Today's post is a continuation of the story about the natural and historical park "Kuzminki". Last time I talked about the magnificent ones around which the park is spread. Today I invite you to get acquainted with the old Moscow estate "Vlakhernskoye-Kuzminki", which is part of a modern cultural complex.
In order to give some idea about this unique place, I will tell you briefly about the history of the estate.

Brief history of the estate

The land, called "Kuzminki", and the lonely mill that stood here, originally belonged to the Simonov Monastery. In 1702, Peter I took away the land from the monastery and presented it to Grigory Dmitrievich Stroganov (1656-1714), who, in fact, did not change anything here during his tenure. Construction began after the death of Stroganov, when the land was transferred to his widow and children.
In 1716, a church was built in Kuzminki in honor of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God. It was in honor of her that the estate was named Blachernae. This is where such an unusual name of the estate comes from.
Peter I loved these places for their beauty, visited here, stayed in a small wooden house built for him. By this time the manor complex had already been built.
The next official owner of the estate was one of the sons of Stroganov - Alexander Grigoryevich. It was he who created dams on the river and changed the shape of the ponds, after which they became like a river.
The next mistress of the estate was the daughter of A.G. Stroganova - Anna Alexandrovna (1739-1816).
In 1757 she married Prince Mikhail Mikhailovich Golitsyn (1731-1804). The estate went to Golitsyn as a dowry. The "golden age" (even a century and a half!) of the Vlakhernskoe-Kuzminki estate began.

Golitsyn laid out French and English parks in the estate. The English (landscape) park Kuzminok was one of the first in Moscow. The French park was created in the likeness park in Pavlovsk on a 12-beam system. Golitsyn also rebuilt all the existing buildings - a palace, a church, a horse yard, piers, etc.
This is how impressive the estate of that time looked on the plan-scheme.

But Kuzminki reached its maximum prosperity in the 19th century under Sergei Mikhailovich Golitsyn (1774 - 1859).

Looking at old photographs and engravings of the estate, you are amazed at its beauty, you are surprised at the grandeur and scope with which our ancestors worked. You are no less amazed at the carelessness and indifference with which other ancestors destroyed and destroyed everything.

In order for you to understand a little what the Kuzminki estate is, I will name a few facts.

The estate was built by the greatest architects - Bazhenov, Kazakov, Gilardi, Rossi, Vitali, Voronikhin and others.
Thanks to them, the estate "Vlakhernskoye-Kuzminki" was called both "Versailles near Moscow" and "Russian Versailles", because it really corresponded to the level of the most luxurious examples of architectural and landscape gardening art.
At the Golitsyn foundries, several masterpieces of the estate were cast from cast iron, for example, the figures of griffins and lions on the main gate, Klodt's sculptural compositions "Taming the Horses" (copies in St. Petersburg on the Anichkov Bridge) and many, many other unique items.

Kuzminki were loved at all times. They were visited by emperors, generals, poets, writers, artists. And even now the old estate attracts a huge number of people, and the park is one of the most dearly loved by Muscovites and guests of the city.
Even before the revolution, all the buildings of the estate, except for the main house, began to be rented out as summer cottages. Even then, Kuzminki was a popular holiday destination.
In 1912, a hospital was located in the main house. Four years later, the entire palace and one of the outbuildings burned down and were no longer restored. In the thirties of the 20th century, a new building was built here, which no longer represented the former value.

In 1918, the Institute of Experimental Veterinary Medicine was located on the territory of Kuzminki, which existed for 83 years (until 2001). It is difficult to enumerate what these citizens-veterinarians did. They cut at the root, in the literal and figurative sense of the word, unique objects of the park ensemble, various buildings, park trees, etc.

Kuzminki today

The present day of the estate inspires hope. Even in its current state, the estate "Vlakhernskoe-Kuzminki" remains the largest among the estates of Moscow and the Moscow region in terms of the number of objects located here - there are twenty of them. Unfortunately, they are mostly brand new.
The building of the Stable Yard with the Musical Pavilion has been restored - a unique example of architecture in the Empire style. The church, Lion's Quay, and the House on the Dam have also been restored. I read that the plans include the restoration of the main palace. How wonderful that would be!
There are three museums on the territory of Kuzminki: the Museum of Russian Manor Culture, the Museum of Vintage Cars and Carriages, and the Museum of Konstantin Paustovsky. In this regard, Kuzminki is an ideal place to relax - you can go to the museum, and just take a walk, relax.

Walk in "Kuzminki". Continuation

In search of something interesting, we energetically walked along the path of Kuzminsky Park, when suddenly something appeared behind the trees. It was a bridge, a humpbacked stone bridge. It became clear that the most "delicious" was just beginning. From that moment on, I could not tear myself away from the pretty old buildings (real and restored).

About 30 meters from the first humpbacked bridge is the second.

The next was an abandoned house in a thicket of trees. My first association is the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty", which describes how for 100 years, while the princess and the entire royal court were sleeping, the palace was overgrown with trees and bushes so that it was impossible to get to it.

I don’t know how long the building of the Orange Greenhouse (and this is it) was overgrown with trees, but the trees stand right next to broken windows, and in height they are already higher than the house itself.

The further we went, the more interesting it became. This is a beautiful building round shape on the bank of the Bolshoy Kuzminsky Pond - Lion's Quay (sometimes it is called Round - in shape). The pier was lost and only recently rebuilt.

The lions that "guard" the pier are Egyptian. This is due to their exotic appearance.

At all times, Lion's Quay was beautiful observation deck from where it was convenient to contemplate the surrounding natural beauty.

These are the views from the Lion's Quay.

Until our time, the Propylaea have not survived. In old photos they looked like this:

Humpbacked bridge near the horse yard.

Opposite the horse yard there are grottoes - a place where in the heat the nobility hid from the heat. It is always much cooler in the grottoes than in the open air.

At one of the grottoes, a group of teenagers sat in a circle - they sang songs, discussed something. There is simply no better place for such friendly gatherings.

Rainy weather dispersed visitors. The outdoor cafes were mostly deserted.

Another nice bridge.

House on the dam.

And here is the dam itself, on which

An artistic duck showed an "attraction" - sits, sits,

then takes off. And so in a circle.

Kuzminki has a pleasant atmosphere for relaxation. Chamber. Romantic. An ideal place for walks and meetings.

The prices in the cafe seemed rather big to me. Barbecue - 300 rubles per 100 g. Pancakes are cheaper.

We did not go to the cafe, but went towards the Horse Yard and the Musical Pavilion.

Here they are - the famous horses of Klodt! How could I think that in order to admire them, I do not need to go to St. Petersburg ... The only thing that upsets us is that our Moscow horses are in a very deplorable state - they are all rusty, breathing their last. It seems that the wind blows, and the masterpieces will crumble.

Now the grottoes are on the other side of us.

People rest in Kuzminki with their whole families.

The outbuildings, standing on the sides of the building, were residential in the estate. The horse yard is located on the back side.

Pavilion decor.

From the Horse Yard and the Musical Pavilion, I go to the humpbacked bridge.

Address: Russia, Moscow, Kuzminki-Lyublino park (Kuzminki metro station)
Main attractions: western and eastern wing, horse yard, greenhouse, temple of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God, poultry yard
Coordinates: 55°41"22.9"N 37°47"21.3"E
An object cultural heritage Russian Federation

History of the estate

The Kuzminki estate is considered one of the most beautiful estates in Moscow and the Moscow region. Previously, it belonged to the barons Stroganovs and princes Golitsyn. The plot of land on which this luxurious estate was built was given to Grigory Dmitrievich Stroganov in 1702 for good service from Peter I himself. Such a generous gift meant a special attitude of the tsar towards his entourage.

Church of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God

The estate was built in the 18th century and was distinguished by exemplary order. The courtyard with picturesque parks, ponds, bridges and even islands has always been attractive to guests. Manor Kuzminki (exact name - Vlakhernskoye-Kuzminki) in different time honored with visits of Russian emperors - Alexander II, Nicholas I and Peter I.

The wife of Paul I, Maria Feodorovna, also loved to visit here. Every year, festivities were held in the luxurious estate and foreign delegations gathered. Since the end of the 19th century, the estate has become a favorite summer cottage for its owners, the architecture and park area of ​​​​which were so unusual that over time the territory began to be called "Russian Versailles".

horse yard

Excursion around the estate Kuzminki

To get to the estate, you need to take the metro to the Volzhskaya station. Here, the gates with an attractive inscription “Vlakhernskoe-Kuzminki” are cordially thrown open before visitors. A road leads to the estate, laid past a cascade of ponds in the valley of the Churilikha River.

One of the main architectural monuments of the estate is the Horse Yard, built in 1805, but later rebuilt according to a new project by the best architect of that time, Domenico Gilardi. Those who wish to inspect it must go to the bridge thrown over the dam. From here you can see buildings built in the Empire style, the most fashionable architectural trend of the early 19th century.

Outbuilding

The Horse Yard complex combines several buildings. This is the stable itself, several sheds intended for carriages, and outbuildings that were used for housing. The center of this uncomplicated composition is the Musical Pavilion. Here are the best works of the sculptor Pyotr Karlovich Klodt - copies of the statues installed on the Anichkov Bridge in St. Petersburg. Klodt himself created statues for the estate, and they were cast at a factory owned by Golitsyn.

On the opposite side of the dam stands the Mill Wing, also called the House on the Dam. It appeared after 1840 on a mill plinth. According to legend, the ancient mill Kozminki - the property of the miller Kozma gave these places a similar name "Kuzminki". The mill has repeatedly undergone changes, each time becoming better and better, thanks to the skillful actions of experienced architects Gilardi, Zherebtsov, Voronikhin and Egotov.

Birdhouse (Forge)

However, later the need for a mill disappeared. In the middle of the 19th century, its upper floors were demolished, and the basement was used to build the House on the Dam. They did it under the guidance of the architect M. Bykovsky. So the former mill became a two-storey wooden building built in the tradition of the Renaissance.

Although the house is surrounded by water, it has always remained comfortable for living. The owners of the estate settled their guests here, and until 1976 the Mill wing was rented out as summer cottages. Later it housed the Veterinary Museum. And today the old building can be seen restored.

bathroom house

One of the inconspicuous corners of the estate is the Ptichnik or Kuznitsa, lost among the greenery on Zarechye Street. At one time it was the center of the Bird's Yard, intended for breeding poultry. In addition to the usual geese, ducks and turkeys, exotic species of birds also walked along it.

Initially, the Ptichnik was built of wood, but later it was rebuilt as a stone one according to the project of the architect Ivan Vasilievich Egotov. A small house, most likely, was intended for the caretaker of the Aviary. When the Napoleonic troops retreating from Moscow in 1812 started a fire, the building was seriously damaged, and the birds that lived here died.

Barnyard

Later, when the buildings began to be restored, the Poultry House was turned into a Forge, where horseshoes were forged for the Horse Yard. The building was made two-story, and the outbuildings with galleries were dismantled. Its dome was dismantled and replaced with a gable roof. In this performance, he stood until the middle of the last century. During the Soviet era, the building was used as a residential building, having made an extension around it. But in the 2000s, the Ptichnik complex was restored.

The Kitchen building, which can be overlooked due to its discreet appearance, is a real value for connoisseurs of Russian architecture. The kitchen is built in the Empire style. But if you look at it more closely, you can see many elements of ancient Egyptian architecture. For this reason, the Kitchen is also called the Egyptian Pavilion.

grottoes

Church of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God - the main attraction of the Kuzminki estate

The first building of the temple was built in 1716, under the Stroganovs. The wooden church got its name in honor of the family icon of the owners of the estate - Our Lady of Blachernae. However, the temple stood only until 1732 and burned down. Soon a new wooden church was erected here. After 26 years, a fire broke out again, and she disappeared in its flame. Finally, by 1762, a third stone church was built, which has survived to this day.

For a long time, the icon of the Blachernae Mother of God served as its decoration. It was written in the Blachernae monastery in Constantinople in the 7th century. The icon was brought to our country in 1653 as a gift to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. He greatly appreciated the ancient icon and took care of it.

Gardener's house. Moscow Literary Museum - K. G. Paustovsky Center

The execution of the Blachernae icon is very unusual. It was written in the rarest technique - wax mastic. In the wax layer, it contains particles of the relics of Christian saints. One of the ancient legends testifies that in 626, thanks to the divine power emanating from the icon-painting image, the enemies who came to take Constantinople by force retreated. Much later, in 1830, the miraculous shrine again showed its power in Russia. During the cholera epidemic, not a single inhabitant of Blachernae became infected.

Grottoes are a wonderful addition to the Empire manor park

The grottoes can be seen opposite the Musical Pavilion. There are two of them and they appeared immediately after the construction of the Front Court was completed. When leveling the plot of land on which they planned to build grottoes, a slope appeared on the bank of the pond. Subsequently, it was filled with artificially created "caves".

jetty

On a summer day, the grottoes became a shelter for the strolling public. The Golitsyns did not have their own theater, and performances were staged in one of the grottoes. Both guests and hosts took part in them. A large grotto was specially built near the Musical Pavilion. When music sounded there, it resonated in the cavity of the grotto, and an illusion of surround sound was created.

Museum that tells about the culture of Russian estates

You can learn about the history of the estate and its traditions in the so-called Servant's Wing, located on Slobodka. Thanks to genuine exhibits, every visitor of the museum gets the opportunity to feel the atmosphere of the 18th-19th centuries, which conveys the life of the nobles on the estate. The service wing received museum expositions in 1999. Interesting costumed excursions are held here.

The Golitsyn estate Vlakhernskoye-Kuzminki, now located within Moscow, has not always been one of the most popular Moscow parks. The beginning of the history of Kuzminki as a nascent architectural and park ensemble is usually dated to 1702, the year Peter I granted the local lands to Grigory Dmitrievich Stroganov, his favorite, for faithful service to the tsar and the fatherland. Construction on these lands began under the sons of Grigory Dmitrievich - Alexander, Nikolai and Sergey. In 1716, a small wooden church grew here, which, in honor of the Stroganov family icon - the Blachernae Mother of God - was consecrated as Blachernae. It also gave the name to the nearby village.

Grigory Dmitrievich Stroganov (January 25, 1656 - November 21, 1715) - a major Russian industrialist, landowner, financier and politician from the Stroganov family.

Baron (since 1722) Alexander Grigoryevich Stroganov (November 2 (12), 1698 - November 7 (18), 1754) - chamberlain, real state councilor (1730), lieutenant general from the Stroganov family. The largest salt industrialist and landowner of the Russian Empire.

Baron (1722) Stroganov Sergei Grigoryevich (1707-1756) - the largest mining plant from the Stroganov family, real chamberlain, lieutenant general. Construction customer and first owner of the Stroganov Palace on Nevsky Prospekt.

Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God

The Stroganovs became the third family in Russia to receive a baronial title. After the death of Grigory Dmitrievich, Alexander Grigoryevich, the future chamberlain at the court of His Majesty, who received the priest's land near Moscow during the division of the inheritance, was engaged in the construction and improvement of Kuzminok. It was through his efforts that a magnificent cascade of ponds was created in Kuzminki - after the construction of a dam on the Churlikha River. Subsequently, when in 1754 Kuzminki inherited the daughter of Alexander Grigorievich from her first marriage - Anna Alexandrovna Stroganova, who married a representative of another noble family - Mikhail Mikhailovich Golitsyn - the estate passed into the possession of the Golitsyns, whose descendants consider the estate their property to this day. It was under Mikhail Golitsyn that Kuzminki acquired the look they have now - a picturesque English Empire park with many interesting buildings and pavilions of incredible value as genuine architectural monuments of the 18th - 19th centuries.

Rotary Pietro Antonio. Portrait of Princess Anna Alexandrovna Golitsyna, born Stroganova (1739-1816).

Golitsyn Mikhail Mikhailovich (1731 - 1806), prince, lieutenant general.

Johann Bardu

Getting to the estate on your own is quite simple. There are several route options: from the metro station "Volzhskaya" or "Kuzminki".

Leaving the Volzhskaya station, you will see a gate with a bright sign "Vlakhernskoe-Kuzminki" in front of you. Walking along the picturesque paths past a small pond that forms a cascade with the nearby Lublin Pond, you will walk along an alley planted with birches past the Center for Military Patriotic Education of Youth of the South-Eastern Administrative Okrug and the Museum of Crews and Automobiles.

By the way, if you are a fan of antiquity in general and retro cars in particular, you should visit this museum. It's like you're taking a trip in a time machine to Soviet Union: a huge garage-type room, where narrow shelves are closely lined with old telephones, clockwork, Soviet toys and other interesting things, makes you forget about the passage of time. In the fenced courtyard of the museum and in the building itself, several dozen cars from different eras are on display, and the building houses a collection of cars from the Auto-Review magazine. At the entrance to the museum there is a telephone booth, which is very reminiscent of Cheburashka's house.

Continuing the walk along the asphalt path, in 10-15 minutes you will come to the very complex of manor buildings. The majestic building of the Horse Yard, built in 1805 and rebuilt according to the project of the famous architect Domenico Gilardi in 1823, will grow first on your way, is perhaps one of the most famous buildings in Kuzminki. In order to view it completely, it is better to go a little further, to the bridge over the dam - there you will see a majestic panorama of the water surface of the pond, above which rises an elegant complex of buildings in the Empire style, popular in the first half of the 19th century. The horse yard consists of a stable building, several buildings of sheds where carriages stood, and two residential outbuildings. All these buildings are connected by a common fence with the Musical Pavilion, which is located in the center of this whole composition.

Kuzminki - horse yard

horse yard

Music pavilion

The music pavilion is decorated with the famous sculptures by P.I. Klodt, repeating the sculptural images from the Anichkov Bridge in St. Petersburg. They were made by Klodt himself and cast at the Golitsyn factories, like their more famous "brothers".

Sculptures by P.I. Klodt

View of the horse yard from the other side of the pond

On the other side of the dam, there is an elegant building, which is called “The House on the Dam”, or the Mill Wing.

This building, which separated the Upper and Lower Kuzminsky ponds, was erected in the 1840s, on the basement of the Kozminki mill. According to legend, the mill that was located here earlier (which, by the way, was one of the oldest local buildings) gave the name “Kuzminki” to these places, and the mill, in turn, was named after a miller named Kozma who once built it. The mill was repeatedly rebuilt, and at different times such eminent architects as A. Voronikhin, D. Zhilardi, I. Egotov and I. Zherebtsov had a hand in it. Only in the middle of the 19th century, the upper floors of the mill, which regularly supplied local residents with various varieties of wheat and rye flour, was decided to be demolished, and on its base the architect M. Bykovsky built the House on the Dam, which has survived to this day. This two-story wooden building in the Renaissance style is surrounded by water on all sides, and, despite this, it served both the owners of the estate and the Soviet authorities well: the Golitsyns lodged visiting guests here, until 1976 the house was rented out to summer residents, and after that the Museum was located here. veterinary medicine. The outbuilding has now been completely restored.

The House on the Dam, or the Mill Outbuilding

Before moving further across the bridge, to the main house of the estate, let's go back a little and look briefly into a corner that is inconspicuous at first glance - to the so-called Bird House, or Forge. This building is located not far from the Horse Yard, on the other side of Zarechye Street, it is not so easy to find it - it lurks among the trees.

The poultry yard in the estate has been known since 1765; it was built to keep decorative birds. In it, along with geese, ducks and turkeys, swans, guinea fowls, peacocks, Egyptian pigeons and other exotic birds walked around. Initially, the poultry house was wooden, then in 1805-1806 it was rebuilt in stone according to the project of architect I.V. Egotova. The compact central house, where the poultry keeper probably lived, was connected to two symmetrical outbuildings by semicircular wings-gallery covered with a net, in which bird aviaries were placed in the summer, transferred to the outbuildings during the cold season. In 1812, during the Moscow fire, the poultry house was seriously damaged by fire, all the birds died. During the restoration of the estate after the French invasion, D.I. Gilardi rebuilt the remains of the Aviary into a Forge, which was designed to provide horseshoes and other equipment to the nearby Horse Yard. The ensemble of the former Poultry House has undergone major changes: the outbuildings and galleries were dismantled, the central building was rebuilt into a two-story one (the forge itself was located on the ground floor, and the upper floor was given over to the blacksmith’s housing), while the magnificent dome that adorned it was dismantled, and the building was crowned much simpler gable roof. In this form, the Forge existed until the middle of the 20th century. In Soviet times, it was used for housing and was disfigured by numerous outbuildings. In the 1970s, the dilapidated building was abandoned by the residents, and, having remained ownerless, it was empty for about 30 years, continuing to collapse and gradually turning into ruins. Only by 2008, on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of the family of the princes Golitsyn, the ensemble of the Ptichnik-Kuznitsa was restored according to the original project of Egotov and now pleases our eyes.

Bird yard, Kuzminki estate, Moscow

Well, we follow further, past the Mill Wing, deep into the estate. Having crossed the bridge, which is very favored by the newlyweds (it is completely hung with wedding locks), we get to the elegant, magnificent Front Courtyard. To our right, behind the openwork lattice of the cast-iron gate, guarded by griffins, rises the Lord's House, the Western and Eastern Wings. An exquisite entrance bridge stretches from the gate to the house, which is decorated with candelabra lanterns. A little further away is the Egyptian Pavilion, or Kitchen.

Master's house, panorama, 19th century

The Lost Palace of the Golitsyns

All this splendor was designed by the architect I.V. Egotovym in 1804-1808. According to the plan of the architect, the front yard was separated from the rest of the estate by a brick fence and a moat filled with water. Cast-iron "Egyptian lions" - griffins guarding the entrance to the estate, which are designed by the sculptor Campinioni, are freely located on the forged metal fence.

Despite the fact that the cast-iron gates look quite organic against the general background, they appeared here not so long ago, in late XIX- the beginning of the 20th century, and were called upon to protect the princely family from summer residents who took a fancy to the local expanses. The front yard was built according to all the canons of that time: torches were inserted into the lanterns that illuminated the entrance bridge, tall trees were not planted - the complex of buildings had to be clearly visible, so only low flower beds and shrubs bloomed in front of the main house. One thing is a pity: unfortunately, the original building of the manor's house has not been preserved to our time. It was destroyed by fire in 1916, and a new building designed by the architect Toropov was built in its place in the 1930s.

The Kitchen building, which is now in a not so brilliant state, is actually one of the unique monuments of the Empire style in architecture. The fact is that the strict genre framework of the Empire style here is diluted with motifs of ancient Egyptian art (hence the second name of the Kitchen - the Egyptian Pavilion).

Kitchen, or Egyptian Pavilion

Slightly sloping walls, tapering windows, a portico decorated with palm-shaped columns and the head of a sphinx enhance the sense of the presence of the spirit of an ancient civilization. Food was stored in the cool cellars of the pavilion, the kitchen premises themselves were located on the first floor, and the "kuhmistrs" - princely cooks - lived on the second floor. In 1839, for convenience, the Kitchen was connected by a covered gallery with the manor house.

Church of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God

Church of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God. Photo by Mikhail Grizzly / mgreport.narod.ru

The current church is by no means the first to stand on this site. The first wooden church here was built in 1716 under the Stroganovs and consecrated in honor of their family icon - the Blachernae Mother of God. It was this church that gave the name "Vlakherna" to the village located here. This first temple did not stand for long - in 1732 it burned down, and a new temple was built in its place, also wooden and with the same name. But the second temple did not please the owners of the estate for long - and it died from a fire in 1758. The current church - the third in a row - was built by 1762, and by 1785 it was reconstructed on the initiative of M.M. Golitsyn in the classic traditions by the architect R. Kazakov.

Church of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God.

It was here that for a long time there was the legendary icon of the Blachernae Mother of God, with which many wonderful legends and traditions are associated. This icon dates back to the 7th century, and it came to Russia as a gift to the father of Peter I, Alexei Mikhailovich, in 1653. According to the charter attached to the icon, it was created at Blachernae Monastery in Constantinople. This icon was revered by the sovereign: he took it on military campaigns, as he believed that it would help him win in battle and save him from troubles. The Blachernae icon is made in a rare relief technique - wax mastic, and the relics of Christian saints are mixed into its wax, which gave it truly miraculous properties. According to legend, the icon put to flight the enemies who attacked Constantinople in 626. The image of the Mother of God Hodegetria, kept in the church in Kuzminki, is a copy from the Blachernae icon, kept in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. However, according to the family tradition of the Stroganovs, and later of the Golitsyns, not one, but two icons were brought to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, one of which has rightfully belonged to them ever since. Being brought to Russia, the shrine did not lose its miraculous effect: when in 1830 a cholera epidemic raged throughout Russia, not a single person fell ill in Blachernae alone - against the thousands who died everywhere in the district. And during the second outbreak of a terrible disease in 1871, the icon saved the locals from inevitable death. It is not surprising that the Blachernae icon is one of the most revered in Russia to this day: it is even honored on July 2 in the church named after it and remaining an outstanding monument of history and culture.

Directly opposite the church is the Bath House, or Soap House, which acquired its modern look in early XIX century.

Bathroom house, or Soap

This pavilion belonged personally to the husband of the owner of the estate - M.M. Golitsyn. In addition to the actual bath rooms, the master ordered the construction of private quarters here: a bedroom, a dressing room where hunting accessories were stored, a dining room and a hall. There was also a special room that preceded the exit to a small garden. However, soon after the death of the prince in 1804, Soapy Street fell into disrepair and was demolished. On the site of the old premises, the brilliant Domenico Gilardi built a new building in the Empire style in 1816-17, generally retaining the layout and functional features of the first building.

Bathroom house, Kuzminki estate, Moscow

Over time, Soapy Street suffered greatly: it burned down repeatedly, it was dismantled and rebuilt countless times. There were living quarters, the Novo-Kuzminskoye village council and even a slot machine hall (a landmark of the Soviet past). And only in 2008, as a result of large-scale restoration work, the building and the fountain in front of it were restored.

On July 8, 2008, an unusual monument was erected not far from the Vanny Domik - a bench of Love and Fidelity.

Bench of Love and Loyalty

It is on this day that the feast of Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom is celebrated, he is also the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity. For the manufacture of the monument, a French cannon was used, which participated in the battles of 1812, donated by an unknown collector. Newlyweds and lovers have chosen this modest monument, which has acquired ribbons and locks with the names of happy couples in a record short time.

Let's go back to the ponds and look at the grottoes, which are the constant companions of every Empire park. The grottoes in Kuzminki, located opposite the Musical Pavilion (opposite bank of the pond), are a clear confirmation of this.

Trekharkochny and Big grottoes. Photo by Mikhail Grizzly / mgreport.narod.ru

The graceful Three-arch and Large (Single-arch) grottoes in Kuzminki appeared after the construction of the Front Yard. When the ground was leveled under it, a slope formed on the bank of the pond, where artificial "underwater caves" gracefully fit. Grottoes in Empire parks are quite common: a vivid example of this is the Ruins grotto in the Alexander Garden. The temperature in the grottoes always differs by several degrees from the temperature by open space: it helped the walking public to hide in the shady coolness and take a break from the midday heat. Amateur theatrical performances were also staged in the Big Grotto. There was no serf theater in Kuzminki, so the owners themselves and their guests took part in them. The grottoes have another little secret. As mentioned above, the Big Grotto is located directly opposite the Music Pavilion, so the sound that reached it during musical performances was reflected and resonated, creating a more voluminous sound effect.

Until 2004, the grottoes in Kuzminki were in a very deplorable state, and only after a large-scale reconstruction, these interesting landscape structures received a new life.

Continuing your walk along the bank of the Upper Kuzminsky Pond, you will soon come to the famous Lion's Quay, which was first mentioned in documents in 1762. Photographs of this wonderful building are found in almost every work devoted to the estate culture.

Lion harbor. Photo by Mikhail Grizzly / mgreport.narod.ru

It is known that the pier, like other estate buildings, was repeatedly reconstructed and rebuilt. The original version of the building looked like this: two rounded platforms were connected with the help of gracefully curved stairs, decorated with white stone sculptures: vases, images of lying lions and dogs. In 1830, during one of the reconstructions by D. Gilardi, the upper platform of the pier was rebuilt, instead of a stone balustrade, a forged metal lattice appeared, and instead of plaster sculptures, the famous Egyptian lions cast from cast iron appeared. After several more restorations, Soviet years the monument gradually fell into decay: in 1945, the pier lost its main pride - the lions, which "moved" to Lyubertsy near Moscow. There they decorated the building of the city committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, and the decaying pier gradually turned into a pile of hewn cobblestones, while maintaining the status of an architectural monument right up to 1997. And only in the 2000s, the unique Round Pier was completely restored according to the remaining evidence and documents.

Going down further along the shore of the pond, we will inevitably come to the Orangery greenhouse - a structure whose fate is still unclear. Like the Egyptian pavilion, the Orangery is a unique architectural monument, which, unlike most buildings on the estate, remains in a dilapidated state.

orange greenhouse

The greenhouse in Kuzminki was known throughout Moscow: apricots, peaches, oranges, cherries, lemons and oranges and many other fruits grew here. The architectural design of the building again refers us to the Kitchen building: the motifs of Egyptian and Greek art are also very noticeable here. The greenhouse is the only building in the estate where authentic interiors with ancient Egyptian themes have been preserved - perhaps you will not find such ones not only on the territory of the estate, but also in Moscow. Until 2001, the Institute of Experimental Veterinary Medicine was located here, and since the institute left the building, it has gradually deteriorated and crumbled. The former mayor of Moscow, Yuri Luzhkov, who, by the way, loves the Kuzminki estate very much, issued a decree in 2004 on the restoration of the Egyptian Pavilion and the Orange Orangery, but work has not yet begun.

Orange greenhouse, Kuzminki estate, Moscow

Not far from the dilapidated greenhouse of the Church of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God is the so-called Slobodka - a complex where the courtyard people who served the estate lived. It was first mentioned in documents dating from the second half of the 18th century. The buildings that made up Slobodka changed, like other estate buildings - only their functions remained unchanged. The structure of Slobodka included such buildings and facilities as the Servant's Wing, the Priest's House, the Laundry Wing and the Hospital. Initially, wooden buildings were rebuilt over time, changing their appearance: the unsightly houses of service people and utility rooms became impossible to recognize after the intervention of Domenico Gilardi, who, by order of the master, radically changed the plan and facades of houses in Slobodka. All the buildings of Slobodka were connected by a common fence, and the road passing from the other side of the complex was named Poplar Alley - according to the trees planted here.

In the building of the Service Wing on Slobodka there is an interesting museum - "Museum of Russian Estate Culture", one of the branches of the Museum of the History of Moscow.

Servant's wing

Here you will be told about the estate life and way of life, as well as about the history of the noble families of the Stroganovs and Golitsyns. Authentic exhibits illustrating the life of the 18th-19th centuries will help you immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the noble estate life, imagine the lifestyle and worldview of the people of that time. In this interesting museum, which has been operating since 1999, you can visit one of the entertaining interactive, costumed, thematic tours that revive the household traditions of everyday life of the 19th century.

One of the most famous buildings in this part of the estate is the Animal Farm, or Dairy Farm.

Animal Farm, or Dairy Farm

The place where the barnyard will be located was determined even under the Stroganovs. But the buildings that have survived to this day date back to the 1840s. The current farm building was designed by the architect Alexander Gilardi, the nephew of the already mentioned Domenico Gilardi.

The dairy farm is a one-story building made of red brick, forming the letter "P" in plan, with two-story outbuildings. Grooms and cattlemen lived in the outbuildings, and the stalls were located in the one-story central part of the building. In the middle of the Animal Farm was an elegant pavilion, decorated with luxury; it is believed that it was intended for the residence of one of the members of the count's family. It seems strange to choose a place to build a personal pavilion; but nevertheless it really was too rich and magnificent to be in the possession of service people: parquet floors, graceful balconies and sculptures of bulls decorating the courtyard, made by Baron P.I. Klodt, clearly pleased the eye of one of the noble persons.

Animal Farm, Kuzminki Estate, Moscow

Animal farm with the opposite bank of the pond, where the Propylaea and the pier were located, was connected by an interesting Plashkotny Bridge - a bridge on pontoons, which we can see in the picture of the Austrian artist I.N. Raukh. The bridge was installed only for the summer period, and dismantled for the winter.

It so happened that the farm did not fulfill its intended purpose for so long: in 1889, after the reorganization of the internal premises, the Animal Farm was transferred to the expanded Blachernae Hospital, which lasted right up to 1978. Since the hospital vacated the Animal Farm building, it has gradually deteriorated, like many other buildings on the estate.

: Hospital on Slobodka, Kuzminki estate, Moscow

After visiting Slobodka and Animal Farm, walking towards the church along one of the rays of the famous French park, made in the likeness of a park in Pavlovsk near St. Petersburg, you will get to two more interesting museums. The first of them - the Literary Museum of K. G. Paustovsky - was opened in 1975, but moved to Kuzminki only in 1987, and since then it has occupied the Gardener's House (it is also called the "Gray Dacha").

Gardener's House, or Gray Dacha

The museum's collection includes about 17,000 items, illustrating not only the life and literary work of Konstantin Georgievich, but also about his environment, the time in which he lived: personal belongings of the writer, documents and manuscripts, paintings by illustrators, the writer's wife and son, as well as a variety of film and photographic evidence. A lot of interesting exhibits, as well as the incredible enthusiasm and dedication of the museum staff will make visiting the Literary Museum interesting; perhaps you will even become seriously interested in Russian literature.

As you probably already noticed, the Kuzminki estate is famous not only for its architectural and park ensemble, but also for various museums. Next to the Literary Museum of G.K. Paustovsky, there is the Museum of Honey, also known as the Museum and Educational Center for Beekeeping.

Honey Museum

The apiary in Kuzminki appeared under the Golitsyns - there was always fresh honey on the table of the princes. The museum is a demonstration apiary with 50 demonstration hives, where you, dressed in a special protective suit, can study the whole process of honey production and feel like a real beekeeper. In the museum, children and their parents will be offered a choice of several interesting excursion programs, a video film will be shown and children will be delighted with fun themed games. The only condition is that you can get into the museum only on weekdays and by appointment. In addition to the beekeeping museum, educational center the School of Practical Beekeeping and the Club of Honey Lovers also function.

The former mayor of Moscow, Yuri Luzhkov, is very fond of bees. And, as mentioned above, he also loves Kuzminki very much. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Museum and Educational Center for Beekeeping in Kuzminki became the home of the "mayor's" bees. And that is why here in 2005 there was a monument to the bee - one of the most useful domestic animals. The monument is made up of three low columns stylized as honeycombs, and on the central one sits a bee, which the locals affectionately dubbed Kuzey - in honor of the estate.

Monument to the bee Kuza

If you are not quite tired yet, then you can walk a little more and get into the kingdom winter fairy tale- the official Moscow residence of Father Frost.

Moscow residence of Father Frost

It appeared in Kuzminki in 2004, and by 2006 a whole complex of elegant buildings had grown here: Father Frost's tower, Father Frost's post office, a magic mill, a fairy tale well, a Creativity tower, a snow maiden's tower, an ice skating rink, a trail of fairy tales and a game sports town. Various events take place here throughout the year: games, festive festivities and tours of the towers do not stop here after the New Year's fireworks have died down. It is very pleasant to be here both in winter and in hot summer: under the dense shade of trees it is good to hide both from snowfall and from the hot sun. Of course, children will really like it here, who will have something to do here. What's there: even adults will want to take part in interesting master classes and go back to childhood for a moment, forgetting about age.

Kuzminki is a unique Moscow estate, an architectural and park ensemble, a museum, educational and educational center where everyone will find something to their liking. Shady alleys, fresh forest air and the charm of a bygone gallant era will not leave anyone indifferent.

Portrait of Golitsyna A.I. in the guise of a vestal

V.A. Tropinin. Portrait of Prince S.M. Golitsyn. After 1828.

E.V. Sheremetev. Unknown artist of the 19th century. Kuzminki Museum

Toponymy of the area. There are three most common names for the area where the estate is located. The most ancient is the Mill, according to the name of the building (or several buildings), located on the river. Golyadyanka (aka Golyadyanka, Golyad, Golyada, Churilikha). The second name is Kuzminki, the origin of which, according to one version, is associated with church holiday St. Cosmas and Damian (Kuzma and Demyan), on the other - with a special kind of mill "Kozminka-Tozh". The third name - the village of Vlakhernskoe - was fixed in the 19th century. and reflects the connection with the name of the temple in the name of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God, built at the beginning of the 18th century. estate owners.

Grigory Dmitrievich Stroganov (1656-1715)- the first owner of the estate Kuzminki. An eminent person, one of the richest people in Russia in the 17th-18th centuries. In 1704 (according to some sources, 1702), Peter I presented Stroganov with lands called the Mill and previously owned by Simonov and the Nikolo-Ugreshsky monasteries. From that moment on, estate construction began: under Stroganov or a little later, an oak manor house and outbuildings appeared. Stroganov was a large landowner (more than 10 million acres), owned salt works and metal foundries, and traded in furs. Most of his possessions were in the Urals and Siberia, since the Stroganov family had long helped the Russian state to develop these lands. It is known that Grigory Dmitrievich built several warships at his own expense and presented them as a gift to Peter I, and on the occasion of the victory in the Battle of Poltava, one of the seven triumphal gates on the way to the Kremlin was installed with Stroganov's money. Stroganov patronized painting (icon painting workshops), was the owner of the choir, and collected old manuscripts.

Obtaining the Stroganovs a title of nobility. The sons of G. D. Stroganov, Alexander (the elder brother, who became the owner of the estate), Nikolai and Sergei Grigoryevich, on March 6, 1722, were elevated by Peter I to the baronial dignity. The first of the Stroganov barons to receive the title of count was Alexander Sergeevich, who was elevated to the title of count of the Roman Empire by Emperor Franz I on June 29 (July 9), 1761 in Vienna.

Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God. She was in the Blachernae Church, built by the widow of G. D. Stroganov, Maria Yakovlevna. In 1716, she applied for permission to build a wooden church in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos of Blachernae in the Moscow district, on the river. Golyade at the Kuzminki Mill. According to the data of the priest of the Blachernae Church N. A. Poretsky, in 1653 two icons of the Blachernae Mother of God were brought to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich from Constantinople. One of them was left in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the other was presented to the Stroganovs. Initially, it was believed that the older icon was in the Kremlin, but the examination, carried out already in the 20th century. employees of the Tretyakov Gallery, showed that the icon from Kuzminki is more ancient and presumably belongs to the 7th century. The name of the icon comes from a place near Constantinople - Blachernae. The icon has long been considered miraculous and was known as a reliquary. Modern research showed that it contained particles of black woolen matter. According to legend, there were particles of the Virgin's robe inside the icon. An interesting technique for making the icon is wax mastic. Mastic was prepared from filler minerals and binders of frankincense and gum. Thanks to these fragrant resins, the surface of the icon exudes a pleasant aroma even with a slight increase in temperature. In 1806, the icon “on the 2nd of July, the holy day of the Eastern Church, celebrated by her, was renewed and decorated with a rich riza visible on it, with the zeal of Her Excellency Princess Anna Alexandrovna Golitsyna, nee Baroness Stroganova, the Order of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine the Cavalry Lady.” In 1826 Empress Maria Fedorovna donated a brooch to the icon.

Currently, the icon is in the State Tretyakov Gallery.

The owners of the estate in the second half of the XVIII century. M. M. Golitsyn (1731 - 1804) and A. A. Golitsyn (1739 - 1816). In 1757, the granddaughter of G. D. Stroganov, Anna Alexandrovna, married Prince Mikhail Mikhailovich Golitsyn. In this marriage, the family of the richest entrepreneurs and industrialists of the barons Stroganovs and the ancient and noble family of the princes Golitsyns were united. The bride's dowry included the village of Blachernae. For almost half a century of ownership of Kuzminki, the spouses have done a lot, landscaping the estate.

In 1750 - 1770s. under the guidance of the architect I.P. Zherebtsov, manor buildings were rebuilt: a mill, a manor house with outbuildings, piers, gazebos. In the second half of the XVIII century. the French regular park was laid out (either under the leadership of the gardener I. D. Schneider, or the architect R. R. Kazakov). At the same time, Slobodka was reconstructed, the Sadovodstvo complex was created, and a canal was dug that connected the Pike Pond with the Nizhny Kuzminsky Pond. To the east of the estate, Mikhail Mikhailovich built the village of Annino, named after his wife.

Mikhail Mikhailovich and Anna Alexandrovna did not disregard Blachernae Church. In 1759, Golitsyn petitioned Metropolitan Timothy to allow him to build a stone church instead of the burned-out wooden church. In 1774 the stone church was completed. The owners of the estate made donations to the Blachernae Church: Mikhail Mikhailovich - a tabernacle, gilded silver vessels; Anna Alexandrovna - a large silver altar cross, a riza for the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God, and so on.
Apparently, the family life of the Golitsyns was successful. Anna Alexandrovna bore her husband ten children. Some historical data suggest that the spouses were kind people who helped others and enjoyed their respect. So, on the tabernacle, located in the Blachernae Church, the inscription was engraved: “This tabernacle was built on December 1, 1781 by the care of Lieutenant General of HER IMPERIAL MAJESTY Actual Chamberlain of the Polish White Eagle Cavalier Prince Mikhail Mikhailovich Golitsyn and attached in the village of Blachernae to the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos of Blachernae in eternal memory, according to the will of the resting second major Vasily Ivanovich Pavlov in Bose, who lived in virtue and piety to a ripe old age, reposed on April 22, 1774 and his body was buried at this church. Also in 1783, the priest of Blachernae Fyodor Ivanov turned to Mikhail Mikhailovich with a request to increase the content and was satisfied.
Mikhail Mikhailovich died in 1804. Anna Alexandrovna lived for another 12 years. She survived the War of 1812. The sons of the Golitsyns Alexander and Sergei Mikhailovich sent one hundred thousand rubles to the defense of the fatherland. Upon learning of this, Alexander I said: "The donation is great, but I know them and am not surprised." During the war, the French occupied the Kuzminki estate. After the war, Anna Alexandrovna informed the marshal of the Moscow nobility A.A. Arsenyev about the looting of the estate.
In 1813, Anna Alexandrovna opened an almshouse for 12 women. “Probably, most of them lost in the year of the war, some of their husbands, some of their sons, the support of life, and the compassionate Princess is in a hurry to wipe the bitter tears of the unfortunate.” The almshouse was located on the lower floor of the clergy house, which was later transferred by Prince S.M. Golitsyn II in Dubrovitsy.
Mikhail Mikhailovich and Anna Alexandrovna were buried in the cemetery of the Donskoy Monastery in Moscow.

Manor under Prince S. M. Golitsyn (1774 - 1859)

After Mikhail Mikhailovich and Anna Aleksandrovna Golitsyn, the estate was inherited by their sons Alexander Mikhailovich (1772-1821) and Sergei Mikhailovich (1774-1859). Since Alexander Mikhailovich lived abroad, in fact (and after his death and formally) the owner of Kuzminok was Sergei Mikhailovich Golitsyn. He was a high dignitary, courtier, was engaged in charitable activities, was awarded all the civil orders of the Russian Empire.
Most of his contemporaries wrote about him as a kind and honest, but limited and devoid of talents person. “Prince Sergei Mikhailovich left in the memory of people who knew him, the image of an honest and kind man, but limited, undeveloped and narrow concepts” (S.V. Engelhardt, hereinafter quoted from the book. E.V. Oleinichenko “Prince S .M.Golitsyn-owner of the Kuzminki estate).
“He was a limited, proud man, accustomed from early youth to play a leading role in terms of his connections and wealth, but at the same time very kind, devout without hypocrisy, who had truly aristocratic qualities in himself” (S. M. Soloviev).
“Public opinion was such that the prince did not shine with either intelligence or education, but he was honest, kind, straightforward, possessed a “knightly-lordly spirit” (D.I. Nikiforov).
Under S.M. Golitsyn, the estate was finally restored after the war of 1812 and rebuilt in the 20-30s. 19th century For the construction, Golitsyn invited the family of famous architects Gilardi. According to the designs of Domenico Gilardi, the Musical Pavilion of the Horse Yard, the Lion's Quay were built, the Lord's House and a number of other structures were rebuilt. By the 30-40s. 19th century Kuzminki has become a wonderful architectural and park ensemble that harmoniously combines the Russian Empire, romanticism, Biedermeier. Drawings and lithographs based on the drawings of I.-N. Rauha with views of Kuzminki of that period.
Sergei Mikhailovich loved the estate and spent a lot of time there. He did not have legitimate children, since relations with his wife Evdokia Ivanovna Golitsyna (the famous "Night Princess") did not work out and the couple lived separately. The estate became a kind of "brainchild" of Golitsyn. He, along with unmarried sisters, lived in Kuzminki during the warm season. “For the summer, the Golitsyns moved to their Kuzminki near Moscow and received them on Sundays. I have never seen such an abundance of flowers. Not only the park was dotted with them, but in one of the rooms the entire wall was covered with flowers,” wrote S.V. Engelhardt.
Under Golitsyn, the estate economy was supported by high level and in great order. “While walking around Moscow, Prince Abamelik brought us, by the way, to the last of the boyars, more than eighty years old, the enormously wealthy Prince Sergius Mikhailovich Golitsyn, who lived in his own palace, not far from the capital. He instructed one of his nephews to show us his economic establishments. The barnyard was full of excellent cows of the Yorkshire breed, purposely brought from England ... Our guide noticed that the prince's heirs would hardly be able to continue such luxury ... ”(K.F. Fitztum von Eckstedt, cited by: E. V. Oleinichenko "Prince S. M. Golitsyn - the owner of the Kuzminki estate"). At that time, many visitors to Kuzminki paid attention to the well-groomed state of the manor parks and beautiful greenhouses.
Guests came to Kuzminki: members of the imperial family, there were foreigners. Here Prince S.M. Golitsyn received Empress Maria Feodorovna (1826), Grand. Prince Mikhail Pavlovich (1830), Emperor Nicholas I (1835). The estate was one of the favorite places for walks of Muscovites. Every year on July 2, Blachernae was celebrated.
It is interesting that although many of Sergei Mikhailovich's contemporaries called the estate "Kuzminki", the owner himself did not like this name and preferred the "village of Vlaherna". In a conversation with A.Ya. Golitsyn remarked to Bulgakov: “Ah, my dear, only the peasants call it this way: the village of Kuzminki; you should say the village of Vlaherna or, if you prefer, the Mill "" (Quoted by: S. Shumikhin "Madrigal with a double bottom", magazine "Our Heritage").

Manor in the second half of the XIX century.

After the death of Prince Sergei Mikhailovich Golitsyn in 1859, his nephew Mikhail Aleksandrovich Golitsyn (1760-1804) became the owner of the estate. As a diplomat, Mikhail Alexandrovich spent most of his time abroad. It is known that during his visits to Russia, he visited his uncle in Kuzminki, but did not have time to become a full owner. In 1860 M.A. Golitsyn died in Montpellier. The estate passed into the possession of his son Sergei Mikhailovich Golitsyn II (1843-1915). Born and raised in France, Sergei Mikhailovich was deprived of many of the prejudices inherent in the Russian nobility. So, in the early 1860s. he married the gypsy singer Alexandra Osipovna Gladkova. In the 1870s the prince enrolled in the Moscow merchants of the 1st guild and traded in iron, salt and agricultural products (M.Yu. Korobko). At the same time, Golitsyn demonstrated patriotism and love for Russia: he entered the service in a hussar regiment; carried out the instructions of the Minister of the Interior to analyze the state of the food supply in Moscow; in 1865 he opened a museum in a Moscow house on Volkhonka; at his own expense, he erected a monument in Switzerland in honor of the Russian troops that crossed the Alps under the command of Suvorov in 1799; provided financial and organizational assistance in the construction of Russian churches and temples abroad, in particular - the church in honor of St. Nicholas in Nice.
Sergei Mikhailovich lived in Kuzminki until 1873. After a divorce from his first wife Alexandra Osipovna, he finally moved to the Dubrovitsy estate. In the second half of the XIX century. Kuzminki steel summer cottage. Here lived merchants and their families, as well as the intelligentsia. The architect I.E. Bondarenko, art critic I.E. Grabar, artist V.G. Perov. In the Moscow magazine Iskra, they wrote about Kuzminki: “... You can safely go for a walk in the park without putting on chic toilets, and you can be quite sure that no one will meet you; on the contrary, if you want society, you should go to the places for walking, the most favorite of Kuzma summer residents. To all this is added the absence of dust, dirt, rumbling trains with terrible howler whistles, gramophones and other delights ”(Quoted by M.Yu. Korobko. Moscow estate. M., 2005. - p. 141-142). N.N. Wrangel wrote about the Kuzminki estate at the beginning of the 20th century: “There are more landlord estates in the vicinity of Moscow. Family traditions were more economically preserved in the old estates near Moscow, and suburban estates are still beautiful. Of course, this safety is only relative. After all, from Kuzminki, given over to summer cottages ... only walls remained ... ”(N.N. Wrangel. Landowner Russia / / Old Years. 1910. July-September. - p. 142).

Architectural monuments of the Kuzminki estate

Egyptian Pavilion (Kitchen)

One of the manor buildings intended for storage and cooking. Built in 1813-1815. on the territory of the so-called Red Court not far from the Lord's house. The architect is unknown. Presumably, A.N. Voronikhin, and completed the construction of D.I. Gilardi. It is an excellent example of architecture of the late 18th - first quarter of the 19th century with the use of ancient Egyptian themes. On the pediment on the north side, a lion's head is depicted with two sphings on the sides; on the architrave, a winged Egyptian disc; the capitals of the columns are decorated with stylized images of palm leaves and lotuses. The shape of the windows tapering upwards is interesting. According to historian M.Yu. Korobko, the Egyptian pavilion, and the Orangery greenhouse in Kuzminki are the only buildings of the “Egyptian” style of this period in Moscow. In 2004, Moscow Mayor Yu.M. Luzhkov signed a decree on the restoration of the Egyptian Pavilion and the Pomeranian Orangery. However, for more than ten years, the unique buildings remain unrestored and continue to collapse.

orange greenhouse

Despite the later reconstructions, the building to this day is an outstanding example of the Russian Empire style of the first quarter of the 19th century. The authors of the greenhouse could be I. D. Gilardi, D. I. Gilardi or A. N. Voronikhin. In 1836 a belvedere was erected. In the interior decoration of the central part of the building, ancient Egyptian motifs were used, which were preserved until the early 2000s, and are now partially or completely lost. The ceiling of the hall was decorated with images of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and symbols. The ceiling chandelier with twelve candlesticks in the form of lotus flowers along the circumference and six candlesticks in the center repeated the general style of the hall. The name of the greenhouse "orange" probably appeared in the second half of the 19th century. It is associated with citrus orange trees, popular in the 18th-19th centuries, which were kept in tubs and put outside in the warm season. In the drawings and lithographs according to the drawings of I.-N. Rauha building is simply called the "greenhouse". The name "Orange Dacha" also belongs to the second half of the century before last. Here, as in many other manor buildings, summer residents lived. In Soviet times, the building housed scientific Library VIEV and laboratories. Since the end of the twentieth century. the building is in disrepair. Until now, it has not been restored or used. In 2014-15 the roof of the portico of the northern facade of the greenhouse collapsed, which, of course, will accelerate the death of the building. Assessing the state of architectural monuments in Moscow at the end of 2016, S.S. Sobyanin noted: “We have reduced the number of monuments that are in poor condition by 6.5 times.” When the Orangery is completely destroyed, indeed, the number of cultural heritage sites will be reduced by one more.

The Museum of Russian Estate Culture is the only functioning museum-estate with a full range of buildings at its disposal throughout Moscow. It includes: the manor's house, horse and cattle yards, a small church and much more. On the territory of the local park, visitors will be able to see with their own eyes the creations of Pyotr Klodt, the world-famous author, creator of horse sculptures on the Anichkov Bridge in St. Petersburg.

The main composition of the museum is represented by two objects: the Service Wing and the Horse Yard Complex with its permanent exhibition "Horse Yard in a Estate near Moscow". All the surviving buildings of the estate are made in architectural style"Empire" and allow you to imagine the lifestyle of its owners - the barons Stroganovs and princes Golitsyns.

The service complex will allow visitors to get acquainted with the collection of archival documents and books of the 18th-19th centuries. And the permanent exhibition "Meet the Golitsyns!" - with commemorative orders, medals, works of applied art, dishes and furniture from the Golitsyn family nest.

In the southern part of the Horse Yard Complex there is the Children's Museum Center, which includes the Theater Studio and the Studio of Painting, Drawing and Watercolors. On the territory of the Children's Museum Center, museum staff hold various kinds of interactive exhibitions and programs. The estate also provides an opportunity to conduct on its territory not only interesting excursions designed for younger children school age but also an unforgettable birthday.

Working mode:

• Tuesday-Sunday - from 10:00 to 18:00;
• Monday - day off;
• The last Friday of the month is a sanitary day.

Ticket price:

• expositions in the Servant's Wing and the Horse Yard: full - 100 rubles, reduced - 50 rubles;
• exhibitions in the Service Wing: full - 50 rubles, reduced - 20 rubles;
• exhibition "The History of a Journey": full - 100 rubles, preferential - 50 rubles.

You can find out the details on the official website.