Taurida Palace (Tavrichesky Dvorets)

Taurida Palace (Tavrichesky Dvorets) Review

Taurida Palace . Built between 1783 and 1789 on the orders of Catherine the Great for her court favorite, Count Grigory Potemkin, the palace is one of St. Petersburg's most magnificent buildings. Potemkin had been given the title of the Prince of Taurida for his annexation of the Crimea (ancient Taurida) to Russia. The Taurida Palace is a splendid example of neoclassicism, the main trend in Russian architecture in the late 18th century. The luxurious interior contrasts with the palace's modest exterior. The palace was inhabited for a long period after Potemkin's death, but in 1906 it was partially rebuilt for the State Duma, Russia's parliament. During the February Revolution of 1917 the Taurida Palace became a center of revolutionary events. Today the palace is used for international conferences and meetings; it also houses the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). It's not open to the public.