Tauride Palace

Tauride Palace is one of the largest and most historic palaces in Saint Petersburg. Prince Grigory Potemkin of Tauride commissioned his favourite architect, Ivan Starov, to design his city residence in a rigorous Palladian style. Starov’s design called for an extensive park and harbour in front of the palace, which would be linked with the Neva River by a canal. Building work began in 1783 and lasted for six years.Considered the grandest nobleman’s residence of 18th-century Russia, Tauride Palace served as a model for innumerable manors scattered across the Russian Empire.