Manor Gorenki: where is, photo, story

In the Moscow region, more precisely, in Balashikha is one of the largest and most ancient Russian estates. In different years it was the property of the most famous families: Dolgorukovs and Razumovsky, Tretyakovs and Yusupovs.

The Gorenka Manor was built on the left bank of the river, south of the Vladimir tract, which today is called the Nizhny Novgorod Highway. Around the magnificent manor house was broken a regular park, supplemented by cascades of seven ponds, which fenced off islands and bridges. Up to now, only three of them have survived. Part of the land was sold to private owners from the auction. Fortunately, the main buildings, as well as the palace and park ensemble have been preserved, although it is not in the best condition.

A bit of history

The history of the Gorenka manor in Balashikha goes back to the distant past. For the first time the village of Gorenka is mentioned in chronicles dating back to the 16th century. The first owner of these lands was NR Zakharin-Yuryev - the brother of Ivan the Terrible's wife and the grandfather of Tsar Mikhail Romanov. Troubled time, as well as the ascent to the throne, did not allow the Romanovs to begin construction of the estate.

Prince Yuri Khilkov only in 1693 built here the first manor house and gave it along with the land as a dowry for his daughter Praskovia.

Dolgorukovy

In 1707 Praskovya Khilkov was married to Alexei Dolgorukov. In 1724 the new owner annexed the right-bank Gorenki and Chizhev to the estate and began to build a palace. His son, Ivan Alekseevich, made a successful career at court, becoming the favorite of the young Emperor Peter II, who often visited Gorenki.

AG Dolgorukov dreamed that Peter II marries his seventeen-year-old daughter Catherine. In November 1729, the engagement took place, and Catherine was declared the Tsar's bride. But unexpectedly for all, the fourteen-year-old emperor fell ill and died suddenly. Dolgorukov made a fictitious testament, according to which the sovereign made his bride the successor of the throne. But these documents were not believed and for a long time they sent the Dolgorukovs into exile, and all their property was transferred to the treasury.

Manor in the XVIII century

Manor Gorenki (photo you can see below) during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna passed into the possession of Count Razumovsky. He was a chorister of the church choir, and later became the favorite of the empress. Razumovsky in 1747 decided to rebuild the house. At the same time, he begins the construction of the Church of the All-Merciful Savior.

Historians argue that it was under Alexei Razumovsky that the heyday of the estate began. With him, the palace was landscaped, to which a front entrance was built in a classical style with white tall columns. A magnificent park with artificial cascading ponds and caves was built around the palace. And in 1809 the Botanical Society, the first in Russia, was established in the Gorenka manor. Here, the largest library of publications on natural sciences was organized at that time.

It should be said that the owner of the estate was a passionate lover of rare plants, the breeding of which he had been doing since his youth. Thanks to his efforts, a large botanical garden with greenhouses appeared in the Gorenka manor in Balashikha, where about seven thousand amazing plants were brought from all over the world. Here there were also tropical plants, which are quite difficult to take root in the local climate. In the garden, bamboo and Chinese cedars, southern cypresses and palms were grown. Travelers from different countries often came here to admire the work of Razumovsky.

Behind this large farm was observed by FB Fisher, a well-known botanist, who later headed the Botanical Garden in St. Petersburg. The Count did not have any legitimate children, so all property after his death, including the Gorenka estate, was transferred to the children of his younger brother. When the estate was divided, the estate was given to Alexei Kirillovich, who by that time was already a well-known botanist, who was often called the "Russian Linnaeus."

With him, the estate began a large-scale construction. Alexey Kirillovich did not regret the means to improve the estate. He did not experience a lack of them because of his successful marriage to VP Sheremetyevo.

Late 18th century

During this period, the Gorenka estate in Moscow has changed markedly: a three-storeyed manor house was built according to the project of the architect from Scotland Adam Adamovich Menelaus. Its facade was decorated with a portico with six huge white columns. Modern historians and art historians believe that when creating its architectural concept, the design of the famous palace in Perov by the great architect Rastrelli was used.

The Gorenka Manor was designed in the style of classicism. Before the three-story building was a menagerie, and on the opposite side was arranged a parterre, decorated with marble statues. A wide staircase led to the pond.

A park

Ponds and grottoes, bridges thrown to the islets, gazebo-rotundas and, of course, green plantations were the embodiment of the classical English park. The architect Menez has long worked for the family of Razumovsky, Stroganoff, and then decided to stay in Russia forever. He became the author of unique projects that are recognized as the pearls of architectural art - the Alexandria Park and the Cottage Palace in Peterhof, the Reserve Palace (Tsarskoe Selo), the Arsenal (Alexander Park).

Decline period of the estate

During the Patriotic War (1812), the estate was very damaged. After the death of Alexei Kirillovich (1822), the estate was purchased by Prince Yusupov. Historians argue that Razumovsky did not think too much about who will get the Gorenka manor. Contemporaries recalled in their memoirs that the count loved and cared more for his plants than for children.

With the ancient Yusupov family there are many architectural masterpieces. However, not everyone knows that most of the magnificent palace and park ensemble in Arkhangelsk was created using trees, greenhouses and sculptures taken from Gorenka's manor.

The ruin of the manor

After the death of AK Razumovsky in the history of the Gorenka manor, a black strip came. The values he collected over the years were sold to different people. The library and the herbarium were bought by Alexander I, some landowners bought from some of the surrounding settlements, and Yusupov's estate was sold to Volkov merchants, who were not at all interested in the safety of the magnificent manor. With them, the estate became dilapidated and came to desolation.

In a luxurious master's house, two factories began to work, and wooden houses for workers were built in the park. Not only the house, but also the park surrounding it, suffered from such reorganization. Maria Tretyakova, the penultimate owner, in general, rented a part of the house for rent under a house.

Only the last owner of the estate, the industrialist Sevryugov, made attempts to revive him. Before the revolution, he invested fabulous at the time means for the restoration of the estate. The interiors of the house were restored, the facades were put in order, the ponds were cleaned. Restorative work was led by the well-known architect Chernyshev. His pride was the Golden Hall on the first floor of the house. The gilded stucco on its ceilings has survived until now.

It is not difficult to imagine the scale of the restoration, given the fact that the builders had to rebuild the floors of the house that had been barbarously demolished during the removal of the factory pipes, get rid of the passageways to the outbuildings and erect colonnades in their place, destroy all the buildings of wood in the park, And painting in the house. And yet the estate was restored in the late summer of 1917.

Homestead Gorenka in the Soviet era: nationalization

In the twenties the estate was nationalized, and for some time there was an orphanage in it. In 1925, the Red Rose sanatorium was placed here for patients with tuberculosis. It got its name in honor of Rosa Luxemburg. By the way, he continues to work today. The surrounding buildings began to be handed over to summer residents for summer. Preserved information that in one of the local dachas for a long time lived the family Meyerhold.

Manor in our days

During the years of Soviet power, ill-considered economic activities have caused irreparable harm to the whole complex. Buildings on its territory were preserved almost all, but the park was actually abandoned and fell into decay. Of the seven ponds, four have been lost, many trees have been cut down, there are no refined rotund gazebos, only two bridges have survived, but their condition is deplorable.

The colonnade, leading from the main house to the outbuildings, was overgrown with bushes, and by the degree of destruction it resembles an ancient temple. From the stairs that led to the park, there were small fragments, and the eagles also disappeared from the pedestals, which she once adorned.

In the park on the shore of the pond there is an interesting garden and park construction in the Gorenka manor. The grotto is a semi-subterranean structure constructed of a large cobblestone, which protrudes from the walls, like the teeth of a huge predator. In the center are the domed hall and three narrow winding corridors. The ceiling of the grotto fell in some places. For what this structure was used - for the gracious joy or as a cold cellar, no one can say with certainty, although, in our opinion, the second version is more realistic.

The grotto has its own legend, which says that when the estate belonged to the landowner DN Saltykova (Saltychikha), known for its harsh character, the grotto was used by her to torture her serfs. However, there is no evidence of this, and this is just a legend. During the last reconstruction the grotto was restored, but today it has partially collapsed again.

Will the manor be restored?

Experts and connoisseurs of Russian history do not lose hope that this will happen in the foreseeable future. And to this there are all the prerequisites: lately the estate has been declared an architectural monument under the protection of the state. Recently, restoration work began here, but so far they have affected the facades of buildings and a small part of the park. The good condition of the buildings makes it possible to hope that the estate eventually will find its unique original appearance. I would like that in our difficult time there were patrons who are not indifferent to Russian culture.

Gorenka Manor: how to get there?

The estate is on the south side of the Nizhny Novgorod highway. The exact address of the Gorenka manor: Highway Enthusiasts, 2. It can be reached by car, train and bus.

How to get to the Gorenka manor by car? From the capital, you need to go to the M7 and follow it to Balashikha. The estate you will see on the right side of the road.

From Kursk railway station, daily trains run to Gorenka station. From it to the manor it is necessary to walk about two kilometers. You can take the bus number 336, which departs from the metro station "Partizanskaya". The driver should be asked to stop the bus from the estate, before reaching the city.

A few words in conclusion

Despite the long years of mismanagement, Gorenka's manor has preserved the charm of the old Russian nobleman's estate. Undoubtedly, the house and the park have lost their pristine beauty and yet can not compare with such famous manors as Kuskovo or Arkhangelsk. But in the current state there is a unique atmosphere that can be felt only when you visit this wonderful place.