Another amazing place in Gagra - the castle of Prince Oldenburg. Every tourist who comes to Gagra should visit there, because this castle is the initial step in the history of the development of Gagra. Like any tourist, I was attracted by this castle for its interesting story, architecture and picturesque surroundings. If you are vacationing in Gagra, then you should definitely take a walk to the castle of Prince Oldenburg. Now I’ll tell you how to get to it without difficulty.

How to get to the castle

So, the very first question is how to get there?

The castle of Prince Oldenburg is located in the old part of the city of Gagra. It is located near the Zhoekvara River, on the slope of Mount Mamzyshkha. If you want to take a walk and relax, then next to the castle there is a magnificent Seaside Park where you can enjoy the surrounding nature.

Thus, you can get to the castle of the Prince of Oldenburg:

History of the Prince of Oldenburg Castle

The castle begins its history with one of the most noble families of Oldenburg. What kind of dynasty is this?

This branch begins with a small branch, namely the Holstein-Gottorp family of the Oldenburg family. Once they were excellent rulers of this small possession, and a little later the glorious county of Oldenburg was formed. If we recall the history of the Romanov dynasty, then Prince Alexander Petrovich was their closest relative. Thus, the great-grandson of Emperor Paul was Prince Alexander Petrovich of Oldenburg.

One of his most important decisions is the establishment of a unique resort on the Gagra coast. In those days it was called the second Nice. It is here that the prince decides to begin building his castle. The architect I. Lucerne was appointed to supervise all construction work, since he was very educated and loved new styles and trends in the art of that time. Therefore, the castle was built in a completely new and unique Art Nouveau style. This was very atypical for that time!

The palace was finally completed in 1902. And the next year, near the castle they broke beautiful place recreation - Primorsky Park.

A variety of bushes and trees from all over the world were brought and planted here. Cypress trees, date palms, cork oak, pink olendra, magnolia, araucaria and many, many others.

During Soviet rule, the house of the Prince of Oldenburg was converted into a sanatorium named after. Stalin, it was here that the entire Soviet elite came to rest.

Somewhat later it became known as the “Chaika” sanatorium.

The castle fell into the combat zone during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict (1992-1993) and was very badly damaged. Walking past it, you can see traces of bullets and other projectiles. But the palace survived and has survived to this day.

Description of the castle

And so we arrived at the castle of Prince Oldenburg. The huge stone structure with a bright red tiled roof immediately catches your eye.

Every tourist wants to look at it not only from the outside, but also to take a walk inside the castle itself. I note that this must be done very carefully, since it is in disrepair.

Still, we took a chance and went into the castle itself. I immediately drew attention to the rooms that once shone with expensive decoration with paintings still remaining on the walls, beautiful columns near the landing, fireplaces and windows of different shapes and sizes.

Unfortunately, we were only able to walk through a few rooms; the rest were completely destroyed. Peeling paint, debris and broken glass indicate that urgent repairs and restoration are needed.

Extreme seekers can be advised to get to round window and watch the Old Gagra area from the top. From there you have a beautiful view of the sea and the city itself!
When we left the castle, we were immediately struck by a picturesque tower called Sokolnichnaya. In my opinion, it is one of the most beautiful buildings of the castle. It is clearly visible from anywhere in the Old Gagra area, especially from the embankment. They say that it was from this tower that the prince once hunted local birds.

Excursions to the castle

The Gagrypsh restaurant sometimes conducts excursions to the castle for its guests. Its approximate cost is 700-1000 rubles. May be on different days (they may change, so you need to check with the organizers).

Those who want to save money can get to the castle on their own. Many travelers come here on their own to admire the beauty.

It is worth clarifying a very important point. Since the castle is in disrepair, it is now officially closed for excursions (except for excursions for guests of the Gagrypsh restaurant). However, no one forbade anyone from entering the territory of Oldenburg Castle.

Therefore, if desired, tourists can even go up to the top floor. True, I did not do this for security reasons.

***

We were very pleased with our trip to the castle of Prince Oldenburg! Despite the fact that today it is in a very poor condition. We, like every tourist visiting the castle, believe that one day it will be transformed and shine like in the old days. Then you will be able to see all its original beauty both inside and outside!

Founder famous resort Gagra is considered the Prince of Oldenburg, who chose this place for one of his residences. The climate on the coast was warm and pleasant.

Therefore, a member of the Russian imperial family, Prince of Oldenburg, fascinated by the beauty and climate of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, got the idea to develop these places in order to make them as popular among the domestic aristocracy as French Nice.

The Gagra climatic resort became the favorite brainchild of the prince. In 1899, Alexander Petrovich first visited the Black Sea province. His companion on this trip was the Minister of Railways, Prince M. N. Khilkov. Their goal was to study the possibilities of laying the Black Sea pipeline here. railway. Having traveled all the coasts, the prince lingered in Gagra, which was deserted by that time. He literally fell in love with this beautiful corner of the Black Sea coast at first sight; it was probably then that the dream of improving this place and settling here first arose in him.

Alexander Petrovich was born on May 21, 1844 in St. Petersburg, in magnificent palace, granted in 1830 by Emperor Nicholas I to his nephew, Prince P. G. Oldenburg (now it houses the St. Petersburg Academy of Culture)

Oldenburgsky Alexander Petrovich 1844 - 1932

It should be noted that at the origins of the creation of Gagrinsky climatic resort there were two very well-known scientists by that time - Professor S.N. Ilovaisky and Professor F.I. Pasternatsky. It was they who, on the eve of the prince’s trip, managed to interest him in this idea.

And so, true to his custom and never putting plans on the back burner, Prince von Oldenburg set to work. He infected many science enthusiasts with his idea, gathering around him a talented company, which included architects K. L. Brenner and I. G. Lyutsedarsky, doctors of medicine A. V. Timofeev and P. F. Chigaev, agronomist-decorator E. V. Shervinsky and many others.

It should be noted that in implementing this idea, the prince found a like-minded person and assistant in the person of the chief chamberlain of the court of the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, Prince Georgy Dmitrievich Shervashidze-Chachba (1847-1918).

All efforts to establish a resort in Gagra successfully ended with the issuance of a decree of Emperor Nicholas II of July 9, 1901, according to which the prince was obliged to take charge of the creation of the Gagra climate station. This was the first large resort project in the history of Russia Black Sea coast, a very large sum of money for those times was allocated for its implementation - 7.5 rubles in gold.

Already six months after the Sovereign’s decree, the first construction of the resort was completed in basic terms. And on January 9, 1903 it was officially opened. On this day, a thanksgiving prayer was served, and in the evening fireworks were fired on the occasion of the joyful event. In 1912, Emperor Nicholas II visited Gagra.

View of Gagripsh from the sea.

In 1901, a palace was erected, which has now become one of the city’s landmarks. The architect was I.K. Lyutzeransky, who built an amazing building in the then fashionable Art Nouveau style. The roof of the palace is covered with red tiles, and the overall ensemble of this unusual palace is complemented by chimneys, balconies, and a tower.

The palace of the Prince of Oldenburg looks incredibly picturesque among lush greenery and hills, but nowadays it is a symbol of ruin and decadence, and not of luxury and bold thought, as it was a hundred years ago.

View of the palace from the sea.

Through the efforts of the prince and his wife, Gagra acquired a unique individual appearance. A magnificent seaside park was created here with exotic plants and animals brought from all over the world.

The Primorsky Park was founded in 1902. Its creation was carried out by the architect Shervinsky Sr. and the master of landscape park construction - agronomist-decorator K. Brener. The park was created as a unique arboretum; for this purpose, plants were brought here from different parts of the world.

Colonnade at the entrance to the park. The colonnade took more than two years to build, and the project was carried out in the difficult post-war years, when there were not enough resources, both material and human. This landmark quickly became one of the symbols of the revival of Gagra as a city and as a resort.

The opening of the colonnade took place in 1956.

The appearance of the colonnade in Gagra is quite simple: it is an arcade located in a semicircle, forming together with the fountain a single architectural ensemble. This square looks very beautiful and majestic, especially at dusk: four towers are connected by small arcades. The length of the structure is 60 meters.

By the way, this monument was shown in the famous film “Winter Evening in Gagra”, thanks to which it became even more recognizable outside the country.

While visiting the Seaside Park, you can plunge into amazing world magical tropical nature, where the salty smell of the sea interrupts the delicate and light aroma of exotic flowers. There are many unusual plants growing around the paths throughout the park. In total, there are more than 400 species of different plants, most of which are evergreen.

Of the many local and ornamental vegetation brought here from other countries of the world, the following deserve special attention: date palms, common in Canary Islands, American magnolias, hollyhocks from Syria, coconut palms brought from South America, etc. In the Primorsky Park you can find such rare varieties of plants as chamerops, candy tree, Himalayan cedars, agave and oleander.

“Gagripsh” is an amazing preserved historical monument, still in use today.

The building for the Gagripsh restaurant was brought disassembled from Scandinavia in 1902. This building was bought at the Paris exhibition by the founder of the Gagra resort, Prince A.P. Oldenburg. The building was brought to Abkhazia and assembled on site. The peculiarity of the construction is that the entire structure was assembled without metal fasteners.

A building was also purchased there for the palace of Princess of Oldenburg, which together with the restaurant formed a single architectural ensemble. Unfortunately, the palace building has not survived to this day.

There are still mechanical clocks in the restaurant building, which are still wound manually.

In 1903, the construction of the restaurant building was completed, and on January 9, 1903, the grand opening of the Gagra resort or, as it was called at that time, the Gagra climate station, took place in the Gagripsh restaurant.

On this day, a thanksgiving prayer service was served, and in the evening, fireworks were fired on the occasion of the joyful event. At the gala reception, the Prince presented the guests with commemorative silver tokens with his monogram A.P.O. and the inscription “Gagra 1903”.

The appearance and interiors of the restaurant, despite numerous reconstructions, have remained virtually unchanged to this day, conveying to us the atmosphere of the very beginning of the twentieth century.

Gagripsh was visited by Emperor Nicholas II, writers Chekhov, Bunin, Gorky, and singer Fyodor Chaliapin.


After the revolution, the Oldenburg family was forced to emigrate to France. They lived the rest of their days in the luxurious seaside resort town of Biarritz, which perhaps brought back memories of their brainchild - the now unattainable Gagra. Evgenia Maximilianovna died in 1925, and the old prince in 1932. Both of them survived their son Peter, who died in 1924 without leaving any offspring. Together with them, the Russian branch of the ancient House of Oldenburg, which faithfully served its Motherland, was cut short.

We say goodbye to the climatic park complex of the Oldenburgskys.

Road to Gagra.

If you ask any passerby “Which, in your opinion, is the most beautiful and most famous landmark of Abkhazia?”, everyone will certainly answer - the castle of the Prince of Oldenburg.

This truly magnificent building represents the cultural and historical value of the resort city of Gagra. In addition, the residence of A.P. Oldenburgsky is considered a step in the history of the entire city, as it is the starting point in the development of Gagra.

Prince Alexander Petrovich of Oldenburg, the great-grandson of Paul I, comes from the oldest Oldenburg family, ruling in the Duchy of Oldenburg. The Oldenburgs were related to the Romanov dynasty. Alexander Petrovich was born in 1844, held high government positions, and before the fall Russian Empire had membership in the Imperial House.

His merits are countless, but the main thing is that the prince founded the first resort town of Gagra on the Caucasian coast. It is with the construction of the palace that the transformation of Gagra into a resort town, “Russian Nice” begins. The castle of the Prince of Oldenburg is located on a slope near the place where the Joekwara River flows into the Black Sea.

This part of the city is considered one of the most picturesque. In addition, a park has been established along the entire coastline, in which various “exotic” plants grow, such as palm trees, cypress trees, as well as lemon and orange trees, which creates an even more attractive environment. This park is called Primorsky, it gives you the opportunity to once again enjoy all the beauties of Gagra.

History of the castle

Despite the fact that some researchers call 1898 the date of foundation of the palace, the castle of Alexander Petrovich of Oldenburg was built in 1902. It became a kind of “noble nest” of the Oldenburgskys.

The place for the construction of the palace was chosen by the prince himself. The architect of the building was Alexander Petrovich’s longtime friend Grigory Ippolitovich Lyutsedarsky. Many sources name the creator of the project and the manager of the construction of the palace, Grigory Ippolitovich, who managed to bring to life one of the most beautiful creations of classical modernism.

The palace has incorporated all the most beautiful elements of Art Nouveau: the red tiled roof harmonizes perfectly with the many balconies, and the chimneys of the fireplace in no way spoil the view, but only emphasize the status of the building. In addition, researchers note the importance of the Falconer's Tower, located on the territory of the residence. According to local residents, Prince Alexander Petrovich himself was very fond of falconry, which is why he ordered the construction of the Tower.

The Prince of Oldenburg had many more plans to transform not only the castle and the Seaside Park, but the entire city. But the outbreak of war did not allow all plans to be realized. The prince was quickly summoned to St. Petersburg, from where he was later forced to emigrate abroad.

After the Bolsheviks came to power, the prince's palace was converted into a sanatorium named after Stalin. The highest officials of Soviet society came here every year to rest. Later, the palace was given the status of a boarding house, after which it began to bear the name “Chaika”.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Oldenburg Castle fell into disrepair, it was looted and even suffered a fire, which destroyed part of the building. By the end of the 1980s. The castle of the Prince of Oldenburg was classified as an architectural monument.

Gradually, restoration work began to unfold here. But further events interrupted the restoration of the palace. Georgian-Abkhaz war 1992-1993. this creation of architecture did not pass by. The constant military operations that took place here caused serious damage to the building, leaving behind traces of bullets and shells.

Legends about the castle of the Prince of Oldenburg

There are quite a few legends associated with the palace of A.P. Oldenburgsky. One of them relates to the construction and foundation of the residence.

According to legend, after many unsuccessful attempts to lay down and begin the process of constructing a building, the Prince of Oldenburg decides to call the architect Yahya Abbas-oglu, an Iranian by origin. Allegedly, there were no long conversations between the prince and the builder. Abbas-ogly undertook to complete the construction of the castle within a certain time frame. If not fulfilled this condition he had to bear all financial expenses. Yahya did not hesitate and immediately got to work.

As construction was nearing completion, minor problems arose. All that remained was to complete the final part, which required spending money. But the prince had no funds, and the Iranian himself had to get out of the situation - borrow money from acquaintances and friends. As a result, the work was completed on time. When the time came for Alexander Petrovich to settle accounts with Yahya Abbas-oglu, the prince did not want to pay according to the agreement.

In addition, Yahya’s situation was aggravated by the conflict with the governor of Kutaisi, who, according to contemporaries, was envious of the successes of other people. The Iranian, in turn, by this time had become quite popular and had great authority. In connection with this conflict, Abbas-ogly could be arrested.

The builder could not come to terms with such injustice, both on the part of the governor and on the part of the prince, and decided to go to St. Petersburg with a complaint. Despite the fact that the trip took considerable time, it was still crowned with success. Ultimately, for his hard work and professionalism, Nicholas II awarded Yahya with a diploma and a medal “For Diligence,” and Prince A.P. of Oldenburg was forced to pay off his debts with the Iranian.

Despite the fact that this legend does not have documentary evidence, it is still impossible to deny the fact that Yahya Abbas-oglu really took part in the construction of the prince’s castle.

What is a castle like these days?

Today, the palace of Prince Alexander Petrovich of Oldenburg is an echo of a bygone era. Now, looking at the residence building, we will no longer see the architectural beauty that existed before.

A sagging roof, partially destroyed walls, traces of fires and bombings - this is all that remains of that marvelous palace that many guests came to admire. But even in this form, the castle does not lose its popularity and attracts the attention of many tourists, because, in fact, it has reached us almost unchanged.

On this moment the residence was purchased by a private person; large-scale restoration of the building is planned. The castle itself is in disrepair. You can get to the castle thanks to the Gagripsh restaurant, which quite often organizes excursions for everyone.

Approximately, the cost of such an excursion will be in the area 700−1000 rubles. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that the building is in disrepair, and therefore the excursion may be refused.

How to get there

• The residence of the Prince of Oldenburg is located near the pier and the terminus of the city public transport. You can get to the castle through the Seaside Park, which can be reached on minibus or by booking a tour in advance from the administration of the Gagripsh restaurant. The cost of travel by minibus will be about 30-60 rubles, excursions - 700-1000 rubles.
• On foot. Most budget option It will be a walk to the Seaside Park, then going up, you will find yourself there.
• By cable car. Directly to the castle, starting from the Seaside Park, leads cable car. This option is suitable for lovers of not only beautiful and scenic spots, but also extreme. The approximate cost of such a walk will be from 200 rubles.
• Taxi. The fastest and most comfortable option is to use a taxi, which will cost about 150 rubles.

reference Information

Castle address: Prince of Oldenburg Castle, Old Gagra district, Gagra city, Republic of Abkhazia.

Coordinates: 43.325583; 40.225367

Address of the restaurant "Gagripsh": Gagra, st. Nartaa.

Restaurant opening hours: from 11:00 to 0:00.

Average bill at the establishment: 1700 RUB.

*Prices are valid for February 2016.

Castle of the Prince of Oldenburg in Gagra- residence of the founder of the Gagra resort. Located on a hill above the Seaside Park.

Prince of Oldenburg

Oldenburg- branch Holstein-Gottorp lines of the Oldenburg dynasty, who were rulers of the duchy and later the grand duchy, Oldenburg. The Oldenburgers were closely related to the dynasty Romanovs, who ruled the Russian Empire.

Prince Alexander Petrovich Oldenburgsky born June 2 (old style May 21), 1844. He was a Russian general, senator, member of the State Council, and also a member of the Imperial House.

With the active support of Alexander Petrovich, a telegraph was installed in Gagra, a subtropical technical school was built, electric lighting and water supply were organized. The opening of the Gagra resort took place on January 9, 1903 in restaurant Gagripsh.

Castle construction

In 1902 in Old Gagra according to the architect's design I. K. Lyutseransky The famous Prince of Oldenburg Castle was built.

The castle building is built in Art Nouveau style with a picturesque red-tiled roof; chimneys, balconies. The estate also included the Falconer's Tower, since the prince was a big fan of falconry.

The beginning of the construction of the castle can mark the beginning of the development of the Gagra resort as a sea climatic resort - “Russian Nice,” as Gagra was then called.

After the revolution, Oldenburgsky's estate was nationalized, and an elite holiday home was built in the prince's palace. Stalin, later called "The Seagull".

The castle was abandoned for a long time; restoration work is currently underway.

Where is Oldenburg Castle?

The Prince of Oldenburg Castle is located in Old Gagra above the Seaside Park and the Abaat Fortress.

Details Sights of the Gagra region

Prince Alexander Petrovich of Oldenburg was born on June 2 (May 21, old style) 1844. He was a Russian general, senator, and member of the State Council; before the fall of the monarchy in Russia - a member of the Imperial House. One of the main merits of this man is considered to be the founding of the Gagra climatic resort, the first on the Caucasian coast.

The history of the Gagripsh restaurant dates back to 1901. Then, at the behest of Nicholas II, his closest relative, Prince Alexander of Oldenburg, took charge of the Gagra climate station. His idea was to turn this place into a high-society resort that would meet European standards.
To implement this, the tsarist government allocated 14,500 acres of land and allocated about 3 million rubles.

The Prince of Oldenburg installed electric lighting, running water, founded a telegraph, a subtropical technical school and built a climate station. The park was laid out along the seashore, where palm trees, agaves, orange and lemon trees, and cypresses were planted. Mansions and palaces, beautiful in architecture, began to be built on the slopes of the mountains. One of the most beautiful palaces was the palace of Princess Eugenie of Oldenburg. The palace has been preserved, and in the present and in it there is a restaurant “Gagripsh”.

The restaurant was bought by the Prince of Oldenburg in Paris at the World Exhibition. It was a wooden house with a clock, which was built in Norway. It was delivered to Abkhazia in 1902 disassembled. The palace (castle) of the Prince of Oldenburg was built in the same year 1902. It was built on a slope picturesque mountain in the area of ​​​​Old Gagra, not far from the confluence of the Zhoekvara River into the Black Sea.
On January 9, 1903, the grand opening of the climate station took place in Gagripsha. This day became considered the founding date of the resort.

During Soviet times, the city was declared a resort of national importance, and former palace turned into a sanatorium named after Stalin. (later renamed the "Chaika" sanatorium). During the Georgian-Abkhaz war of 1992-1993, the city of Gagra found itself in a combat zone and suffered greatly. The Prince's Castle was no exception. It also suffered from fire and looting.

In the present, the city of Gagra has been greatly rebuilt, which has contributed to the development of the tourism business. Restoration work is underway in the area historical monuments and for the reconstruction of various holiday homes.

Symbol of Gagra.

"Gagripsh" is not only a restaurant, but also one of the most popular tourist places the city of Gagra and a kind of emblem of the city. The clock located on the facade of the Gagripsh restaurant is still wound manually from a locker - it is located inside the building.

From the restaurant's balcony there is a wonderful view of the Black Sea and the coastal strip of Gagra. Gagripsh at one time was visited by Nicholas II, Anton Chekhov, Fyodor Chaliapin, Maxim Gorky and Ivan Bunin. Joseph Stalin loved this restaurant very much and visited it often.

About the construction of the castle of the Prince of Oldenburg.

The Prince of Oldenburg Castle, so famous among the sights of Gagra and Abkhazia, was built at the beginning of the twentieth century according to the design of the skilled architect I.K. Lyutsiransky for the crowned person.

The building was the most amazing and beautiful embodiment of the best in the Art Nouveau style. The roof of Oldenburg Castle is covered with red tiles, above which chimneys protrude, organically fitting into the outline of the palace.

The Prince of Oldenburg Castle is rich in many balconies that highlight the design and architecture of the facades. The prince was a well-known admirer of falconry and hunted often and skillfully, which is why a falconer’s tower, towering above the palace buildings, was included in the design of the palace.

The decision to build his residence in old Gagra was due to the prince, to implement the idea of ​​​​creating a full-fledged resort town in this district. The Gagra resort was conceived as an analogue of Russian Nice, which was favored by the wonderful climate and weather in the city of Gagra.

With the advent of Soviet power, the castle of the Prince of Oldenburg and all outbuildings were nationalized. The prince’s chambers were converted into rooms in the elite Holiday Home named after Comrade Stalin and called the “Chaika” sanatorium.