Palaty

in Russian architecture, a term denoting an opulent medieval stone or wooden dwelling, as well as stone buildings from the 15th century onward. Palaty had two, three, or more stories. The public areas were situated on the ground floor, with living quarters above. By the late 17th century, especially in Muscovite architecture, palaty were small castles or mansions (for example, the Volkovs’ palaty in Moscow). The term palaty also designated a hall-type building interior that was column-less or had a central column supporting the roof.