Exterior view
by KAZAKOV, Matvey Fyodorovich, Photo
The Senate building bore witness to the spirit of Neoclassicism. The ground plan was an isosceles triangle, which enclosed a domed rotunda at its apex over the main hall - one of Kazakov’s favourite motifs. Adjoining rooms were connected by corridors and gave on to a large inner courtyard defined by diagonal wings. This spatial arrangement represented a new type of administrative building. The exterior rested on a tall plinth divided by Doric pilasters which bracketed two floors. A portico of Ionic columns, giving entry to the interior courtyard, provided the fa�ade’s only relief.
View the ground plan of Senate building, Kremlin, Moscow.