5: The Main Staircase

The two gently ascending flights of the Main Staircase lead to the upper floor of the palace, the state rooms and the owners' apartments. We see the staircase now as it was created in 1716-20. An arcade with Corinthian columns separates the stairwell from the upper vestibule, the entrance to which is decorated with columns linked by arches. The walls are painted in imitation of marble. The panels beneath the upper tier of windows once contained paintings in the grisaille technique, but only fragments of these now remain.
The authentic stained-oak stairs emphasize the historic character of the interior. In the early 18th century these stairs were climbed by Peter the Great, his wife Catherine, many famous statesmen and soldiers and also foreign diplomats.