Saint Michael's Castle

Lore & Background

Saint Michael's Castle was constructed to the south of the Summer Garden, replacing a small wooden palace of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Emperor Paul I, afraid of intrigues and assassination plots, disliked the Winter Palace and ordered a castle-like residence with an octagonal courtyard, surrounded by the Moika and Fontanka Rivers and two specially dug canals, making it an artificial island accessible only by drawbridges. Construction began on 26 February (N.S. 9 March) 1797, and the castle was consecrated on 8 November 1800, St Michael's Day, though interior work continued until March 1801.

In 1800, the bronze equestrian Monument to Peter the Great, designed during Peter's lifetime and cast in 1745–1747 by Carlo Bartolomeo Rastrelli (the father), was placed in front of the castle. Paul I ordered the inscription 'From Great Grandson to Great Grandfather' on its pedestal, which features bas-reliefs designed by Mikhail Kozlovsky and others, depicting scenes from the Great Northern War. Paul I was assassinated only 40 nights after moving in, on 12 March 1801, in his bedroom by dismissed officers led by General Bennigsen. After his death, the imperial family returned to the Winter Palace, and the castle was abandoned until 1823, when it was given to the army's Main Engineering School, thereafter known as the Engineers' Castle.

In the early 1990s, Saint Michael's Castle became a branch of the Russian Museum, housing its Portrait Gallery of Russian emperors, empresses, and dignitaries from the late 17th to early 20th century. A massive renovation began in 1991, lasting over 30 years, with completion expected in 2024 as of 2021.

Reader's Guide

Saint Michael's Castle stands as a unique architectural and historical monument in Saint Petersburg, embodying the personal fears and romantic ideals of Emperor Paul I. Its design, combining French Classicism, Italian Renaissance, and Gothic motifs, along with Maltese symbolism from Paul's role as Grandmaster of the Order of Malta, creates a 'costumed architecture' that anticipates the Empire style. The castle's transformation into an artificial island with drawbridges reflects Paul's obsession with security, yet he was murdered there shortly after moving in. Later, as the Engineers' Castle, it housed a military engineering academy, and since the 1990s, it has served as a museum branch, preserving official portraits and undergoing extensive restoration. Its legacy lies in its dramatic history, eclectic architecture, and role as a symbol of imperial power and vulnerability.

Did You Know?

• Saint Michael's Castle was built as a residence for Emperor Paul I of Russia by architects Vincenzo Brenna and Vasily Bazhenov in 1797–1801.
• The castle was surrounded by the Moika River, Fontanka River, and two specially dug canals, making it an artificial island accessible only by drawbridges.
• Paul I was assassinated only 40 nights after moving into the castle, on 12 March 1801, in his own bedroom.
• In 1823, the castle was given to the army's Main Engineering School and became known as the Engineers' Castle.