Author of the article and photos: cleofide
And what is inside the house? Now the restored building looks not exactly as it looked originally. It became a victim of a whim of emperor Pavel, Napoleonic invasion and many other vicissitudes of Russian history.
It is an English plate created at the beginning of the 19th century.
But, anyway, the building is also harmonious and cosy inside, despite its huge size.
The first floors are occupied by the state library: handwritten, musical and cartographical departments.
The vestibule is decorated with a nice staircase, which leads to the main hall. The photos were taken at one of the concerts.
There is no stage for the musicians. They play just on the floor.
During a entr'acte, you can get upstairs and enjoy beautiful views from the balcony.