During the restoration of 1966-80 in the north-eastern corner of the Large Chamber a fragment of the unique flat wood-and-brick ceiling from the 1710s was discovered. The Menshikov Palace is the only place in St Petersburg where such a structure has survived. This type of ceiling is distinctive in having the spaces between the wooden joists filled with bricks that strengthened the ceiling and made it possible to plaster it smoothly, in keeping with the latest European fashion, and to line it with canvas, decorative fabrics or to cover it with paintings. The flat ceilings characteristic of Western European architecture, which also improved the fire-resistance of the building, appeared in Russia in the first quarter of the 18th century, replacing the traditional vaulted ceilings.