From Alexander II to the present day: carriage from Tsarskoye Selo to be presented at the "Geography Lessons" exposition

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A phaeton gleaming with gold, previously used in imperial coronations, will be one of the key show pieces at the upcoming "Geography Lessons" exposition. Especially for this display, the carriage was brought to the National Centre RUSSIA from the collection of the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum and Heritage Site.

"The master of ceremonies’s phaeton is not just a rare carriage but a living witness to key events in Russia's imperial history. It is a great honour for us to present it at the 'Geography Lessons' exposition. This exhibit allows visitors not only to see the splendour of court ceremonial but also to feel the scale of a country where every element of the journey – from carriage to route – held symbolic significance," said Olesya Malevannaya, Head of the Laboratory for Cultural and Educational Projects at the National Centre RUSSIA.

The carriage was made in 1856 at the Imperial Court Carriage Office in St Petersburg specifically for the ceremonial entry into Moscow on the occasion of the coronation of Emperor Alexander II. During the event, a procession of 32 ceremonial carriages stretched for several kilometres through the city streets, each occupying a strictly designated place in the empire's ceremonial procession. The carriage presented at the "Geography Lessons" exposition was intended for the earl marshals and senior masters of ceremonies – court officials responsible for palace administration and the organisation of all court rituals.

Made of wood and metal, adorned with delicate decorations of gilded bronze, and upholstered in red velvet, the carriage was born in a full-cycle production factory where craftsmen of more than twenty specialities worked. The project and production were overseen by Chief Master J. Bannister, who headed the Imperial Court Carriage Office for many years. Every element – from carving and chasing to forging and leatherwork – emphasised the status of the owners and the importance of the ceremony itself.

The celebrations marking the coronation of Emperor Alexander II were held with particular splendour and amazed contemporaries with their grandeur. Subsequently, the phaeton was used at the coronations of Russian Emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II, as well as at the ceremony marking the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov. At the "Geography Lessons" exposition, which opens on 3 April at the National Centre RUSSIA, this ceremonial master of ceremonies’ carriage from Tsarskoye Selo will allow visitors to connect with the country's past and see an important element of its history and rituals.