Overview:

The Wooden Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (Деревянное Дворцоводство Царя Алексея Михайловича) is an important cultural heritage site in Russia. Located just outside of Moscow, it was built in 1681 and served as the main residence for the tsar until his death in 1682. The palace was designed by a team of renowned architects, and features beautiful details and grand architecture. It is one of the most significant wooden landmark buildings in the country. The three-storey palace is made of pre-assembled cedar log cabins, with magnificently carved small windows, and features a huge and intricate White Tower which rises 33 metres into the air. The palace has recently been renovated and is now open to the public. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Russia
Prominent Features:

The grand, European-inspired wooden palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was built in the early 17th century at the behest of the Tsar and his father, Tsar Mikhail I. The palace represented a major expansion of Moscow’s Kremlin complex at the time and was an early example of a wooden palace on such a grand scale. The palace was located close to the Kremlin in what is now the heart of modern-day Moscow and is located on the corner of two prominent streets, Bolshaya and Malaya Sadovaya. It was designed by the English architect Stephen White and was built in the traditional Russian style with several gabled roofs, numerous towers, and flagpoles, as well as extensive wooden decorations featuring carvings and fretwork. The main palace consisted of a rectangular, two-story building with each side measuring around 68 meters. It was surrounded by a wooden fence and extensive gardens. Alexei Mikhailovich used the palace as his main residence and it became a center of power in Muscovite Russia. The palace was home to various state Councils, such as the boyar court and the princely council. The palace was also the site of several important coronations and processions of Moscow’s tsars and noble families. The palace burned down in a devastating fire in 1690 and was never completely rebuilt. However, some of the less ornate buildings and structures on the palace grounds were restored, and the palace grounds continued to be used as detailed in the present-day Moscow City Plan. Today, the palace is remembered for its grandeur and role in Muscovite politics and society. In fact, a monument of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich stands at the exact spot where the palace once stood. The palace grounds are now home to the Moscow City Duma - the local government administrative building. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Russia.

History:

The Wooden Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was one of the grandest and most extravagant wooden palaces from the 17th century in Russia. It was constructed near the Semenovsky barracks in Moscow between 1672 and 1681 and was a lavish testament to the power of the Romanov dynasty and the prowess of the Tsar’s military. Built on the orders of Tsar Alexei, the Wooden Palace was composed of two separate wooden palace components, the main palace and the smaller summer palace. Both palaces were intricately decorated and designed in the Russian Baroque style complete with multiple towers and domes. The main palace consisted of three stories and forty five rooms. The lavish decorations included detailed architectural designs, elaborate mosaic tilework, and luxurious porcelain, leather, and fur stucco. The palace also featured a long gallery that housed some of the Tsar's most cherished possessions, including his famous portrait of Tsar Nicholas I painted by Karl Briullov and Catharine's throne and scepter. There was also a library, a large ballroom, and stables that housed the Tsar's prized horses. The summer palace was also notable, featuring an orangery and a puppet theater. The Tsar used this smaller palace during the summer months to relax and entertain, often hosting extravagant feasts and parties. The grandeur of the Wooden Palace eventually faded when the royal family was overthrown in 1917, and the architecture soon fell into disrepair. Despite this, the remnants of the palace serve as an important and lasting reminder of the wealth and splendour of the monarchs of the Tsardom of Russia. Visit one of the famous monuments of Russia with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. The Wooden Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was the first large-scale royal residence to be erected in Russia. 2. It was built in the year 1676 at the Moscow Kremlin and was location for much of the Court’s ceremonial life. 3. The palace was constructed using a vast assortment of wooden posts and beams which were said to be environmentally-friendly and fire-resistant. 4. The post-and-beam building techniques used at the Wooden Palace formed the foundations for all subsequent large-scale wooden buildings built in Russia. 5. The palace was destroyed by a large fire in 1701 and subsequently rebuilt by Tsar Peter the Great in 1709. 6. The building was destroyed a second time in 1737, this time by an earthquake. 7. After the earthquake, it was not rebuilt and remained a ruin until 1812, when it was standard by Napoleon’s army. 8. In 1947, the remains of the original palace were re-erected, although much of the original building had to be reconstructed using later-period materials. One of the historical monuments of Russia, it tells the story of a bygone era