History of the Palace
During the period from 1768 to 1771 the architect Jean-Baptiste Michel Vallin de la Mothe erected the building on the plot of land, that Empress Catherine the Great granted him “To His Excellency lord senator and Chief police general Nikolay Ivanovich Checherin” in the historical centre of St.Petersburg, at the crossing of the main city street –Nevsky prospect and Moika river embankment. The building, known as Chicherin house, was built on the foundation of the temporary Winter Palace of the Empress Elisabeth, Peter’s the Great daughter. Right in this Palace, the history of which begins in the middle of the XVIII century on the 59, Moika river embankment, Taleon Imperial Hotel is located. The Palace where the most large-scale historical events took place is located near the most significant city objects (two minutes walk from the Winter Palace and Palace Square).
The house, built for the Chief police general N.I. Chicherin, belonged to the Statesman and diplomat duke A.B. Kurakin, the richest master shipbuilder A.I. Perets, merchant A.I. Kosikovskiy, banker and patron S.P Eliseev.
On the upper floor of the building (15, Nevsky Prospekt) A.S Griboedov rented a flat, while arriving in Saint-Petersburg with The Treaty of Turkmenchay with Persian Empire. A.S. Pushkin visited him several times.
In 1902-1904 a full rebuilding of the inner interior of the house was made according to S.P. Eliseev’s project. Features of the building went through different changes with the help of such architects as V.P. Stasov, N.P. Grebenka, A.K. Gamershted and A.V. Kvasov. In the ornamentation of the palace there is a diversity of architectural styles – from the puff Baroque, Rococo, French Empire and Renascence to Eclecticism and Modern.
From 1919 to 1922 the House of Arts was located on the 59, Moika river embankment.
The House of Arts united famous writers, painters and critics such as: A.A. Achmatova, Y.I. Annenkov, M.B. Dobuzhinskiy, E.I. Zamatin, R.C. Petrov-Vodkin. A.M. Gorkiy stood at the head of this house. Alexander Green, Olga Forsh, Osip Mandelshtam, Vladislav Hodasevich and Michael Zoshenko lived there as well.
In 1924 a new cultural enterprise, the “Light Ribbon” Cinema (“Barricade” from 1931) was opened. D.D. Shostakovich, a young beginning composer, worked there as a musical illustrator for a short period of time.
In the second half of the XX century the Choreographic technical school, and later ‘Workers of socialist industry club" and Marxism-Leninism University were located in the part of building on 14, Bolshaya Morskaya street.
In 1993 JSC “Taleon” launched reconstruction of the buildings, which are now a unique complex and are integral part of historical part of the city ensemble. JSC “Taleon” contributes in the renaissance of Saint – Petersburg’s cultural view, rebuilding and recovering of the Chicherin’s house, which belongs to cultural and historical heritage of the city. Nowadays rich history of the Palace is gently preserved. It continues its existence, not losing the close correlation with the Great Russian History.
Today Taleon Imperial Hotel unites three buildings: 15, Nevsky Prospect (1768-1771), 59, Moika river embankment (1794), and 14, Bolshaya Morskaya street (1814-1817). Observation deck and the windows of the hotel provide a wonderful panoramic view of Saint – Petersburg with sequence of fascinated facades, cupolas of the temples, Kazan and Isaak’s Cathedrals, a gilded ship on the Admiralty spire and Alexander Column’s angel.