Menshikov Palace, Baroque palace on Universitetskaya Embankment, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The Menshikov Palace is a three-story Baroque building on Universitetskaya Embankment in Vasileostrovsky District, Saint Petersburg, Russia, serving as a museum of art and living culture. The structure extends across several connected wings facing the Neva River and shows a central projection with pilasters and large windows.
Prince Alexander Menshikov had the palace built from 1710 as his residence shortly after Peter I began founding Saint Petersburg. Following the prince's downfall and exile to Siberia in 1727, the building passed to the state and was later assigned to the Cadet Corps.
Visitors today walk through rooms lined with Delft tiles and Italian marble that show how wealthy Russians adopted Western European styles during that period. The name recalls the favorite of Peter the Great, whose coat of arms still appears on several interior walls.
Visitors should bring warm clothing, as interior temperatures are kept lower during winter months to protect historical materials. Guided tours are offered in several languages and help understand the room layout and the purpose of each hall.
This building was the first stone house in the city and initially served as an unofficial center of social life where Peter I often held receptions. Original laminated parquet floors from the 1710s remain on the second floor.
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