Built at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, at that time Mikhailovsky, and now Engineering, the castle was to become the main residence of Emperor Paul the First. The place was not chosen by chance: the confluence of the Fontanka with the Moika has always been associated with the imperial family.
At the beginning of the eighteenth century, there were Summer Gardens on this territory, laid out under Peter, and later, in 1745, a summer residence was erected here for Pavel's great-aunt, Elizabeth Petrovna, within whose walls the future Russian emperor was born.
The monarch always remembered his happy childhood spent here with warmth. And once he said that he wanted to die in the place where he was born.
The engineer's castle designed by Bazhenov was built for a long twelve years, immediately after Paul's ascension to the throne. The dilapidated summer residence was demolished, and in 1797 the construction of the Mikhailovsky Palace began.
The Emperor was in such a hurry to finish the construction that for the sake of the groundbreaking ceremony he took off the day of mourning for Catherine II and Peter III.
For four years, Pavel personally followed the work.
The name of the new palace - "Mikhailovsky Castle" - was associated with his passion for chivalry and the closeness to his soul of the image of the archangel of the same name. The architecture of medieval buildings has always attracted him. Therefore, Paul's decree also called "castles" his other residences, both urban and suburban: Winter, Tsarskoye Selo, etc.
To complete the work as soon as possible, construction materials from all other large construction sites were delivered to the Mikhailovsky or Engineering Castle: decorative stone, columns, sculptures were brought from the Academy of Arts and Tsarskoye Selo, the frieze placed above the main gate - from St. Isaac's Cathedral, parquet - from Tauride Palace.
The main entrance to the palace has been radically transformed. Approaches to the building started from Italian Street, passed through semi-circular triple gates, the middle passage of which was intended only for the royal family.
Behind the gate was a wide and straight alley, on the sides of which there were stables and an arena. It ended at the three-story guardhouses, followed by fortifications.
Constable Square ended in a wide moat, and a wooden drawbridge was thrown over it.
On the first day of February 1801, the imperial family moved to the Mikhailovsky Palace, and just forty days later Pavel was killed. His wish came true: he was born and died in this place.
In 1819, the palace was transferred to the disposal ofengineering school. From here came its other name - "Engineering Castle" - which was officially assigned to it since 1823.
Known for his penchant for ostentation, for parades and balls, Pavel practically “stuffed” his palace with we alth and luxury. The engineering castle, the photo of which is striking not only by the monumentality of the building, but also by the chic interior decoration, combines a variety of interiors made of malachite, marble, jasper and lapis lazuli with wooden carved elements, amazing molding, velvet upholstery sheathed in silver, with works by the most famous artists.
Mikhailovsky Palace has always been full of mysteries and legends. They say that on the day of the consecration of the castle, a golden-haired young man appeared to the sentry of the royal army, who ordered something to be conveyed to the emperor. Immediately after the assassination of Paul, the imperial family left the palace. However, for another year, his ghost in the Engineering Castle frightened the employees of the Court Office, who moved here.
