The Grand Kremlin Palace
The Grand Kremlin Palace is situated on Borovitsky Hill. Its faзade is 125 meters form west to east. The Grand Kremlin Palace faces the Moskva River. It contains 700 separate rooms with total area appr. 20 000 sqm. Exteriorly the Grand Kremlin Palace is styled like in previous centuries. Its faзades are ornamented with carved white-stone frontons, and windows have carved architraves like in palaces of XVII century.
The Palace was built at command of Nicholas I of Russia in 1838-1849 by Russian architects (D.N. Chichalov, P.A. Gerasimov, A.N. Bakarev, F.F. Richter) under the supervision of Konstantin Thon. The Grand Kremlin Palace was formerly the tsar's Moscow residence.
The Palace was a monument of Russian history and Russian army’s glory. Its five reception halls (Georgievsky, Vladimirsky, Aleksandrovsky, Andreyevsky, and Ekaterinsky) are named for orders of the Russian Empire: the Orders of St. George, Vladimir, Alexander, Andrew, and Catherine. The elements of these Orders are present in decoration of each hall. These halls used today for state and diplomatic receptions and official ceremonies.
The Grand Kremlin Palace is the ceremonial residence of the head of the state. Ceremony of President’s inauguration, presentation of awards and decorations, letters of credence, receptions on the occasion of big public (according to http://www.moscowkremlin.ru/).
Art Parquet accomplished restoration works in the Grand Kremlin Palace:
- 2009: Restoration. Residence of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (300 sqm);
- 2009: The imperial family’s private chambers. The dining room (228 sqm);
- 2009: Restoration. The imperial family’s private chambers (1055 sqm);
- 2005: Special area (595 sqm).
The imperial family’s private chambers
Interiors of the imperial family’s private chambers correspond to the monumental architecture of the palace. At the same time these rooms have intimate atmosphere and homeliness. The following styles were used for decorating: baroque, rococo, classicism. In alternation of interior styles there is no conformity to the laws of history. Each of seven rooms (Dining room, Sitting room, Empress’s study, Boudoir, Bedroom, Emperor’s study, Anteroom) has its own style, all together they make the whole entity.
The space of this part of the palace is divided into two parts: the unique passage creating the enfilade and the main part of rooms with furniture and other decorative elements.
Art Parquet accomplished restoration works in the Dining room. Compositional base of parquet flooring is the combination of big octangles and small rhombs made of oak that are framed (merbau and oak). The sets of triangles, out of which the octangles and rhombs are made, are installed so that to emphasize wood texture when lighting at different angles. The centre of each pattern is a flower of the most delicate work (merbau, wenge). The flower is made in baroque and rococo styles.
Art Parquet accomplished restoration works in other rooms of the imperial family’s private chambers. Strongly destroyed parquet flooring was reconstructed with the help of different ageing techniques (for example, brushing, toning), modern materials and high-technology equipment. Old lacquer layers were ground off with minimal harm to decorative parquet layer.
Special area
Art Parquet accomplished restoration works in the Special area of the Grand Kremlin Palace. The works were held during 6 weeks
The design of parquet flooring is not complicated. It is a combination of simple geometric patterns, in some cases completed with small elements (quadrates, stars, rhombs). In each room parquet flooring is individual. Flooring patterns are different, they have their own colour scale, but stylistically they are close to each other. The main wood specie used in parquet flooring is oak.
Parquet flooring is distinct in exactness and geometry. At the same time it is elegant and harmonizes perfectly with the interior of rooms. Everything is made delicately and masterfully.
