Vorontsov Palace

The Vorontsov Palace is a neoclassical city palace completed in 1826, anchoring the seaward end of Prymorskyi Boulevard — Odessa's central pedestrian promenade — with a sweeping colonnade terrace above the Black Sea harbour. Built for Count Mikhail Vorontsov, Governor-General of Novorossiya, it was the social hub of 19th-century imperial Odessa; Alexander Pushkin, exiled to the city between 1823 and 1824, is said to have been a frequent guest and allegedly wrote a biting epigram about the Count after an affair with the Countess became a public scandal. The palace now serves as a community centre, but its colonnade remains one of the most atmospheric vantage points in Odessa's historic centre, looking out over the port and the famous Potemkin Steps.