The oldest tree in Catherine's Park. Catherine Park in Tsarskoe Selo. Catherine Park in Tsarskoe Selo

Catherine Park is one of the most beautiful parks in St. Petersburg. It was planted in Tsarskoye Selo in the 18th century.

I had the opportunity to be there more than once. I suspect that, like many St. Petersburg residents, almost every summer I meet and conduct impromptu excursions for my friends in the center of St. Petersburg and its suburbs. The territory of Tsarskoye Selo is simply huge; you need to spend the whole day, or even more, to see everything. But it's worth it!

Usually my friends and I take coffee in a thermos, sandwiches and other goodies on our little trip and hit the road. I like to take a minibus to the park just like in my student years. It's fast, and you can admire nature along the way. After visiting the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum (be sure to visit it!), we find a cozy place in the park or on the shore of the lake and have a picnic. We are interested in discussing what we saw and once again admiring the view of the Catherine Palace from the outside. Then we go further into the park, and I continue to tell my guests about monuments and structures, share with them what I remember from history, and they with me.

As you know, Tsarskoe Selo was the favorite country residence of the Russian emperors. Each of them brought something new to the landscape, something of their own, something they loved. They all treated him like an expensive casket that holds a pearl - a palace. I imagine it as a woven pattern, into which each subsequent ruler wove something of his own that was important to him or was fashionable during the years of his reign.

Architects and gardeners tried to convey and preserve for us everything that was built many centuries ago.

History of the park

Catherine Park owes its appearance to the Russian Tsar Peter the Great. It was he who in 1710 gave his wife Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya (in Orthodoxy Ekaterina Alekseevna Mikhailova, future Empress Catherine I) Sarskaya and Slavyanskaya manors with adjacent villages. In 1717, construction began on a summer residence for the empress. It was a small, modest stone palace. The Empress herself participated in organizing the construction.

In 1720, the Dutch masters J. Rosen and I. Vocht began building the park. At this time, the Old Garden (a modern regular park) appeared. It was located on three ledges directly in front of the palace. The architecture of the park was designed in the French style that was fashionable at that time, which implies the taming of nature and its subjugation to man. A distinctive feature of the style is clear planning of the territory, the formation of straight alleys, giving artificial shapes to shrubs and trees. As planned, the park was supposed to complement and emphasize the luxury of the palace.

After the accession of Elizabeth Petrovna to the throne, Tsarskoye Selo became the official imperial residence. The most important guests were met here and the most lavish receptions were held. Probably, no other Russian emperor is more associated with balls, masquerades and wild, spectacular celebrations as she is. Tsarskoe Selo of her time was the best way to characterize the love of luxury and the idle lifestyle of its mistress. During her time, the palace was rebuilt, the park was expanded and improved. I read somewhere that once, when the Empress was returning to Tsarskoye Selo, already at the entrance to the palace she saw a glow from her carriage and was very afraid that the palace was on fire! It really burned, but not with fire, but with a golden glow - the reflection of the setting sun. I would like to see this at least once!

So, in the 1750s, the small two-story palace began to be rebuilt. Court architect F.B. Rassrelli was involved in the design of the Catherine Palace. He also worked on the design of the park. It is not surprising that the regular park turned out to be just as pompous. Dense green labyrinths turning into small open-air halls, elegant sculptures by Italian masters, a variety of different flowers of bushes - all this was once again supposed to emphasize the luxury and splendor of the Catherine Palace.

Empress Elizaveta Petrovna loved her country residence and spent a lot of time here. Luxurious balls and dinners were held regularly. After the meal, the Empress invited her guests to take a walk through the park on a sleigh or carriage. The park was equipped with swings, carousels, and slides. In the evening fireworks flew into the sky.

One of the favorite places of the guests was Katalnaya Gora. Architect F.B. Rastrelli came up with an unusual and interesting engineering solution. The mountain was a pavilion with slopes extending out to the sides. They were built on top of the hill, repeating the natural landscape of the site. Guests used single and double strollers for the descent, which moved on metal rails. These carriages were lifted up using special mechanisms driven by horses. If you imagine the scale with which everything in the park was built, then the feeling of going down the mountain was probably no worse than on the slides in modern amusement parks!

By order of Empress F.B. Rastrelli also designed the buildings of the Hermitage and the Grotto.

The Hermitage building is a small and interesting two-story building deep in the park. The exterior decoration of the building completely repeated the decoration of the Catherine Palace. The palace and the Hermitage were connected by an alley along which guests walked. The Hermitage was intended for small balls, meetings and dinners, especially in the warm season.

The Empress loved to invite guests here to surprise them with an outlandish engineering invention - a lifting canapé (sofa). The dining room and meeting rooms were on the second floor, but no one walked up the stairs; guests and food were also lifted using special devices. It was unusual and extremely funny. Another unusual decision of the Empress was to arrange the orchestra on the street, rather than inside the building. Muffled music flowed through the windows of the building, making the celebration truly magical.

The grotto was built on the shores of the Big Lake in 1755-1756. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna certainly wanted to have a place where she could enjoy the view of the Big Lake and, if desired, go down from the pier to the boat.

Catherine II paid a lot of attention to the arrangement of Tsarskoye Selo. By her order, a fashionable English park at that time (a modern landscape park) was laid out. The distinctive feature of this style is not the taming of nature, but the submission to it. English parks are characterized by winding water channels that lead to wide flower fields. These are kind of wild parks. A minimum of intervention to only highlight the beauty of nature.

During the construction of the English park, the old park underwent partial changes. Crescent Ponds appeared. The water system, consisting of canals and ponds, was an important component in decorating the park. Here everything was thought out for the relaxation and entertainment of the royals and their guests. Small boats were waiting for them everywhere, on which they could sail, enjoying the views from the water. It must have been great to ride a boat like that on a hot summer day, and maybe even swim!

Catherine II tried to introduce the newest and most fashionable Western trends into architectural design. Many monuments were erected in the park glorifying the services of the empress and the victory in the Russian-Turkish war in the second half of the 18th century. Under the empress, the Cold Bath pavilion with Agate rooms and the Concert Hall were also erected.

The Cameron Gallery was built on the transition from a regular park to a landscape one. The Empress wanted to have a place for walks, private conversations and private thoughts.

All buildings in the English park were designed in a classical style with minimal decoration of the facades. Rigor and simplicity in every detail.

All this time, perennial trees and shrubs were brought into the park, sent from the gardens of St. Petersburg and from abroad. The oak trees that Peter I planted may still be preserved here.

In a later period, large-scale redevelopment was no longer carried out. During Soviet times, the palace and park complex became a museum. In 1918, the Catherine Palace received its first visitors.

During the Great Patriotic War, the city of Pushkin was captured by fascist troops. Tsarskoe Selo suffered the invasion hard. Many works of art were lost, and the buildings themselves were also seriously damaged. The German invaders used some of them for their own economic needs, sparing neither the interiors nor the furniture. Many paintings and art objects, including the Amber Room, were taken away and lost forever. A significant number of trees in the park were destroyed. After the liberation of Pushkin, only ruins remained from the Catherine Palace and many other premises.

Even before the end of the war, work began on restoring the museum complex. In 1983, the Tsarskoye Selo palace and park ensemble received the official status of a nature reserve. Today its full name is the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum-Reserve. Most of the restoration work was completed in 2010, on the eve of Pushkin's 300th anniversary. But many restoration works both in the buildings and in the park are still ongoing.

What to see

Of course, the main pearl of the park is the Catherine Palace. I talked about it in more detail in one of the. But there are many interesting places that are also worth seeing.

The Hermitage is a kind of echo of the luxury of the Catherine Palace, a kind of projection in miniature. As I already said, they are connected by a straight alley along which the empress’s guests once walked. This small building is decorated in the Baroque style, in the same color scheme as the palace. The Hermitage has preserved its 18th-century decoration virtually unchanged.

Pay attention to the Hermitage Kitchen - the unusual architecture of the building is made in the Gothic style that was fashionable at that time. Here, by the way, is another entrance to the park.

The grotto is a small building in a marine style, standing on the shore of the Big Lake.

The Cold Bath pavilion is located between the Zubovsky building of the Catherine Palace and the Cameron Gallery. Intended for bathing and relaxation of the imperial family. The building was erected in 1787 by the architect Charles Cameron. It is also called Cameron's Baths.

The thermal baths themselves are located on the ground floor. On the second there are six rooms for rest. Thanks to their rich interior, they were called the Agate Rooms.

The main facade of the building opens onto the terrace where the Hanging Garden is located.

Cameron Gallery - located at the intersection of the regular and landscape parts of the park. The building is located on a hill and offers a beautiful view of the park and the Big Lake.

The Upper Bath pavilion was intended for water treatments of the imperial family.

The “Lower Bath” pavilion was intended for water treatments for courtiers.

The Morean (or Small Rostral) column is located between the First and Second Lower Ponds. It was erected in honor of the victory of the Russian fleet off the Morea Peninsula during the Russian-Turkish War.

The gate “To my dear colleagues” is an original cast-iron monument. Located in the southeast of the park.

The Chesme Column is located in the middle of the Big Lake. It was installed in honor of the victory of the Russian fleet over the Turkish fleet in the Battle of Chesma (1770).

Admiralty - several pavilions on the shore of the Big Lake in the southern side of the park. Built in honor of the annexation of the Tauride Khanate (Crimea) to Russia.

The Marble (Palladian) Bridge is installed over the channel that connects the Bolshoi Pond with the Swan Pond.

The Turkish Bath Pavilion is the last building erected in Catherine Park. The pavilion is a monument to victories in the Russian-Turkish war. According to the architect I. A. Monighetti, the building has the appearance of a Turkish mosque.

The ruin tower is another monument dedicated to the victories of Russian troops in the Russian-Turkish war. The tower is unusual in that it resembles a Doric column connected to a pavilion. It's like she's going into the ground. The external design of the walls is also unusual. Their surface is artificially “aged” with the help of painted cracks.

The Gatchina (Orlovsky) gate led to the road towards Gatchina, where the estate of Count G. G. Orlov was located. Catherine II highly valued the count's contribution to saving Moscow from the plague. The gate became a kind of gratitude from the empress. Externally, the gate looks like a triumphal arch.

The Island Hall Pavilion is located in the heart of the Big Lake on a small island. It was intended to host concerts and dinners for guests floating on the Great Lake. At the moment there is a concert hall where the museum’s ceremonial events take place.

The granite terrace (“Ruska terrace”) was built in 1810 on the site of Katalna Gora.

The fountain “Girl with a Jug” was created by the famous sculptor P. P. Sokolov especially for Tsarskoye Selo Park. The statue of a girl is located on a rock as if on a kind of pedestal. At the girl’s feet is a broken jug from which a stream of water is pouring.

The concert hall in the southwestern part of the park was built in 1782-1788 according to the design of the architect D. Quarenghi.

The ruined kitchen was built according to the design of G. Quarenghi in 1785-1786 to prepare meals for guests of the Concert Hall.

The Chinese gazebo was built on the border between Catherine Park and the New Garden of Alexander Park. It is also called Creaky because of the weather vane, which makes a creaking sound when the wind blows.

Kagul (Rumyantsevsky) obelisk. The architect of the project is A. Rinaldi.

It was installed in 1772 in honor of the victory of Russian troops over Turkish troops on the Cahul River.

When to visit

The park is open to visitors all year round, but it is worth keeping in mind that not all museums are open all year round. Therefore, if you decide to visit all the places in the park, it is better to choose summer time.

How to get there

The State Museum-Reserve "Tsarskoe Selo" is located at the address: Pushkin, st. Sadovaya, 7.

You can get to the place in the following ways:

By electric train from Vitebsky station you can get to the Tsarskoe Selo station in the city of Pushkin. The ticket costs about 40 rubles and the travel time is approximately 30 minutes. You can get from the station to the museum by minibuses No. 371, 377, 382, buses No. 371, 382. You can walk to the museum, or walk. This will take approximately 30 minutes or less.
By minibuses No. 286, 287, 342, 347, 545. They depart from the Moskovskaya metro station. The stop is located behind the House of Soviets. Here is their ring. On the minibuses, Pushkin and Tsarskoe Selo will be written in large letters. The fare is about 40 rubles. Travel time is 30-40 minutes if there are no traffic jams.
Bus No. 187 stops opposite McDonald's on Moskovsky Prospekt, and minibuses that come from the ring from the House of Soviets also stop here. The bus goes to the Tsarskoye Selo station in the city of Pushkin. The fare is 30 rubles. From there you can get to the park by bus, minibus or on foot.
By minibuses No. 545, 286, 287, bus No. 186 from the Kupchino metro station. Travel time is about 30 minutes. Their ring is located on Vitebsky Prospekt on the metro side.

Operating mode:

from October 21 to April 24, admission to the park is free;
from April 25 to October 20, admission is paid from 9:00 to 19:00;
from September to April the park is open from 7:00 to 21:00;
from May to July from 7:00 to 23:00;
in August the park is open from 7:00 to 22:00.

Ticket price:

for adults from April 25 - 120 rubles;
schoolchildren, students; members of the unions of artists, architects, designers of Russia; cadets and conscripts - 60 rubles;
pensioners of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus - 30 rubles;
for visitors under 16 years old - free.

Anything to add?

Preservation of old-growth trees has not only ecological, but also important cultural and historical significance. Patriarchal trees are associated with historical figures, events, memories, folk tales and traditions.

old willow

Since ancient times, old trees have been shrines; myths, legends, and literary works have been written about them.

More than 100 years ago, activities began in Europe and the United States for the systematic protection of centuries-old trees, which included their inventory, care and protection of the growing area, as well as educational work with the population. Old trees were provided with signs, memorial plaques and even awarded medals. Albums were published about interesting trees related to historical and cultural events. Obituaries were often published following their deaths. The protection of trees from cutting down was carried out by the public, institutions, religious organizations or the law. Not only old trees, but also unique trees, distinguished by unusual features or historical significance, were taken under protection.

Several thousand trees grow within the city limits of Moscow, more than 100 years old - lindens, oaks, elms, larches and others. Many of them are located in specially protected natural areas of parks and reserves or are natural monuments.

Catherine Park is no exception.

In ancient times, this area was part of the village of Sushcheva. In the 17th century there was a grove here that survived into the 18th century. In “Description of urban pasture land 1763-1780.” here it says “Sushchevskaya settlement of the Novgorod hundred and the land of different ranks of people belonging to it, with an area of 77 dessiatinas 1181 sq.

Oak trees that are about two hundred years old have survived to this day, almost in the very center of the park, there is a willow that has already exceeded 200 years old, and the amazing thing is that willows generally do not live more than 100 years, but ours stands and endures all the hardships of the city. life and the vagaries of nature.

Catherine Park is neither large nor small, a clean, neat, well-groomed city park in Moscow. Near the main entrance to the park there is the Dostoevskaya metro station. Already at the entrance you can see that this park is worth a visit: the paths are paved with tiles, fallen leaves (it was autumn) have been removed, there are flower beds everywhere and an arch with the name of the place.

Almost immediately at the entrance there is background information about the park: its history, plans for the future, a set of rules of behavior and a symbolic diagram with all the signs.

A brief historical background printed in small letters on this stand reads:

The historical territory of “Catherine Park” had no development for a long time; the Naprudnaya River, a tributary of the Neglinnaya, flowed here. There were several ponds along its bed. In the 14th century, the Exaltation of the Cross Monastery was moved to the area of the Naprudnaya River, in 1492 the Church of St. Tryphon was built, and in the 1630s the stone Church of John the Warrior was built. Most of the territory during this period was occupied by groves, meadows and pastures.

In the 18th century, next to the Church of St. John the Warrior, the country estate of Count V.S. was built. Saltykova, which later passed to his son Count A.V. Saltykov, who was one of the Empress’s closest nobles, as well as a participant in Suvorov’s campaigns.

In 1777, the ownership of A.V. Saltykov was acquired by the treasury for the construction of a nursing home to restore the health of veterans of the Turkish company and other defenders of the Fatherland. In 1802, after the transfer of the Invalid House to Matrosskaya Tishina, its entire extensive property was acquired by Empress Maria Feodorovna for the device in it Moscow School of the Order of St. Catherine(aka Moscow Catherine Institute of Noble Maidens), for noble maidens, daughters of officers who were wounded or died in the war.

From the end of 1860, the Catherine Institute began to lease the former garden lands located north of the pond. By the end of the 1880s, a system of small plots had formed to the northeast of the institute's property. New streets are being built to access them: Bolshaya and Malaya Ekaterininskaya. Another plot within the boundaries of the property was leased in 1888 by the honorary citizen, commerce advisor, Alexander Immer, and created an experimental seed station and a plant nursery, with greenhouses and hotbeds.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the building arose in the area of Trifonovsky Lane in close proximity to the Naprudnaya River, which in 1920-30. is enclosed in a pipe, after which the site began to be gradually built up with wooden residential buildings. In the 30s The Church of St. John the Warrior is demolished, and seven-story buildings of the CDKA hotel are erected within the boundaries of the church property.

In 1935-1941. The Red Army Theater was built on Catherine Square. In 1979, Olympic Avenue was built through the park, completely destroying the historical structure of the area. All the old buildings were demolished.

Below on the stand it is stated that the park is a valuable urban landscape, therefore it is planned to carry out a lot of work on restoring reservoirs, landscaping and giving it a historical appearance. In the park you will be able to admire the garden of continuous flowering, the garden of coastal and aquatic plants, and the lilac garden. A variety of walking routes, designed for all age groups, will provide a change of impressions and increase the space of the park.

It sounds tempting, after such words I wanted to visit this park during the flowering period.

The next stand helped to navigate the area and even made me happy! Drinking alcohol, smoking, polluting the area, walking dogs, and much, much more are prohibited in the park. By the way, riding bicycles and rollerblading in the park is also prohibited. Restoration work is visible in the background.

We move deeper into the park: there are also flower beds, flowers, benches, and lanterns everywhere. The place is very calm.

And here is the Great Catherine Pond with an overgrown island for ducks.

There are a lot of ducks here, everyone can feed them.

A walk around the large pond will not take much time, however, it will be a wonderful moment of peace, especially in sunny weather.

Rotunda (round building with a dome) of Catherine II.

Next is another entrance - the eastern one - with the inscription “Moscow for life, for people!” And right there, as confirmation of what was written, there is a descent for strollers and for the disabled, steps with railings, tiles instead of shabby asphalt. You can bring children in strollers and girls in high heels here, which, in fact, is visible in the photograph.

Swimming in the pond is prohibited.

The view of the autumn pond from the other side is just a picture!

Next to the Big Pond there is a Small Pond and a reading pavilion.

The small pond was without water, only one huge puddle and a flock of crows. But we read at the entrance that the park is just being developed!

There is a stone mouth leading to the Small Pond, with a miniature bridge across it.

Even further is the sculpture “To the Stars”. It's strange to see this sculpture here, because the planetarium is located in a completely different part of the park. And behind the monument you can see the Moscow House of War and Armed Forces Veterans, which is connected to a social rehabilitation center.

We go to the northern part of the park. How harmoniously the new “glass” houses fit into the old landscapes of the Catherine Park.

Chapel of Alexander Nevsky and the Holy Martyr John the Warrior - to replace the one demolished in the 30s. stone church.

Nearby there is a gazebo for vacationers.

And then there’s the bust of A.V. Suvorov.

“This glorious year has passed, but the deeds accomplished in it will not pass away”- this is what the inscription on the stone says. This is a quote from the manifesto of Alexander I on the occasion “expulsion of the adversary from Russia” dated January 4, 1912: “THE GLORIOUS YEAR HAS PASSED, BUT THE EXTRAORDINARY FEATS WILL NOT PASS” The stone was installed in 2012, on the 200th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812.

Gold autumn! Last look at the wonderful park.

We leave through the Northern Gate, passing by the Moscow House of War and Armed Forces Veterans and the social rehabilitation center. The entire walk took about an hour, but those with free time can spend the whole day here.

The Catherine Palace in Tsarskoe Selo is the central part of the architectural palace and park ensemble in Tsarskoe Selo. Thousands of tourists pass through the halls of this palace every day, and the most popular place here is the famous Amber Room, the restoration of which was completed just in time for the 300th anniversary of the northern capital of Russia. Photos and videos of the Amber Room can be seen below in the article.

During the military occupation of the city by the Germans, the building of the Catherine Palace was destroyed, but after the end of hostilities, ordinary people zealously began to restore it. But even now, more than 70 years after the end of the war, restoration work in some halls of the palace continues. A typical tour for tourists through the halls of the palace takes about an hour, and during the rest of the time tourists can take walks in Alexander or Catherine Park, look at the exhibitions in the museum named after. A.S. Pushkin.

Reconstruction

The construction of the Catherine Palace, located in Tsarskoye Selo, began in 1717, and it was led by the good architect Johann Braunstein. During the same period of time, the Upper and Lower Gardens were created on the eastern side of the architectural structure, and 3 terraces became components. In the western part of the palace, the Menagerie was built, on the site of which the Alexander Garden later spread out.

In 1744, extensions were made, and the main building was connected by spacious galleries with completed wings, consisting of two floors. Subsequently, the palace underwent changes more than once every time a new ruler came to power. But the largest reconstruction of the architectural structure was carried out during the reign of Empress Elizabeth. It was started in 1752 and was carried out under the leadership of the architect Francesco Rastrelli.

Recovery after the war

Catherine's palace in Tsarskoye Selo was completely destroyed during hostilities, and most of its interiors were lost. Many exhibits were lost even before the Second World War, when valuable sculptures, paintings and applied arts were sold for next to nothing. Some valuable works at that time went to the Hermitage. In 1959, the restoration of six halls of the destroyed Catherine Palace was completed, and they opened to visitors. In 2003, the main attraction of the palace, called the Amber Room, was completely restored. Photos and videos about which you can see in the article.

Palace architecture

The construction of a majestic architectural structure with a length of 306 m was carried out by a skilled master of the Baroque style - architect Rastrelli. Under his leadership, the dimensions of the architectural object, the interior decoration of the halls, the interiors and the decor of the palace facades were determined. The construction of the Catherine Palace took place from 1748 to 1756, and the interiors of the building reflect predominantly classical and Baroque styles.

The magnificence of this palace inside and out is simply amazing! The golden, bluish and white colors of the façade add solemnity to the appearance of the building. White columns, beautiful figurines of Atlanteans and stucco elements serve as worthy decorations for the facades of the palace. The central part of the building is connected to the outbuildings by covered galleries. To the north of the central building is the palace church, decorated with 5 gilded domes. In the southern part of the building there used to be a front porch, but now there is a gilded dome, the spire of which is decorated with a star.

The interior design of the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo was carried out by several outstanding masters, including Rastrelli, Vasily Stasov and Charles Cameron. According to their designs, the Great Hall of the palace, several halls for guest receptions, imperial chambers, a bright gallery (the largest palace hall), a Domed Dining Room, the Lyon Living Room, the Silver Cabinet, the Snuff Box, the Chinese Hall, and the Bedchambers were created.

How to get there?

You can get to the Catherine Palace on your own. Tourists need to get from the Vitebsky railway station or the Moskovskaya metro station to the railway station in the city of Pushkin. From here you can transfer to a bus or minibus, which takes passengers to the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum-Reserve. You can get here without transfers from the Zvezdnaya or Kupchino metro stations, by bus 186. The location of the Catherine Palace is determined by the address Sadovaya Street, 7.

What tourists must see

While staying on the territory of the Catherine Palace, be sure to visit its beautiful halls, famous for their interiors.

The Amber Room. She was rightfully awarded the title of the Eighth Wonder of the World, and she appeared in the palace in 1775. At this time, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna ordered the natural amber panels that had previously decorated the Winter Palace to be transported to the residence. True, these panels were not enough to decorate the entire room, and therefore the architect Rastrelli, who led the process of transforming the room, decided to complement the decor with mirrors and amber painting. Subsequently, some canvases were replaced with panels made of real amber.

Throne room. The largest room in the Catherine Palace. Here are the highest ceilings, reaching 7 meters. Additional expansion of this room is given by numerous mirrors and huge windows. It was here that banquets, social events, balls, receptions and gala dinners were held in past centuries. On the ceiling of the Throne Room, visitors will be able to see beautiful paintings created by the artists Franciuoli and Wunderlich.

Arabesque Hall

Arabesque Hall. For a long time, restoration work was carried out here, so tourists were not able to visit the arabesque hall. However, it still opened in 2010, when the restoration was completed. Initially, this room was intended for ceremonial receptions on the occasion of the arrival of the Empress. Subsequently, this room was converted for ordinary ceremonial receptions, and the name of the hall was given because its walls are decorated with arabesque paintings.

Video

Also everything listed above. You can look not only in photos, but also in small video films. Imagine truly the royal decoration and interior of the palace. Also, if you have visited the palace before, share your impressions with our readers. Or subscribe to one of our channels and receive the latest reviews about the Beauties of Russia.

After we have become acquainted with the city, let's walk along its paths and admire its sights. And our walk today will be dedicated to the Old Garden.

Old garden in Catherine Park of Tsarskoe Selo

The Old Garden (and Catherine Park as a whole) is separated from the city by the Cascade Canal. It was originally dug to drain the area. In 1775-1777, 12 cascades of Pudost limestone and a granite embankment with a cast fence were built. Architects V.I. Neelov, Yu.M. Felten and engineer I.K. Gerard took part in the construction. The Cascade Canal originates from the beak of a fountain swan near the Catherine Palace.

Cascade Canal in Catherine Park of Tsarskoye Selo

On the bank of the canal we will see an interesting building in the Gothic style - the Hermitage Kitchen, architect V.I. Neelov. It was built in 1775-1776 and was used for its intended purpose. Its other name is Court bakery. The Hermitage Kitchen was also the entrance to the territory of the Catherine Park, which is why it was also called Red Gate.

History of the Old Garden

Dutch (Old) Garden is the oldest part of Catherine Park. It was built in the 1720s on the site of the Saar Manor orchard. The work was supervised by Dutch gardeners J. Roozen and I. Voht. In 1743, during the reign of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, a large-scale reconstruction of the park began, and the territory of the Old Garden was expanded. Architects involved in the construction of the Catherine Palace took part in the work: A.V. Kvasov, S.I. Chevakinsky, F.-B. Rastrelli.

Old, or as it is also called, Dutch garden made in the regular style, popular in the first half of the 18th century. Its main axis is connecting the Catherine Palace with the Hermitage. Everything in the garden obeys the principle of strict symmetry. Trees and bushes were skillfully trimmed, playing the role of a kind of building material: halls, offices, and green galleries were built from them. Pavilions were also built here and sculptures were erected. Over time, the structure of the Old Garden was damaged. After the war, during restoration work, it was restored according to surviving drawings and drawings.

The old garden is divided into three sections:

The upper garden, which includes three terraces,
Lower Garden – from the last terrace to the Fishing Canal
The Hermitage section - from the Fish Canal to the Cascade Ponds.

The Upper and Lower Gardens are combined into Palace area, or the Dutch Garden itself.

Parterre

On the first terrace of the Upper Garden, I. Vokht created two symmetrical stalls with a whimsical baroque pattern of coal, brick, broken glass and colored sand. They are revealed in full glory if you look at them from the state rooms of the Catherine Palace. In the center there are marble sculptures “Peace” and “Splendor”.

Bosquets

On the second terrace there were green bosquets made of trimmed trees and shrubs:

Mirror Ponds and Upper Bath

On the third terrace in 1720-1722, two symmetrical ponds were dug, called Mirrored. In 1777-1779, on the shore of one of them, according to the design of the architect I.V. Neelov, a Upper Bath, in the style of early classicism. Its other name is “The Soap House of Their Highnesses.” For a long time it was used for its intended purpose, and since 1911 a museum was set up here in memory of the 200th anniversary of Tsarskoye Selo. During the war, the Upper Bath was destroyed and restored during the restoration of 1952-1953.

Lower Bath

Not far from the Upper Bath is Lower Bath, created according to the design of I.V. Neelov in 1778-1779. It served as a men's bath for the courtiers and therefore received the second name “Cavalier Soap”. The building is hidden behind a wall of trimmed bushes; only the dome of a classical building is visible above the greenery.

Along Hermitage Alley sculptures were installed, which, by order of Peter the Great, were purchased from Italy to decorate the gardens of St. Petersburg. Here we will see the heroes of ancient mythology and allegory: Perseus, Andromeda, Galatea, Hercules, etc.

Hermitage Alley in Catherine Park of Tsarskoe Selo

Fish Canal

The Palace and Hermitage sections of the Old Garden are separated Fish Canal. It was dug in the early 1720s and is the oldest canal in the park. The Fish Canal connects the Big Pond with the Cascade Canal. Once upon a time, fish were bred and caught there for the royal table. According to legend, Peter the Great personally planted a spruce alley along it. It died during the war and was resumed in the post-war years. Bridges, originally wooden, were thrown across the canal. In 1774-1775, according to the design of V.I. Neelov, two granite and two metal bridges were built. Another bridge, at the confluence of the Rybny Canal with the Cascade Canal, was designed by V.P. Stasov in 1855.

Hermitage

The center of the Hermitage site is the Hermitage Pavilion, which you can read about in the article.

Walking along the Fishing Canal, on the shore of the Big Pond we will see an elegant blue and white building in the Baroque style -. Its construction lasted three decades - from 1749 to 1779. Architect F.-B. Rastrelli, interior decoration by A. Rinaldi. The grotto is the first structure on the banks Big Pond. Under Catherine II, this was a place of solitude and relaxation. In the 19th century, a bank was built in front of it and a pier was built, which was decorated with two bronze statues - “The Dying Gaul” and “Gladiator”. Inside the Grotto there is a statue of Catherine the Great in the image of Minerva, cast in 1789. The grotto has excellent acoustics.

Sculpture "The Dying Gaul"

Grotto Pavilion and Ferry on the Big Pond

A magnificent panorama opens from the pier at the Grotto Big Pond:

Gate "To my dear colleagues"

The buildings of the Old Garden are being completed gate "To my dear colleagues", made in the Empire style. They are located in the south-eastern part of the Catherine Park and were erected in honor of the victory over Napoleon. The cast iron gates were created according to the design of the architect V.P. Stasov in 1817. The 5.7 m long columns were cast at the Petrozavodsk iron foundry and brought to St. Petersburg. The total weight of the gate is 100.6 tons. In 1828 a portcullis was added to the gate. The inscription “To my dear colleagues” belongs to Emperor Alexander I.