Without deviating from the Shuvalov Palace, we will look at the opposite side of the Fontanka River. There on the embankment of the Fontanka River we will see a beautiful building with columns, a wide pediment and an arch of the main entrance. This building is one of the branches of the Russian National Library.
In 1711 Peter the Great at this place ordered the laying of a palace for his daughter Anna. This palace was called "Italian". From this name of the palace came the names of two streets, which, as the rays departed on either side of it, were Big and Small Italian streets (today it is the Italian street and Zhukovsky street). For a long time the palace building was empty and only in 1743 the court servants settled there.
By the end of 1796 the building was transferred to an institution for orphans, and in 1800 the Italian Palace became a women's educational institution - the Catherine Institute. Later the building was dilapidated completely and a decision was made to demolish it. The existing building was constructed by the architect Giacomo Quarenghi in 1804-1807. The center of the facade is decorated with eight columns, a wide pediment and a front porch, to which two ramps lead. The interior layout of the building is the strictness and rationality characteristic of the creativity of Quarenghi. In the center of the building, the main entrance hall is connected to a wide corridor, on the sides of which there were classrooms. Opposite the hall is a staircase leading to the upper floors.
At present, the branch of the Russian National Library is used for storing books, concerts and musical evenings. The building houses reading rooms, a newspaper section, a music library, a music and sound recording department, and Internet classes.
Thus, we did not go far from the Fontanka River and got acquainted with one more monument of architecture of St. Petersburg.
Thank you and I look forward to seeing you again on my excursions around the city.