Pavlovsk Palace. St. Petersburg, Pavlovsk Palace

Since 2005, Pavlovsk - a small beautiful town in the Pushkin district of St. Petersburg. It is located at the Slavyanka River, 30 km from the northern capital. Until 1796 it was the village of Pavlovsk, founded in 1777.

A bit of history

In 1777, the land in the valley of the river Slavyanka became the property of Pavel Petrovich - Grand Duke Romanov. The estate became known as "Pavlovskoye Village". The whole architectural ensemble was created and perfected for almost 50 years. The author of the park and palace project was Scotsman Charles Cameron, who was invited to Russia to decorate Tsarskoe Selo. The elegant and refined Pavlovsk Palace was built on the site of an old wooden structure. In addition to Cameron, his decoration and design in different periods were handled by AN Voronikhin, KI Rossi, J. Kvarnega, VF Brenna. Pavlovskoe village was created as a summer imperial residence, however in 1788 Pavel Petrovich decided to give it to his wife, leaving himself a Gatchina palace.

A week after Paul's accession to the throne, he personally ordered the renaming of the village of Pavlovskoye into the city.

The Grand Pavlovsk Palace

By its size this building is much inferior to many suburbs of Petersburg and resembles a rich and elegant Italian villa in the style of the architect Palladio. The heart of the palace was a fairly compact three-story building, on either side of which there are wings with curved galleries.

At first, the appearance of the structure was different from the one we can see today. According to historians, one-story side galleries were added later. The front facade of the palace is decorated with eight Corinthian columns. The building is crowned with a dome with columns often arranged. To work on the palace, the architect Brenna was attracted, who managed to significantly expand the palace and build up the side pavilions and galleries. This happened even before Paul ascended to the throne.

Interior decoration

Pavlovsk Palace, the photo of which you see in this article, has a tangible contrast between its strict appearance and luxurious interior decoration. On the first floor there were living rooms, bedrooms, offices, dining rooms. On the second floor there were rooms, the decoration of which was of a representative character.

Here is the Hall of Peace and the War Hall. For some time the War Hall played the role of the Small Throne Room. The Great Throne Room was located in the southern pavilion of the Pavlovsky Palace. The area of the facility is 400 m ² . Residential chambers, like the main halls, are the enfilade, which is located along the perimeter of the palace. The third floor was completely given over to the service premises.

The center of the building was the Italian Hall, located under the dome. Its main decoration was a luxurious chandelier made of bronze and ruby glass in the late 18th century. In the design of the room took part Brenna, Cameron, Voronikhin.

Park area

If you are lucky enough to come to St. Petersburg, Pavlovsky Palace must certainly enter your excursion plan. You should see with your own eyes not only the magnificent palace, but also the stunning park that surrounds it. Its area is 600 hectares and it is a vivid example of the English style of park construction. It is characterized by emphasizing the natural beauty of nature, untouched by man.

The park is decorated with many architectural constructions: Aviary, Three Graces pavilion, Molochnya, Turkish arbor, Italian staircase. From its upper platform you can admire the beautiful panorama of the river valley. Here is the Temple of Friendship. This work of Cameron is an antique round temple, along the perimeter of which are installed Doric canneled columns supporting the dome.

The natural part of the park includes the Common Grave, the Parade Field, the Pink Pavilion. Near the southern border of the park there is a small and very cozy antique temple called "Monument to parents". It was built in 1786 by the great Empress Maria Feodorovna. In addition, in order to perpetuate the memory of her husband, she ordered a draft of the mausoleum with a pathetic epitaph, "Spouse-benefactor".

Pavlovsk in the XIX-XX centuries

The main event that occurred in the city in the middle of the XIX century was the appearance of the Tsarskoye Selo railway, which connected it with St. Petersburg. The final station was Pavlovsk. The station was designed by architect Stakenschneider and became the center of the summer musical life of St. Petersburg. The orchestras were directed by G. Mansfeld, B. Bilze, Strauss, Jr.. The concerts were conducted by M. M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, A. K. Glazunov and many other famous composers and musicians.

Until 1917 Pavlovsky Palace remained the residence of Russian emperors. In 1918 the museum "Pavlovsky Palace" appeared. In the same year the city was renamed Slutsk in honor of the revolutionary V. Slutskaya.

In 1941, the fascists captured Pavlovsk, the Pavlovsky Palace was seriously damaged. Tens of thousands of trees were cut down, pavilions were destroyed, the palace was burnt down, and the station was destroyed. Soviet troops liberated the city in January 1944. Then it got its historical name. Almost immediately, restoration work began, which continued until 1971. It was in this year that the Throne and Cavalier Halls were opened for visitors.

Picture gallery

Gradually, the park was restored. Supervised by the works of architects SV Popova-Gunich, FF Oleynik, IG Kaptsyug, Yu. I. Sinitsa, VB Mozhayskaya. The most active part in the restoration was taken by all the staff of the museum, as well as its director AI Zelenova and the responsible curator of the museum, AM Kuchumov.

Collections of the Pavlovsky Palace

Their formation is associated with the travels of its owners across Europe. Visiting famous masters, they acquired sculptures, paintings, bronzes, porcelain sets, unique silk fabrics. The museum for the whole world is famous for products of arts and crafts and fine arts. A special place in the exposition is given to collections of ancient art, samples of Russian and West European culture of the XVIII century.

In the museum the collection of the finest porcelain of the late 18th and early 19th centuries is most fully represented. Objects of furniture, especially interesting for historians, are the work of German and French masters. A lot of interest is caused by furniture according to the drawings of A. Voronikhin. Many halls of the palace are decorated with unique tapestries. In addition, the museum has a rare collection of prints, miniatures, drawings, candelabra and watches.

Gatchina: The Pavlovsk Palace

This grandiose structure is on the shore of the Silver Lake. It began to build in 1765 by order of Empress Catherine II. It was unprecedented in its generosity gift favorite Empress Count Orlov. For him, the architect Rinaldi built a palace that resembled a hunting castle with towers and underground passages. Its construction lasted almost 16 years.

At the front entrance were statues of Marcouri and Morleiter "Justice", "War", "Peace", "Caution." For the first time in the history of Russian architecture, a natural material was used in the facing of the building - a local natural stone. The palace is made in the style of classicism, in those days completely new and unknown.

Count Orlov, a lover of luxury, did not spare colossal money for the arrangement of the palace and soon turned it into a magnificent residence. After his death, Catherine bought her gift from the heirs of Orlov and gave it to his son Pavel the First - the future Russian emperor.

The new master redesigned the Pavlovsk Palace to his own taste. The reconstruction was led by the famous architect Brenn. After its completion, the palace complex began to resemble both a reliable fortress and a country villa. The interior decoration of the premises has changed, halls and galleries have increased, the ceremonial rooms have become true examples of Russian classicism of the magnificent 18th and 19th centuries.

From 1801 to 1828 Pavlovsky Palace belonged to the widow of Paul the First, Empress Maria Feodorovna. At various times the unique residence was owned by the Russian Heads of State: Nikolay First, Alexander II, Alexander the Third, Nikolay the Second.

The second birth of the palace

The Nazis at the retreat in 1944 burned the palace, however, thanks to restorers, museum staff and public assistants Pavlovsky Palace in Gatchina quickly restored, but the museum's expositions became accessible to visitors only in 1985. Some rooms of the Gatchina Palace are being restored today.