Another Restoration Project Completed by the 300th Anniversary of St. Petersburg

To mark the 300th Anniversary of St. Petersburg, restoration of the Commandant Entrance, parquet in the Antechamber, Nicholas and Concert Halls of the Winter Palace, and the facade and Arch of the General Staff has been completed.

Parquet Restoration in the Antechamber, Nicholas and Concert Halls

Restoring the Winter Palace interiors after the 1837 conflagration, Vasily Stasov was inspired by the monumental Russian classicism of the 1830s. The parquet in the Antechamber, Nicholas and Concert Halls was designed in exactly this style.

These rooms are frequently used for temporary exhibitions, which put great stress on their floors. The layer of varnish has become so thick that the parquet design could almost not be seen.

In the beginning of 2003, the parquet in the Antechamber and Nicholas Hall was restored by OOO Viktoriya, in the Concert Hall, by OOO Abris Dizayn-studiya.

Restoration in the Nicholas (1,101 sq.m) and Concert (390 sq.m) Halls was complicated due to the area and condition of the parquet. 30% of the parquet and underlying floor was to be replaced.

Restorers discovered under the Concert Hall floor three interconnected rooms totaling 100 sq.m, accessible through a hidden hatchway. The electrical wires and switchboards which have been ideally preserved there shed a new light on the history of the Winter Palace and, in particular, its engineering infrastructure.

Parquet in the Antechamber (394 sq.m) was completely recreated with the use of the original design, color and wood species, and the underlying floor was replaced.

The parquet floor design (sketches, drawings, templates, species selection) was prepared by T.S. Troshina. Central rosette of the old floor has been preserved intact.

Commandant Entrance Restoration Completed

OOO LYUMIR (St. Petersburg) has restored the Winter Palace’s Commandant Entrance and overhauled its engineering networks. Walls, pylons, columns and vaults have been plastered anew in the vestibule and lobby and small details of decor have been restored. The color of the mastic paint on walls and vaults was approved by the Department of Architecture History and Restoration (headed by the Hermitage Senior Architect V.P. Lukin) and the Historic Heritage Preservation Office. Stone floor has been cleaned, and cracks and hollows have been filled.

Entrance door is made from pine wood and painted green according to the original design. Lobby door is made from pine wood and coated with oak veneer. Brass hinges, latches, locks and knobs have been either restored or replaced. Two new heat curtains have been installed in the lobby. Wooden lamp-brackets, which prior to the restoration had bronze tint, have regained their original dark green color.

Electrical wires have been replaced and a new switchboard has been installed in the Commandant Entrance.

Alarm system has been upgraded and new video cameras, fire extinguishers and telephone cables have been provided.

Restoration of the General Staff Facade and Arch

One of the key elements in the Big Hermitage Reconstruction Program is the restoration of the East Wing and Arch of the General Staff’s building.

In 2003, the general facade restoration was completed, commissioned by the Historic Heritage Preservation Office. The work was performed by the French company Societe meridionale pour reparation et restauration des facades et batiments.

Plaster has been restored and walls have been painted; windows, doors and gates have been repaired; balcony balusters have been restored and their gilding has been recreated; all marble elements have been replaced; and the cast iron balustrade has been cleaned and painted.

Restoration of the metal decorations of the General Staff Arch required a lot of efforts. Along with the Chariot of Glory, the Arch bears complicated multifigure compositions including statues, high reliefs and rosettes; about one thousand details are made from knocked-out copper sheets, except two high relief fragments (the armor decorating the Arch front is made from cast iron). After cleaning, soldering and other operations, all the decor details were coated with a special prime substance and paint protecting them from corrosion and other environmental effects.

The Malachite Drawing-room

Detail of the parquet floor

The arch of the General Staff building

The Chariot of Glory