Marble Palace, St. Petersburg

Over 32 types of marble were used to create the interior and exterior of this unique stone residence designed by architect Antonio Rinaldi and built between 1768 and 1785. The palace was one of many gifts bestowed by Catherine the Great on her long-term lover Grigory Orlov. Unfortunately for him he died before the building's completion. It later became home to a range of Grand Dukes, one of whom was the popular Silver Age poet, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich Romanov. In 1937 the palace became the official branch of Moscow's Central Lenin Museum and exhibits in over 34 rooms were devoted to the life of the Communist leader. Today the palace is part of the State Russian Museum , and an exhibition "Foreign Artists in Russia" is on permanent display.