Krasnov, Nikolai Petrovich

Pink Drawing Room of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna opens in the Livadia Palace

The Livadia Palace Museum has announced the opening of the Pink Drawing Room of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. The room was designed by the famous Russian-Serbian architect Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939). The room was part of a suite of rooms for visiting guests and family members who came to stay at the Imperial Family’s imean residence.

The opening of the Pink Drawing Room is part of a large-scale restoration of the Livadia Palace and Park, announced in April of this year. Recall that on 26th June 2026, Nicholas II’s Italian Corridor was opened to visitors for the first time in 15 years. The museum also has plans to restore other interiors of the Imperial Family, including Nicholas II’s Study.

PHOTO: partial view of he Pink Drawing Room of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna

PHOTO: bust-profile of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna

“Everything in the Empress’s Pink Drawing Room is simple and at the same time exquisite: the interior was originally designed in the style of Louis XV and we have tried to replicate this. We have tried to present the warm and cozy interior of a large Russian, hospitable family. The room was conceived specifically for the comfort of members of the Imperial Family and other guests who were invited to Livadia by special invitation. Today this room reflects one of the most intimate and informal aspects of the life of the Imperial Family in Livadia,” said the Director of the Livadia Palace Museum Larysa Kovalchuk

The Pink Drawing Room is located next to the former guest bedroom. During the early 20th century, guests included Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, sister of Emperor Nicholas II, who stayed here in 1913, and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, sister of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and later abbess of the Martha and Mary Convent (Moscow), who stayed here in 1912.

PHOTO: framed photographs of the Imperial Family

PHOTO: rare album with photos of Livadia Palace and Park during the 20th century

Other guests included Grand Duke of Hesse Ernst-Ludwig, the brother of the Empress, and the Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich, the son of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich, who stayed at Livadia in 1912 and 1914. Dmitry was a family favourite, both Nicholas II and Alexandra treated him like an adopted son. His fame in Russian society was so great that after the revolution, these guest rooms were named after him.

The interior of the Pink Drawing Room features framed family photographs and portraits. Among them are truly unique exhibits donated to the museum specifically for this interior: photographs of Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich in Livadia and on the eve of the First World War, an equestrian portrait and amateur photos of the Grand Duke from the collection of Russian historian Dmitry Matlin, who now serves as chairman of the Alexander II Historical Society in St. Petersburg.

In addition, visitors can see a unique autographed portrait of Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, a photograph of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna with her son Tsesarevich Alexei, as well as numerous photographs of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, in some of which she appears in the vestments of a sister of mercy.

PHOTO: the Private Balcony of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna

The excursion route in the Livadia Palace now combines the Pink Drawing Room and the Private Balcony of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, which was opened to visitors for the first time in July 2026. It is complemented by an audio guide created on the basis of the correspondence of the Imperial Family and the testimonies of Russian historians.

Earlier this year, the Livadia Palace-Museum released a new Russian-language guidebook for visitors. The 88-page book explores the history of the palace, it’s interiors and it’s Auguest residents.

Following the construction of the new White Palace at Livadia in 1911, Nicholas II and his family visited Livadia in the autumn of 1911 and 1913 and in the spring of 1912 and 1914, where they took up residence for several months at a time.

Nikolai Krasnov exhibition opens in Crimea

Posted on December 7, 2024 by Paul Gilbert

On 6th December 2024, a new exhibition dedicated to Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939), opened at Livadia Palace in Crimea. The exhibition is timed to the 160th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding Russian-Serbian architect and painter.

Krasnov is best known as the architect who planned and constructed many of the Romanov estates which dotted the southern coast of Crimea, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His masterpiece, of course, is the white Italian-style palace at Livadia, the Imperial Residence of Emperor Nicholas II and his family, during their stay in Crimea.

NOTE: click on the images below to enlarge and view each photo in greater detail.

The exhibition features photographs by the famous Yalta photographer and Supplier to the Imperial Court Ivan Ivanovich Semyonov, which depict the stages of the construction of the Livadia Palace. In total, Semenov took about 500 such photos.

Each photo on display in the exhibition includes an explanatory note, outlining the progress of construction, of which Krasnov regularly sent to St. Petersburg to the Ministry of the Imperial Court and Appanages for subsequent approval by the Emperor.

Some of these photos were placed in a special album “Construction of ‘Livadia’ the New Grand Palace in the Name of His Imperial Majesty 1910-1911“, which was presented to the Imperial Family. Fortunately the album has survived to the present day, and is now in the collection of the Livadia Palace Museum.

PHOTO from the exhibition: Livadia Palace under construction. 1911.
Photo: Ivan Ivanovich Semyonov

PHOTO: Nikolai Krasnov’s drawing of the Livadia Palace (1910)

In addition to the photographs are a materials related to the life and work of the architect, including his drawings of his projects, and a collection of beautiful watercolours of the Livadia Palace and gardens, painted by Nikolai Krasnov – NOTE: click on the link to view 10 of Krasnov’s watercolours – PG.

PHOTO: Northern facade of the Livadia Palace
Watercolour by Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939)

PHOTO: view of the Livadia Palace as it looks today

Livadia must have been beautiful before the First World War and the Russian Revolution. Krasnov had begun working on the project since the autumn of 1909. The new palace was built on the site of the old Large (Bolshoi) wooden Palace. Construction on the new white limestone palace began on 21st January 1910, and after 17 months of construction.

The palace was built in the Italian Renaissance style, and consisted of 116 rooms, with interiors furnished in different styles, . Emperor Nicholas II spent about 4 million gold rubles on the palace. Livadia Palace was inaugurated on 11th September 1911.

In November 1911 Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna celebrated her 16th birthday at Livadia. The Imperial family visited and stayed in their new Livadia Palace on only four occasions: in the autumn of 1911 and 1913 and in the spring of 1912 and 1914, where they took up residence for several months at a time. The Tsar even considered moving the capital of the Russian Empire to Yalta.

On 30th April, 1918, German troops entered Livadia and immediately began to plunder the palace. In 1993 the Livadia Palace received the status of a museum. In July 2022, Livadia Palace celebrated it’s 100th anniversary as a museum – NOTE: the link features 18 colour photos of the palace and it’s interiors, as they look today – PG.

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PHOTO: Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939)

Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov was born on 5th December (O.S. 23rd November) 1864, in the village of Khonyatino, situated in the Kolomna district.

In 1876, at the age of 12, Nikolai entered the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in Moscow, where he studied for 10 years. From 1887 to 1899 he served as the chief architect of Yalta. From 1889 to 1911 he ran his own architecture firm. The young architect was fully responsible for solving a wide range of issues related to the rapid development of Yalta as an all-Russian resort city.

In recognition for his work on Livadia Palace, on 5th October 1911, Krasnov was granted the title of Architect of the Highest Court and awarded the Order of St. Vladimir. On 6th December of the same year, he was assigned to the Main Directorate of Appanages of the Imperial Court, with the assignment of technical supervision of all construction and furniture and wallpaper work in the palaces and adjacent buildings, which were planned in the following years in Livadia.

PHOTO: Nikolai Krasnov in his office in Yalta

Following the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, in 1919, Nikolai Krasnov emigrated with his wife and daughter. They first lived in Malta for several years, before settling in Belgrade, Serbia in 1922. For the next seventeen years, Krasnov served as an inspector for the Architectural Division. He left a significant mark in the architecture of present-day Serbia.

Nikolai Krasnov died on 8th December 1939 in Belgrade, Serbia. He was buried in the Russian sector of the New Cemetery in Belgrade.

To this day, the Serbian people deeply revere the memory of the Yalta architect, most famous for Livadia Palace, the Crimea residence of Nicholas II and his family.

Watercolours of Livadia Palace and Gardens

Posted on December 16, 2019 by Paul Gilbert

Monument to Nikolai Krasnov (1864-1939), unveiled on 9 December in Belgrade, Serbia

This month marks the 155th anniversary of the birth (5 December O.S. 23 November 1864) and the 80th anniversary of the death (8 December 1939) of the famous Russian-Serbian architect Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov.

In 1919, the architect emigrated with his family from the Crimea, lived in Malta for several years, before settling in Belgrade in 1922. For the next seventeen years, Krasnov served as an inspector of the Architectural Division. He left a significant mark in the architecture of present-day Serbia. To this day, the Serbian people deeply revere the memory of the Yalta architect, the architect most famous for Livadia Palace, the Crimea residence of Nicholas II and his family.

On 9th December 2019, celebrations were held in the Serbian capital, which included the opening of the Architect Krasnov exhibition and the unveiling of a monument to Nikolai Krasnov. As part of the Russian delegation, the Livadia Palace Museum took part in the celebrations.

The monument to Krasnov by the sculptor Neboisha Savovich Nes, was unveiled in the park of the Archive of Serbia. The sculptor captured the eminent architect sitting at his desk working on the design of the Archive building.

Krasnov died on 8 December 1939, he was buried in the Russian sector of the Belgrade New Cemetery. The architect’s grave is located near the monument of ‘Russian Glory’, the first monument in the world erected in honour of Emperor Nicholas II and soldiers of the Russian Imperial Army who died in the First World War.

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Watercolours of Livadia Palace painted by the famous palace architect himself
Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939)

Livadia must have been beautiful when it was an Imperial residence before the First World War. Construction on a new white limestone palace began on 21 January 1910, and after 17 months of construction, the palace was inaugurated on 11 September 1911. Emperor Nicholas II spent about 4 million gold rubles on the palace. In November 1911 Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna celebrated her 16th birthday at Livadia.

The Imperial family visited Livadia in the fall of 1911 and 1913 and in the spring of 1912 and 1914.

Sadly, on 30th April 30 1918, German troops entered Livadia, who immediately began to plunder the palace.

Northern facade of the Livadia Palace
Watercolour by Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939)

Northern facade of the Livadia Palace
Watercolour by Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939)

Iron grille gate leading to the Italian courtyard of the Livadia Palace
Watercolour by Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939)

Gallery of the Italian Courtyard in the Livadia Palace
Watercolour by Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939)

Gallery of the Italian Courtyard in the Livadia Palace
Watercolour by Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939)

Corner of the park of the Livadia estate
Watercolour by Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939)

Corner of the park of the Livadia estate
Watercolour by Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939)

Arch of blooming roses in the park of the Livadia estate
Watercolour by Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939)

Laurel gazebo in the park of the Livadia estate
Watercolour by Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov (1864-1939)