This staircase was restored after the fire of 1837 by Alexander Briullov who left the design of Auguste de Montferrand (early 1830s) almost intact. The stairway led to the private rooms and was notable for the strictness and clearness of its composition characteristic of Classicism. The motif of glory dominates the décor of the interior - the bas-relief over the windows depicts a triumphal procession, allegoric compositions in the lunettes represent female figures bending in front of the double-headed eagle, statues of antique gods occupy the space in the niches. The interior is richly decorated with painting in grisaille, the central part of the ceiling bears the medallion showing the Apollo chariot. The staircase derives its name from the revolutionary events of October 1917 when the storming groups burst into the Winter Palace by this stairway.