Laval House, located on the Promenade des Anglais, 4, is one of the outstanding monuments of Russian architecture 18-19vv abroad. Planning of this building, which extends to the Red Street and adjacent to a plot owned by AD Menshikov, the first governor of St. Petersburg. Stone House for Menshikov built in 20-ies of the 18th century. When Menshikov fell into disgrace, his house became the property of the vice-chancellor AI Osterman When he fell in disgrace and was sent into exile, Elizabeth gave this house General Saltykov VF At the end of the 18th century. home owned AN Stroganov, and then his son, GA Stroganov In the 90-ies. 18. the building was subjected to a radical restructuring of the project Voronikhin AN

In the early 19th century. the house was purchased by Countess AG Laval She commissioned the house was rebuilt by architect Thomas de Thomon who redid the house and outside, and inside. So he came to the present day. The main facade of the building, overlooking the promenade, he designed the colonnade of ten three-quarter Ionic columns, which combine the second and third floors. Above the three-part windows on the facade of the building is located mythological stucco panels. Crowned House stepped attic rather than a traditional gable. Well-adjusted proportion of the horizontal articulation of the facade, the calm rhythm of the colonnade that step is completed attic, give the house a grand and solemn.

Of interest is the interior design of the house and Laval, which is partially preserved with the 1810-1820gg. In many buildings survived grisaille (painting by molding). Artistic value is finishing the Blue Hall, which is made on a plan by architect GA Bosse in the 1840s.

The most successful solutions lobby and grand staircase. The lobby is decorated homes Laval powerful Doric columns and pilasters without bases. The room is the main staircase decorated more elegant and ornate. It is designed as a domed rotunda overlapped with caissons that decorate stucco rosettes and stars. The large hall is designed by N. Charpentier. It covers a set of mirror with polychrome, which is supported by columns. The painting made by artists Bezsonovym and B. Medici.

With the 10-ies. 19 in. House Laval was the center of the cultural life of St. Petersburg. In the exhibition hall houses a collection of antique sculpture was located, the largest in the whole of Russia. The hall has a collection of art works of Renaissance art. A separate room was set aside for a large library, in addition to a collection of books which were engravings and maps.

In the literary salon of Countess Laval held musical and literary evenings, where well-known in the capital invited poets, musicians, writers and artists. Here, his works read Karamzin and Pushkin. Among the guests of the house were Alexander Griboyedov, Ivan Krylov, Nikolai Gnedich, Vasily Zhukovsky, Adam Mickiewicz, Peter Vyazemsky. Within these walls before the 1825 uprising were going Decembrists.

Receptions, literary evenings, dances, art exhibitions, concerts continued until Laval wife were alive. In 1846, Ivan Stepanovich died, and died in 1850 and his wife, Alexandra G.. House began to own their second daughter Sophie, who married Count AM Borja. Keep this mansion the couple was not able to do. Therefore, in 1872. the mansion was sold to a well-known banker and millionaire Samuel Polyakov, who acquired their capital in the construction of railways. In 1911. his heirs the house was purchased by the treasury to accommodate documents of the Senate.

After the revolution, this building housed the Central State Historical Archive, which was created in 1925 and included the archives of the Synod and the Senate, funds other higher institutions of the state of pre-revolutionary period. Soviet documents gathered in other archives.

During World War II the house Laval suffered considerable damage, then it is not refurbished. Its modern look building acquired through reconstruction, which lasted about two years. They were restored moldings, fireplaces, painting, flooring, metal decoration and gilding. The interior has been equipped with modern means of communication and the necessary communications to here could begin its work the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation.