The majestic building, reflected in the waters of the river, is almost the same age as the city itself. The palace of Prince Menshikov, the first governor of the Northern Capital, was founded just seven years after Peter I conquered these lands from the Swedes.

Famous European masters such as Francesco Fontana, Domenico Trezzini, Gottfried Schedel, Carlo Rastrelli and others worked on the construction, which lasted 17 years. The palace served as an administrative function and served as the residence of Peter's right hand. When Menshikov fell out of favor, the palace was confiscated, and soon it opened the country's first cadet corps, where, among others, Suvorov, Sumarokov and other prominent people studied. In Soviet times, the Military-Political School was located here.

Today, the Menshikov Palace is a museum, one of the branches of the Hermitage. This transformation was preceded by many years of restoration work. Only in the early 80s, the architectural monument opened its doors to visitors.

The 30 rooms house both permanent and temporary exhibitions. Here you can get acquainted with the life of Peter the Great era, see the interiors of living rooms, and look at the kitchen. In addition, the palace houses a rich collection of unique works of art.