Restoring of Menshikov Palace Architectural Decoration. Installation of Princely Crowns and Vases

With the official inauguration on 22 October, 2002, of the princely crowns and vases, the restoring of the architectural decoration of the Menshikov Palace's southern facade was completed.
The Palace of Menshikov became the first big stone building in St. Petersburg. The grand edifice with its high angular roof, sculptures and princely crowns is both a memento and a symbol of the age of Peter I. It is here that were gathered architects of St. Petersburg and founders of the Russian navy, issued laws, developed foreign policy of the Russian state and held the famous Assemblies.
The death of Peter I in 1725 closed this epoch in the Palace's history. In 1727 Alexander D. Menshikov was exiled. The architectural view of the building changed, wooden statues and princely crowns were taken off from the pediment, while the high tent-like top was transformed into an ordinary roof with two slopes.

Systematic examination of the building was commenced in the 1950s. The general restoration project developed in 1976 was based on the architectural design of the palace during its golden age in the first quarter of the 18th century.
The high angular roof of the Menshikov Palace was restored in 1980. However the restoration of the southern facade decorations including crowns and vases which were the most characteristic features of the building in Peter's time was not completed when most of the restoration work was finished in the Palace by 1981. Official acceptance report of 31 December, 1980, specified that the pediment as an important detail of the Menshikov Palace external view should be restored during the second stage of the works. First models of the crowns and vases were made in 1982.

Their final restoration was performed during 2001-2002 by a team of St. Petersburg architects, historians and restorers headed by the Hermitage Director Mikhail B. Piotrovsky. The techniques of galvanoplastics and punching were used after the steel frame was thoroughly primed and coated with fiber glass fabric to prevent copper contact with the frame.

The restoration of crowns and vases is another step in the restoration of the architectural decor which the Menshikov Palace had before the 1730s. The regaining by the Palace of its original appearance is especially symbolic on the eve of the tercentenary of St. Petersburg.

Crown and vases before installation

Installation

Michail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum and Georgi Vilinbakhov, Deputy Director for esearch at the ceremony

Restored Architectural Decoration