The Menshikov Palace

The Menshikov Palace is a branch of the State Hermitage on Vasilyevsky Island and the first stone palace in Saint Petersburg. It was built in the 1710s for Alexander Menshikov — Peter the Great’s closest associate and the city’s first governor. Today its interiors recreate the Petrine age, a rare chance to see how the nobility lived at the start of the 18th century.

What’s inside

The palace preserves authentic early-Petrine interiors and decoration:

• the famous rooms faced with Dutch tiles (painted ceramics) — a fashionable luxury of Peter’s time;
• state rooms where Menshikov held assemblies and receptions;
• furniture, paintings and prints of the early 18th century.

The display is devoted to Russian culture of the Petrine era — the transitional time when Russia rapidly adopted European ways. After the splendour of the Winter Palace the contrast is striking: everything here is more intimate, plainer and “Dutch” in feel.

History

Menshikov received a huge plot on Vasilyevsky Island and built a palace that rivalled the royal residences for richness. After the prince’s disgrace and exile the building served many functions (it housed, among others, a cadet corps). In 1981 it was transferred to the Hermitage, restored, and opened to visitors as a museum.

Who will enjoy it

The Menshikov Palace is worth adding to a trip for anyone interested in the beginnings of Saint Petersburg and the Petrine age, rather than only 19th-century splendour. It is more compact than the Main Complex and easy to see as a separate visit — for instance, combined with a walk around Vasilyevsky Island. First-time visitors do better to start with the Winter Palace and keep the Menshikov for a second day.

How to get in

• Address: Universitetskaya Embankment 15 (Vasilyevsky Island); the nearest metro is Vasileostrovskaya.
• It is a separate branch with its own ticket; entry is usually by session with a guided tour.
• The hours and price differ from the Main Complex and change from time to time — confirm them on the official website.

For how palaces grew into a museum, see the history of the Hermitage; planning a trip, look at tickets and how to get there.

FAQ

Where is the Menshikov Palace? On Vasilyevsky Island, Universitetskaya Embankment 15; metro Vasileostrovskaya.

Is it part of the Hermitage? Yes, since 1981 — a branch of the State Hermitage with a separate ticket.

Can I visit without a tour? Entry is usually by session with a guided tour; confirm the arrangements on the official website.

Is it far from the Main Complex? It is across the Neva on Vasilyevsky Island (metro Vasileostrovskaya), so plan it as a separate visit.

What makes it interesting? It is the first stone palace in Saint Petersburg, with authentic Petrine interiors and Dutch tiles.

Who built the palace and for whom? It was raised in the 1710s for Prince Alexander Menshikov, Peter the Great’s associate and the city’s first governor.

This is an unofficial, informational website. The hours, price and visiting arrangements of the branch change — confirm them on the official museum website before your visit.