Saint Michael's Castle

Saint Michael’s Castle is located on Sadovaya Street and is the architectural monument, completing Saint-Petersburg architecture of the XVIII century. A lot of tourists and citizens visit Saint Michael’s Castle. The particular interest for visitors is the secrets and legends, connected with the mysterious death of the first owner of the castle.

The building of the Saint Michael’s Castle was erected in 1797-1801 by the design of the architect V. Bazhenov and V. Brenna and combined different tricks and architectural styles. The castle was constructed as the main residence of the Emperor, and got the name “Mikhailovsky” (Saint Michael’s castle) in honor of the archangel Michael, the defender of the Romanov dynasty. Nowadays, the building, which looks like the medieval castle, is the only one extant construction, erected in the romantic classicism style. Originally, the Saint Michael’s Castle was completely surrounded b water, reminding the island. Unusual design of the building was caused by the fear of the palace revolution, which constantly overcame the Emperor Paul I during his reign. The Saint Michael’s Castle was erected so that he had a chance to avoid the sabotage. However, the unusual planning of the castle didn’t guard Paul I. He lived in his residence for 40 days, whereupon, he received a severe beating and was stabbed to death in his own chambers. After the tragic events of that night, the Saint Michael’s Castle was moved to the balance of the Department of the Royal court.

In 1823 the castle was given to the Main Engineering School and the building got its new name – Engineers’ Castle. After the death of the sponsor of the school – Nicholas I, the constitution was named “Nikolayevskaya Engineering Academy”. The best cultural and historical workers taught and graduated from the academy, among them poets, scientists, musicians, heroes and many others.

After the Great Patriotic War in the building there were the Soviet institutions. The palace rooms were divided up and down and the decorations were painted. The scale reconstruction of the building and its inner interiors is held since the beginning of 1990s. In the beginning of the XXI century the part of the part of the defensive constructions, which earlier surrounded the building, had been recovered. In consequence of that the parts of the Trekhproletniy bridge and Voskresensky Channel were opened. Thanks to the historical researches, archeological works and architectural plans, scientists managed to reconstruct the main complex of the Paul’s I reign.

The Saint Michael’s Castle is shroud in myths and legends, connected with the mysterious death of the emperor. One of the versions says that a couple months before the murder of Paul I, some beata appeared in Saint-Petersburg and predicted the death to the emperor: “You have left as many years, as many letters in the inscription over the Voskresenskie Gates of the castle”. That inscription said: «Дому твоему подобаеть святыня господня въ долготу дней» (rus) – biblical aphorism, which contains 47 letters, the same age the emperor was at the moment of his murder. There is one more legend, according to which the ghost of Paul I didn’t find peace and still wanders over the empty hall of The Saint Michael’s Castle. As for the unusual color of the walls, there are two more legends too: the first one says, that it was chosen in honor of the Paul’s favorite Anna Lopukhina, the second one – that it is connected with the traditions of the Order of Malta.

The miracle of luxury and taste – that is how the contemporary speak of the inner decoration of The Saint Michael’s Castle. The art experts, painters, artists worked on the inner decoration of the castle. As well as the most of the palace of that times, the Saint Michael’s Castle represents the main residence of the emperor and the art gallery. The Hall of Antiquities, Museum of Arabesques, Raphael and Laookon – enfilade of the magnificent galleries, decorated with the real masterpieces from the personal collection of Paul I. The majority of the objects of the palace decoration were created by the design of the architects C. Rossi and V. Brenna.