
The Winter Palace and Palace Square form a beautiful architectural ensemble modern city and are one of the main objects of domestic and international tourism.
Story
In total, during the period 1711-1764, five winter palaces were built in the city. Initially, Peter I settled in a hastily built building in 1703 not far from Peter and Paul Fortress one-story house.
First Winter Palace
Where the Winter Palace now stands, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, construction was permitted only to naval officials. Peter the Great took advantage of this right, being a shipwright under the name of Peter Alekseev, he built a wooden “Winter House” near the Neva in 1711 on the site of the former Preobrazhensky barracks. Peter's first palace was a small two-story house with a high porch in the center and a tiled roof, and was not located on the Neva embankment, but on modern Millionnaya Street. This palace was a gift from the Governor of St. Petersburg A.D. Menshikov for the wedding of Peter the Great and Ekaterina Alekseevna (February 1712).
Second Winter Palace
In 1718, the architect Georg Mattarnovi, by order of the Tsar, began building a new Winter Palace, on the corner of the Neva and the Winter Canal (which was then called the “Winter House Canal”). The color of this building differed from the color of the previous Winter Palaces of the Tsar: the Mattarnovi building was gray. Before the completion of construction, the architect died, and Domenico Trezzini completed the construction of the palace.
In 1720, Peter I and his entire family moved from summer residence in winter. In 1725, Peter I died in this palace. After his death in 1726-1727, on the orders of Catherine I, the palace was expanded by D. Trezzini and occupied the territory of the current building of the Hermitage Theater.
Third Winter Palace
Later, Empress Anna Ioannovna considered the Winter Palace too small and in 1731 entrusted its reconstruction to F.B. Rastrelli, who offered her his own project for the reconstruction of the Winter Palace. According to his project, it was necessary to purchase those that stood at that time in the place occupied the current palace, houses that belonged to Count Apraksin, the Maritime Academy, Raguzinsky and Chernyshev. Anna Ioanovna approved the project, the houses were bought up, demolished, and construction began in the spring of 1732. The facades of this palace were facing the Neva, the Admiralty and the “meadow side”, that is, the palace square. In 1735, construction of the palace was completed, and Anna Ioanovna moved to live there. The four-story building included about 70 state rooms, more than 100 bedrooms, a gallery, a theater, a large chapel, many staircases, service and guard rooms, as well as rooms for the palace chancellery. Almost immediately, the palace began to be rebuilt; an extension began along the meadow side of technical buildings, sheds, and stables.
Here on July 2, 1739, Princess Anna Leopoldovna's engagement to Prince Anton-Ulrich took place. After the death of Anna Ioannovna, the young Emperor Ivan 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, as a result, by 1750 it “presented a motley, dirty appearance, unworthy of the place it occupied and the very strangest imperial palace, one wing adjacent to the Admiralty, and the other on the opposite side, to the dilapidated chambers of Raguzinsky, could not be pleasing to the empress.” On January 1, 1752, the Empress decided to expand the Winter Palace, after which the neighboring areas of Raguzinsky and Yaguzhinsky were purchased. At the new location, Rastrelli added new buildings. According to the project he drew up, these buildings were to be attached to existing ones and be decorated 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 redo the design of 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 build the entire building anew, new project was signed by Elizaveta Petrovna on June 16, 1754:
In St. Petersburg, our Winter Palace is not only for receiving foreign ministers and performing ceremonies at the Court on special days, due to the greatness of our imperial dignity, but also for accommodating us with the necessary servants and things, which we have intended This is our Winter Palace with a large space in length, width and height to rebuild, for which the reconstruction according to the estimate will require up to 900,000 rubles, which amount, available for two years, is impossible to take from our salt money. Therefore, we command our Senate to find and present to us from what income it is possible to take such an amount of 430 or 450 thousand rubles per year for this matter, counting from the beginning of this year 1754 and the next year 1755, and so that this is done immediately, so as not to miss the current winter journey to prepare supplies for that building.
Fourth (temporary) Winter Palace
It was built in 1755 by Rastrelli on the corner of Nevsky Prospekt and the river embankment. Moiki (destroyed in 1762).
Fifth (existing) Winter Palace
In 1762, the current palace building appeared. At that time, the Winter Palace became the tallest residential building in St. Petersburg. The building included about 1,500 rooms. The total area of the palace was about 60,000 sq.m. Elizaveta Petrovna did not live to see the completion of construction; Peter III took over the work on April 6, 1762. By this time, the decoration of the facades was completed, but many of the interior spaces were not yet ready. In the summer of 1762, Peter III was overthrown from the throne, and construction of the Winter Palace was completed under Catherine II.
First of all, the Empress removed Rastrelli from his work. The interior decoration of the palace was carried out by the architects Chevakinsky, Yu. M. Felten, J. B. Vallin-Delamot and A. Rinaldi under the leadership of Betsky.
According to the original layout of the palace, made by Rastrelli, the largest state rooms were located on the 2nd floor and overlooked the Neva; the Jordanian or, as it was formerly called, the embassy staircase led to them. There were five halls in total (of which the three middle halls later formed the current Nicholas Hall). They were called anterior halls, as they led to the sixth huge Throne Hall (which occupied the entire current space of Nicholas II’s rooms overlooking the Neva, that is, the Malachite Hall, two living rooms and the corner office of Alexandra Fedorovna facing the Neva and the Admiralty).
In 1763, the Empress moved her chambers to the southwestern part of the palace; under her rooms she ordered the chambers of her favorite G. G. Orlov to be placed. On the side of Palace Square, the Throne Hall was equipped, and a waiting room appeared in front of it - the White Hall. A dining room was located behind the White Hall. The Bright Office was adjacent to it. The dining room was followed by the State Bedchamber, which a year later became the Diamond Chamber. In addition, the Empress ordered to equip herself with a library, an office, a boudoir, two bedrooms and a restroom. In the restroom, the empress built a toilet seat from the throne of one of her lovers, the Polish king Poniatowski. Under Catherine, a winter garden and the Romanov Gallery were built in the Winter Palace. In 1764, in Berlin, through agents, Catherine acquired a collection of 225 works by Dutch and Flemish artists from the merchant I. Gotzkovsky. Most of the paintings were placed in secluded apartments of the palace, which received the French name “Hermitage” (place of solitude).
In the 1780-1790s, work on finishing the palace interiors was continued by I. E. Starov and G. Quarenghi.
In 1783, by decree of Catherine, the palace theater was demolished.
In the 1790s, by decree of Catherine II, who considered it inappropriate for the public to enter the Hermitage through her own chambers, a connecting gallery was created between the Winter Palace and the Small Hermitage, through which visitors could bypass the royal apartments. The Marble Gallery (of three halls) and the new Throne (St. George) Hall, opened in 1795, were created. The old throne room was converted into a series of rooms provided for the chambers of the newly married Grand Duke Alexander.
In 1826, according to the design of K. I. Rossi, a Military Gallery was built in front of St. George's Hall, which housed 330 portraits of generals who took part in the War of 1812, painted by D. Doe over almost 10 years. In the early 1830s, in the eastern building of the palace, O. Montferrand designed the Field Marshal's, Peter's and Armorial halls.
After the fire of 1837, when all the interiors were destroyed, restoration work in the Winter Palace was led by architects V.P. Stasov, A.P. Bryullov and A.E. Staubert.
Historical events
On December 29, 1837, there was a fire in the Winter Palace. They could not extinguish it for three days; all this time, the property taken out of the palace was piled up around the Alexander Column.
On February 5, 1880, Narodnaya Volya member S.N. Khalturin carried out an explosion in the Winter Palace with the aim of killing Alexander II, while eleven guard soldiers were killed and fifty-six were wounded, but neither the emperor nor his family members were injured.
On January 9, 1905, during a procession of columns of workers to the Winter Palace, a peaceful workers' demonstration was shot, which served as the beginning of the Revolution of 1905-1907.
In August 1914, after the outbreak of the Second Patriotic (First World) War, some of the cultural property from the palace, including the Jewelry Gallery, was taken to Moscow, but the Art Gallery remained in place.
In mid-October 1915, a military hospital named after Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich was located in the palace. The Nevsky and Great Enfilade halls, as well as the Picket and Alexander halls, were allocated for hospital wards.
During the revolution of February 1917, the palace was occupied by troops who went over to the side of the rebels.
Since July 1917, the palace became the residence of the Provisional Government, which announced the nationalization of the royal palaces and formed an artistic and historical commission to accept the values of the Winter Palace. In September, part of the art collection was evacuated to Moscow.
On the night of October 25-26 (November 7-8), 1917, during the October Revolution, the Red Guard, revolutionary soldiers and sailors surrounded the palace, which was guarded by a garrison of cadets and a women's battalion, totaling 2.7 thousand people. The palace was fired upon by the cannons of the Peter and Paul Fortress. By 2 hours 10 minutes. On the night of October 26 (November 8), the palace was stormed and the Provisional Government was arrested. In cinema, the storming of the Winter Palace was depicted as a battle. In fact, it was almost bloodless - the defenders of the palace offered almost no resistance.
On October 30 (November 12), 1917, People's Commissar of Education A.V. Lunacharsky declared the Winter Palace and the Hermitage state museums. For several months, the People's Commissariat for Education was located in the rooms on the first floor of the palace. Cinematic screenings, concerts, lectures, and meetings began to be held in the main halls.
In 1919, the first exhibitions of paintings from paintings remaining in Petrograd after the revolution, as well as the exhibition “Funeral Cult of Ancient Egypt,” opened in the palace.
On January 11, 1920, the official opening of the State Museum of the Revolution took place in the halls of the first and second floors of the palace. By November 1920, the process of returning artistic treasures evacuated to Moscow was completed. On January 2, 1921, the halls of the Art Gallery were opened to the public, and the following year other exhibitions of the State Hermitage were opened. Together, the two museums existed in the palace building until 1941.
On June 22, 1941, after the start of the Great Patriotic War, twelve bomb shelters were equipped in the basements of the palace, in which about two thousand people permanently lived until 1942. Part of the non-evacuated museum collection of the Hermitage, cultural values from suburban palaces and various institutions of Leningrad were hidden in the palace.
During the war, the palace buildings were damaged by Wehrmacht artillery fire and Luftwaffe bombing; a total of seventeen artillery shells and two aerial bombs hit them. The Small Throne (Peter's) Hall was damaged, part of the Armorial Hall and the ceiling of the Rastrelli Gallery were destroyed, and the Jordan Staircase was damaged. On November 7, 1944, the palace was partially opened to the public. The restoration of the halls and facades of the palace continued for many years after the war.
Architecture
The modern three-story building in plan has the shape of a square of 4 wings with an internal courtyard and facades facing the Neva, the Admiralty and Palace Square (the length of the facade on the Neva side is 137 meters, on the Admiralty side 106 meters, height 23.5 meters, about 1050 rooms ). The magnificent decoration of the facades and premises gives the building a sense of splendor. The main facade, facing Palace Square, is cut through by the arch of the main passage.
In the south-eastern part of the second floor there was one of the Rococo monuments, a legacy of the fourth Winter Palace - the Great Church of the Winter Palace (1763; architect B. Rastrelli).
Colors of facades and roofs
The facades and roof of the palace changed their color scheme several times. The original color had a very light warm ocher tint with highlighting the order system and plastic decoration with white lime paint. The minutes of the Chancellery from the buildings speak of the release of lime, chalk, ocher and blackening (red earth, which after processing was used as a pigment) for these works. In later documents, names such as “pale yellow with white” and “the color of wild stone” are found. The roof was tinned.
“The outside of the palace is painted: the walls are sandy paint with a thin yellow, and the ornaments are white lime.”
- architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli (RGIA, f. 470, op. 5, d. 477, l. 147)
Before 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 color of the facade was composed of slaked Tosno lime, ocher, Italian mummy and part of Olonets earth, which was used as a pigment and had an ivory tint, while the roof was painted with red lead, giving it a brown-red color.
In the second half of the 1850s - 1860s, under Emperor Alexander II, the color of the palace facades changed. The ocher becomes more dense. The order system and plastic decor are not painted with an additional color, but acquire a very light tonal highlight. In fact, the facades are perceived as monochrome.
In the 1880s, under Emperor Alexander III, the facades were painted in two tones: a dense ocher expression with the addition of red pigment and a weaker terracotta tonality. With the accession of Nicholas II in 1897, the emperor approved the project of painting the facades of the Winter Palace in the coloring of the “new fence of the Own Garden” - red sandstone without any tonal highlighting of columns and decor. All the buildings on Palace Square were painted in the same color - the headquarters of the Guards Corps and the General Staff, 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 began and the search for a new color scheme began. In 1927, an attempt was made to paint it gray, in 1928-1930. - in a brown-gray color scheme, and the copper sculpture on the roof - in black. In 1934, the first attempt was made to paint the palace with orange oil paint highlighting the order system with white paint, but oil paint had a negative impact on the stone, plaster and stucco decoration. In 1940, a decision was made to remove oil paint from the façade.
With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the palace was painted with reversible adhesive gray paint for camouflage purposes. In 1945-1947, a commission consisting of the chief architect of Leningrad N.V. Baranov, the 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 - white; stucco decoration, cartouches, capitals - ocher, while it was decided to leave the sculpture black.
Since the 1960s, when painting facades, instead of lime paints, synthetic dyes began to be used, which negatively affect stucco decoration, plaster and natural stone. In 1976, on the recommendation of the All-Union Central Research Laboratory, a decision was made to clear the surface of the sculptures from the paint coating to form a natural layer of patina, which at that time was considered a natural protection against aggressive environmental influences. Currently, the surface of copper is protected with a special paint composition containing a copper corrosion inhibitor.
Over sixty-five years, the public and city authorities have developed a certain stereotype in the perception of the color scheme of the palace, however, according to the Hermitage researchers, the currently existing color scheme of the facades does not correspond to the artistic image of the palace, and therefore it is proposed to recreate the color scheme of the facades as close as possible to the volumetric-spatial composition of the palace created by Bartolomeo Rastrelli.
Dimensions
The palace building has 1080 rooms, 1945 windows, 117 staircases (including secret ones), and its differently arranged facades, strong projections of risalits, accentuation of stepped corners, changing rhythm of columns (by changing the intervals between columns, Rastrelli either collects them in bunches or exposes the plane of the wall ) create an impression of restlessness, unforgettable solemnity and splendor. The height of the building is 22 meters. In 1844, Nicholas I issued a decree prohibiting the construction of civil buildings in St. Petersburg higher than the height of the Winter Palace. They had to be built at least one fathom less.
General impression
In the external appearance of the Winter Palace, which was created, as the decree on its construction stated, “for a single All-Russian glory”, in its elegant, festive appearance, in the magnificent decoration of its facades, Rastrelli’s artistic and compositional concept is revealed - the deep architectural connection of this building with the city on The Neva, which became the capital of the Russian Empire, with all the character of the surrounding urban landscape, continues to this day.
Originality
The sculptures and vases installed above the cornice along the entire perimeter of the building add elegance and splendor to the silhouette of the building. They were originally carved from stone and replaced by metal ones in 1892-1902 (sculptors M.P. Popov, D.I. Jensen). The “opened” composition of the Winter Palace is a kind of Russian reworking of the type of closed palace building with a courtyard, common in the architecture of Western Europe.
Halls of the Winter Palace
Jordan Gallery
Located on the first floor of the Winter Palace. The decoration is carried out in the Russian Baroque style. At first, the gallery was called the Main Gallery, since guests of the palace followed it from the Main Entrance Hall to the Grand Staircase. Later (like the entrance) it was renamed Jordan, since on Epiphany a religious procession passed through it from the Great Church of the Winter Palace heading to the Neva, where the so-called Jordan - a pavilion for the blessing of water - was installed over the ice hole.
Jordan staircase
In the 18th century, the staircase was called the Ambassador Staircase, then it received the name Jordan, since during the feast of the Epiphany the procession descended to the Neva, where an ice hole was cut out in the ice to illuminate the water - the Jordan.
It is here that the talent of the great Rastrelli is revealed in all its strength and expressiveness. Behind the majestic arched flights of the ground floor gallery and the first, shadowed flight of stairs, a huge staircase space, shining with light, suddenly opens up. Located almost at a height of twenty meters, a picturesque ceiling depicting ancient Greek gods soaring in the sky enhances the baroque effect by illusorily breaking the planes of the ceiling, and the light pouring from the windows, reflected in the mirrors, glides across gilded stucco ornaments and white marble statues of gods and muses. Destroyed by the fire of 1837, the staircase was recreated by V. P. Stasov, who, when restoring this half of the palace, managed to preserve Rastrelli’s main plan.
Field Marshal's Hall
The hall was created in 1833-1834. Auguste Montferrand. After completion of construction, in 1834, portraits of Russian field marshals were placed on the walls of the Field Marshals' Hall: “P. A. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky" (F. Riese), "G. A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky" (A. Vigi), "A. V. Suvorov-Rymniksky" (N. S. Froste), "M. I. Kutuzov-Smolensky" (P. Basin), "I. I. Dibich-Zabalkansky" (P. Basin), "I. F. Paskevich-Erivansky" (F. Kruger).
This austere white marble hall has earned sad fame because it was here that on December 17, 1837, a fire began that destroyed the entire Winter Palace in 30 hours. After the fire of 1837, it was rebuilt by V. Stasov in the style of classicism. In 1854, on the southern wall of the hall, on either side of the entrance to the Small Throne Hall, the battle paintings “The Capture of the Warsaw Suburbs by Russian Troops” by O. Vernet and “The Surrender of the Hungarian Army by General Gergely to the Russians at Vilagos” by G. Willewald were placed. During the First World War, the hall housed hospital wards. After 1917, all the paintings were removed and transferred to the collections of other museums.
Several years ago it was decided to restore the decoration of the hall. The portrait of I. F. Paskevich by F. Kruger was returned to its place. In May 2005, portraits of A.V. Suvorov (N.S. Froste) and M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov (P. Basin) appeared in the Field Marshal's Hall.
Petrovsky (Small Throne) Hall
Created in 1833 according to the design of O. Montferrand. Dedicated to the memory of Peter I. The emperor’s monogram (two Latin letters “P”), double-headed eagles and crowns were used in the decoration of the interior of the hall. The throne was made in St. Petersburg at the end of the 18th century. Behind the throne, in a niche designed in the form triumphal arch there is a painting “Peter I with the goddess of wisdom Minerva” by Giuseppe Amiconi. At the top of the walls there are canvases depicting the famous battles of the Northern War - the Battle of Poltava and the Battle of Lesnaya (P. Scotti and B. Medici). The hall is decorated with silver-embroidered panels made of Lyon velvet and silverware made in St. Petersburg. The hall also contains royal crowns and state emblems in the form of double-headed eagles.
After the fire of 1837, it was restored without changes by V.P. Stasov.
Armorial Hall
Since the end of the 18th century, on the site of the Armorial Hall, there was a White Gallery, decorated according to the design of Yu. M. Felten. During the reign of Catherine II, magnificent court balls were held here. In 1796, by decree of Emperor Paul I, the “Mourning Hall”, where the funeral ceremony for the deceased Empress Catherine the Great and her husband Emperor Peter III, who was killed in the 1762 coup, took place. In the first third of the 19th century, the original purpose of the White Gallery returned. It was again noisy with palace masquerades, ceremonial receptions and balls. However, in 1830, Emperor Nicholas I decided to give it a different meaning. The main idea of the new project is the glorification of the power of the Russian Empire.
Recreated by V.P. Stasov after the fire of 1837 for ceremonies in the style of late Russian classicism. At the entrance to the hall there are sculptural groups ancient Russian warriors with banners, on the shafts of which shields with the coats of arms of Russian provinces were attached. In addition, the coats of arms of the provinces are located on gilded bronze chandeliers. The hall is surrounded by a colonnade supporting a balcony with a balustrade. In the center of the hall there is an aventurine bowl made by Yekaterinburg stone cutters of the 19th century. The solemn image of the Armorial Hall is emphasized by the majestic rhythm of French windows, alternating with massive, completely gilded columns.
Military gallery of 1812
The gallery is dedicated to the victory of Russian weapons over Napoleon. It was built according to the design of Karl Ivanovich Rossi and was inaugurated on the anniversary of Bonaparte’s expulsion from Russia, December 25, 1826, in the presence of the Imperial Court, generals, officers and soldiers awarded for participation in the Patriotic War of 1812 and in the foreign campaign of the Russian army of 1813 - 14 years On its walls are portraits painted by D. Doe of 332 generals who took part in the War of 1812 and foreign campaigns of 1813-1814. In addition, the galleries contain portraits of Emperor Alexander I and King Frederick William III of Prussia by F. Kruger, and a portrait of Emperor Franz I of Austria by P. Kraft. The prototype of the gallery was one of the halls of the Windsor Palace, dedicated to the memory of the Battle of Waterloo, in which portraits of participants in the Battle of the Nations were concentrated.
St. George (Great Throne) Hall
Created in 1787-1795 according to the design of Giacomo Quarenghi. The huge two-story room of the hall was designed in a classical style. Consecrated on November 26, 1795 on the day of St. George the Victorious, which is where it got its name. It was completely destroyed during a fire in 1837. At the direction of Emperor Nicholas I, the architect V. P. Stasov used white Carrara marble, delivered from Italy, to restore the hall. Due to the labor-intensive cladding, it was opened in 1841, later than other halls.
Above the throne place is a marble bas-relief “St. George the Victorious Slaying the Dragon with a Spear.” The pattern of gilded ornaments on the ceiling of the hall repeats the pattern of parquet made of 16 types of colored wood. The Great Imperial Throne was executed in London 1731-1732. N. Clausen by order of Empress Anna Ioannovna.
Official ceremonies and receptions took place in this hall.
In 1917, the symbols of the Russian Empire were removed from the throne place, and in the 1930s, it was completely dismantled. After the Great Patriotic War, a map of the Soviet Union made of gems, made for the 1937 Paris World Exhibition, was placed in the hall instead of the throne seat. In the 80s of the 20th century, the map was dismantled and transferred to Mining Museum. In 1997-2000, the throne seat was restored.
Big Church
The interior of the Great Church was created by F.B. Rastrelli in the Baroque style. On July 12, 1763, Archbishop Gabriel (Kremenetsky) of St. Petersburg consecrated the cathedral in the name of the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. After the devastating fire of 1837, the temple was restored by V. P. Stasov “with possible precision<…>in the same form." On March 25, 1839, Metropolitan of Moscow Philaret (Drozdov), in the presence of the Imperial family, consecrated the renovated cathedral. IN late XIX century, a belfry with five bells was built on the roof of the palace.
Picket (New) Hall
Completes the Great Enfilade. It was created by Vladimir Stasov after a fire in 1837 on the site of a staircase and two small rooms for distributing the internal guard - picket, hence the name of the hall.
The hall is dedicated to the history of the Russian army and became the logical conclusion of the general panorama located in the Gallery of the Patriotic War of 1812 and the Field Marshal's Hall. Guardsmen were on duty in the hall, this determines the severity and military theme in the interior design. The hall is decorated with reliefs depicting helmets, shields, spears, armor, and medallions with battle scenes.
Since 1979, the hall was closed; for 25 years the museum funds of the Oriental Department, carpets and other objects of art were stored in it. On December 9, 2004, the Picket Hall reopened to visitors.
Alexander Hall
This hall was built by Alexander Pavlovich Bryullov (brother of the artist K. P. Bryullov) in the 30s - 40s of the 19th century. According to the architect’s plan, this hall was supposed to perpetuate the memory of Emperor Alexander I. Also, this architect built five enfilades adjacent to the Alexander Hall, in which this moment there is a collection of French painting.
White Hall
Created by A.P. Bryullov for the wedding of the future Emperor Alexander II in 1841.
Big (Nikolaevsky) antechamber
The Nikolaevsky antechamber was conceived, like the Alexandersky one, to glorify the emperor. This hall is the most impressive interior of the Winter Palace in terms of size - its area is 1103 m². Adjacent to it Concert hall.
Golden living room
The Golden Living Room was designed and built by A.P. Bryullov in the 30s and 40s of the 19th century for the Grand Duchess, and subsequently Empress Maria Alexandrovna. Initially, the walls and vault were covered with white artificial marble, and only the thin stucco ornament that adorned them was highlighted with gilding. With the participation of the architect Vladimir Andreevich Schreiber, in the 1860s and 70s, the walls of the hall were covered with solid gilding. In the tragic days for Russia that followed the assassination of Alexander II on March 1, 1881, it was here, surrounded by elected members of the State Council, that the new Russian autocrat Alexander III decided the fate of the Russian Constitution and the reforms that his father had worked on and did not manage to complete.
Boudoir
The boudoir was also built by A.P. Bryullov, but completely redone in 1853 according to the design of Harald Bosse. Similar to an elegant snuffbox, the small room is stylized in the Rococo spirit with an abundance of carved gilded ornaments, mirrors and pictorial inserts. Part of the Boudoir, in the form of a kind of alcove, is separated by a step and a low figured lattice. The garnet-colored damask for finishing panels on walls, upholstering furniture, and for draperies on windows and doors was ordered in France from the Cartier factory.
October staircase
Created by O. R. Montferrand in the late 1820s. After the fire of 1837, it was restored by A.P. Bryullov almost without changes. The interior of the staircase is made in a classical style, richly decorated with grisaille paintings. It received its name in memory of the events of October 1917, when detachments of storming troops penetrated it into the Winter Palace. The captured ministers of the Provisional Government were taken out along the same stairs at 3 a.m. from October 25 to 26, 1917.
Malachite living room
The malachite living room was part of the personal chambers of Nicholas I’s wife, Alexandra Fedorovna. According to the will of the emperor, Bryullov included a rare semi-precious stone - malachite - in the decorative decoration of the hall. Since the 1830s, after the discovery of huge deposits of malachite in the Ural mines of the Demidovs, this stone began to be used more widely. In the Empress's front living room, columns, pilasters and fireplaces were made using a labor-intensive technique called “Russian mosaic”: thin plates of stone were glued to the base, the joint lines were filled with malachite powder, then the surface was polished. The combination of malachite with abundant gilding of the vault, doors, capitals of columns and pilasters caused delight. The guests did not know what to be more surprised at: “... the luxury of the material or the luxury of the artist’s thoughts<…>in the temple of wealth and taste." The hall was furnished with furniture stored during the fire, made in 1830 according to drawings by Auguste de Montferrand by master Heinrich Gambs. From the malachite living room there is access to the halls of the Neva Enfilade, completing the precious necklace of the historical interiors of the Winter Palace. The malachite living room is the only surviving example of decorating an entire residential interior with malachite.
Small (White) dining room
The small dining room was decorated in 1894 according to the design of A.F. Krasovsky. The interior decoration is made in the Rococo style and stylized as the 18th century. At the same time, the hall also contains items from the 20th century: an English chandelier with a musical mechanism, a French clock, Russian glass. On the windows there are tapestries woven at the St. Petersburg manufactory in the 18th century. The dining room was part of the residential enfilade of the family of Nicholas II.
On the night of October 25-26, 1917, during the storming of the Winter Palace, it was in the Small Dining Room that the Provisional Government, which was meeting here, was arrested. A memorial plaque installed in the dining room in 1957 on the mantelpiece commemorates this event.
Concert hall
Created by architect V.P. Stasov after the fire of 1837. The purpose of this hall is “deciphered” by its decoration: in the second tier there are statues of ancient muses and goddesses by the sculptor I. German, and allegorical figures with attributes of the arts are included in the decorative grisaille painting of the arch connecting the ceiling and walls. The concert hall houses a rich Hermitage collection of Russian silver from the 17th - early 20th centuries, the center of which is a unique monument of the 18th century - the silver tomb of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky.
Tourism
The Winter Palace is of great historical, cultural and artistic interest to tourists from Russia and all over the world. In 2009, the total number of visitors was 2,359,616. Approximately 500 thousand of them are foreigners.
Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia
Winter Palace in St. Petersburg: history and modernity. Who created the projects and built them, why didn’t all the owners like to live in the palace?
The main and largest residence of the Russian tsars, Winter Palace, is the creation of the architect Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli (1700 - 1771). An Italian Parisian who gave St. Petersburg such a recognizable ceremonial appearance.
The impressive building of the palace, with one of its facades reflected in the surface of the Neva, and with the other facing the huge one, inspires awe with its gigantic scale. When Russians look at him, they feel legitimate pride in their Motherland! The square along the embankment stretches 210 meters - its width is 175 meters!
Short description
The surviving Winter Palace complex was built in the mid-18th century in the Baroque architectural style. Characterized by splendor and richness of detail. Initially, the interiors were decorated in exactly the same style. Today it looks excessively pretentious.
In the 70s, under Catherine II, more modestly decorated rooms appeared inside. But, however, more elegant and stylish - they were created by architects Ivan Yegorovich Starov and Giacomo Quarenghi.
The exact number of internal halls is not reported anywhere: there are approximately 1,100 of them. Do not think that this is no match for, say, Madrid royal palace. It’s just that the area and height (2 floors) of the state halls of the royal residence have no precedents in Europe... and the world.
- The total area of the premises is approximately 60,000 m2
Note that the palace was not always painted turquoise and white. After the fire of 1837, for example, it was repainted sandy ocher. White columns and architectural decor initially stood out against the background of the walls, but later everything was painted over to look like sandstone.
Architect Karl Ivanovich Rossi, during the construction of the General Staff Building, proposed painting all the buildings on Palace Square in a strict gray color with the decor and columns highlighted in white. It was supposed to be extremely solemn... but the project was not approved.
Today, the Winter Palace has been restored to its historical color: turquoise walls with white columns and yellow architectural decor.
- It is interesting that until the second half of the 19th century, no buildings were built in St. Petersburg that were taller than the Winter Palace, that is, 23.5 meters!
What to see
The Winter Palace, as well as the Small, Old and New Hermitages later added to it, house collections. And one of the largest in the world, of course. The collection contains more than 3 million storage units!
In addition to the gigantic collection of paintings and sculptures, tapestries and vases, jewelry(Gold and Diamond storerooms - individual tickets and only with a guided tour!), Egyptian collection, visitors can see the original decoration of the front and residential suites. As well as halls for receptions and balls, chamber rooms for work and everyday life of royalty, their relatives and guests.
History and architecture
Initially, on the site where the Winter Palace is located, the mansion of Admiral Fyodor Matveevich Apraksin was located. Which is quite logical, since the Admiralty, which built the Russian fleet, is located nearby.
According to the memoirs of contemporaries, the admiral's estate was the largest and most beautiful in all of St. Petersburg. After the death of the naval commander, the buildings and lands were given to the young Emperor Peter II, since the Apraksins were relatives of the Romanovs.
First Winter Palace
in St. Petersburg was erected in the depths of the site between the Neva and Millionnaya streets. In 1712, the wooden two-story building was rebuilt in stone. Alexander Danilovich Menshikov presented it to the Tsar as a wedding gift.
In 1716-1720, the residence was rebuilt and expanded according to the design of the architect Georg Mattarnovi. Construction was carried out, among other things, on embankment territory reclaimed from the Neva.
The Second Winter Palace was located where the Hermitage Theater stands today. It is interesting that during the reconstruction of 1783-1787, the personal chambers of Peter I and Ekaterina Alekseevna on the first floor were carefully preserved.
Peter moved to the winter residence from his own in 1720. And here in 1725 the first emperor of Russia died (28.01 -8.02 according to the new style).
In 1732-1735, a third palace was built for Empress Anna Ioannovna. Based on a design created by Francesco Rastrelli's father, Carlo Bartolomeo. It was much larger than Peter's residence. And it was located mainly on the other side of the Winter Canal, closer to the Admiralty.
The era of Elizabeth Petrovna
During the time of Peter's daughter, who adored luxury, outbuildings and service buildings were being added to the palazzo. The complex grew beyond any master plan. And it looked more and more like some Istanbul Topkapi than a European residence. As a result, they decided that this was unworthy of a great empire and began building a new palace.
The complex that has survived to this day was built according to the design of the architect Rastrelli the Son. It was founded under Empress Elizabeth Petrovna (1754) and basically completed (1762) only under Catherine II.
The surviving building is considered the fifth Winter Palace. Because at the time of its construction, a fourth wooden one was built for Elizaveta Petrovna’s residence.
It was located a little further away: on Nevsky Prospekt, between Moika and Malaya Morskaya Street. Construction of the temporary residence took place in the spring and summer of 1755 and was completed by November.
The queen's private chambers were located along the Moika River, with windows overlooking the Stroganov Palace. Standing on the other side of the river.
The outbuilding in which the heir to the throne, the future Peter III, lived with his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna (future Catherine II) stretched along Malaya Morskaya Street.
Under Catherine II
In 1764, Empress Catherine II bought the collection, which laid the foundation for the world-famous Hermitage collection. Initially, the paintings were placed in the private chambers of the palace and were not available for inspection. And the name comes from the French l’Ermitage, that is, “secluded.”
- Completion, alteration (Catherine did not favor the “golden” splendor of her predecessor) and expansion of the palace continued throughout the reign of Catherine the Great (1762-1796)
Little has been preserved from the time of this empress - under Nicholas I, the interiors were thoroughly rebuilt. The preferences and tastes of Catherine’s brilliant era are evidenced only by
- the magnificent Loggias of Raphael, created from exact copies that arrived from Papal Palace in the Vatican;
- and the luxurious Great Palace Church, exactly recreated by Stasov after the fire of 1837.
A special building for the Loggias along the Winter Canal was created by Giacomo Quarenghi.
Elizabeth moved into her new winter residence long before finishing was completed. But her heir, Emperor Peter II, took the building into operation. Settled in new apartments in April 1762.
The enfilade of state halls occupied the entire length of the northern, Nevsky façade of the palace. And in the northeastern risalit there is the Ambassadorial or Jordanian staircase. Opposite her on the Neva at Epiphany, according to tradition, an ice hole was cut in which the water was blessed.
Empress Catherine II did not really like the Winter Palace, like her predecessor. Rastrelli was immediately dismissed from work, and the work was entrusted to the architect Jean-Baptiste Vallin-Delamote. In 1764-1775, he, in collaboration with Yuri Matveyevich Felten, created the Small Hermitage.
In which Catherine hosted private evenings and stored art collections. The empress was equipped for walks Hanging Garden.
The luxurious Pavilion Hall at the end of the building facing the Neva was created later, in the mid-19th century, according to the design of Andrei Ivanovich Stackenschneider. Today it houses the famous peacock clock and a unique ancient Roman mosaic.
From Paul to Nicholas II
Paul I was forced to live in the Winter Palace while his own residence, Mikhailovsky Castle, was being built. But the two subsequent emperors: Alexander I and Nicholas I, lived mainly here.
The first one loved to travel and therefore did not see much difference where he lived. The second literally personified himself with the power of Russia. And he could not imagine living in any other, smaller palace. Most of the surviving ceremonial and residential interiors date back to the reign of Nicholas I.
In the first third of the 19th century, according to the design of the architect Karl Ivanovich Rossi, a Military Gallery was created in memory of the heroes of the Patriotic War, and a number of other premises.
Fire of 1837 and restoration
By the way, it was under Nicholas I, in 1837, that a grandiose fire occurred in the Winter Palace. After which the residence was restored literally from scratch. The tragic incident happened shortly before Christmas, on the evening of December 17 (29 new style). The cause is believed to have been a fire in the chimney.
During the restoration, construction solutions that were innovative for that time were used. In particular, iron beams in the ceilings, and new chimney systems. And perhaps that is why the palace remained unchanged after the renovation - the ceremonial interiors turned out to be too luxurious...
The restoration work was led by: Vasily Petrovich Stasov and Alexander Pavlovich Bryullov. By the way, the brother of the famous painter who wrote the epic “The Last Day of Pompeii”. Over 8 thousand people worked at the construction site every day.
Most of the halls received a different decoration in the mature Russian Empire style. The interiors are much more luxurious than before.
Under Alexander II, the residential halls of the Winter Palace were thoroughly remodeled, decorating them according to the fashion of that time.
The next two kings chose not to live here. Alexander III and his family left the city for security reasons. And when he left the Great Gatchina Palace, he stopped at Anichkov on Nevsky Prospekt.
His eldest son, Nicholas II, mainly used the Winter Palace for luxurious balls. Although on the second floor of the western enfilade the personal apartments of the last emperor have also been preserved.
Foreign sovereigns who visited St. Petersburg usually lived here as if in a hotel. Entire suites of halls were dedicated to the needs of the next guest. The grand dukes also lived in the imperial residence - there was enough space for everyone.
Winter Palace: halls
The interiors were often rebuilt in accordance with the wishes of the new kings, but the main halls, the main purpose of which was to show off foreign sovereigns and envoys, as well as their own subjects, remained unchanged.
The Jordanian staircase, recreated on the site of Ambassador Rastrelli, received a luxurious design: a marble balustrade, giant double columns of Serdobol granite on the second floor, a picturesque “Olympus” lampshade with an area of 200 m2 on the ceiling by the Italian painter Gasparo Diziani...
Neva parade enfilade
It begins with the Nikolaevsky antechamber, followed by the stately and austere Great Nikolaevsky Hall. This is the largest room in the palace, its area is 1103 m2! Today the premises are used mainly for exhibitions.
Behind Nikolaevsky are the Concert Hall and (with windows on the Neva) the famous Malachite Living Room. The interior, decorated with 125 pounds of Ural malachite, was created by the architect Alexander Bryullov, who once opened the personal suite of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas I.
Alexandra Feodorovna, the bride of Nicholas II, was also dressed here for her wedding. Festive family breakfasts were also held here before the family moved to the Alexander Palace.
The following rooms were subsequently used as living rooms by Nicholas II - the apartments of the last emperor were located on the second floor opposite the Admiralty building.
Eastern enfilade
The main premises (from the Jordan Stairs perpendicular to the Neva) are opened by the Field Marshal's Hall, created before the fire of 1837 according to the design of Auguste Montferrand (the author of St. Isaac's Cathedral). It is decorated with portraits of great Russian commanders: Suvorov, Rumyantsev, Kutuzov.
Next comes the Petrovsky or Small Throne Hall, and behind it the majestic Armorial Hall, created by Stasov in 1837. On the left are: the Military Gallery of 1812 and the luxurious St. George or Great Throne Hall, all lined with Carrara marble.
Practical information
Address: Russia, St. Petersburg, Dvortsovaya embankment 32
Opening hours: 10:30 - 18:00: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday; 10.30-21.00: Wednesday, Friday. Monday - day off
Ticket prices: 600 rubles - adults (400 - for citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus), children under 18 years old, students and pensioners of the Russian Federation are admitted for free!
Official website: www.hermitagemuseum.org
You can get to the Winter Palace on foot from the Admiralteyskaya or Nevsky Prospekt metro stations: 5-10 minutes: look.
A question by which you can recognize a tourist on the streets of St. Petersburg: “Where is the Winter Palace?”
History of the construction of the Winter Palace
A masterpiece of architectural architecture, made in the Baroque style, is located on Palace Square. This is an amazing ensemble of monuments to Russian architecture. Get to Palace Square you can either take the metro or by land transport. It is best to walk, taking in the sights along the way, enjoying the solemn and majestic architecture of Northern Palmyra.
The building of the Winter Palace was built in the second half of the 18th century, commissioned by the beloved daughter of the first Russian emperor, according to the plans of the architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli. The Winter Palace was built in the Russian Baroque style.
From the end of construction in 1762 until 1904, the building served as the residence of the royal family in winter period. After the royal family moved to Tsarskoe Selo and before the formation of the State Hermitage, the odeon housed a hospital, the headquarters of the provisional government and the Museum of the Revolution, which was adjacent to the Hermitage before the start of the Second World War. The modern Winter Palace is the building of one of the main exhibitions of the Hermitage.
The Winter Palace is a building consisting of 4 wings, interconnected in the shape of a square, with a courtyard. The front side of the building faces the Admiralty, the river and Palace Square.
How to get to the Winter Palace?
Considering where the Winter Palace is located, the closest way to it is from the Admiralteyskaya metro station, the Frunzensko-Primorskaya branch of the St. Petersburg metro. Coming out of the metro on Kirpichny Lane, you need to turn right and after walking about 25 meters, turn onto Bolshaya Morskaya Street. Then move straight, without turning anywhere, to the roadway of Nevsky Prospekt. You need to cross the avenue, and from there it’s very close to the Arch of the General Staff, located in front of Palace Square, the place where the Winter Palace is located.
A little further walk from the Nevsky Prospekt metro station, the Naberezhnaya Pavilion, Griboyedov Canal. From the Nevsky Prospekt metro station, to get to the Winter Palace, you need to walk 4 blocks, crossing Malaya and Bolshaya Konyushennaya streets and the Moika River. Then turn right and exit onto Bolshaya Morskaya Street. From there you need to go to the Arch of the General Staff building to exit onto Palace Square.
Palace Square with the Winter Palace are the most popular place for walks among tourists. That is why any passerby can answer the question: “Where is the Winter Palace?”
Address of the Winter Palace: Palace Square, 2, Palace Embankment, 38.
The Hermitage is not only the greatest art museum, but also the main imperial residence for many years. Today I propose to examine the interiors of the palace, including those that served the royal family.
// Part 38
1. The palace, first of all, is a Baroque masterpiece by the famous Rastrelli. 
2. In front of it is the main square of the city - Dvortsovaya. 
3. The other side of the square is formed by the General Staff with the famous sixtyge on the arch. Now the left wing of the building belongs to the Hermitage, paintings from the collections of Shchukin and Morozov, as well as contemporary art will be exhibited there, the Museum of Awards, the Museum of the Guard, and Faberge Rooms will appear. 
4. For a long time this was the main flagpole of the country. 
5. The roof of the palace is filled with numerous sculptures and vases. 
6.
7.
8. In addition to the Winter Palace, the museum includes several buildings. There is even a covered passage over the canal - to the Hermitage Theater. 
9. The arch is thrown across the Winter Canal. 
10. Courtyard facades are not inferior to the front ones. 
11.
12. First of all, from the entrance we find ourselves on the main staircase, called the Jordan. 
13. It got its name from the feast of Epiphany, when a religious procession descended along it to the Neva to plunge into the wormwood - the Jordan. 
14. Originally built by Rastrelli, the staircase burned down in 1837 and was restored by the architect Stasov. 
15. The staircase ceiling looks great as a backdrop for fresh flowers. 
16. In general, when walking around the Hermitage, you need to constantly look up. 
17. Absolutely everywhere the vaults are covered with different, but always magnificent ornaments. 
18.
19.
20.
21.
22. Throwing back our heads, we quietly reached the White Hall. 
23. It was created by A.P. Bryullov for the wedding of the future Emperor Alexander II in 1841 on the site of three living rooms. 
24. Raphael’s loggias were created in the 1780s by the architect G. Quarenghi, commissioned by Empress Catherine II. They imitate the gallery of the Vatican Palace, painted according to sketches by Raphael. 
25. The loggias are located in the New Hermitage building, not far from the main staircase. 
26. The new Hermitage was built in 1842-1852 according to the design of the German architect Leon Klenze. 
27. Next we will examine a number of rooms in the Old Hermitage, decorated with 19th-century interiors. 
28. The unfinished rooms display furniture, carpets, paintings, etc. 
29. But the window frames and many of the glasses in them are original, from tsarist times. 
30. The interiors are decorated in different styles. 
31. Strict classics. 
32.
33.
34. Lush baroque. 
35.
36.
37. Imperial style of Alexander I. 
38.
39. Gothic. 
40.
41. Wonderful library in gothic style, which belonged to Nicholas II. 
42.
43.
44. Here is a living room in the style of the “second” Rococo. 
45.
46.
47. Mother of pearl inlaid tabletop. 
48.
49. In addition to a general overview of the interiors, it is also interesting to look into the details. 
50. Sometimes you notice funny things. 
51. But here is a distinctly Russian interior. 
52. And even a boudoir with an oriental flavor. 
53. The Armorial Hall, preparing for the next exhibition. 
54. The main throne of the Russian Empire was located in the Great Throne, or St. George's Hall. 
55. Crimson boudoir of Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Alexander II. It was created in 1853 according to the design of the architect G.A. Bosse in the style of the “second” Baroque. The hall is divided into two zones, separated by a decorative arched alcove. 
56. Directly above the boudoir there was a room for maids of honor, and the empress could hear the patter of feet of the children of Catherine Dolgoruky, the long-term mistress of Alexander II. 
57. The hall amazes with the richness of its decoration, but the knowledge of the family drama that took place here evokes a gloomy mood. 
58. Last shot - Hanging Garden of the Small Hermitage. During the siege, museum employees built a vegetable garden here, which allowed many not to die of hunger. 
After the death of Anna Ioannovna, Elizaveta Petrovna shouldered the leadership of the reconstruction of the palace. According to her decision, the construction of new extensions began in 1752. The territory chosen for them belonged to two wealthy gentlemen, from whom the land was quickly purchased. Construction was carried out under the leadership of Rastrelli, who considered it appropriate to build extensions in the same style with the appearance of the entire palace. At the end of 1752, the Empress had another idea - to change the size of the palace, making it more impressive. The architect considered that it would be easier to rebuild the palace in another place than to fulfill Elizabeth’s wishes. At first glance, this is not entirely logical, but there is an explanation for this decision. Elizaveta Petrovna once looked at the palace from the side and saw that it had become like a chicken coop - disfigured by outbuildings built here and there. According to the empress, the main purpose of the palace was to demonstrate the power of the state; this was not feasible with the existing structure. Therefore, a project was signed according to which it was planned to demolish the existing palace and build a new one on the same site. 
Empress Catherine, who ascended the throne, freed Rastrelli from further work, appointing Betsky as chief architect. It was he who supervised the finishing of the interior. 
Initially it was called the main one, because it was through it that all the guests walked to the Paradnaya. entered the palace. It is famous for the fact that through it, on Epiphany, believers walked in procession to the bathhouse - Jordan. The path lay along the Jordan Stairs to the Neva. Now it does not exist - Rastrelli’s creation was completely burned out in a fire. Today in its place there is a completely different one, in the style of classicism. The color, sculptures and statues decorating it have been changed.
All special events, ceremonies, and receptions have been held here since 1795. The author of the project is Giacomo Quarneghi. By order of Nicholas I, during restoration work, the hall was decorated with Italian white marble. A marble bas-relief depicting St. George the Victorious, having dealt with the dragon, was installed above the throne. During the years of Soviet power, the throne was removed, and in its place appeared a unique map of precious stones (45 thousand units) depicting the republics of the Soviet Union. Now it is in the mountain museum, and a throne place has been installed in the hall again.
The project was carried out by A. Bryullov, it was supposed to decorate the interior in memory of Emperor Alexander I. Today an exhibition of silver is on display here 
Very impressive in size, it appeared at the end of the 17th century instead of three Rastrelli halls. Its area is more than 1100 square meters. After the death of Nicholas I, his portrait was installed here, decorated with a large frame with a double-headed eagle. It is unknown where the portrait went in 1930. Unfortunately, now it is rare to enjoy the splendor of the interior: since the Soviet era, it began to be used for temporary and traveling exhibitions, which causes damage to the external appearance. In addition, the hall is often closed to visitors; its decoration is sometimes impossible to see behind the plywood shelves and partitions with exhibits.