The Home of the Last Tsar - Romanov and Russian History

History - History of Repairs to the Palace

1795 Alexander I orders installation of private bath and staircase

1796 June 12, Alexander and Elizabeth move in
Grill installed between columns of outer line (unknown when it vanishes)

1809 Repair of Alexander Palace by Luigi Ruska
Inventory of Palace Furnishings

1818 Only one wing (Western) of palace is heated

1822 Underground pipe for draining the palace cellar installed along Srednaya Street

1826 Tiled Dutch and Swedish stoves installed
Hearth and Stove installed in the cloakroom
First two water closets by Clayworth installed

1827 Stasov Rooms (9) of Nicholas I completed in Western wing
Concert Hall extensively altered by Stasov

1833 Basement remodeled

1835 Nicholas I Waiting Room rebuilt as secretaries' room

1837 Great Bedroom converted into Crimson Drawing Room by Ton
artifical marble painted over in mastic paint
Dutch Stoves replaced by Swedish ones with Derpt Tiles

1838 Statues of two boys playing games by Pimenov and Loganovski erected in front

1840 Several rooms remodled for Empress Maria Alexandrovna
Kitchens installed within palace basement
Ice-boxes installed
Wheeled armchair chamberpots installed
Running water installed in Kitchens
Four wall oil lmaps installed in Marble Hall

1843 Painting in five ceremonial halls restored by Yefimov
Ornamental plaster fireplaces of Formal halls replaced by marble fireplaces bought from Delnero
mouldings, capitals and pilasters in ceremonial halls redone by Bolghagen
Floors of ceremonial halls remade
Parquet floors of Mountain Hall redone
Two story Great Library ceiling lowered with rooms made above, choir destroyed - decision of Rossi
Pneumatic heating system installed in basement
Double windows and floors for winter living installed
First telegraph in Russia installed in Nicholas I's office by Krol and Jacoby

1845 Large elliptical plantings in front of the palace
Door made in wall of the Marble Hall leading to a dressing room
Stackenschieder redecorated rooms of Alexandra Feodorovna (I)
Memorial Chapel of Alexandra Nicholaevna designed by Yefimov installed in fomer Blue Office of Alexander I
Amosov Heating system installed in the Memorial Chapel
Bathroom moved by Pinkerton
Showers installed

1846 Two iron balconies on Garden side designed by Brullov and Monginetti

1847 Elliptical grill and lantern erected in front of the palace

1849 Palace running water installed, basically for water closets, water was pumped from the pond to attic tanks
Cesspools excavated in front of palace near the main road

1850 Grille of garden terrace replaced with current design

1857 Water pipes in Attic replaced

1875 Slope of entablature between columns of all four entrances restored by Vidov

1874 Remodelling of Bedroom for wedding of Grand Duchess Olga and Duke of Edinburgh

1882 Porcelain Boudoir of Maria Feodorovna designed by Vidov installed

1887 Palace water towers built

1892 Outside semicircular staircases of entrances I and IV replaced
Damaged white/gray marble paving of aula behind columns removed replaced with flower beds
Palace buffet rooms repaved with marble from the aula

1895 Floors of library redone
Nicholas and Alexandra move into Alexander palace 3/13, rooms complete 9/12 Palace laundry opened with washing machines

1896 Foundation on Garden Terrace redone by Danini, slopes paved by slabs
Iron balcony outside Alexandra Feodorovna's rooms erected by Danini
Pavilion Lavatory of Nilov demolished
Toliets installed in kitchen building
Electric bell system replaces mechanical one
Ericson Telephone system installed (eventually 11 telephones)

1897 Palace socle repainted using Shmelling techniques
Upstairs rooms in Nicholas and Aleksandra wing redecorated
Concrete tunnel from the kitchen building to the palace built by Danini
Imperial Kennels built by Danini next to the palace
English Architect Shrenburg from Maples decorates suite of rooms in Western Wing
Parquet floor of Formal reception room relaid by Alexeyev and Svirsky
Fire signalling system installed
Russian paintings from Palace collection selected to form nucleus of New Russian Museum
Pairs of lanterns installed at the sides of entrances I and IV

1898 Iron beams inserted into floors and ceilings of Nicholas and Aleksandra rooms
Field Church installed in Crimson Room
Replacement paintings hung in vacant spaces from Russian Museum collection

1899 Artificial marble of palace restored by Strakhov
Water powered Peterson elevator installed in corridor of Nicholas and Aleksandra Wing

1901 Central heating installed for Nicholas and Alexandra rooms and Parade Halls

1902 New Study, Maple Room and Children's new rooms completed in December

1903 Basement excavated under aula, lawns replace flower beds
Plaster balustrade replaced with one of wood
Ice house built by Danini

1904 Orlovsky running water system in the park opposite the church installed
Second elevator installed in corridor of eastern wing for Orbelani

1905 Wooden staircase installed in Alexandra's bathroom to the Children's Floor
Electric power station installed in the palace

1906 Svede reconstructs sewage system
Aquarium for live fish installed in kitchens
Pastere water filters installed in palace

1908 Box stoves installed in ceremonial halls

1909 Lamp brackets from Semi-circular hall sent to Peterhof

1912 Floors above the Children's rooms repaired

1913 Film projector installed
Remodeling of Alexis's Rooms

1914 Direct phone to Winter Palace installed in Pallisander Room

1915 Outdoor electricity and lighting installed on Aleksandra's balcony

1916 Major repairs to Childrens' Rooms
Partial photographic survey of palace rooms completed by Hahn
Horizontal chinning bar installed in Tsar's Bathroom
First radio station and radio phone in Russia installed

1917 Inventory of Palace
Temporary evacuation of valuable furnishings to Moscow

1918 Palace opens as museum 5/1/18

1940 Complete inventory of Palace completed, photographic survey done

 

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