The pair of wrought-iron grilles in the railing of the Main Vestibule were created from four-sided rods of iron and display the scroll-like twists characteristic of the early 18th century. The design takes the form of two monograms interlaced — PP (Petrus Primus) for Peter the Great and AM for Alexander Menshikov. These unique pieces are testimony to the high standard of metal-working in St Petersburg at that time and to the palace’s role as a centre of public life. Here Menshikov, the governor-general acting on behalf of Peter I, was expected to organize formal receptions for diplomats and celebrations in the event of military victories. The design of the grille is proof of the closeness between the palace’s owner and the Tsar, something that Menshikov strove to emphasize in every possible way. It is known that such interlaced monograms were incorporated into the design of flower-beds at Menshikov’s estates at Oranienbaum and outside Moscow.