Mikhailovsky Castle from the Moika River.

“Mysterious phenomena attributed to spirits and ghosts have been noticed here almost from the very foundation of the castle. The unexpected suddenness of the death of Emperor Paul ... further increased the gloomy and mysterious reputation of this gloomy house ... "So wrote about the Mikhailovsky (Engineering) Castle Nikolai Semenovich Leskov -" the most Russian of Russian writers "according to literary critics.

Indeed, visions and legends accompany the majestic building on the banks of the Fontanka from the moment the first stone was laid to the present day. The unusual history and beauty of the mystical structure, reminiscent of European medieval fortresses, make it unusually attractive for inquisitive tourists and residents of St. Petersburg. And this is not surprising, because the Mikhailovsky Castle is a dream of knightly ideals embodied in stone, an imperial residence abandoned by a crowned family, a unique architectural monument that completes the Russian history of the 18th century.

History reference

The son of Catherine the Great, Pavel Petrovich, dreamed of knightly aesthetics from childhood, was fond of Freemasonry in his youth, and after accession to the Russian throne, he received the rank of Grand Master of the Order of the Knights of Malta.

In his younger years, a trip abroad led the Grand Duke to the castle of Châtilly (the estate of the Prince of Condé in France), which struck the imagination of the future monarch and his wife. In Europe, he meets his future court architect, decorator Vincenzo Brenna and invites him to Russia for interior decoration.

In 1784, European impressions find expression in the first drafts of a plan for a special castle, made by the emperor himself. For 12 years, a project was developed, to which he attracts Henri Francois Violier, and then, the architect who fell into disgrace, is replaced by Vasily Bazhenov. It was supposed to build a castle in, but fate wanted otherwise ...

Catherine II died in November 1796. Barely having time to ascend the Russian throne, Paul I issues a decree on the immediate and urgent construction of a new front imperial residence on the site of the dilapidated creation of Rastrelli - the wooden Summer Elizabeth Palace. The place was not chosen by chance - in this house he was born.

In the decree, the future castle has already been given the name - Mikhailovsky in honor of the Archangel Michael, the patron saint of the Romanov dynasty. Paul orders a secular building to be built, but he names it like a temple.

As if anticipating the short period of his reign (only 4 years, 4 months and 4 days), Paul is in a hurry to realize his long-term dream. Bazhenov is not able to create at such a pace, and Brenna's favorite Italian architect readily provides his services: recycles final version project (there were 13 in total) and starts construction.

Work is carried out around the clock, the territory where 6 thousand people work at the same time is illuminated by torches at night, the necessary materials are delivered from other facilities under construction (including), qualified assistants are at the disposal of the architect, including the future celebrity Carl Rossi. The construction, for which a huge amount of money was spent at that time - 6,000,000 rubles, dates back to record time - from 1797 to 1800.

As soon as the interior design was completed in the main front and residential chambers, on February 1, 1801, the emperor's family with a large retinue solemnly entered the castle walls, which did not even have time to dry properly. 40 days later, on March 11 of the same year, Pavel was treacherously killed in his own bedroom by participants in a palace coup organized by the highest dignitaries of the state. It was officially announced that the emperor died of apoplexy. “Offended” by Paul’s reforms, the nobility rejoiced, the soldiers wept that morning on March 12 and said: “He was our father.” Alexander I ascended the throne.

The courtyard immediately leaves the still uninhabited residence and returns to the Winter Palace. The interiors of the Mikhailovsky Castle are literally dismantled piece by piece. According to the Highest order, not only artistic values ​​are exported: paintings, sculptures, tapestries, marble fireplaces - marble and other materials necessary for the construction of the New Hermitage are taken from here, silver church gates are sent for remelting ...

In 1819, the building was given to the Main Engineering School, from which its second name comes. After the October Revolution, the Leningrad Military Engineering School was opened here. The engineering castle was inscribed in the history of the country by famous graduates of its educational institutions: writers F.M. Dostoevsky and D.V. Grigorovich, scientists P.N. Yablochkov and I.M. Sechenov, hero of the Crimean War, General E.I. Totleben and Soviet General D.M. Karbyshev, who died in a Nazi concentration camp, and many others.

Mikhailovsky Castle is a milestone in history Russian Empire. Here, with the death of Paul I at the hands of the conspirators, the era of palace coups ended, but the sad fate of the Russian emperors did not end. From the windows of the castle one can see, erected on the site of the mortal wound of his grandson Alexander II. Between the castle and the temple is located. About this are the lines of Anna Akhmatova:

"Between the tombs of grandson and grandfather

The tousled garden is lost.

Emerging from prison delirium,

The lanterns of the funeral are burning.

Interestingly, it was Alexander II who came up with the idea to turn the bedroom of the murdered ancestor into a church, which he annually visited on March 11 to pray.

Architectural features

The Mikhailovsky Castle, made in the style of romantic classicism, the only “Castle on the Water” in Russia, actually stood on a man-made island in the 18th century. The north-eastern part of the territory was washed by the waters of the Fontanka and Moika, and from the south and west the Church and Voznesensky canals were dug, through which three drawbridges were thrown, guarded by sentries and cannons.

The structure of the Mikhailovsky Castle reflected the religious and philosophical views of Paul I, who declared himself the head of the Church, his desire for complete centralization of power and claims to be the head of the Christian world. The structure is filled with a mixture of sacred names and sayings, Masonic signs, knightly symbols and allegories.

The plan of the castle is a square with an octagon of the courtyard inscribed in it.

Mikhailovsky Castle from a bird's eye view.

Some researchers believe that these are Masonic symbols, while others associate them with the shape of the casket, in which the relics of the Knights of Malta are supposedly hidden.

On the flagpole of the turret of the eastern facade, overlooking the Fontanka embankment, the imperial standard fluttered, announcing that Pavel was in the castle.

The northern façade faces and is designed as a park.

Mikhailovsky Castle, Summer Garden and Field of Mars.

The most elegant is the western facade, where under the spire is the house church of St. Michael. Inside the dome is decorated with the image of the all-seeing eye - the symbol of the Masons.

Another Masonic symbol - statues, personifying day and night, were located in the niches of the main, monumental and solemn, southern facade, on the frieze of which a slightly modified line from the Bible was applied.

Southern facade of the Mikhailovsky Castle.

In front of the main entrance to the castle, a monument to Peter I was erected, and the inscription “Great-grandfather is a great-grandson” was carved on the pedestal.

Mikhailovsky Castle and a monument to Peter I.

The interior of the castle has a complex configuration: round or oval, polygonal or equipped with niches.

Interiors of the Mikhailovsky Castle.

The halls were repeatedly reconstructed to meet the needs of the school, the canals were filled up, the bridges were removed. The original interiors, created according to the project of V. Brenna with the involvement of remarkable artists and sculptors, have practically not been preserved.

The main staircase is an exception, where a contrasting transition is used from the lower, as if squeezed by walls, darkened space to the wide upper tier, flooded with light from huge windows.

The front staircase of the Mikhailovsky Castle.

The embodiment of the idea of ​​ascending from darkness to light, from unjust rule to a virtuous monarch is supported by the sculpture "The Dying Cleopatra".

A bronze bas-relief depicting state emblem Russian Empire, on which, together with a double-headed eagle, is a Maltese cross.

Legends of the Mikhailovsky Castle

Appearance of Archangel Michael

The visions began even before the laying of the castle. According to legend, the envoy of the Archangel Michael appeared to the guard soldier who served at the Summer Palace, indicating the place for the construction of the House and the Temple. Perhaps Paul himself contributed to the spread of the legend, wishing in this way to justify the need for the urgent construction of a new imperial residence.

The inscription above the entrance of 47 letters

Another myth is connected with the prediction of the city's holy fool Xenia of Petersburg that the emperor will live for as many years as the number of letters written above the entrance to his house. The inscription on the Mikhailovsky Castle "To your house befits the holiness of the Lord in the length of days" according to the spelling of that time contained 47 letters. And for sure, the emperor was killed at the age of 47.

Castle wall color

The unusual pink-orange color of the castle is associated with the Beautiful Lady, who, as befits a knight, Paul had. The maid of honor Anna Gagarina dropped her glove, the color of which, by order of the emperor, served as a model for painting the walls.

The Ghost of the Emperor and the Casket of the Knights of Malta

Among the numerous legends about the ghosts of the Mikhailovsky Castle, the main one tells about the ghost of Emperor Paul I, who wanders along the corridors and is seen in the windows of the castle. The legend was invented by the cadets of the Engineering School, the story of N.S. is dedicated to it. Leskov "Ghost in the Engineering Castle".

When the knights of the Order of Malta came under the protection of Paul I, they brought their relics to St. Petersburg, including a kind of magic chest that only the Grand Master could keep. One of the legends says that this relic is hidden in the dungeons of the castle, and the soul of the emperor-master appears in the castle, checking the safety of the secrets of the Order ...

impregnable fortress

The myth that Paul wanted to create an impregnable fortress, and therefore the castle is surrounded by ditches, bastions, cannons, drawbridges, does not stand up to criticism. As conceived by the owner, the castle combined the functions of a grand residence, a residential building and a museum. On the third day after the housewarming, permission was given: everyone could freely inspect the Mikhailovsky Castle, which was taken advantage of by contemporaries, evaluating it as a model of "luxury and taste."

Much time has passed since then, and after a long restriction on entry, the doors of this miracle of architecture have reopened, however, now on a paid basis.

Exposition and attractions

In 1994, the Mikhailovsky Castle was completely included in the network of branches, with the exception of the premises, which since 1957 housed the library navy. Large-scale restoration work was carried out, many halls were returned to their original appearance, the inscription on the facade and the sculpture in the external design of the building were restored. In addition, the transformations affected the area surrounding the castle. Fragments of the Three-Span Bridge and part of the Resurrection Canal in front of the main facade have been restored.

The opening of the museum was timed to coincide with the 300th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg - May 27, 2003. At the same time, a monument to Paul I, created by V.E. Gorev and V.I. Nalivaiko.

A collection of paintings by foreign artists who painted in Russia in the 18th-19th centuries was transferred here, a permanent open fund of sculptures of the past, the century before last and the present, and a thematic exposition of the works of Russian artists of the first half of the 19th century "Petersburg society of the Romanov era" were organized.

The most valuable collections of permanent exhibitions include:

• Faces of Russia. Portrait Gallery of the Russian Museum;
• Restored palace interiors late XVIII century;
• Model of the Mikhailovsky Castle.

Today, the walls of the Mikhailovsky Castle are lively. The St. George Hall hosts classical music concerts, meetings and even balls. Museum staff conduct lecture programs accompanying temporary exhibitions.

You can get acquainted with the history of the castle and masterpieces of art during the tour, which will take you through the main staircase, art gallery, throne room with a visit to the church and the bedroom of Paul I, which are inaccessible to visitors during self-examination. Adventure lovers are offered a night tour - maybe someone will be lucky to see the emperor walking with candles in his hand or playing the flageolet (an old flute).

Recently, an ultra-modern multimedia center called the Electronic Russian Museum was opened in the western pavilion of the Mikhailovsky Castle, where paintings by famous artists come to life before the eyes of the audience. Hundreds of museum exhibits are presented on digital media in a modern interpretation.

Where is it located and how to get there

The branch of the Russian Museum Engineering (Mikhailovsky) Castle is located at the address: Sadovaya street, 2.

The nearest metro station is Gostiny Dvor, from which a short walk along Sadovaya Street will lead to the Mikhailovsky Castle.

Intoxicated with wine and malice,
The killers are coming in secret,
Insolence on the faces, fear in the heart ...
The unfaithful sentry is silent,
The drawbridge was lowered silently,
The gates are open in the darkness of the night
The hand of treachery hired...
A.S. Pushkin

M Ikhailovsky or Engineering Castle of St. Petersburg.
It is not only a historical and architectural monument. This is the mystical castle-palace of Emperor Paul I, which became a predictor of his death. Around it, legends and traditions of past centuries are twisted, and even now there is still a lot of mystical and inexplicable in the castle.

Some historical sources claim that the name is associated with the appearance of the Archangel Michael or his envoy to the guard soldier at the place where the castle was subsequently erected (perhaps in memory of this there is a small soldier in a niche near the bridge). This is how the decision of the sovereign was explained earlier, immediately after the start of construction, to call the castle "Mikhailovsky".

The palace was being built in an emergency... Pavel was in a hurry, taking building and finishing materials from other objects. And here's your first legend. Not only coins were laid in the foundation (as it should be for good luck). Pavel personally also laid commemorative jasper bricks.

I have a separate post about the construction of the castle-palace and its history in Pavlovian times and after it...

On November 8 (21), 1800, on the day of St. Michael the Archangel, the castle was solemnly consecrated, but work on its interior decoration still continued until March 1801. The assassination of the emperor took place 40 days after the housewarming...

In a niche near the bridge, steadfast tin soldiers stand guard day and night. Even the shadow of the emperor is visible.

Some believe that this is Lieutenant Kizhe, a kind of Lieutenant Rzhevsky from the time of Paul I. He will bring good luck if you hit his head with a coin. Then he swears...

Listen carefully, the place where he will send you is the promised land for you... (just kidding).

The lieutenant is not the only mystical guardian of the Mikhailovsky Castle.

They say the ghost of the murdered Emperor Paul still walks at night through the dark corridors.
This is no longer a joke. His silhouette was seen immediately after his death, then during the years of revolutionary change. Even at the time of Soviet anti-religious terry atheism, the ghost regularly made you chatter your teeth in fear.

The spirit of the murdered emperor frightens both religious people and atheists. He usually arrives at exactly midnight. Pavel knocks, looks out the window, pulls the curtains, creaks the parquet... even winks, moving into his own portrait. Some see light from the glow of a candle that Paul's spirit carries before him.
Doors slam loudly here at night (even if all windows are closed). And the especially lucky and impressionable even hear the muffled sound of playing the flageolet - an ancient musical instrument, which the emperor loved to listen to during his lifetime ...

There is a belief that every year on the day of his death, Paul stands at his bedroom window and looks down. He counts passers-by... and takes the soul of the 48th with him... however, you shouldn't panic, it's just a legend. And he can take the soul only if the moon is bright in the sky.

Attention! In order not to incur the wrath of a ghost, you need to lower your head when you meet and say: “ Goodnight, Your Imperial Majesty! The emperor will immediately disappear... otherwise, there may be trouble.

Shalit and a portrait of the emperor... for those who are interested, watch the video in the post under the link below.

In addition, according to legend, in the dungeons of the Mikhailovsky Castle, a casket with great Christian relics Order of Malta, including the Grail. This legend is not based on an empty place! I have already written about it in detail, so I will not repeat myself.

During the Great Patriotic War, the military authorities received information from the deceased monk about a secret room under the cellars of the castle where there is a silver casket with Christian relics and a certain mystical object that allows you to travel in time and look into the future.

After the war, a commission on anomalous phenomena worked in the palace. Whether the reason was the desire to find the casket or frequent complaints about ghosts, it is no longer possible to find out. But the commission, which consisted of Soviet atheist scientists, counted more than 17 inexplicable facts and inexplicable night glows (ghosts) in the castle. The materials were classified - no one was going to frighten the religious population and amuse the communists.

In 2003, a monument to Paul I by the sculptor V. E. Gorevoy, architect V. I. Nalivaiko was erected in the courtyard of the castle.

Surprisingly, during the repair, an old plafond (a huge painting on the ceiling) from the main hall of the Catherine Palace was found in it. Previously, the ceiling was considered lost. Now it is in its historical place. The plafond was rolled up into a huge roll, which lay quietly near the corner, littered with various old rubbish. But there were inventories throughout the Soviet period! I wrote a detailed post on Mail about this, I will move it over time.

From secular legends - supposedly the color of the walls was chosen in honor of the glove of the Emperor's favorite Anna Gagarina (Lopukhina).

But it's time to move on to the main legend and the tragedy of the castle - assassination of Paul I

The brutal murder of Emperor Paul I in the Mikhailovsky Castle gave rise to many legends. According to testimonies, a few days before the murder, the spirit of Peter I appeared to Paul, who warned his grandson about the danger that threatened him. It was also said that on the day of the murder itself, Pavel saw in one of the mirrors a reflection of himself with a broken neck.

On the day of his death, Paul was cheerful. But at breakfast he suddenly became sad, then abruptly stood up and said, "What will be, that cannot be avoided!"

Some researchers believe that Paul knew about the imminent death and tried to avoid it in the palace. There is a legend that Hieroschemamonk Abel told Paul the approximate date of his death. Paul believed the soothsayers and this particular elder, because he accurately predicted the date of the death of his mother, Catherine the Great. Allegedly, Paul asked him about his death and heard in response - "The number of your years is like the count of the letters of the saying above the gates of your castle, in which the promise is truly about your royal family."
This inscription was a modified text of the Psalm of David (Ps. 93:6):

“YOUR HOUSE IS SUITABLE FOR THE HOLY HOUSE OF THE LORD IN THE LONGITY OF DAYS ”

This inscription with copper letters, by order of Paul, the builders brought from St. Isaac's Church, and for Isaac he was "stolen" from the Voskresensky Novodevichy Convent.

Perhaps by the holiness of the test, Paul wanted to remove the "curse" of prediction from himself. Or maybe he just gave himself into the hands of God.

There are 47 letters in the inscription, and Paul I was killed precisely at the age of 47.

When the conspirators came to kill Paul, he could use the secret passage that was in his bedroom. There was enough time for that. But for some reason, Pavel did not want to ... that he was hiding from the conspirators in the fireplace, it is quite possible that the assassins invented it.

An underground passage was dug from the Mikhailovsky Castle to the Vorontsov Palace. 3.5 km! It was at that time the longest underground passage in Russia, and possibly in the world. Some historians believe that it was on him that the conspirators entered the palace.

Here is the floor plan of the castle. I won’t write how the murder was committed, Google will tell about it no worse than me.

The conspirators failed to get him to abdicate the throne and ...

As you know, the emperor died from an apocalyptic blow ... with a snuffbox on the head (black humor of those times).

Not everyone knows that Pavel (for the first time for Russia), instead of the image of his profile, ordered the inscription to be minted on a silver ruble:

"NOT TO US, NOT TO US, BUT TO YOUR NAME."

The emperor took religion seriously.

Researchers generally consider the number 4 magical for Paul. The total term of Paul's reign is 4 years, 4 months and 4 days. Mikhailovsky Castle (his main and favorite brainchild) was under construction for 4 years. And only 40 days the emperor managed to live in it.

Engraving by Utwait after a drawing by Philippoto.

Pavel tried to make the castle impregnable. Perhaps he foresaw future upheavals (according to some reports, the future of all the Romanovs was predicted to him) and Paul wanted to protect his descendants, build a protected house-fortress for them. Which would be guarded by soldiers and cannons and the Lord God himself.

The palace was surrounded by water from all sides - from the north and east by the Moika and Fontanka rivers, and from the south and west by the Church and Voznesensky canals. The palace could only be entered via three drawbridges, which were very heavily guarded. In addition to bayonets, Paul was protected by guns and secret passages and numerous secret rooms of the castle.

But all this did not help Paul. The elder's prophecy came true... and his castle, instead of a defender of the autocracy in Russia, turned into a mystical "dirty" place - no one else dared to trust the castle with their lives, because he could not even protect his creator, Emperor Paul.

It so happened that Paul I died in the same place where he was born. He erected the building of the Mikhailovsky Castle on the site of the wooden Summer Palace, where on October 1 (September 20), 1754, Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna gave birth to him...

The image of a ghost was actively used by senior cadets of the Nikolaev Engineering School, which settled in the Mikhailovsky Castle, to intimidate the younger ones.
The fame of the ghost of Pavel was brought by the story of N.S. Leskov "Ghost in the Engineering Castle".

In Soviet times, there were complaints about slamming doors, footsteps involuntarily opening the windows in the castle at night (which led to the alarm). In the 1980s, employees of the Commission on Anomalous Phenomena at the Russian Geographical Society Russian Academy The sciences conducted a limited and informal study of the alleged anomalous activity in the building (which is simply amazing for the time).

The study consisted of a detailed interview of employees, shooting the premises with a film camera, measuring the magnetic field, and even examining the premises with a “frame” or “dowsing” place. The findings of the study are being kept secret.

They met a long time ago - great-grandfather with great-grandson ... I'm sure they had something to tell each other about. If Pavel were alive, the history of Russia would definitely have turned out differently. And not the fact that it would be less great, Paul was preparing to take India in alliance with Napoleon. At the very least, the war with Napoleon would certainly have been avoided, but it would obviously have been necessary, together with Napoleon, to fight with England and seize India. I don't even know which is better.

Some photos and info (C) Wikipedia and other Internet

You have not read N. S. Leskov's story "The Ghost in the Engineering Castle", but are you going to visit St. Petersburg in the near future? We advise you immediately...

By Masterweb

03.06.2018 12:00

You have not read N. S. Leskov's story "The Ghost in the Engineering Castle", but are you going to visit St. Petersburg in the near future? We advise you to immediately turn to this literary work, which touches on the history of the most mystical of the buildings of the eighteenth century - the Mikhailovsky Castle. Even at the stage of creating sketches, it was covered with an aura of mystery, and having appeared in all its glory a few years later, it completely created the feeling of a reliable medieval residence of a knight or king.

The architecture of the castle was so different from everything created earlier that it caused bewilderment in society and became the reason for the birth of new legends. Today, in the history of St. Petersburg, this is perhaps the only building that bears two names at the same time - Mikhailovsky and Engineering Castle. Of course, looking at it now, one can only imagine the majestic picture that it was after construction. But, unfortunately, the history of the Mikhailovsky (Engineering Castle) in St. Petersburg is closely intertwined with the tragic fate of its creator, Emperor of Russia Paul I.

Paul I - a martyr or a tyrant?

This emperor actually entered the history of Russia under a question mark. The period of his reign was so short that none of his contemporaries could even be imbued with the grandiose plans of the emperor. Many textbooks give information about him as about a man of a narrow mind, choking on ambitions and pretentious ideas. For quite a long time, there was an opinion in society that if the emperor had survived, he would have led to the destruction of Russia because of the planned alliance with Napoleon and sympathy for the Western way of life.

However, later historians managed to find a number of documents that radically changed the idea of ​​​​the personality of the emperor. As it turned out, Paul I was very an educated person well versed in architecture and art. He had his own view on foreign and domestic policy, and the emperor had every chance of reaching an agreement with Bonaparte and uniting the armies of both countries. During the short four years of his reign, the emperor signed a large number of reform decrees, which were to completely change the position of the people in Russia. However, all his ideas and dreams were not destined to come true. Except for one thing - about building your own castle.

The engineering castle (Mikhailovsky) became his real brainchild, thought out and built in the shortest possible time. By a fatal coincidence, it was this place that became his last refuge, because Paul I met his terrible death within the walls of the castle. It is believed that his spirit remained in the Engineering Castle. Bringing the emperor still wanders within its walls, frightening the museum curators and late visitors.

Brief information note

The engineering castle in St. Petersburg became a museum not so long ago. Only fifteen years ago it was opened to visitors after reconstruction, but only part of the halls has been restored. Moreover, their original decoration has been lost forever, and the masters in the process of reconstruction gave them only a semblance of their former fleeting luxury.

The ideological inspirer of the creation of the Engineering Castle was Emperor Paul I, who entered into his legal rights only at the age of forty-two. His fate is one of the most tragic pages in the history of the Romanov family. The father of the future emperor was killed with the blessing of his wife, Catherine II. This left a serious imprint on the character young man, who may have tried to protect himself by settling behind thick castle walls, separated from the rest of the world by bridges and moats. Surprisingly, after reaching adulthood, the mother did not transfer power to her son. She still ruled the empire, and he was completely isolated from all state affairs. And only her death returned the rightful heir to the throne.

Surprisingly, the emperor was in a great hurry to rule. He seemed to have a premonition of his death and issued one decree after another. Twenty days after the death of his mother, he had already begun the construction of the castle, where he was able to move with his family four years later. These terms are an unprecedented record for the eighteenth century, and the construction of the Engineering Castle itself cost the treasury six million rubles. In the eighteenth century it was the most expensive building.

What is so special about this castle? Why is he so mysterious and enigmatic? And what kind of evil fate hung over him? Let's figure this out together.

The history of the castle

The decree on the construction of the Engineering Castle in St. Petersburg was issued in the ninety-sixth year of the eighteenth century. The Summer Palace was chosen as the place for it, in which the emperor was born. It is believed that he always spoke of the dream of dying where he was born. Therefore, the building site was not chosen by chance. In addition, the Summer Palace was practically abandoned, its walls dilapidated, and many items were taken to other palaces.

Many contemporaries of Paul I wrote about his mystical inclinations. It was believed that he had a real gift of foresight and was even related to the Order of Malta. Be that as it may, the emperor approached the construction with great enthusiasm. He personally developed the architectural design of the castle, in which he embodied all his ideas. It can be added that the ideas of Freemasonry were initially traced in it. And the signs of this secret order are still clearly read in different parts of the castle. After creating the first draft, Paul I began to make changes, and in the end, there were as many as thirteen projects on his desk, from which he could not choose.

The architect Vasily Bazhenov came to the aid of the sovereign, combining all the ideas into a single project and making an estimate for it. The emperor entrusted Vincenzo Brenna to lead the construction of his offspring, whom he personally controlled.

Interestingly, the Engineering Castle is the second name of the palace. Initially, everyone knew him as Mikhailovsky. And here, too, there were legends. According to them, Archangel Michael himself appeared at night to one of the soldiers at the post and ordered him to go to the sovereign and convey the order to build a temple on the site of the Summer Palace. It was necessary to call him Mikhailovsky by all means. In the morning the warrior went to the emperor and told him about his dream. Surprisingly, Paul I seemed to already be aware of everything. Therefore, in a matter of days, he ordered the construction of a castle and the construction of a temple in honor of St. Michael.

In February of the ninety-seventh year of the eighteenth century, the emperor himself took part in laying the foundation. In addition to coins, which were customary to lay in the foundation of new structures, several bricks of processed jasper were also placed there. No one has ever done this before or since.

Construction features

It is still amazing how quickly a new castle was built in St. Petersburg. The engineering castle was lit up three years after the laying of the first stone, and a year later it opened its doors to the emperor and his family. It's amazing, but in the four years of construction, the workers managed to complete absolutely everything that Paul I had planned. But the price of these efforts of the ball is prohibitively high.

In order to have time to complete the construction on time, the emperor ordered to take materials from other construction sites in the city. Marble intended for temples and cathedrals was brought here, and sometimes ready-made decorations were removed from them. Many townspeople considered this sacrilege and predicted trouble for such an enterprising emperor.

The number of workers was increased to six thousand. Construction did not stop day or night. At night, torches were used for lighting. Many workers could not keep up with such a pace, and therefore the level of injuries was high. Often the injuries were fatal.

Everyone who was forced to live with Paul I in the new castle suffered from unbearable cold and dampness. Due to the haste, the workers did not have enough time to dry the walls and, according to the recollections of eyewitnesses of those events, despite the fire in the fireplace, several centimeters of ice lay on some walls. However, the emperor himself was happy and proudly looked at his offspring from the bedroom window.

Description of the castle

The Mikhailovsky (Engineering) Castle differed significantly from everything that was built in Russia earlier. The building itself had a traditional quadrangular shape, but three whole courtyards were made inside. The largest was made in the form of an octagon. This form is symbolic for Masons, so it is not surprising that the emperor chose it for his courtyard. The other two courts were a triangle and a pentagon.

From all sides, the Engineering Castle in St. Petersburg was surrounded by water, giving the impression that it was on an island. This was facilitated by deep ditches, which could only be crossed by massive drawbridges.

It is interesting that each facade of the castle had a different architecture, but the general idea was traced in them. All of them were decorated with magnificent marble sculptures, many of which were talented copies of the works of Italian masters.

The color of the Engineering Castle (St. Petersburg) still causes a lot of controversy. The fact is that it has an extremely complex color scheme. We can say that this is a mixture of pink, orange and yellow shades. It is quite difficult to reproduce it exactly today. It is believed that for the first time the emperor saw this color, picking up the glove of his favorite Lopukhina, and instantly decided to paint all the walls of his beloved brainchild in it.

Unfortunately, the interior of the castle has not been preserved. After the death of the emperor, everything was plundered, and precious marble, plafonds with paintings and much more were transported to numerous palaces of the city.

The only thing that allows you to get an idea of ​​the former greatness of the Engineering Castle (St. Petersburg) is its front staircase. It is made in a special manner, reminiscent of the struggle of darkness with light or evil with good. Its lower tier seems to be enclosed in a marble vise, there is clearly a lack of light and space. However, the following flights completely change the impression of the stairs. They are flooded and as if permeated with light, and their width is amazing.

The fate of the castle after the death of the emperor

Paul I was not the owner of his castle for a long time. Within its walls, he lived only forty days and was brutally murdered on the night of the eleventh to the twelfth of March. The emperor was not saved by deep ditches, thick walls, guards, and even a secret passage in his chambers. For some reason, on the night of the murder, the door to the secret passage was locked.

Many believe that Paul I knew about his death. Before that, the spirit of Peter I, his great-grandfather, appeared to him and ordered him to leave the castle. And on the day of the assassination, the emperor saw his reflection in the mirror with a broken neck. However, all this did not force him to leave the Mikhailovsky Castle, and he boldly walked towards his fate.

Immediately after the death of Paul I, the castle was empty. Its inhabitants in a hurry left their chambers. Over the following years, none of the emperors was able to restore life to this place. Everyone bypassed him, believing in the fatal destiny of the castle.

In a few years, all valuables were taken out of it, and gradually it lost part of the wall cladding. As Paul I once did for the construction of his castle, his descendants did not hesitate to dismantle the majestic structure in order to decorate their palaces.

Eighteen years after the death of the emperor, the castle was transferred to the Main Engineering School. Hence its second name, which is used quite often today. For the needs of students, the building was almost completely replanned: the ditches were covered with earth, many halls were repainted, partitions were installed in the rooms. The castle no longer resembled the majestic building that Paul I created.

Legends of the Mikhailovsky Castle

The tragic fate of the emperor left a dark mark on the history of the castle, which was not used for its intended purpose for many years. However, everyone who was in it at least for a while claimed that something strange was going on here. Until now, museum curators talk about slamming doors with closed windows, voices, shuffling feet and even the reflection of Paul I, periodically appearing in wall mirrors.

It was this story that formed the basis of the work "The Ghost in the Engineering Castle" by Leskov. Of course, this is just the author's fantasy, but over the decades there have been too many testimonies of people who themselves saw the spirit of Paul I, sadly wandering around what was once his beloved castle.

Creation of the museum

By the middle of the twentieth century, the castle was badly damaged. After the revolution, there were various Soviet institutions here, for the sake of which halls, rooms and stairs were rebuilt. During the war, a bomb hit one castle wing and it was destroyed. In the middle of the last century, restorers became interested in this place and gradually began to restore it.

However, only in the early nineties of the twentieth century, the Russian Museum was able to buy the Mikhailovsky Castle and begin large-scale restoration work. In 2003, the Three-Span Bridge, several halls and the Resurrection Canal were opened for visitors.

Excursions to the Engineering Castle

Today, the restored premises of the castle are open to the public. This can be done on your own or with a guided tour. If you decide to walk through the halls alone, then the ticket will cost four hundred and fifty rubles. A guided tour costs a little more - six hundred rubles. However, if you want to see the maximum number of expositions and exhibitions in the Engineering Castle, then it is better to walk along it as part of an excursion. Only in this way will the chambers of Paul I and the Church of St. Michael be available to you.

Mikhailovsky Castle is a relatively young museum object in St. Petersburg. It was opened to visitors as a museum for the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Northern capital in 2003 and is currently a branch of the Russian Museum. In the halls of the Mikhailovsky or Engineering Castle there is a part of the collection of paintings of the Russian Museum and temporary exhibitions are held.

Most visitors to the Mikhailovsky Castle are of course interested in the history of Paul I, the All-Russian Emperor, the very first owner of the castle, according to whose plan this building was erected. short life Emperor Paul I is full of mysteries, legends and ended tragically just in the Mikhailovsky Castle.

Paul I is rightly called the Russian Hamlet. His mother Catherine II blessed the murder of his father Peter III, it became the greatest tragedy of his life. The son never had a warm human relationship with his parents, Catherine perceived her offspring more as a rival. In fact, Catherine usurped power twice: the first time when she approved the murder of her husband, the second time when she did not transfer power to her son when he came of age.

Paul I ascended the throne at the age of 42 after the death of his mother, who actually had no rights to the Russian throne and reigned for only 4 years 4 months and 4 days.

Mikhailovsky Castle is located in the very center of St. Petersburg. The easiest way is to take the metro to Gostiny Dvor station and walk about 700 m along Sadovaya Street and you are there.

You can visit the Mikhailovsky Castle on your own for 450 rubles. or with a guided tour for 600 rubles. Moreover, groups are recruited by travel companies, and excursions are led only by employees of the Mikhailovsky Castle, this is how this business works.

I visited the Mikhailovsky Castle on a guided tour, but you can learn the same thing on your own, in all rooms there are explanatory texts, and in two rooms there are TVs showing explanatory films for the exposition. But only organized groups are shown the premises of the former bedroom of Paul I, and the church of St. Michael, you need to go there along the not yet restored corridors of the castle.

Mikhailovsky Castle, view from Inzhenernaya Street

Monument to Peter I

The gathering of tourist groups takes place just in front of the monument to Peter I. The monument was erected on this site in 1800, but Peter I himself ordered it from Bartolomeo Rastrelli in 1716 to commemorate the victories during the Northern War, although to be honest, it’s strange for me to hear this, to order a monument to oneself is not at all modest, but the kings have their own quirks.

Monument to Peter the Great near the building of the Mikhailovsky Castle

Bartolomeo Rastrelli did not invent anything new, the monument to Peter is very similar to the famous monument to Marcus Aurelius in Rome, which may be why Catherine II rejected this monument and ordered a completely different monument from Falcone, now known as the Bronze Horseman. Falcone's sculpture was installed on Senate Square in 1782 with the inscription: "To Peter I Catherine II".

And our monument languished all this time at the Trinity Bridge, and only after the death of Catherine II, Paul I, as if in opposition to his mother, finally erects a monument to Peter I near the walls of his castle under construction with the inscription: “Great-grandfather’s great-grandson”, as if emphasizing that it is he who is legal successor of Peter the Great.

The bas-reliefs on the pedestal were made in 1800 and depict the "Poltava battle" and the "Battle of Gangut"

Bas-relief on the pedestal of the monument to Peter "Poltava battle"

At present, there is a sign that in order to fulfill desires, one must simultaneously grab two hooves or two boots of riders. It is difficult to do this for people of small stature, but you may have to stretch or jump a lot. Many succeed, judging by the brilliance of these particular parts of the bas-relief.

Bas-relief on the pedestal of the monument to Peter "Battle of Gangut"

In heaven, both bas-reliefs have the sign of the zodiac, thus it was customary to indicate the date of the event. True, historians have no questions about the dates of these particular battles, and the zodiac here is not complete and has a purely decorative function.

Facade and courtyard of the Mikhailovsky Castle

Now part of the canal along the facade of the castle and the Three-Part Bridge have been restored. Only the emperor could enter the castle along the central part of the bridge, all other mere mortals had to enter the side bridges.

three-part bridge

The castle itself is a rectangle with an octagonal courtyard. Mikhailovsky Castle is full of Masonic symbols and signs, this unusual form is usually referred to as one of the signs of Freemasonry. On the main facade there are two now empty niches; in the years of Paul I, two plaster statues were installed in them, symbolizing day and night, another Masonic symbol.

Entrance to the castle, note the empty niches

A brand new statue of Paul, made in 2003, is installed in the courtyard.

Monument to Paul I in the courtyard of the castle

Castle construction

In Catherine's time, a dilapidated summer palace stood on the site of the Mikhailovsky Castle, in which the future autocrat Pavel I was born. When Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich grew up, he decided that he wanted to die where he was born and chose this particular place to build the castle.

Former summer palace of Elizabeth Petrovna

It is curious to look at the layout showing how the castle was immediately after construction. It was more like what is commonly called a castle with a claim to fortification and impregnability. Along the entire perimeter, the castle was surrounded by moats filled with water with drawbridges. Ironically, even such measures did not save the owner from murder.

Model of the castle in the foyer of the museum, view from Inzhenernaya Street

A colossal amount of six million rubles was spent on the construction of the castle. Paul I issued a decree on the construction of the castle only 22 days after the death of his mother, Catherine II. The building was erected in just 4 years from 1797 to 1801, at that time very quickly. Construction Materials removed from other construction sites, including the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral.

Model of the Mikhailovsky Castle from the side of the Summer Garden

The very fact of removing materials from the construction of the temple is on the verge of sacrilege. Paul ordered that a slightly modified saying from Holy Scripture be removed from the construction of the cathedral: “ Holiness to the Lord is fitting for your house in the length of days". There are exactly 47 letters in it, they say that Blessed Xenia of Petersburg predicted to the emperor that he would live exactly as many years as there are letters in this inscription. The golden letters of the saying were restored on the facade of the building during the restoration for the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg.

Main staircase

The interior of the Main Staircase was created in 1799-1801 according to the design of the architect V. Brenna. The construction of the staircase itself and the main part of the decorative work were completed during the life of Emperor Paul I. The wall and ceiling paintings on the themes of Russian history remained unfulfilled.

The main staircase is probably one of the best preserved interiors of the castle.

The main staircase of the Mikhailovsky Castle

Using the “swing” scheme of construction, well known from the composition of the Jordan Stairs of the Winter Palace, the architect increased the contrast between the lower march, as if squeezed by marble walls, and the open space of the upper tier, flooded with light penetrating through the huge windows. The idea of ​​ascending from darkness to light, from vice to virtue, emphasized in this way, was reinforced by the sculptural decoration of the interior, the main theme of which can be identified as the history of the moral formation of the monarchy.

In the central niche there is a statue of “The Dying Cleopatra” – a copy of an ancient original stored in the Vatican, made by order of Paul I. The image of the Egyptian queen symbolized the idea of ​​unrighteous rule, which led to disastrous consequences. At present, this work, which is in the Hermitage collection, has been replaced by a modern repetition.

Statue "Dying Cleopatra"

From the original decoration, the bronze coat of arms of the Russian Empire has been preserved - a two-headed eagle with a Maltese cross included in it. Changed during the years of Pavlovian rule, the coat of arms captured the new status of the emperor, proclaimed in the fall of 1798 by the Grand Master of the Order of Malta. This is the only case of changing the coat of arms of the Russian Empire in history.

Hero of the Russian Empire with the Maltese eight-pointed cross

Antique Hall

Unfortunately, the original decoration of the Antique Hall has almost not survived to this day. Under Paul I, the walls of this hall were finished with multi-colored marble, and the doors with bronze. Antique statues were displayed in the niches of the walls.

Antique Hall

Now there is none of this in the Antique Hall. In fact, the hall is a gallery of portraits of the royal house of the Romanovs. Gray marble survived only in the frame of the doorways. As Paul I, for the sake of building a palace, dismantled the palace in Pella of his mother, so after his death, subsequent emperors began to quarry marble for their buildings in the Mikhailovsky Castle.

A curious picture of E.V. Moshkov "Anointing of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Alekseevna on May 9, 1795". In fact, it demonstrates the alignment of political forces in the Russian Empire at that time. And this arrangement just shows the unenviable place of the future Emperor Paul I.

Confirmation of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Alekseevna on May 9, 1795, artist E.V. Moshkov

Joining scene introduced Orthodox Church through the chrismation of Louise-Maria-Augusta, daughter of the Margrave of Baden Karl-Ludovig. Having received the name of Elizabeth Alekseevna in Orthodoxy, in the autumn of the same 1793 she became the wife of Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich, later Emperor Alexander I.
In the center of the picture are Metropolitan Gabriel anointing himself and Empress Catherine the Great. To the right are the Grand Dukes Alexander Pavlovich (the princess' fiancé), Konstantin Pavlovich, Pavel Petrovich and Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna.

On the left, in a red camisole, is the last lover of Catherine the Great, P. A. Zubov. The opposition between the rightful heir to the throne and the favorite of the empress, who was honored to be captured on this historical canvas, is striking.

In the same room, a large multi-figure painting "The Transfer of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God on June 9, 1798" is exhibited. It was about this picture that a good film was made, telling about all the characters, shown right in the same room.

Raphael Gallery (Gotlisy calm)

The Raphael Gallery (Gotlisyvy rest) is part of the ensemble of state apartments of Empress Maria Feodorovna. The interior decoration was designed by Vicenzo Brenna in 1799-1801. The gallery got its name thanks to the four tapestries located on the longitudinal wall opposite the windows. Woven at the French royal tapestry factory, they were a gift from the French king Louis XVI and repeated the plots of Raphael's wall paintings in the Vatican: "Constantine in front of his army", "The Expulsion of Heliodorus from their Temple", "The School of Athens" and "Parnassus". Currently, three tapestries are in the Hermitage collection, and the most famous "Athenian School" in Leipzig.

Raphael Gallery (Gotlisy calm)

The Raphael Gallery has preserved the original monumental painting of the ceiling. Paintings on canvas are the only examples of plafond painting of the Pavlovian time. All the picturesque design of the ceiling belongs to the brush of the German artist J. Mettenleir (1750-1825). The plot of the central ceiling - the Temple of Minerva, represents the apotheosis of liberal arts and crafts. Two other plafonds - "Prometheus reviving a man" and "Diligence and Sloth"

Plafond "Diligence and Laziness"

Throne room of Empress Maria Feodorovna

The throne room of Empress Maria Feodorovna, despite its relatively small size, made a very strong impression due to the royal luxury of its decoration, which was designed by Vincenzo Brenna in 1799-1801. The walls of the room are covered with crimson velvet. The throne of the empress was upholstered with the same fabric, on its back against the background Russian coat of arms placed the letter "M", embroidered in gold. In the depths of the niche was a white marble fireplace with a bas-relief depicting nine muses. In the center of the ceiling, in a whirling partly gilded and painted molding, was placed the "Judgment of Paris" by the artist J. Mettainler, in allegorical form glorifying the beauty of the mistress of the castle.

At the moment, the ceiling light is missing. But above the windows, fantastic animals are depicted, the same as on the coat of arms of the mysterious Tartaria.

Throne room of Empress Maria Feodorovna

Common dining room

The common dining room was part of the enfilade of the state rooms of Empress Maria Feodorovna. The key element of the interior decoration was the two largest bronze gilded chandeliers in the palace with fifty candles each, made according to the drawings of J. Quarenghi and originally intended for the St. George Hall of the Winter Palace.

Here the dinners of the imperial family took place, surrounded by a select society of people close to the sovereign. The last supper of Emperor Paul I took place on March 11, 1801 in the Common Dining Hall. The reminiscences of the participants in this dinner are replete with ominous details, which were an emotional reflection of the tragic events that took place that March night in the Mikhailovsky Castle.

Maria Feodorovna's bedroom

Now the interior of the Empress's bedroom has been recreated in all its former splendor. The furniture has not survived. In the bedroom there are only a few showcases with cameos and medallions.

Maria Feodorovna's bedroom

Former bedroom of Paul I

You can enter the former bedroom of the emperor only as part of an organized group. To do this, you will have to use not restored corridors. Only in them you can see how much work the restorers had to put in to recreate the appearance of all the previously examined premises.

Not restored corridors of the Mikhailovsky Castle

The interiors of the emperor's bedroom have not been preserved at all. For several decades after the murder, no one entered this ill-fated room. Later, Emperor Alexander II decided to arrange a church on the site of the former bedroom of Paul I. And even later, this church was already used by pupils of the engineering school. On black shields mounted on the walls, the names of students of the engineering school who died in wars are listed.

Church of Saints Peter and Paul

It is curious that Alexander II shared the fate of his grandfather and from the windows of the former bedroom of Paul I you can clearly see the place where Alexander II was killed, I mean the towers of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. The two murders of emperors are separated by 80 years and the Mikhailovsky Garden. A. Akhmatova wrote the following lines on this occasion:

Between the tombs of grandson and grandfather
The tousled garden is lost.
Emerging from prison delirium,
Funerary lanterns are burning.

Even this church under Alexander II looked different.

It looked like the Church of Saints Peter and Paul under Alexander II

Previously, there was a secret staircase next to the bedroom of Paul I, but now the doorway has been eliminated. On the night of the murder, the door was locked and did not allow Pavel to escape.

Church of St. Michael

The Church of St. Michael is located under the spire of the castle in a ledge from Sadovaya Street. In terms of size, this is a small family church of the imperial family, at present, repairs are not completed in it, and this room is also shown only to organized groups. The all-seeing eye, another of the Masonic symbols, is depicted on the ceiling of the church.

Church of St. Michael

During the time of Paul I, many Masons lived in St. Petersburg, almost our entire Academy of Arts consisted entirely of members of this secret society, so one should not be surprised at the abundance of Masonic symbols in architecture.

All-seeing eye over the Holy Gates

In the castle of his dreams, Paul I and his family lived only 40 days, already on the morning after the assassination of the emperor, the imperial family and the court left the castle forever, and St. Petersburg celebrated the liberation from the tyrant, despite the fact that mourning was officially declared. The cause of death of Paul I was named apoplexy. This version was considered official until the revolution of 1905.

Paul I fulfilled his desire, he succeeded in dying where he was born.

Have you noticed how many copies from the Vatican are in the castle? And this is a Russian, Orthodox emperor? Although, by the way, his mother at birth was called Sophia Augusta Frederick of Anhalt-Zerbst, and his father was Karl Peter Ulrich. Parents were quite unprincipled, for the sake of the crown of the Russian Empire, both without hesitation changed their religion to Orthodox. And such people ruled the empire ...

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The private quarters of the inhabitants of the castle adjoined the halls of the front suite. The decoration of these rooms reflected the tastes of their owners. So the emperor's bedroom, adjoining the Boudoir of Maria Feodorovna, served Paul at the same time as an office where he liked to read and be alone. The bedroom was decorated with white wood paneling and contained the emperor's small camp bed behind simple screens, as well as armchairs, stools and couches. The mahogany writing table was decorated with an ivory balustrade with a frieze of copies of antique cameos and bronze details (today in the Pavlovsk State Museum Reserve). On the table is an ink set and candelabra made of ivory and amber with portraits of members of the imperial family in medallions. According to legend, the empress herself took part in the work on the turned parts for this table.

The walls of the bedroom were decorated with twenty-two canvases by Western European artists. First of all, the canvases of the French marine painter C.-J. Vernet. It was in the Bedroom that Paul was killed by conspirators on the night of March 12, 1801.
The long-awaited consecration of the Mikhailovsky Castle took place on November 8, 1800, on the day of St. Michael the Archangel. The decoration of the halls was not yet completed, the unhealthy climate of the hastily built building was well known. To slightly reduce dampness, freshly baked bread was placed on the windowsill. The emperor was unpretentious in everyday life and, despite the dampness and cold, the family had to settle in a new palace.
Interior drawings have not been preserved to this day, which makes it difficult to restore them and does not allow us to fully imagine how the residence looked inside. The main information about the decoration is contained in the description of the Mikhailovsky Castle by the German writer A. Kotzebue, which was compiled by decree of Paul I.
Immediately after Pavel's death, on the morning of March 12, 1801, the august family left the residence. After Pavel's funeral, unique monuments of art and furnishings began to be taken out of the castle. The building itself was determined to house state institutions and apartments for employees of the Court Office.
In 1822, the Mikhailovsky Castle came under the control of the Military Engineering Department. Since 1823, by decree of Emperor Alexander I, the castle began to be called Engineering. This is where the School of Engineering is located. Founded it educational institution It was at the initiative of Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich (the future Emperor Nicholas I), to train military engineers and sappers, who were supposed to build fortresses according to the rules of the latest military art.
For the needs of the school, the premises of the former residence were converted. In the inner chambers, the remains of mirrors and marble cladding were removed from the walls, picturesque plafonds were removed from the ceilings, exquisite fireplaces were replaced with simple stoves. All luxury items were sold at public auction, so Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich hoped to cover all the costs of repairing and altering the building.
Among the students of the Main Engineering School was F.M. Dostoevsky, he studied at the Engineering Castle from 1837 to 1843. Among the famous pupils are also: the writer D.V. Grigorovich, the scientists I.M. Sechenov and P.N. Yablochkov, the composer Ts.A. Cui, the hero of Sevastopol E.I. Totleben and many others.
The rooms where the assassination of Paul I took place in 1801 remained closed, and only in 1857 the rooms where the tragedy took place opened their doors again.
Then, by decree of Emperor Alexander II and at his personal expense, in the Bedroom and the Corner Boudoir, a house church was built in the name of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul for the Nikolaev Engineering Academy and School. The design of the temple was drawn up by the architect K.A. Ukhtomsky. After the 1917 revolution, the church was closed and looted.
For almost two hundred years, military educational institutions were located in the Mikhailovsky Castle, then various Soviet institutions, the layout of the entire ensemble was repeatedly changed, the buildings and interiors that were part of it were rebuilt.
In 1991, the Mikhailovsky Castle became part of the architectural complex State Russian Museum. Currently, temporary exhibitions of the Russian Museum are held in the restored halls of the castle, as well as permanent exhibitions are open: "The History of the Castle and Its Inhabitants", "Antique Scenes in Russian Art" and "The Renaissance and the Work of Russian Artists".
In 2003, a monument to Paul I by sculptor V.E. Gorevoy, architect V.I. Nalivaiko was erected in the courtyard of the Mikhailovsky Castle.