Editing Elizabeth of Russia (section)

===Construction projects===
[[File:Winter Palace Panorama 2.jpg|thumb|right|Built by her court architect [[Bartolomeo Rastrelli]], the Winter Palace is Elizabeth's most famous monument and the residence of her successors.]]
[[File:1 Rouble à l'effigie d'Élisabeth Ire de Russie.jpg|thumb|Coin of Elizabeth of Russia, whose beneficial but numerous buildings required heavy taxation.]]

Elizabeth enjoyed and excelled in architecture, overseeing and financing many construction projects during her reign. One of the many projects from the Italian architect [[Bartolomeo Rastrelli]] was the reconstruction of [[Peterhof Palace]], adding several wings between 1745 and 1755. Her most famous creations were the [[Smolny Convent]] and the Winter Palace, though she died before its completion. The Palace is said to contain 1,500 rooms, 1,786 doors, and 1,945 windows, including bureaucratic offices and the Imperial Family's living quarters arranged in two enfilades, from the top of the Jordan Staircase. Regarding the Smolny Convent, historian Robert Nisbet Bain stated that "No other Russian sovereign ever erected so many churches."{{sfn|Bain|1899|p=138}}

The expedited completion of buildings became a matter of importance to the Empress and work continued throughout the year, even in winter's severest months. 859,555 [[Russian ruble|ruble]]s had been allocated to the project, a sum raised by a [[tax]] on [[state property|state-owned]] taverns, but work temporarily ceased due to lack of resources. Ultimately, taxes were increased on salt and alcohol to completely fund the extra costs. However, Elizabeth's incredible extravagance ended up greatly benefiting the country's [[infrastructure]]. Needing goods shipped from all over the world, numerous [[road]]s in all Russia were modernised at her orders.{{sfn|Talbot Rice|1970|p=148}}