The Nicholas Palace became the dominant feature of Blagoveshchenskaya Square (today's Labour Square). The architect
Andreas Stackensneider chose Italian
Renaissance architectural techniques for the façade. In the eastern part of the palace, on the garden side, the house church was located. For the decoration of the vestibule, Stackensneider used bricks and stone leftover from the construction of
St. Isaac's Cathedral. The staircase was decorated with seventeen paintings by the artist Nikolai Tikhobrazov. The enfilade of the first floor began with the White Drawing Room, decorated with moulded
overdoors and picturesque panels. Then came the Small Dining Room and the Chinese Drawing Room. In the centre of the west façade was the Rose Drawing Room, the ceiling of which was decorated with the painting "
The Judgement of Paris". In the northwest part of the
mezzanine, there were the Ballroom and the Banqueting Room with a height of 17 metres. The Dancing Hall was decorated with sculptures by Iensen. The furniture for the staterooms was made by the master Andrei Tour. == References ==