The Grand Palace at Kuskovo is the first early classic style palace building in the Russian estate culture. The palace was built from wooden beams on the stone foundation and had no wings, which were characteristic for that period, as it was intended not for dwelling but for pleasure balls.
The original palace was smaller than the one you can see today and copied Sheremetyev`s Fountain House in St. Petersburg. During 1769-75 an architect Blank rebuilt the dilapidated wooden palace by the project of Charles De Wailly.
The first room you enter is a drawing-room, the walls of which were decorated by Flemish tapestries manufactured at the end of 18 century. They depict some parts of the park. Besides, you can see there the tapestry with the portrait of Empress Catherine the Great made in St. Petersburg.
According to the traditions of that time, an enfilade of the palace rooms had to excite the imagination of guests. Each room had its color. Drawing-rooms and rooms were then named by the color of their tapestries: blue drawing-room, crimson drawing-room, white hall.
The tapestry room, with tapestries covering all free space on the walls, was intended for musical concerts. The front bedroom tapestried with green silk with roses, was specially prepared for Empress Catherine II. On the walls of the big ball room are mirrors enlarging its space.
