avoided staircases, and therefore, generally attended mass from the choir gallery. The Imperial Family and suite were below in the church, and the Empress with the attendance of the day in the Choir gallery.
Here was exposed during three days the corpse of the Emperor Alexander I, who died in Taganrog; and during the night of the 11th March 1826 the Imperial Family entered the church and kissed the body of the deceased Emperor. After that the coffin was closed, and on the 12th of March the corpse was transported through the Chesmensky palace to St. Petersburg. Here the first pupils of the "Lyceum" attended mass on Sundays and had the honor of praying in the same church with their adored Monarch. "We stood on the left side", writes a pupil, "the seniors standing in front, Karamsine with his wife and two daughters stood before us. About 10 o'clock the Emperor and Empress entered the church with the maid of honor on duty and the suite. The suite placed itself at a little distance ; among it, I remember at different times, the Prince P. M. Volkonsky, the small Dibitch, the adjutant generals : Depreradovitch and the prince Troubetzkoi ; the minister A. N. Golitsyn, in a grey dress-coat with the star of St. Andrew: behind those officials the commander of the Life Guard Hussar regiment — Levashoff (afterwards count), and different colonels and junior officers of the hussars, and also of the Preobrajensky regiment, which was on guard in Tsarskoye Selo. The rest of the public was in the body of the church below the choir gallery".
In the sacristy are kept: the Holy Cross, the chalice, the paten, and the Holy Gospel, of pure gold and of extraordinary artistic work, transferred from the cathedral of Sophia during the war of 1812. They were given by the Empress Catherine II to the cathedral of Sophia, on the day of its consecration. There is besides, in the sacristy a remarkable 20 pound chalice of gold, the gift of the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.
On the 16th of June 1863 the church was once more burnt; the images, church plate, painted ceilings, etc. were saved; the cupolas perished in the fire.
Having inspected the church from the gallery, the visitors pass through the "antechamber to the choir gallery" into a small foreroom, beyond which is situated the "waiting-women's" room.

"The waiting-women's room".
One window, reaching the floor, overlooks the park; the walls are painted in a grayish tone; the furniture is of mahogany, covered with crimson silk, dating from the end of the XVIII century; here too stands a magnificent inlaid chest of drawers: of the first half of the XVIII century; on the wall a small XVIII century clock of gilt bronze, the work of Lenoir in Paris (Lenoir a Paris); and the following pictures: "The council of the apostles", by A. Veronese, "The portrait of a man", the work of T. F. Flink, "a Flemish landscape", by an unknown artist, "Christ and the Samaritan" by Domenico Fabiani, "The portrait of an old man", a work of the school of Reikart, "The Portrait of an old woman", of the same school, "The youth at the chimney", a work of the XVIII century, French school.
The next room is the "Bed-chamber".

"Bed-chamber".
Two windows, reaching the floor, over-look the park; the walls are ornamented in the antique style, on greenish ground white medallions; the doors are painted with antique decorations; two rows of fine china grooved columns encircle the room; an immense mirror hides the alcove with the bed; from the ceiling hangs a charming light-bronze luster; the furniture is of mahogany and bronze covered with green silk, in the Empire style; on the marble chimney stands a gilt clock, representing the allegory of Peace, it is the work of a French artist of the XIX century; on the walls hang two pictures: "A scene of peasant life" by David Teniers, and "The alchemist", a copy from Teniers.
Next to the bed-chamber is the "Primrose divanroom", a very small room with one window, reaching the floor and overlooking the park.

"The Primrose divan room".
The walls of the divan-room are painted in straw color and are ornamented in the style of Louis XVI; the frescoes on the friezes and on the vaulted ceiling are the work of the academician Antonelli150): "they represent, the summer amusements of boys", and the "Golden age", above the divan; — "Deucalion and Pyrrha" above the window, — "Adonis and Venus", "Prokris and Zephal", "Spring and Summer" above the doors. On the walls are two pictures "Flowers" and "Fruits", by Valeff. The furniture is of poplar wood with bronze and covered with straw-coloured silk. From the ceiling hangs a light-bronze luster and on the table a similar candelabrum with water-colour landscapes.
Next to this room is the small "Library" with one window, reaching the floor and overlooking the park; the walls of a greenish tint are ornamented with white bas-reliefs; the ceiling in one vault is painted with antique frescoes; and from it hangs a small light-bronze luster with crystal; over the divan is a picture by Pinacre: over the door, leading into the passage, and over the window hang the pictures "Prosperity of Peace", and "Pallas and Juno, speeding to help the Greeks", by the academician Antonelli. The furniture is of dark walnut wood, covered with dark green silk.
These rooms finish the first suite of apartments. The Empress Elizabeth Alexeevna, lived here, when she came to Tsarskoye Selo in summer. The ornamentation of these rooms, as well as the furniture, was renewed from the drawings of the architect Stassoff after the fire of 1820, the private rooms of the Empress having badly suffered. Here Elizabeth Alexeevna spent the last summer of her life. Here she swooned before the eyes of her surrounding courtiers, after the reconciliation with her husband. Here she sought solitude and repose from the life of Petersburg, passing the time in reading, riding, and music. In the library cupboards a great quantity of her music is still kept. Here, on returning from the visits to the dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna at Pavlovsk, she wrote to her mother letters full of an extraordinary melancholy, and here imperceptibly and modestly she occupied herself with the activity of the Patriotic society. Here too she received, quite without ceremony, the aged historian Joukovsky, who adored her, but never noticed how badly he fatigued her with his endless reading. From here E. A. departed in September 1825, to follow her husband to Taganrog, where the beautiful climate failed to restore her health, and where she underwent her last sorrow, and died on her journey to Petersburg in the spring of the next year.
The second suite of apartments composes the so called "Apartments of the Emperor Alexander I".
The first room of these apartments is "The green dining-room".

"The green dining-room".
This room has two windows, reaching the ground, and overlooking the big square; its walls are in the Roman style and are painted. The ceiling representing "The triumph of Bacchus" is the work of a pupil of Canova, Antonio Canoppi. The furniture is white, covered with light-green gros-de-Naples, of antique style; at the furthest end of the room is an organ; on the marble chimney is a dark-bronze clock with the model of the monument of Minin and Pojarsky in Moscow; on the tables are vases of dark and light glass with Etruscan decorations, and Chinese and Japanese porcelain of the XVI and XVII centuries.
Next to the dining-room is situated a small room with one window, facing the square and making a passage to the following "Room of the Imperial standards".

"Room of the Imperial standards".
It is "The room preceding the cast-iron staircase", which is to be seen through the window in the screen.
The doors of the Green dining-room, the room of the Imperial standards, and the room with arches, open out on the landing of the cast iron staircase. The walls of the landing are covered with imitations of marble and adorned with four small gilt sconces, in empire style. The walls of the room, preceding the cast-iron staircase, are covered with white silk panels in wooden gilt frames in rococo style; on the walls are two landscapes by Rosa da Tivoli.
"The room of the Imperial standards" has two windows, facing the square; the walls are covered with white silk and are ornamented with gilt carving and modeling in rococo style. The painted ceiling, restored in 1857, represents Bacchus with a drinking cup. The furniture is gilt, of the style of Louis XV, covered with white silk brocade: on the walls are two pictures: "The view of the Kremlin in Moscow", by Vorobioff; and the "View of the place of Kazan", by an unknown artist (F. Alexeyeff). The room is divided into two parts by a white brocade screen, behind which during big receptions, a pantry is arranged.
The following room with three windows, reaching the floor and overlooking the square, — is, "The drawing room of the Emperor Alexander I".

"The drawing room of the Emperor Alexander I".

The Empress Elisaveta Alexeevna portrait by J. Lebrun	The Emperor Alexander I gobelin

The walls of the drawing room are covered with ancient Chinese silk with water-color paintings ; the decoration is framed with gilt carving and modeling in rococo style. The painted ceiling "Flora and Zephyrus" was copied from the old model by Theodore Bruloff after the fire of 1820. Between the windows stand high mirrors in gilt frames of rococo style with modeled sconces; in the corners are two huge stoves, one — of Dutch tiles of the beginning of the XVIII century, the other — restored from the old drawing of Kouznetzoff. At the window in a corner is a large clock with chimes, the work of Roentgen and Kitzing in Neuwied of the end of the XVIII century; near the back door is a desk of the XVIII century; the furniture is in pseudo Chinese style of the times of the Empress Elizabeth; on the tables are some particularly valuable Chinese porcelain, blue vases, and a crimson bowl; near the window is the marble bust of the Emperor Alexander I; on the walls hang in full length the portraits of the Emperor Alexander I in the uniform of the Life Guards Hussars, by Batman, and of the Empress Catherine II after Lampi; near the windows hang the half-length portraits of the Emperor Peter I and of the Grand Douches Anna Petrovna: and on the wall opposite the windows, — the half-length portraits of the Emperor Peter I, of the Empress Catherine I, of the Empress Anna Iowannovna, and of Elizabeth Petrovna, all of them the work of Caravaca.
Beyond the door, at the end of the room — is "the bed-chamber of the Emperor Alexander I".

"The bed-chamber of the Emperor Alexander I".
Two windows reach the floor and face the park: the walls are covered with Chinese silk and with water color paintings, representing scenes from the life of the Manchurians; every thing in rich gilt frames; above the alcove, with the modest camp-bed of the Emperor, on a magnificently carved gilt arch in Louis XV style, — is the monogram of the Empress Catherine IL The ceiling is painted with "The allegorical representation of the natural sciences". In the corner is a chimney of the same style; and between the windows a mirror down to the floor. The furniture is of mahogany in empire style, covered with dark green morocco-leather; in the chests of drawers are a great number of small dressing-case things; near the mirror are his sword and saber; on the bed — a straw mattress in a chamois leather cover, — horse-hair cushions in similar covers, and a chintz and pique counterpane; on the wall are the plans of Petersburg and Tsarskoye Selo; over the door and above the stove hang the pictures : "Pastoral", "Vestal", and "The Flowers", restored after the fire of 1820 by Antonelli.
The following room, with two windows, overlooking the park, is the "Reception-room".

"Reception-room".
Its walls are covered with imitation of marble and with antique friezes; the doors and furniture are of light poplar wood, covered with blue silk in empire style. On the walls hang a beautiful gilt bronze lustre, two pictures of Adam by an unknown painter, "The battle at Leipzig", by Sauerweide, "The maneuvers near Kalish", by Cazella, and "The mass in Luneville", by Ladurner. Near the mirror stand, a vase of the beginning of the XIX century, representing the fight at Brienne, presented in former times by the Emperor Alexander I to the field-marshal Osten-Saken ; several green vases from the Imperial china-manufacture; a bronze gilt clock, representing a warrior in ancient Greek armor, by Moynet the elder, Tomire and Co. (Moyet aine, Tomire et Comp.), a work of the beginning of the XIX century.
Next to the reception-room is the small "room with arches", with one window, overlooking the park.
The walls and the ceiling are ornamented with imitation of marble; opposite the window a small door leads to the cast-iron staircase; the furniture is of dark Persian walnut in empire style, covered with yellow silk.
The door leads into the "Study".

"The Study room".
Two (Windows, reaching the floor, overlook the park; the walls and ceiling are covered with marble imitation of a pinkish shade, with paintings in empire style; in the back ground of the room is a rich marble chimney with bronze ornaments and a magnificent clock of French work of the beginning of the XIX century, representing Julius Caesar; between the windows stands a tall mirror; on the writing table is a malachite and bronze ink-stand; the furniture is of walnut wood, ornamented with bronze, in empire style. By the wall stands a huge china vase from the Imperial works, painted by Swebach in 1818, and representing the capture of Paris on the 19th of March 1814.
Next to the bed-chamber are situated three rooms, which may be visited only with a special permission of the Chief of the Palace Administration. They are, a small library with a passage into the dressing-room, the footman's room, and the private study of the Emperor.

"The Library"
The "Library" has one window, reaching the floor overlooking the garden, it serves as a passage to the dressing-room and to the private staircase, leading into the park; the walls of the library are white with gilding, small book-cases are on the walls ; here too, hang the portraits of the Emperor Peter II, genre Luddecke; of the Prince George Oldenburg by Kiprensky, of the Grand Duchess Catherine Pavlovna; of Anna Petrovna; of the Empress Anna Ioannovna; of the Tsar Ivan V; all works of unknown painters; and a print, representing the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna with the Tsesarevitch Alexander Nikolayevich and the Grand Duchess Maria Nicholaevna, — a copy by Fricht from the original by Dawe.
 
"The Footman's room"
The small "Footman's room" with one window, overlooking the park, has ancient blue hangings with a white frieze; the ceiling is painted in empire style; the divan and arm-chairs are covered with red hemp stuff; in the passage is an engraved portrait of the Count Nikita Ivanovitch Panine, the work of Radiges from the original by Rosselin.
A door leads into the "private study of the Emperor Alexander I".

"The private study of the Emperor Alexander I".
Two windows overlook the park; the walls are covered with white brocade and decorated with gilt carving and modeling in rococo style. The painted ceiling "the apotheosis of Alexander of Macedonia" is a Russian work of the XVIII century. The furniture is of the same style as in the bed-room ; it consists of a big leather divan, of a large writing-table, of a drawing table with little cupboards, and of a chest of drawers with bronze ornamentation; the writing-table is covered with green cloth and stands in the middle of the room, facing the windows ; in the chest of drawers and in the cupboards are to be seen the Emperor's own and armorial stamps, the traveling portfolio for papers, a bottle-case, a washing-set for traveling, a magnificent tea service (a gift of the town of Brussels and the work of Faber), a great quantity of plans of the suburbs of Krasnoye Selo, descriptions of travels, campaigns, books of gardening, military laws of the Polish cavalry, German military books, plans of houses, designed by Montferrand for the poor inhabitants of Tsarskoye Selo, mathematical and drawing instruments, work-boxes, dressing cases, pistols and other trifles. On the chimney is a traveling clock in a wooden Case, the work of Breget; on the chest of drawers a small bronze clock of the work of the beginning of the XIX century and a bronze candelabrum with mother-of-pearl ornaments by Degen; near the divan are a small telescope, the Emperor's frock-coat, his hat, and his cap. On the wall near the door hangs a plan of Tsarskoye Selo of 1822; and on the chest of drawers is a small miniature, painted by Kitty Thomattis in 1823 of the Grand Duchess Catherine Pavlovna, and a similar portrait on jade. Above the door hangs "The scene at the fountain" by an unknown painter; and over the divan a pastel portrait of the Grand Duchess Catherine Pavlovna by herself, in 1805; and her portrait by an unknown painter. Above the drawing table stands a portrait of the Empress Elizabeth Alexeevna by Julie Lebrun in 1801 ; nearer to the divan is a portrait of the Prussian King Frederick William III by Gebauer; a water colour portrait of the Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovitch by Stavik; and above the chest of drawers a copy, made by the Grand Duchess Maria Nicholaevna in 1803 of a "woman's head" by Greuze. —
The last room of the "second" suite of apartments — is the "White dining-room".

"The white dining-room".
This room is situated next to the drawing-room of the Emperor Alexander I and has a door, opening straight into the study. The white dining-room has three windows, overlooking the square; its walls are covered with white silk and ornamented with wooden gilt carving and modelling in rococo style. The painted ceiling representing "The rape of Tarsias" was executed by Theodore Brulloff after the fire of 1820152). The furniture is gilt in the style of Louis XV, covered with white silk; tall mirrors are raised on slabs of grey marble. Near the window is a bronze group "The rape of the Sabines" ; on the tables is some Japanese and Chinese porcelain of the XVI—XVII centuries. Against the wall, at the end of the room, are two chests of drawers of the XVIII century work and a magnificent desk of Russian work of the end of the XVIII century, with two inscriptions on the left side of it (a) "The laws of the Great Empress Catherine II" and