Branch

The Museum of History of Military Schools in Russia

A branch of the Military-­Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps is being organized in the building of a unique architecture monument — the Malta Chapel which is included in the Vorontsov Palace complex.

Faсade of the Malta Chapel

It will be the Museum of History of Military Schools [Cadet Corps]. A unique opportunity appeared for the first time to show odd collections of objects and documents concerning the history of military education in Russia in the 18th — 20th centuries.
The history of constructing the Malta Chapel is closely connected with events which marked the reign of Emperor Paul I. The priory of one of the oldest and dignified knight orders, the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta, was founded in Russia more than 200 years ago.

The Order of St. John of Jerusalem was founded in the early 11th century in Palestine. Members of the Order initially kept the Hospital of St. John the Baptist in Jerusalem by the permission of Muslim authorities. It was a house for sick Christian pilgrims. This is the origin of the second name of the Order — Hospitallers. After the capture of Jerusalem by participants of the First Crusade in 1099, the Order turned into a military-­monastic one. The influence of the Order quickly spread not in the Holy Land, but into all of Western Europe. Its members kept the rules of the Augustinians and were divided into three classes — knights, chaplains and serving brothers.

Knights put on the red pelerine with a white cross on the breast before battles. The Malta cross was formed by uniting four spears into an octagonal cross. The points symbolised the eight chivalric virtues: loyalty, piety, frankness, braveness, glory and honor, contempt of death, helpfulness towards the poor and the sick and lastly respect for the church.

Members of the St. John Order who were driven out by Sultan Saladin moved to Accra, and later to Cyprus. They had taken away the Rhodes from the Byzantine Empire by 1310, and kept on the struggle with their main enemies, the Turks, from there. In 1530, Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire gave the island of Malta to the Order. The island became a residence of the Grand Master and dignitaries of the Order for many years. The Order itself started to be called Maltese from that time onwards.

The revolutionary events which took place in France in the late 18th century deeply influenced upon the state of the Order. The land possessions of French knights were confiscated and incomes of the Order were considerably reduced. At the same time, the strategic location of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea attracted Napoleon Bonaparte.

The consolidation of military activity in France threatened the very existence of the Order and forced it to rapprochement with Russia. A convention was concluded between the Malta Order and Russia in 1797. According to this document, Russian Emperor Paul I and his sons were elevated to the rank of honorary knights of the Order. Russia committed itself to pay a yearly subsidy to the Order and a priory was to be arranged on its territory. It had to include ten commanderies for Russian citizens from noble Catholics headed by French emigrant Prince Condé. By request of the Holy Council of the Order, Paul I took the title of protector of the St. John Order upon himself.

S. Tonci.Emperor Paul I (1754-1801). 1798-1801

After Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesh surrendered Malta to French troops without battle, the Holy Council elected Paul I as a new Grand Master in October 1798. The residence of the Order (convent) was moved to St. Petersburg.
Symbols of the Maltese Order were included in the state symbols of Russia (emblem, state stamp). The Order titles were added to the title of the Russian Emperor. Such a step is explained both by characteristics of the romantically disposed Russian Emperor, who aspired to restore “knightly valours and virtues” and by pragmatic striving to receive a new naval base on the Mediterranean Sea (in addition to the Ioanian Islands occupied by the Russian fleet).

The former palace of Vorontsov Counts on Sadovaia Street became the main residence of the Order. It was constructed by architect F.­B. Rastrelli in 1749–1758. Here the chancellery, the treasury of the Order and apartments for its high officials were housed.

The famous Malta Chapel was built in the Vorontsov palace complex in 1798–1800. The building was erected under the guidance of Giacomo Quarengi (1744–1817) who was promoted to the rank of Cavalier of Justice of the Maltese Order and became the architect at its capitulum.

The chapel is located in the courtyard immediately behind the main building of the palace. In spite of its modest size it is one of the best works of the architect. Quarengi constructed the chapel in classical style. Due to the large order on its façade, the small construction seems to be significant. The severity of its forms stands out even more distinctly against the background of intricate baroque design of the Vorontsov palace.

In combination with arches, sculptures of angels, Maltese crosses and plaster garlands, the colonnade is the main motif of the interior architecture of the chapel.

Interior view of the Malta Chapel.

The upper part is completed with vaults covered with paintings consisting of floral ornaments, rosettes and panels with angels. Dark­olive garlands of oak leaves divide the plane of the ceiling into clear-­cut geometric figures. Yellowish, grey and lilac tones are blended in a harmonious gamut and serve as a background for winged angels in garments flying. The painting was made in relief and the rhombic form of caissons transmits voluminosity.

The chapel looks on the plan like a quadrangle with choruses on both sides. The organ was placed on the right chorus. It was transferred there from the Tavricheskii Palace by the order of Paul I. In 1909, it was replaced with a new one made by the E. F. Walker Company (Ludwigsburg, Germany). It had 15 registers. The altar is under the semi­-vault. White Maltese crosses against the red background are on the walls and ceiling of the chapel. The walls and columns are faced with artificial marble. The interior decoration differed by its polychrome color gamut and the variety of art methods used. This brilliant work by G. Quarengi is notable for its perfect proportions and all the means of art décor.

An arm­chair of the Grand Master of the Maltese Order was placed near the altar part under the canopy. It was of fret­work, gilded, upholstered with velvet and had standard lamps nearby. Opposite to the arm­chair is a marble plaque with an inscription in Latin about the founding and ceremonial consecration of the church. Metal and wooden candlesticks and crucifixes with Maltese crosses were placed in the altar. Behind the altar a large icon of St. John the Baptist by A. Charlemagne remains.

Ambassadorial arm­chairs and oak benches were placed in the chapel. There were also benches for common members of the Order and parishioners. The unique acoustic characteristics of the chapel are of special notice. Meetings of the Order capitulum took place rather regularly in the Malta chapel during the reign of Paul I.

After the killing of Paul I, the new Emperor Alexander I refused to accept the title of Grand Master of the Maltese Order, limiting himself to the title of protector. According to the Order dated April 18, 1801, symbols of the Order were excluded from the state emblem and the state stamp, and the title of the Grand Master removed from the emperor’s title. A new Grand Master of the Order, this time a Catholic, was elected in Italy. The Holy Council stopped its existence in Russia and transferred the regalia and archives of the Order to the new master. Funds from Russian Order priories were taken out of the state treasury. The Order’s protected manors were liquidated. In 1817, it was announced that the Russian branch of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem officially ceased to exist.

Altar part in the Malta Chapel.Photo of the late 19th – early 20th century

However, the spirit of knighthood visually remained in all palaces connected with the destiny of Emperor Paul I. The most notable among them is a "castle" of Malta knights; the Vorontsov Palace with the Malta Chapel. From 1810 to 1917, the most elite educational institution in Russia, the Page School of His Imperial Majesty, which kept the Maltese cross as its emblem, was located there. Pages accepted the precepts of Malta knights upon entering the school. After graduation, a badge in the form of a Maltese cross was presented to them.

In the 1850’s, a symmetrical side­-chapel with a gallery was built onto the Malta chapel. The body of Duke Maximilian of Leuchtenberg was re­buried in the side­-chapel.

During the Soviet epoch, the Malta Chapel of the Vorontsov palace was used as a club by the E. Sklianskii Infantry School. In 1928, a majority of the interior objects and utensils from the Chapel were handed over to the most significant museums in Leningrad. The organ was also dismantled the same year and transferred to the Maly Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Since 1955, the Suvorov Military College has been housed in the Vorontsov Palace. This determined the decision of the Russian Ministry of Defence to provide part of the palace premises, including the Malta Chapel, to arrange a Museum of the History of Military Schools as a branch of the Military­-Historical Museum of Artillery and Signal Corps. According to the restoration conception, the Malta Chapel must be kept in the original appearance it has had for several centuries. So the Museum display is organized in the side-­chapel and in adjoining premises of the Vorontsov Palace.

In 2004, a decision was made to restore the organ and to return it to its historical place in the Malta Chapel. The instrument was used as a theatre organ until the mid. 1970’s. After that it was in a poor state because of the long period of time in unfavorable conditions of preservation. Restoration of the organ was undertaken using city budgeting funds, and with sponsorship by the Maltese company Corynthia Hotels International.

After restoration, the organ was placed to the right gallery of the Malta Chapel and ceremonially opened in the presence of St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko and President of Malta Guido de Marco on January 20, 2006.
The Malta Chapel is open for excursion groups which may see this unique art­-architectural monument.