Massandra Palace

Massandra Palace of Emperor Alexander III is located in Upper Massandra on the southern coast of Crimea. Now it is a palace-museum - a branch of the Alupka Palace and Park Museum-Reserve. After the annexation of the Crimea to the Russian Empire, Massandra was owned by the French Rear Admiral Prince Karl Nassau-Siegen, landowner Matvey Nikitin, Sophia Konstantinovna Pototskaya, Olga Stanislavovna Naryshkina, Alexandra Vasilievna Bronevskaya, the Vorontsov family. Construction of the palace began in 1881 by order of Prince Semyon Mikhailovich Vorontsov. The Louis XIII style project was designed by Etienne Bouchard. In 1882, in connection with the death of Prince Vorontsov, the construction of the palace stopped.

In 1889, the estate was acquired by the Department for Alexander III. Architect P.K. Terebenev described the state of the palace when buying the estate: “Stone building in two floors, partly with a basement, composed of local limestone stone, regular masonry, well-built, zinc roof with attic windows; the building consists of walls, zinc roof and all rooms put iron beams, the rest of the building is not available. The cost of the building on the solidity and strength of the building can be estimated at 85 thousand rubles.” From 1892 to 1902, the construction of the palace ensemble continued according to the project of Maximilian Mesmacher. Maximilian Egorovich retained the size and style of the building, but using new decorative materials and techniques, beyond recognition transformed it, turning an ascetic knightly castle into a fabulous tower. The construction was led by architect Oscar Emilevich Wegener. The palace belonged to Alexander III, then Nicholas II. Kings visiting Tauris often visited this palace, but never stayed there for the night. In 1822, under O. S. Naryshkina, the famous German gardener, the creator of the Alupkin Park, Karl Kebach laid an English-style park in Massandra on the site of an oak-robbery forest. In the forest, paths were laid, alleys were arranged, flower beds were broken. Under the leadership of Kebaha, junipers, cedars, cypresses, Mediterranean pine trees were planted in the park, as well as exotic fruit trees - figs, lemons, oranges, olives. Now it is one of the best landscape parks, its area is 42 hectares. From 1929 to 1941, the palace was used as a sanatorium "Proletarian Health" for seriously ill tuberculosis. In the postwar years, the palace was inhabited by the Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking "Magarach", but not for long. Since 1948, there was a state dacha, known as “Stalinskaya”. Here rested Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev. After Ukraine gained independence in 1992, a museum was opened in the palace. The museum is open in the summer from 9 to 18, Monday is a day off. In winter from 9 to 17, Monday, Tuesday - weekend. Telephone of the museum - +38 0654 235347. There were attempts to take the Massandra Palace under the residence of the President under Kuchma and Yushchenko. There are unique household items in the palace. For example, a fireplace made of a single piece of brown marble, handmade chandeliers. Also preserved are built-in furniture (made of mahogany) and mirrors of the original interior. Not survived in some places the design of walls and vaults. But in general, the palace is as cozy a family home as it was more than 100 years ago. After the annexation of Crimea to Russia in 2014, the palace was transferred to the administrative responsibility of the Office of the President of the Russian Federation.