Architectural and park ensemble "New Kuchuk Koi". Palace and park ensemble Cascade of Ponds and the Big Pond

Architectural and park ensemble of Kuskovo.
The Kuskovskaya estate is one of the earliest estate complexes that has survived to this day. It is also unique in that it has come to us without significant changes. But in the 18th century Kuskovo was much richer. The “central” part of the estate with its main architectural monuments has been most fully preserved.
The earliest building of the estate is the church. The bell tower, on the contrary, is the latest of the manor buildings. Together with the palace, built under the direction of the famous Moscow architect Karl Blank, and the kitchen outbuilding, these buildings form the ensemble of the court of honor, located on the shore of the Big Pond.
In front of the house (palace) there are lawns and alleys of a large French regular park with a strictly geometric grid of paths. When they converge, they form multi-rayed stars. In this park with marble sculptures and obelisks, with a complex hydraulic system consisting of ponds, canals and bridges, numerous park pavilions have been preserved.
The Hermitage and Aviary pavilions are located symmetrically to the central axis; opposite the palace is the Large Stone Greenhouse. “Small ensembles”: Dutch and Italian, preserved in the greatest completeness, are located in the western and eastern parts of the estate.
The main buildings of the “English Park Guy” were the House of Solitude, which actually served as housing for the count’s family, the Portrait Gallery and the Theater.
The variety of entertainment and activities was provided in the estate by a game alley, a carousel, an “amusing flotilla”, estate “museums”, and a library.
Along with the front doors, the structure of the pleasure estate included service and outbuildings: a kennel and stable courtyards, menageries for keeping waterfowl, American greenhouses for growing exotic plants and fruits, kitchens at each of the pavilions.

The palace is the main building in the country pleasure estate of Count Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev in Kuskovo. The “Big House,” as the palace was called in the 18th century, was built in 1769-1775 under the leadership of the Moscow architect Karl Blank and was intended for the ceremonial reception of guests in the summer.
Built of wood in the traditions of Russian architecture, it has two floors - a front floor and a mezzanine, on a high stone plinth where wine cellars and utility rooms were located.
A palace is a relatively small building built on a “human scale”, that is, it is not overwhelming in size, but creates a cozy atmosphere of human habitation. The same scale is preserved by the halls, living rooms, library, dining room, office, and owners’ rooms. They are decorated with elegant furniture, wallpaper, tapestries, portraits, paintings, engravings, marble busts by F.I. Shubin. The white dance hall of the palace amazes the visitor with its size and splendor. In the hall there are gilded decorative details, mirrors, crystal chandeliers and a huge picturesque lampshade by the French artist L. Lagrene.

The first documentary mention of Kuskov dates back to the 16th century. Since V.A. Sheremetev at the beginning of the 16th century. exchanged it with A.A. Pushkin, the estate never left the possession of the Sheremetev family. Kuskovo, according to spiritual wills, passed from V.A. Sheremetev to his son I.V. Smaller, from him to Fyodor Ivanovich, who in 1648 handed it over to his nephew Vasily Petrovich. After his death, in 1665, it passed to P.V. Bolshoi, and from him, in 1690, to his youngest son Vladimir Petrovich. A well-known associate of Peter I, commander and diplomat, Field Marshal Boris Petrovich Sheremetev bought Kuskovo from his brother in 1715. Under his son, Count Pyotr Borisovich, who inherited the estate in 1719, Kuskovo gained European fame. From that time on, for almost 200 years, Kuskovo was a brilliant example of a “summer country pleasure residence.”

Front and hothouse greenhouses were an indispensable element in Russian gardening ensembles of the 2nd half of the 18th century. They contained and grew exotic heat-loving plants, decorative and fragrant flowers, laurels and citrus fruits (including orange), coffee and peach trees, palm trees, pineapples, cacti and orchids. In summer, plants were displayed in tubs in the open air, decorating the park's stalls and alleys. Their crowns were cut in the form of geometric shapes, ships, human figures and fantastic animals, which harmoniously combined with the architectural and sculptural decoration of the park. Such decoration of “green architecture” with works of topiary art (topiary) was characteristic of the aesthetics of pleasure estates in Russia in the 18th century, and, like much else in Kuskovo, it was intended to “surprise” the guests.

The architectural and park ensemble of Kuskovo is one of the remarkable monuments of Russian art. Created in the 18th century, it fully absorbed the achievements of estate construction of the era. Peculiar architectural ensembles near Moscow became widespread at the end of the first third of the 18th century, when the noble nobility returned to the ancient family estates. Of the surviving estates near Moscow, Kuskovo is the earliest, giving an idea of ​​the type of Elizabethan estates. It was located 7 miles from Moscow, between the Vladimir and Ryazan roads.

The first mention of the estate of the Sheremetev boyars near Moscow dates back to the beginning of the 16th century. A small fiefdom with land that was difficult to cultivate was of no economic interest, but swampy forests often served as “hunting amusement.” In a later period, this place was called Spassky because of the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands, which was located on the site of the present greenhouse. At the beginning of the 18th century. here, away from the highways, there already existed a modest estate, to which a country road led.

Since 1715, these lands belonged to an associate of Peter I - a prominent military leader, hero of the Battle of Poltava, Field Marshal B.P. Sheremetev. The count was one of the most educated and progressive people of his time. At the end of his life, he planned to build a country palace, but did not have time to implement his plan. His son P.B. is rightfully considered the organizer of the estate. Sheremetev (1713-1788), who, paying tribute to new forms of life - ceremonial receptions, magnificent assemblies, crowded holidays, turns Kuskovo into a “summer country house of entertainment.” The park in Kuskovo was formed in the direction of Veshnyaki and occupied a central place in the property. Of the early buildings in the estate, the church erected in 1737 and the “Dutch House” built in 1749 in memory of the Peter the Great era and to house a collection of Dutch monuments have been preserved [Shamurin, 1912].

The Kuskovo ensemble was created over several decades. In 1755, a large pond was dug here, which allowed the low-lying and swampy area to be drained. A total of 17 ponds appeared, but there were 3 large ones, and they were called mirrors. In addition to ponds, canals and cascades were created, and a picturesque river appeared, which, meandering and dividing into channels, formed islands [Lubedky, 1880].

It seems that the estate was created in one step - it is so integral in its artistic design. However, Kuskovo was not built by one architect. Until 1754, all work was led by Yu.I. Kologrivov, who lived in Italy for a long time and knew Italian architecture well. After his death, the construction was in charge of the serf F.S. Argunov. From 1765 to 1780, the famous Moscow architect Karl Ivanovich Blank “looked” at Kuskovo. Other architects and gardeners are also mentioned - “his Lordship’s own” and freemen.

The manor house (1770) and the church were located on the shore of the pond, as if separating the most well-groomed, path-rich, trimmed and decorated part of the park from the water. This is the most important structure of the estate, built from wood - a traditional material of Russian craftsmen, but in compliance with the proportions of stone architecture and even decorated to resemble stone forms. At the same time, some park pavilions were made of brick and stone.

The house does not have a large front entrance courtyard, but its decoration, an elegant church, a kitchen outbuilding decorated with figured platbands on the windows, a bell tower with a gilded spire, and a ramp symmetrically located on the sides of the central doors create an atmosphere of pomp and solemnity. The palace is somewhat elevated above the adjacent territory due to the stone “basement” floor with extensive wine cellars.

The manor's house met the tastes of the era and was richly decorated on the inside. It has preserved elegant interiors and luxurious furnishings to this day. Each room has a special finish and is decorated with tapestries, bronze, porcelain, and marble. Not only art objects, ancient paintings, trompe l'oeil paintings, rare books, unique weapons, but also historical relics are collected here.

The palace, its decoration and park represent a single complementary ensemble. The lobby or front porch of the palace creates an impression of solemnity. In the lower tier there are niches with monumental vases in the form of Greek amphorae, in the upper tier there are picturesque panels on ancient themes, imitating sculptural portraits-reliefs. The walls and pilasters are painted to resemble marble.

The vestibule opens to a suite of state rooms, which were a mandatory part of manor houses in the 18th century. Each of them has its own purpose, size, lighting, emotional structure. Moreover, we will later find a kind of repetition in the park compositions; this is, as it were, a development of the theme that the rooms of the palace set. Gradually, the viewer gets the impression of a theatrical action, where one scenery is replaced by another, each time new and unexpected. The principle of decoration is also applied in the park.

Color plays a big role in creating a figurative structure. The color scheme of the palace is directly dependent on the shades of the surrounding park, ponds, and sunlight. The most elegant room is the Crimson room, named after the color of the silk with which the walls and furniture are upholstered. The combination of white and crimson colors gives it a special picturesqueness. Gradually, from living room to living room, the sound of solemnity increases. This is also served by parquet in ornaments, crystal rain of tall floor lamps, furniture on thin, gracefully curved legs, mirrors in carved gilded frames, ceremonial portraits, painted lampshades, creating the impression of the endless blue of the sky. And so, as it were, the highest chord before meeting with nature itself, which surrounds the palace, looks through its huge windows - the dance hall. Its lush splendor amazes the visitor. Mirrors, due to the repeated reflection of trees, ponds, and distant perspectives, expanded the space of the hall to infinity and connected it with picturesque nature. The park seemed to be part of the room. One wall of the hall has all its windows facing the garden, the other is completely covered in mirrors. Thanks to this, it seems that the hall is open to the park on both sides. The pattern of colored parquet, made up of circles flowing into one another, seems to enhance this movement. Lighting also contributes to this in many ways. Two huge chandeliers, almost weightless in appearance in this “endless” hall, concentrate attention. They seem to multiply in the crystal of wall sconces, majestic candelabra in the form of female figures draped in antique clothes with gilded branches of lamps in their hands. It is not difficult to imagine how spectacular the hall was with lit candles, when the light played in the crystal with all the colors of the rainbow, and the mirrors multiplied the endlessly sparkling lights scattered in the perspective of the park.

The compositional axis of the ensemble runs through the center of the palace, moving away from the facade through the pond along the canal towards the village of Veshnyaki, and on the other side along the main alley of the regular garden to the greenhouse and further north past the labyrinth. The strict symmetry of all elements of the garden is only apparent: its parts located on both sides of the parterre are unequal in size and shape. The western one is smaller, but has many more diagonal alleys. Thanks to this, there is an impression of depth in the space, and it was easier for walkers to flock to the side “alley of games.” The opposite part of the garden was intended for quiet relaxation; there was a green theater, an aviary with songbirds and a menagerie.

Behind the pond, a canal stretched into the distance, marked by two columns carrying beacon lamps on their capitals; a sliding bridge was created between them. The canal ended with a lavishly decorated white stone wall with “cascade” fountains.

The large pond enhanced the expressiveness of the landscape, reflecting in its mirror the main building of the estate - the palace. From its windows on festival days one could see the theatrical performances taking place on the pond. An entertainment flotilla glided along the water: a gilded six-gun yacht, boats, a “Chinese ship,” a barge, gondolas, skiffs, shuttles, boats, decorated with multi-colored lanterns, with oarsmen dressed in national clothes.

Among the wide expanse of water, the island stood out like a green oasis. Picnics were held here, with intricate fireworks that were reflected in the water. Ruins, fishermen's huts, and stylized gazebos were picturesquely scattered along the shore.

In accordance with the fashion of the late 18th century. An “English garden” appears in the estate, in which natural effects are created: streams, ponds and waterfalls, piles of stones, dark thickets, picturesque mountains and ravines.

A large amount of archival material has been preserved: documents, plans, engravings, allowing one to get an idea of ​​the Kuskovo estate in its heyday. The most interesting are the drawings of A. Mironov, serf P.B. Sheremetev, who completed a whole series of works, in particular the 1782 drawing “Plan for the Pleasure House and Garden of the Village of Kuskovo,” which shows the main central part of the estate. A series of engravings by P. Laurent, made from drawings by M. Makhaev (a native of Kuskovo), and archival papers revealing the activities of Yu.I. take us back to the past of the estate. Kologrivova, F.S. Argunov, the authors of many buildings on the estate that were erected in the 1750-1770s.

It was this period, until approximately the 80s of the 18th century. should be considered the phase of the highest flourishing of the estate, when the main monuments of architecture and landscape art appeared. Behind the house we see a parterre divided into separate bosquets, decorated with marble sculpture and a floral carpet - boulengrin. This was the most solemn part of the park. Enclosed as if by walls, the smooth lines of trellises, the facades of the palace and the greenhouse, it still gives the impression of a huge open-air hall today.

The prospect of trimmed trees stretched into the distance, forming endless labyrinths of green walls, smooth lawns and numerous white statues along a web of paths on a green carpet. But according to legend, some of the antique marble statues placed among the greenery were donated by Catherine II. Others - copies - were made by Moscow craftsmen. The park statues had theatrical poses and became, as it were, participants in pantomime performances. The viewer experienced a sense of movement created by the sculptures due to their expressive silhouette, dynamic outlines, location against the backdrop of naturally swaying foliage, and the play of light and shadow with lit candles. The estate also had memorial buildings. On the ceremonial parterre of Kuskov, a column topped with a statue of Minerva - Catherine in memory of the Empress's visit to Kuskov has been preserved.

And yet Kuskovo was created primarily as a pleasure estate, with inventions and curious ideas, fanciful and exotic structures. The park housed dozens of original “amusing” mansions, gazebos, pavilions, labyrinths, bridges, carousels, trellises, ruins, made, as a rule, by the hands of serfs. More labor and money were spent on undertakings than on “serious” structures. Dead-end alleys ended with mirrors or painted perspectives - decoys hiding the real space. Along the alleys there were painted wooden figures of smartly dressed people. Many buildings, in accordance with their “game” purpose, were given fantastic shapes; their appearance imitated Chinese, Indian, and Turkish buildings, which at that time seemed the height of exoticism. Unfortunately, numerous “undertakings”, almost all of them, have not survived, only stone buildings have survived to this day.

On holidays, a smart crowd in powdered wigs, rustling silks, filled the park. They were amazed by unprecedented animals, flowers of strange plants taken from greenhouses. Rare birds sang, the air was fragrant. In one grove of the park music thundered, in others a ballet was staged, a choir sang, and horn music played. Laughter and fun rushed from the decorated boats gliding along the pond, from the alleys of games. Everyone became participants in this theatrical extravaganza, finding themselves in a special fantasy world. And in the evening - garlands of colored lights and lanterns, flickering light from the flames of bonfires, candles, illuminated canals, ponds, obelisks, columns, sculptures, illuminated greenery and the final fantastic fireworks display, which was a favorite spectacle of the guests. And there were a lot of them, because it was not for nothing that there was a pillar on the road from Moscow inviting everyone to have fun in Kuskovo. It is known from documents that on holidays up to 50,000 people gathered in the garden and its surroundings. There were up to 2000 invited guests alone, and the chain of visits stretched all the way to Moscow [Pertsov, 1925].

In 1783 P.B. Sheremetev is elected leader of the Moscow nobles and spares no expense and effort in establishing his country estate. Soon a marble obelisk appears in front of the house with the inscription: “Catherine II granted Count P.B. Sheremetev in 1783." In addition to the Empress, many noble persons visited Kuskovo, not only Russian, but also foreign, including the Roman Emperor Joseph II [Lubetsky, 1880].

Kuskovo attracts with its unique combination of ceremonial luxury and intimate simplicity. This is achieved largely by the fact that all structures are harmoniously included in the layout; the park architecture complements the picturesque surroundings. Each landscape in the park is perceived as complete not only because it is enclosed among trees and sculpture, but also because it is distinguished by its unique design. There is a peaked Chinese pagoda, gazebos, obelisks, multi-colored covering of alleys and platforms (marble chips, sand), and the calm surface of ponds. The floral patterns of the parterre repeat the parquet pattern in the palace. The unity of architecture and nature lay in the fact that each pavilion or structure was the compositional center of its microensemble, which, in turn, was an integral part of a more complex ensemble. Despite the fact that parts of the estate are different in style, they all obey the general architectural and planning solution of the park.

At the same time as the main house, a stone structure was built next to it, imitating a natural grotto. Its architecture (the project belongs to F. Argunov) is picturesque, dynamic and reminiscent of the Tsarskoye Selo grotto, built by V.V. Rastrelli. Complemented with white stone details, cornices, columns and pilasters, pediments with stucco molding, and a balustrade, it acquires the features of a “very expressive baroque” [Zgura, 1925b].

In addition to the richly decorated facades, white stone statues were installed in the niches of the grotto. The round lines of the stylobate seem to wash the building, and it echoes its reflection in the mirror of the pond. Intended for relaxation on hot days, the grotto created a fabulous “Neptune's Kingdom”. The walls of his offices are lined with patterns of shells of different shapes and sizes. Interspersed with glass, small pieces of minerals and small shells on colored plaster create fantastic designs with underwater plants and animals.

Not far from the grotto, behind the pond, there was an Italian house that looked like a small palace (built under the direction of Yu.I. Kologrivov, decorated by F. Argunov).

The Italian house was surrounded by a small stylized garden in the “Italian taste” with a variety of ideas. On the shore of the pond, on a hillock, a statue of the Siren towered over a fountain, and marble vases and sculptures were placed around the house.

From the Italian House, a bridge led to the menagerie - five graceful bird houses with gates, trellises and columns. Cranes, American geese, pheasants, pelicans were kept here, and swans swam nearby along the bypass canal.

Five small houses on the eastern shore of the pond, standing in a semicircle, were divided among themselves by the radii of the fence into five sectors. Graceful stone fences, houses with pilasters, surrounded by gilded fences, represent one of the most elegant miniature compositions of the estate.

Two small ponds, Italian and Dutch, which received their names from the houses on their banks, become the compositional centers of the southeastern and southwestern parts of the garden. The house under a high tiled roof is a kind of decoration for a corner of old Holland. This is one of the earliest buildings of the estate, as evidenced by the date on the pediment - 1749. Its interior walls were decorated with tiles and decorated with paintings of the Flemish school. This house was surrounded by flower beds of carnations and tulips. From the “Dutch garden” a staircase led to the water. On the banks of the pond there were two gazebos: Pagodenburg, built in the “Chinese” style, and Stolbovaya, which was an open colonnade.

From the Dutch house one could get to the Persian or Chinese tents, pitched only in the summer, and, finally, to the Hermitage - a monumental two-story pavilion. This original-shaped structure with busts in niches and a statue of initially Flora and then Ganymede on the roof was considered one of the main wonders of Kuskov. It seemed to have absorbed the grace of classicism and baroque pomp. From the balconies of the pavilion there was a view of the park's splendor: trimmed labyrinths, distant vistas, dark canals, a gilded yacht on a large pond. Cozy and at the same time unusually decorated luxurious rooms were intended for intimate conversations and meetings. A lift took guests to the top floor. A special device made it possible to do without servants. From below there were sofas and a table for 16 people. The Hermitage was separated from the garden by a birch grove, and six paths led into it from six different sides.

An alley with carousels and all kinds of gaming devices led from the Hermitage along the bypass canal into the depths of the garden. In front of the exit from the garden there was a cave of a fire-breathing dragon, entwined around a tree with two small “reptiles”. Not far from the cave, in two huts, there were wax figures that were striking in their resemblance to living people (especially the “Girl with a Dish of Mushrooms”).

The “air theater” in the eastern part of the formal garden was a great success among the guests; its outlines are well preserved. Everything here was made of earthen mounds covered with turf and trimmed bushes. The stage was a small lawn, and the decorations were living trees. The theater was illuminated with garlands of colored lanterns and bowls. Often the performance ended with fireworks.

The park was famous for its green decoration. Among the plantings there were also species of shrubs and trees rare for the Moscow region. The larches and firs are still alive. The real decoration of the estate was the greenhouse (master - F. Argunov). In it, laurel, lemon, orange and even coffee and tea trees reached the same sizes as in their homeland (according to legend, in case of damage to the trees, a kind of council of the best gardeners from the entire Moscow district was held in Kuskovo). In 1786, on the occasion of the Empress’s arrival in Kuskovo, the greenhouse was turned into a “station”, where a dance ball was held.

Kuskovo Park owes its fame largely to greenhouses. P. Bessonov called the art of Kuskovo gardeners “an important period for the history of botany and gardening in Russia.” A huge number of trees and flowers for the park were grown in greenhouses.

The range of tree species was common for gardens in the mid-18th century. They mostly trimmed the linden tree. Birch trees were planted near the Italian house. Topiary haircut was also the pride of the garden. Thanks to the skill of gardeners, buxus and yew trees turned into strange animals, birds, and people. The image of these green sculptures in the engravings of P. Laurent has been preserved, and archival documents confirm their existence. Thus, there is a “register of trees in the village of Kuskovo” from 1761, which represents an interesting listing of green sculptures.

The park area located behind the pond is also of great interest. The real decoration of the landscape was the centuries-old forest with clearings. There were also “ruins”, obelisks. In the forest there was a menagerie with a three-kilometer stone fence and 600 animals. In the center of the menagerie there was a round gazebo with columns.

Next to the menagerie were the Stables, Animal Farm and Kennel Yards, built in the form of an extensive castle.

In the early 1780s, a number of new ventures appeared in the Guy Grove located near the estate: the English Garden, the Labyrinth, the House of Solitude (built in 1782-1786), the Philosophical House, the Temple of Silence, the Lacasino Pavilion, the Chaumière model barnyard with wax figures of dolls feasting at the table, poultry house. In the grove there was a Chinese tower with bells.

At the end of the grove a small lake sparkled, connected to other lakes by artificial canals. Their banks were decorated with tall cedars, and semicircular bridges with gilded gratings and carved railings led into the depths of the grove, to the refuge of philosophers - a cozy house with mirrored walls, floors and a painted ceiling.

On the border of the grove stood the famous Sheremetev Theater.

Son P.B. Sheremeteva N.P. Sheremetev lived and studied abroad for a long time and was already a representative of a new generation, a different worldview. Under him, the Kuskovsky Theater became the best in Russia. 1792 was the year of the zenith of the estate's glory and the beginning of its decline. N.P. Sheremetev lost interest in Kuskov: “He was no longer seduced by the glory of organizing holidays for numerous people with festivities, songs, roasted bulls and cannon fire. Two years later he will begin construction of a palace theater in Ostankino. The concentration of arts and entertainment, designed for connoisseurs and connoisseurs of fine art, is what now attracted N.P. Sheremetev...” [Kuskovo, Ostankino, Arkhangelskoe, 1976. P. 15].

Having begun to create Ostankino, where the Kuskovo theater soon migrated, N.P. Sheremetev abandoned Kuskovo.

Since 1799, Kuskovo was empty and slowly destroyed. Alleys were overgrown, buildings were destroyed and burned. Interestingly, the core of the estate, created in the middle of the century, was preserved much better than the latest innovations at the end of the century. Thus, the Solitude House was dismantled, the theater burned down, and the landscape park was given over to the construction of dachas. The rains washed away the paints, the remnants of the gilding, time erased the artists' inventions, which turned into pitiful props - incomprehensible and unnecessary. The estate fell into even greater desolation after it was plundered by the French during the Patriotic War of 1812.

For almost two centuries, restoration work was carried out periodically in Kuskovo. It is known that in 1850 they were carried out under the leadership of Bykovsky, and in 1870 - Sultanov.

In 1958-1968 under the leadership of L. Soboleva, a large stone greenhouse was restored. This restoration was important for the entire estate, since the parterre - the central part of the park - is divided between the palace and the greenhouse, and the perspective from the palace was clearly lost, being closed by a dilapidated, rebuilt building. A new stage of restoration work began in 1976, when they again turned to the greenhouses, which have survived to this day in a very ruined state. A. Mironov’s drawing “View of greenhouses in the garden of the village of Kuskova,” found in the State Museum of Serf Art in Ostankino, helped scientists a lot. Thanks to him, it became possible to confirm the dimensions and location of the greenhouses, which completely coincided with the dimensions on the plan.

Help was also provided by other documents, rare books revealing the secrets of the craft of greenhouse art of the 18th century, in particular Engelmann’s book “A New Method of Constructing Greenhouses and Greenhouses, Based on Experiments and Physical Observations in the Plant Kingdom,” published in Moscow in 1821.

Currently, restoration work in the estate was headed by O.S. Gorbachev and N.V. Sibiryakov (since 1985). Based on surviving records, drawings, drawings, using the works of modern researchers [Zgura, 1924, 1925; Stanyukovich, 1927; Sarsatskikh, 1931; Luitz, 1940b; Prokhorova, 1940; Rostovtseva, 1958; Glozman, Tydman, 1966; Arianson, 1979; Krichko, 1982; etc.], restorers are recreating the original appearance of this pearl of Russian landscape art.

At one time, the estate, along with the St. Petersburg ensembles, had a great influence on the subsequent development of landscape gardening art in Russia. And today, being a unique monument, it is one of the outstanding works of Russian architecture of the mid-18th century.

Mentions of the village of Izmailovo are found already in documents of the 16th century. In 1571, Izmailovo was granted by Ivan the Terrible to the brother of his wife Anastasia, boyar Nikita Romanovich Zakharyin-Yuryev. At some point, Izmailovo turned out to be an escheat estate - that is, there was not a single heir who could legally accept the property - and the village with its buildings became state property.

By order of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, nicknamed the Quietest, construction of a royal residence with a ceremonial architectural ensemble began here in the second half of the 17th century. The Serebryanka River, which flowed through the territory of Izmailovo, was dammed, as a result of which the Serebryano-Vinogradny Pond was formed. In the center of the pond was an island called Izmailovsky, and the royal estate was built on it. The island was connected to land by a 14-span white stone bridge. However, Alexey Mikhailovich did not just want to build a country estate. His goal was to create a kind of model farm with greenhouses and hotbeds in which rare plants would grow. He dreamed of stables, poultry houses and barnyards where exotic animals and birds would be kept.

The planning and construction of the estate were carried out boldly, but at the same time wisely. A flax manufactory and a glass factory were also established in Izmailovo. And it is not surprising that all the children of Alexei Mikhailovich - Sophia, Fyodor, John and Peter, the future Peter I - loved the Izmailovo estate very much. By the way, in 1688, Peter found the wooden boat “St. Nicholas” here, on which he learned to swim, and after that he ordered Izmailovo to be called “the cradle of the Russian fleet.”

The arrival of the royal family in Izmailovo was called the “royal campaign” - and, according to historians, it was arranged with truly royal scope and thoroughness. From Moscow to Izmailovo (and then they were separated by a considerable distance) up to 30 considerable carts left, which were accompanied by almost a thousand people! They carried clothes and shoes, books and carpets, a supply of provisions and Alexei Mikhailovich’s favorite chair - with a special footrest...

At the beginning of the 18th century, the estate changed its owner - Tsarina Praskovya Fedorovna, the widow of Peter's co-ruler Tsar Ivan V, began to manage it. She set up a theater on Izmailovsky Island. It is interesting that the female roles in the productions were played by noble ladies and ladies-in-waiting, while the male roles were given to serfs. At first the stage was improvised, but when the stone palace building was built, a special room was allocated for the theater there.

Hard days came for the royal estate after the War of 1812. French troops plundered and partially destroyed Izmailovo, and only in 1837 did life return here - although no longer royal. By order of Nicholas I, a military almshouse was set up here - a haven for lonely, aged veterans of the Patriotic War. To get into the almshouse, a veteran had to meet a number of conditions: have 25 years of service and have no property, no land plot, no profession, no place of service, as well as relatives who would agree to support him.

After the revolution of 1917, the engineer regiment of the Moscow Military District was stationed in Izmailovo. Barracks were built as housing, and public organizations were located in the former almshouse buildings: a kindergarten, a school, and a library. Izmailovsky Island even received a new name - a workers' town named after Bauman. In essence, it was a city within a city: with its own specific population, its own infrastructure, its own customs. People lived here until the 70s and 80s, when they were given apartments in new buildings in Moscow. After this, the Izmailovo estate began to acquire museum status.

Izmailovsky Park today

Today you can learn about the rich history of Izmailovo from the museum exhibition located in the Bridge Tower of the island. In addition, historical buildings have been preserved on the island: the Sovereign's Courtyard and the Intercession Cathedral of the 17th century, numerous economic services of the 19th century. The museum offers visitors a variety of excursion programs with elements of theatrical performances and interactive shows: “Once Upon a Time There Was a Tsar”, “Working Quadrille”, “Little Tsarevich”. At the Izmailov history buffs club you can get acquainted with the life of the people who inhabited the working-class town named after Bauman: the interiors of communal apartments have been meticulously recreated here.

Not far from the Serebryano-Vinogradny Pond, a bright, beautiful Kremlin was built in the late 1990s, partially copying the architectural structures of the 17th century. The Kremlin territory in Izmailovo quickly became a popular cultural and entertainment center. There are many museums here - Russian toys, bread, the history of the founding of the Russian fleet. For those wishing to get acquainted with folk crafts, the doors of production and art workshops are open: pottery, weaving, and blacksmithing. In addition, next to the Kremlin there is the Izmailovsky Vernissage - an interesting fair of decorative items, folk arts and crafts, souvenirs and antiques.

From Renaissance to Baroque

Italian villa during the Renaissance

The origins of palace and park ensembles and the emergence of the art of arranging gardens as an independent branch of art go back to the era of the Italian Renaissance. The Italian nobility of that period lived mainly in cities, in contrast to the aristocracy of neighboring states, which eschewed cities and preferred secluded castles in fiefdoms. The relative political stabilization in the Italian principalities and city-states and the economic rise of Italian cities led to the consolidation of great wealth in the hands of the Italian aristocracy. The spread of idealized ideas about the era of antiquity, interest in the ancient way of life, and ancient art among aristocrats contributed, among other things, to the fact that many noble families began to acquire villas on the city outskirts, which were developed following the example of ancient Roman villas. However, many Italian Renaissance villas had a significant difference from the ancient prototypes: they had extensive gardens, compositionally connected with the palace and arranged architecturally, created for celebrations and pleasant pastime, and most of which did not perform utilitarian economic tasks.

The earliest example of a new type of villa is Villa Medici in Poggio a Caiano, created for Lorenzo the Magnificent, head of the Florentine Republic, by the architect Giuliano da Sangallo (built in -1492; the gardens were redesigned at the end of the 16th century).

One of the most significant Renaissance architectural works, although unfinished, was the construction Villas Madama(it:Villa Madama). Giulio de' Medici, the future Pope Clement VII, chose a picturesque hillside overlooking Rome, part of Campania and the Sabine Mountains for the villa. The initial project was prepared by Rafael Santi, incorporating into the complex landscape a harmonious composition of a terraced garden, a casino (that is, a secluded house) and a palace of two wings (the palace buildings imitate ancient Roman baths). Construction began in 1510 under the direction of Raphael's student Giulio Romano, but was interrupted in 1521. The villa was partially destroyed during the unrest against the Medici family, and only when Giulio Medici became pope did construction resume under the leadership of Antonio Sangallo, but it was carried out with difficulty. After the death of Clement VII in 1534, construction stopped again; of the two parts of the palace, only one was completely built. The work was finally completed on the initiative of Margaret of Parma (the name of the villa comes from her name) in the 1550s, but Raphael’s project remained unrealized. Villa Madama is recognized as the first project of a Renaissance villa with an architecturally planned garden.

In Florence, which became one of the main ideological centers of the Renaissance, the most interesting Boboli Gardens, equipped with Palazzo Pitti. Construction of the palace for the Pitti family began in the 1460s on the outskirts of Florence and lasted a long time. The palace was rebuilt several times; It underwent the most significant restructuring after it became the property of the Medici family (1549). Bartolomeo Ammanati (who also supervised the renovation of the palace) and Giorgio Vasari worked on the arrangement of the Boboli Gardens in the mid-16th century. Features of the gardens were the architectural layout that inextricably linked the palace and the garden, symmetrical side terraces rising above the central parterre, the presence of fountains, and an abundance of first-class park sculpture. Palazzo courtyard ( Ammanati Courtyard) is separated from the gardens by a picturesque grotto topped with a fountain. From the upper terraces of the garden a solemn vista of the palazzo and the city beyond was revealed.

Another masterpiece of the Renaissance period is recognized Villa Farnese (Castorola Caprarola), built on the spurs of the Chimin Mountains near Rome. Construction began for Pier Luigi Farnese, son of Pope Paul III, in 1535, but was completed by Cardinal Alessandro, grandson of Paul III. In the 1560s-1570s, Giacomo da Vignola, a recognized master of the late Renaissance, worked on the villa, creating the foundations for the composition of the ensemble. The dominant structure was a gigantic pentagonal palace located on the mountainside. Staircases with complex designs lead from it to the terraced gardens. In 1587, the upper section was added to the gardens; its arrangement was carried out by the architects G. Rainaldi (it: Girolamo Rainaldi) and F. Peperelli. A light pavilion with a loggia appeared in the upper part of the garden ( Casino Caprarola), fountains and cascades, bosquets, low-cut parterres. The small upper garden near the casino was surrounded by free-standing caryatids with flower vases. The picturesqueness of the gardens was given by precision in the calculation of proportions, harmonious coordination of elements and advantageous use of the natural topography of the area.

Vignola is credited with co-creating villas Lante in Bagnaia (started in, completed in 1588; located near the Villa Farnese). There are clearly signs here that are characteristic of the architect’s work: the unity of the architectural treatment of a large area, manifested not only in a clear layout, but also in the decoration of stairs, terraces, grottoes, and plantings; a composition that takes into account the play of distant and close-up plans of the terraced garden, including the harmonious correlation of details located at different levels.

One of the most famous Italian villas of the Renaissance - Villa d'Este, located on the slope of a steep hill near Tivoli. In 1550, the unfinished villa, begun 10 years earlier, became the property of Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este. Its reconstruction was entrusted to the architect Pirro Ligorio, and the hydraulic engineering was entrusted to O. Olivieri. The villa is famous for its abundance of cascades and fountains, arranged in an unusually picturesque manner. To feed them (the fountains operate without mechanical injection of water), a unique system of underground water supply networks was developed. The villa is also distinguished by spectacularly landscaped terraces with complex staircases and grottoes; the layout of the garden successfully used natural terrain slopes.

Characteristic features of Renaissance villas are their location on the slopes of hills (hence the terraced layout), the relatively small size of the gardens, correlated with the size of the palace; simplicity and clarity of the plan. The garden is connected into one whole and is perceived as a single decoration; The palace acts as the main decoration of the garden, while the garden is conceived as an inner courtyard, located outside the palace wings. The main alley, as a rule, is planned parallel to the façade of the palace, and the garden itself is often stretched transversely. Symmetry in the layout of gardens is observed in most cases only in the central part; the side parts of the garden and the ends of the alleys are asymmetrical. The palaces inherit the features of urban Renaissance palazzos, gravitate towards a cubic shape and in some cases are perceived as too strict and laconic in decor. Sculpture plays an important role in the design of gardens (authentic antique examples are often used), fountains and cascades, bosquets, and grottoes. Fountains are typically located on the main axis of the garden; they are not located in open areas; Often there is an arrangement inside bosquets or in the center of four symmetrically converging bosquets; Large and complex fountains are usually located at the edges of the garden, while small cascades are located along the axis of symmetry of the palace. Balustrades and stone parapets play a big role in the design of the garden, which somewhat complicate the visual perception of distant plans of the garden, but at the same time, emphasizing the closed contours, creating an atmosphere of comfort. The planting cut is widely used, but at the same time it is restrained and imitates natural forms. The plantings themselves were initially quite sparse and did not form groves or dense shade; the shape of flower beds and bosquets is simple.

Renaissance country palaces in other countries

The embodiment of the architectural ideas of the Italian Renaissance in other countries of Western Europe happened about 100 years late. In Spain, France, England and Germany at the end of the 16th centuries, strong traditions of castle building were still maintained. Moreover, in France, for example, in the 16th century there was a peak in the construction of castles - most of the famous castles of the Loire were built or significantly rebuilt during the Renaissance. The Italian type of suburban aristocratic dwelling - the villa - did not become widespread at this time.

Nevertheless, the influence of Italian Renaissance architecture was undeniable and could not but be reflected in the construction of country residences of monarchs and aristocracy. One of the earliest examples of a residence under Italian influence in France is Palace of Fontainebleau(rebuilt by Francis I in the 1540s). The gardens of Fontainebleau were developed by Italian masters led by Francesco Primaticcio. At the royal residence, a circle of artists and craftsmen formed, known as the School of Fontainebleau, which had a decisive influence on Renaissance art in France.

The most striking example of Italian influence in France is Luxembourg Palace and Luxembourg Gardens. The palace was built for the Queen Regent of France, Marie de' Medici, in 1631. Her childhood was spent in Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens; At the request of the customer, they were chosen as a prototype for the palace and park ensemble. Salomon de Bros, who was involved in the construction of the palace and the layout of the garden, when trying to transfer Italian techniques of garden and palace architecture, had to deviate from the Italian model. The almost flat terrain and national architectural traditions determined different proportions of the palace and garden.

In England, Italian architects and gardeners have worked since the time of Henry VIII ( Nonseche Gardens in Surrey). Henry VIII's residence, Hampton Court, also experienced Italian influence, although the tradition of Gothic architecture remained strong here. Traces of the Italian Renaissance are found in some aristocratic residences (for example, in Chatsworth House And Wilton House), however they were later subjected to significant alterations.

From Baroque to Classicism. Regular park

Baroque villas in Italy

The artistic ideas of the Italian Renaissance became most widespread in Western Europe at a time when Baroque became the leading direction in art in Italy. In the architecture of country villas in Italy at the end of the 16th and 17th centuries, traces of medieval architecture completely disappear. If Renaissance villas sometimes resembled medieval castles and fortresses in detail, then in Baroque villas the features of a palace develop. First of all, this is reflected in the internal layout: the main hall of the building stands out, which is always located in the center of the main floor; the layout and decoration of all secondary premises is tied to it. The garden becomes an obligatory element, architecturally equal to the palace; The connection between the garden and the palace is ensured by the gallery.

An early example of a Baroque villa is Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati. One of the most characteristic Baroque villas near Rome was Villa Borghese. Its gardens were landscaped by G. Rainaldi and decorated with fountains by G. Fontana. The villa did not retain its original appearance: at the end of the 18th century, the palace was rebuilt in the neoclassical style, and the gardens acquired the appearance of landscape parks. Quirinal Palace(architect Domenico Fontana) can also be classified as one of the most characteristic Italian Baroque palace and park ensembles. Monotonous geometric gardens were arranged in 1600 by Carlo Maderna; When the gardens were arranged, the area was completely leveled, and the gardens consisted of a uniform alternation of square bosquets with fountains. One of the most interesting villas of that time - Villa Doria Pamphilj, built in 1644 by A. Algardi for Pope Innocent X. The central layout of the garden was a wide parterre with rather complex flower beds. In front of the palace there was traditionally a wide and shallow terrace; open spaces and the placement of the villa's casino on a hill emphasized its slenderness.

Country palaces in France in the 17th century

In the development of palace and park ensembles, two French country residences - Chantilly and Vaux-le-Vicomte - played a historical role. In the ancient castle of Chantilly in 1661, the Prince of Condé organized a grand celebration in honor of Louis XIV. The king was so impressed by the celebrations that he was ready to purchase Chantilly, but Condé rejected this offer. In August of the same 1661, the influential Minister of Finance of France and the richest man in the country, Nicolas Fouquet, also organized magnificent festivities in honor of the king at his estate Vaux-le-Vicomte. The king's attitude towards the minister was negative, and the holiday was organized in order to regain Louis' favor, but the effect was the opposite. Struck by the unheard-of luxury of the palace and the elegance of the park with its various gardening projects, Louis only strengthened his desire to get rid of the minister as soon as possible (less than a month later, Fouquet was arrested).

The failure to purchase Chantilly and the luxury of Vaux-le-Vicomte prompted Louis to build Versailles: the king was not satisfied with either the court in Saint-Germain or life in Paris; he was determined to create a new country residence worthy of a king of France. Many park sculptures, paintings and pieces of furniture were moved from the confiscated Fouquet estate to Versailles. But the most important thing is that Louis XIV invited the same people who worked in Vaux-le-Vicomte to arrange Versailles: architect Louis Levo, garden architect Andre Le Nôtre and interior artist Charles Lebrun.

Louis XIV loved to build; the king erected for his favorites in the vicinity of Paris Clagny And Marley(both residences did not survive, they were destroyed during the French Revolution). Marley was an outstanding ensemble; it repeated some of the architectural ideas of Versailles: the opening of an extended main perspective, the arrangement of large central pools as the main decoration of the garden and radial alleys as a connecting element of the garden.

Before becoming completely carried away by the idea of ​​Versailles, Louis XIV was engaged in reconstruction in the 1660s Tuileries Palace and Gardens. The Tuileries Palace (architect F. Delorme) was destroyed during the Paris Commune, but the gardens generally retained the mid-17th century layout with a wide parterre garden and spectacular vistas.

All of the listed palace and park ensembles are associated with the name of Andre Le Nôtre, the greatest garden architect of the 17th century; the work of Le Nôtre and his school constituted an entire era in landscape art. He perfected the principles of organizing regular parks and became the first to solve the problem of laying out extensive parks on flat terrain.

Influence of Versailles

More information: Park of Versailles

Classicism and landscape park