Srednerogatsky Road Palace (Palace of Four Hands)

Since 1710, at the site of the current Victory Square, there was a guard post with a barrier. Due to its shape, it was popularly called the "slingshot." At this location, travelers were checked for travel documents and tolls were collected. There were three such guard posts in total: one near the modern Moscow Gate (the nearest), another near Pulkovo Hill (the farthest), and a third located between them (the middle one). Since the 18th century, the name "Middle Slingshot" began to be used as a proper noun.

In the summer of 1714, at the intersection of the roads from Petersburg to Moscow and from Petersburg to Saar Manor (now Tsarskoye Selo), a wooden one-story travel palace with eight rooms was built, intended for the rest of the royal family during their journeys. These were erected in Peter's time to "prevent the passage of malicious people": runaway soldiers and serfs trying to leave Petersburg; coachmen violating the royal decree requiring three stones to be brought on each cart for paving Petersburg’s streets; and city residents who wanted to leave without permission.

During the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna, the Middle Slingshot Palace housed court servants—ten people initially transferred from the Winter Palace, then from the Tsarskoye Selo Palace. The palace stored supplies of food, vodka, and wine in case of the empress's visit, who often spent the night there.

In 1727, the Middle Slingshot was marked on a map for the first time, drawn by Kirillov. In 1744, a post was installed here with an image of three hands pointing directions to Petersburg, Tsarskoye Selo, Moscow, and Warsaw, which became popularly known as the "Three Hands."

For thirty years after Peter the Great, the Middle Slingshot Palace was unused and fell into disrepair. In 1743, the dilapidated building at the "Middle Slingshot" was demolished and replaced with a large wooden building with many annexes, including a kitchen.

On November 8, 1750, an order was issued to build a stone building instead of the wooden one on the Tsarskoye Selo perspective. On February 28, court architect Francesco Rastrelli presented the palace project. In spring 1751, construction began on the right side of the road for the third Middle Slingshot Palace. Meanwhile, the "second" Middle Slingshot Palace on the left side was not demolished. Construction was completed on April 17, 1754.

The one-story travel palace, on a high semi-basement, had fifteen rooms and a large hall. The interior decoration was not made particularly luxurious, although the palace featured elegant stucco work, and Dutch paper wallpaper was pasted on the walls. Three mirrors and bronze candlesticks for each room were brought here from the Tsarskoye Selo Palace.

Emperor Paul I ordered the Middle Slingshot Palace to be converted into a postal station. The half-collapsed "second" Middle Slingshot wooden palace on the left side of the road was demolished on June 25, 1791, and the site was leveled and cleaned.

In the summer of 1816, a milestone post was installed here with images of four hands pointing the directions of roads to Moscow, Tsarskoye Selo, Peterhof, and Petersburg. Since then, the Middle Slingshot Palace became popularly known as the "Palace of Four Hands."

In 1831, the palace was repaired and partially rebuilt, after which a tavern called "Three Hands" began operating there.

In 1850, the palace building was sold to be used as a factory for producing printing ink and dyes.

In 1925, the Middle Slingshot Palace suffered a fire, was rebuilt again, and a second floor was added. As a result, the majestic palace came to resemble a poorhouse.

When the modern Victory Square was created, the palace did not fit into the project. It stood with its main facade facing Moscow Avenue, while its side faced the parade square. It was decided to demolish the Middle Slingshot Palace and build its replica in a new location directly on Victory Square, rotated 45 degrees. The palace was measured, and the intricately carved capitals from the palace facade were dismantled and preserved.

In 1971, the Rastrelli Palace at the Middle Slingshot was demolished. It was not reconstructed.

Sources:

https://www.citywalls.ru/house9923.html

https://dzen.ru/a/ZnvuvC6MDCRN4CpH

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Среднерогатский_дворец