Tauride Palace
Catherine the Great encouraged neoclassicism in architecture, which is similar to most European monarchs at the period. A fine example of the neoclassic architecture is the Tauride palace, built in 1783-9 by the architect Ivan Starov (1745-1808) for Catherine's favourite, Grigorii Potemkin, himself a lavish patron of the arts. The interior of the palace was luxuriously embellished; comparatively, the exterior was modestly simple, redolent of 'antique elegance'.
Tauride palace is one of the largest and the most historic palaces in Saint Petersberg, which became the new capital of Russia since tsar Peter the Great's reign. |
Catherine Palace
Catherine's preference in architecture started from Rococo and Gothic Revival architecture during the first decade of her reign. But her taste gradually changed to Neoclassicism in the 1780s. She learned neoclassicism from French style of Clerisseau and Ledoux, which is mixed with Roman motifs.
One of Catherine's favorite architect, Scot Charles Cameron, built her a gallery addition to the Catherine Palace at Tsarskoe Selo in the shape of a Greek temple that is for the display of antique busts of Catherine the Great. Also, the summer residence, where was set in a picturesquely landscaped park dotted with Greek temples and rotundas, was built by Cameron in 1782-6 for Grand Duke Paul and his wife. |
Gothic Palace at Tsaritsyno
According to the style of Catherine's gallery, she favored neoclassicism. But her tastes also extended to neo-Gothic styles with classicism. The gothic palace at Tsaritsyno, the church and palace at Chesme can be good examples of the advent of new style in Russia. The palace designed by Vasili Bazhenov (1737-99) was not completed.
The advent of neoclassical principles were also applied to the major cities in order to inculcate civic pride in her subjects. St. Petersburg, which was the capital under her reign, gave visual impression to the visitors with antique harmony and order. |