Winter Palace (Palais d'Hiver)

Research Status: Moderate Last Updated: 2026-02-10 Diary Coverage: References in connection with Russian topics

Overview

The Winter Palace (Zimniy Dvorets) in St. Petersburg was the official residence of the Russian Emperors from 1762 to 1917. Designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli in the Russian Baroque style and completed in 1762, it was one of the grandest royal residences in Europe. For Marie Bashkirtseff, the Winter Palace represented the pinnacle of Russian imperial power and the social world to which her family aspired but could never fully access.

Historical Context (1870s-1880s)

• Tsar Alexander II: Resided in the Winter Palace during the earlier part of Marie's diary period
• 1880 bombing: A revolutionary bomb exploded in the palace dining room (February 1880), killing 11
• 1881 assassination: Alexander II was assassinated (not in the palace), succeeded by Alexander III
• Alexander III: The new tsar preferred the Gatchina Palace, using the Winter Palace mainly for official functions
• The Hermitage: The adjacent museum housed one of the world's great art collections

Significance for Marie

• Imperial Russia: Symbol of the Russian Empire to which Marie's family belonged
• Social aspiration: The court life centered at the Winter Palace was the highest tier of Russian society
• Art collections: The Hermitage adjoining the palace held masterpieces Marie would have known about
• Political events: The palace featured in the dramatic political events of Marie's era

Related Entries

• #Petersburg - The imperial capital
• #Moscow - The old capital
• #Nice - Where the Russian colony gathered far from the palace