5. Шереметевский Дворец на Фонтанке: несколько музеев под одной крышей/The Sheremetev Palace: several museums under one roof, 1740s-1750s

Authors: architects - an unknown architect (1730 - 1740), S.I. Chevakinskiy, F.S. Argunov (1750 - 1755), I.Ye. Starov, G. Quarenghi, A.N. Voronikhin (1760 - 1800), I.D.Korsini (1837 -1840), N.L. Benois (1867)Address: Naberezhnaya reki Fontanki, 34In 1712 a small plot on the left bank of the Fontanka River was presented by Peter I to Field-Marshal Boris Peirovich Sheremetev. A wooden house was soon built on that place. In early 1740s a vast stone one-storeyed Palace was erected on that site lo replace a wooden construction. In 1750s to the design by S. Chevakinskiy the second floor was overbuilt (supposedly to ihc drawings made by F.-B. Rastrelli). In 1760 - 1840 the interior decor was carried out by I. Starov, G. Quarenghi and A. Voronikhin.The facade of the edifice faces the Fontanka and consists of three parts: the central part and two wings. The facade is decorated with moulded heads above the windows and a wonderful ornament. At the back of the Palace once there was a large regular park with Antique sculpture and fountains. Among its curiosities there were the Chinese Pavilion, Grotto Pavilion and the Hermitage. When the plot was sold out the park was demolished and blocks of flats were erected on that spot.In 1837 - 1838 to the design by I. Korsini railings were constructed in front of the Palace: decorated with gilded bronze details they had the arch ornamented with the Sheremetev coai-of-arms. In 1867 to the project by N. Benois a one-storeyed household wing with the gates built in the left part of the slate courtyard was included in the Palace ensemble.On the First floor of the Palace there were household premises, kunslkammer and rigskammer - a room for keeping the armour. The second floor was occupied by the enfilade of stale apartments: the one alongside the central facade, and the other along the park side. The side wings housed living apartments and the Church of Saint Varvara. The interior of the Palace was lavishly decorated with gilded carving, painted plafonds, beautiful draperies, colourful parquet. Furniture, pictures, silvery and porcelain sets were brouyht from Europe. Unfortunately the lavish decor of the apartments hasn't survived up to nowadays.The Palace can boast a lot of outstanding personalities that were its guests. For example, Glinka and Kiprenskiy who painted a famous portrait of Alexander Pushkin in the Sheremetev Palace. The Sheremcievs had the orchestra and the theatre with the troupe consisting of the most talented serves. Among them was a future wife of Nikolay Shcremeicv - an outstanding Russian actress Praskovya Kovalyova whose stage-name was Parasha Zhemchugova (died after having given birth lo a son, N. Sheremetev died six yeas later).Five generations of the Sheremeievs were owners of the Palace up lo the Revolution of 1917. After the Revolution S. Shercmeiev gave ihc keys lo the new authority. The Palace became a national monument and its last owner became the scientist-keeper of it. Most of the Sheremeievs' values were presented to the largest museums of Moscow and Saint-Petersburg. In 1989 the Palace was officially given to ihe Museum of Theatre and Music that can boast the richesl inHurope collection of rare musical instruments (more than 3000 items». The permanent exposition entitled The Sheremetevs and the Musical Life of Saint-Petersburg of 18^th - early 20^th cent, was opened in the Museum in 1995. There is also a very interesting exposition dedicated to the foreign life of an outstanding conductor Alexander Glazunov - The Heritage Returned. In the Palace wing one can visit the Memorial Apartment-Museum of Anna Akhmatova who had been living there from 1924 till 1952.