Saint Michael's Castle, Castle in the city center of Saint Petersburg, Russia
Saint Michael's Castle is a palace in the center of Saint Petersburg, designed with each of its four outer sides showing a different architectural expression. At its core sits an octagonal courtyard, once surrounded by water channels that gave the complex a fortified character.
Paul I commissioned this fortified residence in 1797 and moved in four years later. Just 40 days after settling in, he was murdered in his rooms in March 1801, ending the palace's brief period as an imperial home.
The name honours Archangel Michael, patron of the Romanov dynasty, and Paul I's habit of calling his residences castles as Grand Master of the Order of Malta. Since the early 1990s the building has housed the Russian Museum's Portrait Gallery, with official portraits of emperors, empresses and dignitaries from the late 17th to the early 20th century.
The exhibition rooms open daily except on Tuesdays, and guided tours are offered in several languages. The entrance is located at 2 Sadovaya Street, in the center of the city, easily reached on foot or by public transport.
The walls still carry their original orange color, an uncommon choice for imperial buildings in 18th-century Russia. This shade was reportedly chosen to match a glove belonging to a lady admired by Paul I.
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