Pavlovsk

Pavlovsk is a city in the Russian Federation, administratively subordinate to the City Hall of St. Petersburg. The city is located on the slope of the Baltic-Ladoga ledge, on the banks of the Slavyanka River, 30 km south of St. Petersburg. The train station. The population is 24.8 thousand inhabitants (2001). Pavlovsk is a former country residence of Russian emperors, until 1796 it was called the village of Pavlovsky, in 1918-1944 - Slutsk. In Pavlovsk - one of the best examples of landscape park.
In December 1777, the lands in the valley of the Slavyanka River became the property of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich. The palace and park ensemble in Pavlovsk was created for 50 years. The creator of the palace and park was Scottish architect Charles Cameron, invited to Russia for work in Tsarskoye Selo. Strict and elegant Pavlovsk Palace was built on the site of the dismantled wooden. The building was laid down on May 25, 1782 and completed in 1786. In the decoration of its interiors at different times took part, except for Cameron, V. F. Brenna, A. N. Voronikhin, J. Quarenghi, K. I. Rossi.
Pavel Petrovich created the village Pavlovskoye as his summer residence, but in 1788 gave it to his wife, leaving Gatchina. Thanks to this, Pavlovskoe retained the features of an idyllic estate. A week after the accession to the throne, Paul I issued a decree renaming the village into a city. After the death of Paul, his widow Maria Fedorovna lived for a long time in Pavlovsk, her summer residence.
Pavlovsk Palace is inferior in size to most palaces of the suburbs of St. Petersburg and resembles a rich Italian villa in the spirit of Palladio. The core of the building is a compact three-storey building, on its sides there are outbuildings with curved galleries. The original appearance of the palace was different from the modern one. Side one-story galleries were added later. The front portico of the courtyard facade is decorated with four pairs of Corinthian columns, the central volume of the palace is completed by a dome, its low drum is surrounded by often set columns. Even before the accession of Paul to the throne, Brenna was involved in the work in Pavlovsk, who significantly changed the appearance of the palace, expanding it and adding galleries and side pavilions.
With the strict appearance of the palace contrast its luxurious interiors. The first floor was occupied by living rooms, offices, dining rooms, bedrooms. The front interiors were representative and were located on the second floor. The third floor was service. The main room of the palace - the Italian Hall - is located under the dome. It is decorated with a chandelier made in the late 18th century from bronze and ruby glass. Cameron, Brenna, Voronikhin took part in the creation of the hall.
The enfilade of the second floor is completed by the War Hall and the Peace Hall, symmetrical to it. 3 Al of the War served as a small throne room. The large, or Throne, hall is located in the south pavilion of the palace; its area is 400 m, it is the most extensive front interior of the palace. Residential rooms of the first floor, as well as the main halls, are an enfilade located along the perimeter of the central building.
Pavlovsk Park, covering an area of 600 hectares, is an example of English style. It is characterized by the desire to emphasize the beauty of natural, untouched nature. Some sections of Pavlovsk Park received regular planning (Own garden, 1784; Large circles, 1798-1799), but in general the park has a landscape character (architects Cameron, P. Gonzago, Brenna).
Single-span stone bridge
The park is decorated with the pavilion of Three Graces, Vollier, Turkish gazebo, Milk, Italian Steps. From the top of the Italian Steps, a panorama of the river valley opens. Its compositional center is the Temple of Friendship, located on a peninsula formed by a bend of the Slavyanka River. The Temple of Friendship (Cameron’s project) reproduces a round antique temple. On its perimeter set cannelled Doric columns supporting the dome.
In the natural part of the park are: The parade field, the Mass Grave, the Izhora Gate, the Pink Pavilion, as well as the Old Silvia, at the southern border of which a small ancient temple "Monument to Parents" was built, erected in 1786 by Empress Maria Feodorovna, probably according to the project of N. A. Lvov. She, wishing to perpetuate the memory of her husband, commissioned Tom de Thomona to design a mausoleum - pavilion "The Benefactor Spouse" (1805-1810).
On the edge of the New Silvia site stands another park structure - a marble Ionic column. It’s called “The End of the World” because it used to mark the border of the park. Nearby is the romantic building "Ruine" (architect Cameron, 1807). Opposite the palace, on the left bank of the river, is the Apollo Colonnade (architect Cameron, 1783). The statue of Apollo of Belvedere was created on the antique model by the sculptor FG Gordeev. Nearby is one of the largest parts of the park - the Big Star, which is a system of prosec alleys converging to the central circular square. Not far from the railway is the park massif "Alexandria", created in the 1790s and donated by Catherine II to her grandson Alexander.
In the middle of the 19th century, the first Tsarskoye Selo railway in Russia was built, connecting St. Petersburg with suburban royal residences. Pavlovsk became the terminal of this road, opened on October 30, 1837. In the second half of the 19th - early 20th century Pavlovsk Kurzal (the station; architect A. I. Stackenschneider) was the focus of the summer musical life of the northern capital. Here performed orchestras under the direction of I. Strauss-son and his brothers, B. Bilze, G. Mansfeld. In the 1900s Pavlovsk concerts were conducted by A. K. Glazunov, M. M. Ippolitov-Ivanov. Until 1917, Pavlovsk remained an imperial residence, in 1918 the palace was turned into a museum, and the city was renamed Slutsk in honor of the revolutionary Vera Slutskaya. In October 1919, the city was occupied by the troops of N. N. Yudenich.
In September 1941, German troops captured Pavlovsk. They cut down thousands of park trees, destroyed pavilions and hydraulic structures, set fire to the palace, burned the Kurzal building. Pavlovsk was liberated on January 24, 1944, its historical name was returned, and restoration work began immediately. The restoration lasted until 1971, when the Cavalry and Throne Halls, as well as the Art Gallery, were opened to visitors. The original appearance was returned to numerous park pavilions, and the park was restored.