Stands apart in Alupka Vorontsov Palace- one of the most impressive on the coast. The palace was built over 20 years, from 1830, as the summer residence of the Governor-General of Novorossiya M.S. Vorontsova.

Built according to the design of the English architect Edward Blore (1789-1879), one of the authors of Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. The Vorontsov Palace amazingly subtly absorbed the features of Eastern and Western styles. On the southern façade of the building there is a horseshoe-shaped arch, a two-tier vault, and a magnificent plaster carving in a niche depicting a lotus.

On the fresco of the niche there is an inscription with a saying from the Koran: “And there is no god but Allah.” Along the walls of the southern façade of the Vorontsov Palace are marble sculptures of lions, made in the workshop of the Italian sculptor V. Bonanni. The northern part of the palace impresses with the severity of the style typical of 16th century England.

Also a monument to landscape gardening art. In 1824-1851, the German gardener Karl Antonovich Kebach worked on its creation. In 1956, by decision of the government, a museum was located in the palace.

Since 1990, it has been the Alupka Palace and Park Museum-Reserve. Alupka Park has a unique system of lakes, roads and waterfalls. The park was built on the principle of an ancient amphitheater, descending from the palace to the tea house on the seashore. The park has two levels - lower and upper.

Vorontsov Palace - address and telephone number

The address of the Vorontsov Palace is Crimea, Alupka, Dvortsovoye Highway, 18.

Phone number of the duty organizer of the Vorontsov Palace (for information about the museum’s operating hours): +7 978 018 56 74.

How to get to the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka?

You can get to the Vorontsov Palace from the Yalta bus station: bus No. 115 (Yalta - Simeiz), bus No. 107 (Yalta - Katsiveli) to the stop "Alupka, bus station"; bus No. 102 (Yalta - Alupka Park) to the final stop.

From the Yalta Clothing Market (city center) you can take bus No. 132 (Yalta - Alupka) to the final stop.

From Sevastopol (central bus station): by regular bus to the stop “Alupka, Pitomnik”, then by city bus No. 1-A to the stop “Center. Lenin Square”, from here walk down the stairs to the palace.

Vorontsov Palace - history of creation

Alupka is famous for its palace and park ensemble, consisting of five buildings (Main, Library, Dining, Household and Guest buildings with a one-story Shuvalov wing), the Tea House located by the sea and a park surrounding the entire complex.

This ensemble was created in the 20-40s of the 19th century, during the period of strong influence of romanticism on literature and art.

Romanticism is an entire era in the development of culture. His ideological prerequisites in Russia were the Patriotic War of 1812 and the Decembrist uprising.

Originating in the early 19th century, it gained popularity in the 1820s. At the end of the 30s, romantic trends became dominant. In accordance with this, the attitude towards classicism changes, which for romantics turns into the personification of dogmatism, external form, normativity, excluding free creativity and development. The aesthetic ideal has also changed. For the romantics, beauty was associated not with clarity, simplicity and harmony, as in classicism, but with diversity, contrast, and dynamism.

Talented architects of the Romantic era turned to architectural elements of the styles of past eras and, subjecting them to creative rethinking, applied them in modern construction. They paid special attention to the architecture of the Middle Ages (Gothic, Romanesque, Moorish, Indo-Muslim, etc.).

The distinctive features of romanticism in architecture are picturesqueness and asymmetrical compositions. Architectural romanticism, unlike classicism, did not create large public buildings or majestic city ensembles, but found wide application in estate and park construction.

Since the 20s of the 19th century, buildings created in the romantic style prevailed on the South Coast. The Crimean mountains, exotic vegetation, the sea with intricately indented shores and bays, and picturesque rocks provided a bright, expressive backdrop for romantic architecture. Here the connection between the architectural structure and the surrounding nature was especially clearly manifested.

A. Demidov, traveling around Crimea in 1837, noted in his notes: “Alternately you see a small house in Asian style, the windows are covered with curtains, the chimneys look like minarets; that's beautiful gothic castle, then a cozy dacha like English “cottages”, completely immersed in a sea of ​​greenery and flowers, then a light wooden building with extensive galleries.”

Unfortunately, under the influence of inexorable time, many estates and buildings of the 1st half of the 19th century disappeared from the face of the Crimean land. But the most valuable, most interesting monument of that era has been preserved - the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka, now a palace museum.

It was built with a primary focus on architectural style 16th century England combined with the forms of the Hindu-Muslim architecture style of the 16th and 17th centuries.

The western facade of the palace is very reminiscent of a medieval castle-fortress. Here the viewer is greeted by monumental round towers with slit-like embrasure windows. The high, harsh walls are topped with stone crenellations. The walls are supported by powerful buttresses. The impression of the dark Middle Ages is enhanced by Shuvalovsky Proezd. Its broken line with a series of closed perspectives seems to promise the viewer something mysterious somewhere around the bend.

At the top there is an openwork bridge connecting the service buildings with the Main Dining Building. This sky bridge is really very romantic. It, like the entire western part of the palace, can take us into the atmosphere of medieval novels by Walter Scott or other contemporary romantic writers.

Architecture of the utility buildings of the Vorontsov Palace

The household courtyard, which includes extensive services and living quarters for servants, is part of a single palace complex without violating the architectural, artistic and compositional integrity of the ensemble. Construction period 1838-1842.

The service buildings are located on the northern side of the site, parallel to the dining building and the Shuvalovsky (guest) wing. They form a separate closed courtyard in the form of a horizontally elongated irregular polygon.

The closedness and isolation of the courtyard, the general nature of the architecture of the utility buildings will remind us of medieval English castles with towers, narrow windows - loopholes of high external walls.

The decorative design of the facades is based on a clear rhythm of geometrically simple door and window openings. Here the textured treatment of the walls with “torn” stone is used.

The southern part of the economic buildings under the Vorontsovs was divided according to their functional purpose into three parts: the central part was occupied by carriage sheds with three wide doorways, the right part was occupied by stables, and in the left wing there was a kitchen with utility rooms and storage rooms.

Various economic services were also located in the northern part of the economic yard. Regarding the lower floor, there is an assumption that in its right wing there could be a dining room for the servants, and in the left, large room with three large arched openings that were not closed by gates (since the openings do not have quarters for installing gates) could be located a forge serving stable services. On the second floors there were living rooms and apartments for palace servants.

The outer wall of the northern building of the utility yard, facing the park, is reinforced with flat buttresses. The chimneys, stylized as phials, add a special picturesqueness to the silhouette of the walls.

There are two gates leading into the courtyard. At the western entrance there is a round tower. The eastern gate, facing the front yard, is flanked by two rectangular three-tier towers, one of which, the Clock Tower, is topped with a turret with a flagpole. The towers are identical in proportions and shapes, designed in the style of English architecture of the 16th century. Their upper tier is crowned by a high jagged cornice. The gates of the towers connect the main courtyard with the service buildings and at the same time constitute the architectural frame of the “clean” courtyard from the west.

Northern facade of the Vorontsov Palace

In the northern façade we see a new aspect of architecture, identical no longer to a medieval fortress, but to a country English palace of the 16th century, for which large window openings (bay windows) and tall chimneys are typical, which, in addition to their utilitarian purpose, play a large decorative role. Rising above the palace as a whole slender colonnade with finials in the form of buds of some fantastic flowers (fleurons), they give a special decorative effect to the entire architectural and decorative appearance of the main building of the palace.

The architect achieves great expressiveness here by the rhythmic alternation of smooth planes of walls and risalits, graceful pinnacle turrets and massive battlements-cremaliers.

Looking at the palace, we admire the virtuosity of stone cutters, who skilfully executed its structural and decorative details: stone blocks, carved pediments, domes. Here, many architectural details typical of England in the 16th century (towers, arches, domes) are similar in outline to elements of oriental architecture. This is another feature of romantic architecture, when another is guessed in the forms of one style.

The elements of oriental architecture that take place in the palace reached their strongest development in the architecture of the southern facade of the palace, which we will get to know later.

The presence of two styles in one building was by no means a mechanical connection here. The architect found details close to both the East and Gothic, dispersed them in a certain rhythm throughout the complex and thereby achieved an amazing stylistic unity.

So, in the northern facade we see a majestic and austere palace of the late English Middle Ages.

The author of the palace project was the famous architect Edward Blore (1789-1879), one of the founders of the romantic movement in English architecture. E. Blore is known in England as a draftsman and engraver, and an illustrator of publications on the history of British architecture. In 1816-1823 he participated in the design and decoration of Abbotsford Castle for W. Scott in Scotland. In 1820 - 1850 he carried out restoration work in royal palaces and was a brilliant expert on Tudor style architecture. In total, he built and reconstructed 40 public buildings and estates and the same number of churches and chapels. Blore is one of the founders of the Royal Archaeological Institute.

According to Blore's design, the palace was built by William Gunt, also an English architect. Construction lasted 20 years, from 1828 to 1848. mainly by serf masters. Of great interest is the fact that Vladimir stone-cutters worked here, famous for their art of erecting white-stone Russian churches with artistically executed decorations.

The main building material was local diabase stone, which is stronger than granite. Thanks to the beautiful greenish-gray color of the stone, the palace organically blended into the color scheme of the local landscape. The peak of Mount Ai-Petri, crowning the entire landscape of Alupka and with its outlines similar to the ruins of some ancient fantastic castle, became a wonderful background for him.

From huge shapeless blocks of diabase, which was processed by hand, blocks for walls were cut out, thin and complex architectural details were cut out. The diabase was carefully polished for finishing the interior.

From a hundred to a thousand people worked here at different times, among them Vorontsov's serfs. They were used as civilian workers, received a salary from which they had to pay dues. At present, on the basis of archival documents, it was possible to establish the names of more than 300 serfs, among whom were sculptors, cabinet makers, wood and stone carvers, painters, and embroiderers.

Among these talented craftsmen, the skill of the sculptor Roman Furtunov from the Moshensky estate of the Kyiv province deserves special attention. Joiners worked from the same estate in Alupka, many of them worked up to 10 years, finishing the interiors of the palace and making furniture.

And now, admiring the skill of the serfs and civilian craftsmen who built this palace, we pay tribute to the numerous craftsmen whose talent manifested itself in the decoration of the main halls of the palace, made with great taste and perfection.

A palace was built for the count, and later Prince M.S. Vorontsov (1782-1856), one of the largest Russian landowners of the 1st half of the 19th century. In 1823, he was appointed governor-general of the Novorossiysk region and plenipotentiary governor of the Bessarabia region.

In the first half of the 19th century, the colonization of new lands in Russia intensified. Overpopulation of estates in the central zone forced landowners to look for new lands in order to be able to fully utilize the labor of their serfs. At that time, the lands of New Russia and Crimea were especially valued. They were acquired and developed, since the proximity of the Black Sea to them created favorable conditions for the export and sale of various agricultural products. Therefore, Vorontsov is seeking his appointment to the post of Governor-General of Novorossiya.

Having visited Crimea for the first time in 1822 and seeing what enormous wealth this rich, almost undeveloped region conceals, Vorontsov begins to acquire land here. Massandra, Ai-Danil, Ai-Vasil, Martyan, Gurzuf, Alupka - one after another became the property of Vorontsov. In the 30s he already owned about 2 thousand acres of land. Vorontsov is trying to use his estates as profitably as possible. He creates extensive grape plantations on the South Coast and is one of the first to establish industrial winemaking here. Under him, the first cellars were laid in Massandra. Sheep farming developed in the steppe regions of Crimea, a stud farm developed in Ak-Mechet, and salt was mined in two lakes in this area.

Thanks to the construction of a road connecting Simferopol with Sevastopol and Yalta, agricultural products and wine were exported from Vorontsov’s Crimean estates, which undoubtedly contributed to an increase in the owner’s income. From the Crimean estates, Vorontsov had an income of up to 56 thousand rubles. in year.

Having 400 thousand dessiatines of land in 16 provinces of Russia and about 80 thousand serfs, Vorontsov received huge incomes. Income from quitrents alone, excluding Crimean estates, amounted to up to 800 thousand rubles in banknotes. The owner of such wealth had the opportunity to build luxurious palaces for himself.

The former Vorontsov Palace became a museum in 1921 after the liberation of Crimea from the White Guards. On February 20 of the same year, V.I. Lenin, who paid great attention to cultural construction in the country, sent a telegram to the chairman of the Crimean Revolutionary Committee: “Take decisive measures to protect the artistic values ​​located in the Yalta palaces and private buildings, now allocated to the sanatoriums of the People's Commissariat of Health. All responsibility rests with you."

Following the instructions of the commission for the protection of artistic monuments and other works of art, created by the Revolutionary Committee, all the most artistically interesting works of art from nationalized estates were selected for the creation of the first Soviet museums in Crimea.

The Vorontsov Palace was nationalized, the remaining property was supplemented with collections from other southern coastal palaces, and in 1921 a historical and household museum was opened here.

During the Patriotic War, when Crimea was occupied by the German fascists, works of art could not be evacuated from here, and the palace functioned as a museum. Its director was Stepan Grigorievich Shchekoldin (1904-2002). During the retreat, the Germans wanted to blow up the palace, it was prepared a large number of explosive. However, the explosion could not be carried out; museum workers prevented it. In April 1944, the rapid advance of Soviet troops liberated Crimea.

In February 1945, during the Crimean Conference, the Alupka Palace was provided to the British delegation led by W. Churchill. In the next decade, there was a State Dacha here, referred to in documents as “special object No. 3”.

The palace was reopened to visitors in 1956. Currently it is an architectural and art museum. It is located in the central and dining buildings, where the ceremonial premises of the palace are located. In the premises of the Guest Building and the Shuvalov Wing, various exhibitions from the funds of the museum-reserve are exhibited, including the “Vorontsov Family Gallery”, where portraits of numerous representatives of this famous family are presented.

One of the main features of the Vorontsov Palace is a combination of the styles of English architecture of the 16th century (Tudor style) and eastern, Indo-Muslim 16th century. Moreover, the combination of these styles is executed so skillfully, with such artistic taste, that the result is a new artistic image, harmonious, integral, executed in a romantic style.

Speaking about the romantic architecture of the palace and its exterior, we noted that its main stylistic motif is its orientation towards English architecture of the 16th century. We can note the same thing when characterizing interiors, i.e. interior spaces, the decorative design of which also shows the great influence of the palace interiors of 16th century England.

In the 16th century, in English palaces, the interiors were decorated with carved wooden decor. From here in the front office there are oak profiled panels; A large amount of wood was used to decorate the bay window. It was in the 16th century that bay windows appeared in English architecture, protruding beyond the wall, increasing the lighting and area of ​​the room.

Four symmetrically placed oak doors enhance the impression of wood trim; one of the doors is purely decorative. Decoration details typical of 16th century England in all the halls of the palace (to a greater or lesser extent) are intertwined with elements typical of decoration of the 2nd quarter of the 16th century, when imitation became fashionable. Here it is used in the ceiling decoration, where alabaster sculpting and coloring imitate wood.

A characteristic detail of English interiors is fireplaces. In the damp climate of England, a fireplace not only provides warmth, but also acts as a powerful fan. We will see fireplaces in all the main rooms of the palace, and in each of them the decoration has its own characteristics, combining with the general decoration of the hall. Here the fireplace is made of marbled limestone of grayish-brown shades, which goes well with the tone of the wood and wallpaper, which were not preserved and were replaced with new ones. Their coloring and design fully correspond to the old samples.

In the front office there is furniture, mainly English workmanship from the 1st quarter of the 19th century, made of different types of wood. Its rich decoration: metal inlay, lush wood carvings, skillful polishing - enhance the impression of solemnity and splendor of this room.

The furnishings of the room are typical of state rooms of the 30s and 40s of the 16th century. It not only characterizes the era, but each individual item is of great artistic value. Of particular interest is an ebony cabinet bookcase made by French craftsmen in the Boulle style (Charles Boulle /1642-1732/ worked at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries). He can be called the creator of artistic furniture. Skillfully mastering the technique of set, using applied bronze, ivory, mother-of-pearl, tortoise shell to decorate furniture, he achieved great color richness and created his own style "Boule".

The set of cabinet furniture: a round table, walnut chairs and armchairs, made by English craftsmen of the 1st quarter of the 19th century, attracts attention with the skill of metal inlay on wood, the ability to show the beauty of wood.

The front rooms often housed portraiture, vividly characterizing the era. Looking at the images of people placed in this office, one can say with confidence that they were touched by the breath of the war of 1812. The growing ideas of patriotism in Russian society prompted artists to look for and find in a person those features that were associated with the concept of "a sense of civic duty." The military gallery of 1812 in the Winter Palace can be considered the artistic standard of such a work. The English artist George Doe (1781-1829) worked on its creation for a number of years with his assistants Golike and Polyakov. The portraits presented here by Fyodor Petrovich Uvarov (1770-1824), Lev Alexandrovich Naryshkin (1781-1829), Alexander Khristoforovich Benkendorf, a participant in the Russian-French campaign, are the author's repetitions of the gallery's works. A sharp turn of the head, a fiery color in uniforms, a stormy sky in the background are techniques typical of Dow's work. They give painting a romantic coloring.

The ceremonial portrait of the first owner of the Alupka Palace, Count M.S. Vorontsov (1782-1856), was solved in the same pictorial vein.

When in 1821 the Englishman Thomas Lawrence began painting a portrait that would later become famous, Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov was in the aura of his military glory, having shown personal courage and extraordinary abilities as a commander in the battles of Borodino, Krasny, and Kraon. In 1848, at the request of the Vorontsov family, Louise Dessemé made a copy quite worthy of the original. Successfully imitating Lawrence's brush, his pearlescent gray and black tones, the artist managed to preserve the romantic pathos characteristic of the original.

A portrait of Field Marshal M.I. Kutuzov occupies a worthy place in the exhibition. Small bronze sculptures are also presented here: the Duke of Wellington (a copy of the work of Koter, an English sculptor of the first half of the 19th century) and the Prussian commander Field Marshal Blucher by the German sculptor H. Rauch (1777-1857).

The decoration of the Front Office is complemented by a gilded bronze clock standing on the cabinet by the French master Peter-Philippe Thomire (1741-1843). They are decorated with figures of Minin and Pozharsky - they repeat the composition famous monument on Red Square, the work of the sculptor I.P. Martos.

G The living room got its name from the decoration of the walls, covered with chintz fabric. Chintz, a fabric of oriental origin, became widespread in Western Europe and Russia in the mid-19th century and at the same time became such a fashionable material that it was valued at the same level as velvet, silk, and brocade. It was used for decoration in palaces and rich mansions. This chintz is of English workmanship with an elegant decorative pattern. Its color harmonizes well with the lining of the fireplace, made of marble in pinkish shades.

A massive walnut sofa, classically shaped, with side bookcases, lavishly inlaid with bronze. The living room displays works by Russian academic artists.

All Russian artists who graduated from the Academy of Arts with a gold medal were certainly sent to Italy. Among them was S.F. Shchedrin (1791-1830), who devoted his work to depicting Italian nature. He worked a lot on the problem of transmitting sunlight, space, and air in paintings and was one of the first to paint nature from life. S. Shchedrin painted landscapes in the vicinity of Naples, Sorrento, and on the island of Capri. “View of Sorrento” is his favorite tune. The bright rays of the southern sun illuminate the waters Gulf of Naples, picturesque coastal cliffs. The landscape seems to be shrouded in the transparent haze of a hot summer day. In his canvases, the artist was able to directly and poetically convey the charm of real nature and show the beauty of reality.

A prominent place among the masters of Russian landscape belongs to N.G. Chernetsov (1805-1879), who devoted himself to depicting Russian nature. Chernetsov traveled a lot. In 1838, he and his brother traveled along the Volga. “Yurievets Povolsky” is one of the many paintings that appeared as a result of this journey. This small work captures the architecture of the ancient town. In the 1850s, the artist made a pilgrimage to the Holy Places; the canvas “View of Nazareth near Galilee” dates back to this period of his work.

Above the fireplace are two paintings:

1. "Ruins in the vicinity of Rome" , Canvas, oil. Artist Sternberg Vasily Ivanovich (1818-1845). Landscape painter and genre painter. In 1835-1838. studied at the Academy of Arts with M.N. Vorobyova. In the summer he lived in Ukraine, depicting scenes of folk life and Ukrainian nature. A close friend of T.G. Shevchenko. In 1839 he received the title of artist; in 1840, as a pensioner of the Academy of Arts, he was sent to Italy. Died in Rome.
2. "Bacchante". 1856 Canvas, oil. The painting was originally in the Vorontsov collection. Artist Maikov Nikolai Apollonovich (1794-1873). Historical painter of the academic movement. He was educated in the cadet corps and took part in the Patriotic War of 1812. He became a self-taught painter. Since 1835 - academician.

The very name of the hall indicates eastern influences. This is no coincidence: the room faces the south, where the architecture is oriental in nature.

The room got its name “Chinese Cabinet” from the mats that lined the upper part of the walls. The mats are embroidered with silk and beads; the nature of the embroidery indicates that they were made by Russian craftswomen, apparently serf embroiderers.

Individual decorative details show signs of a wide variety of styles. The ornamentation of embroideries on Chinese mats and wood carvings are made in the style of the Italian Renaissance of the 16th century, the framing of the mirror frames and their mirror decorations are Gothic in nature. Turned columns on the walls, carved garlands with tassels at the bottom are typical of Baroque.

But above all this, an atmosphere of oriental art reigns almost imperceptibly. This is expressed in the general splendor of the entire decorative decoration of the hall, in the intricate ornamentation of carving and molding, in the color combination of black, brown and cream, inherent in many works of Chinese applied art.

The art and talent of various craftsmen who worked on the decoration of the palace of sculptors, embroiderers, furniture makers and furniture carvers were especially clearly manifested in the Chinese cabinet. These high-class craftsmen perfectly executed the high paneled panels of light oak, fine wood carvings. The carving adorning the doors of the wall cupboard is distinguished by a special elegance, the ornament of which includes the first letter of the owner of this cabinet "E" - ELIZABETH.

Among the craftsmen who worked in the palace were talented furniture makers. It had its own furniture workshop, which produced chairs and armchairs located in this hall (on the backs - stylized Vorontsov's monograms), tables made of wavy birch (round living room and ladies' table - worker). It is known from the Vorontsov archives that serf carpenters worked in Alupka for many years: Naum Mukhin, Maxim Tislenko, Yakim Lapshin, a colonist from a German colony near Odessa Martyn Goltsman.

A small wall-mounted cabinet of French work, unusual in form, close to the Boulle style, fits well into the interior of the office. In its decoration, a tortoise shell is used, along which there is an ornament with copper and light metal. The locker is almost entirely decorative and could hold a small amount of papers or letters inside.

Consonant with him in color is a locker intended for storing jewelry. It was made in England in the second half of the 18th century using the painted lacquer technique (the lacquer tree grows in China and Japan). The varnish, which protects the wood from damage, can be tinted in different colors. The design is made by applying colored varnish layer by layer and is convex in nature.

A genuine work of decorative and applied art from Italy is a table with views of Roman architectural monuments. This smalt mosaic set was made in the papal workshops of the famous Italian artist Michelangelo Barberi (1787-1867) with the participation of Russian craftsmen. (Smalt is a set of tiny pieces of colored glass on a wax base).

The portrait of Elizaveta Ksaverevna Vorontsova was painted by an unknown artist based on the original by D. Doe. She is depicted in a Venetian dress, according to the fashion of those years. The image of a woman once sung by A.S. Pushkin, extremely attractive. The portrait is dominated by warm olive tones. On the western wall (where the portrait of E.K. Vorontsova) are color engravings by F. Bartalozzi from the originals by the English portraitist D. Reynolds (1723-1792): on the right is a portrait of Lavinia Spencer (1787), on the left is a portrait of her sister Anna Bingham (1787) .

On north wall:

• on the left is a portrait of Maria Spencer. Mezzotint by William Dickinson from an original by D. Reynolds (1723-1792)
• in the middle - "Meditation", color engraving from a drawing made by Countess Spencer
• on the right - Duchess Caroline of Marlborough with her daughter Caroline Spencer
• panel of the northern wall - types of English castles
• on the left and right (under the shelves) are views of the old castle in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. In the middle are views of Blenheim Castle (built on the site of the old castle in Woodstock).

During the Crimean (Yalta) conference of the leaders of the three allied powers (February 4-11, 1945), the palace in Alupka was provided to the British delegation led by Churchill. The prime minister's personal apartments were the Front and Chinese offices, connected by the Calico Room. The Chinese Cabinet houses a small exhibition dedicated to the outstanding political figure of the 20th century.

Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874-1965) by origin belonged to the famous family of the Dukes of Marlborough, one of the twenty ducal families of England. The founder of the dynasty, John Churchill (1650-1722), a former page of the Duke of York (later King James II), was commander-in-chief of the English army from 1702. Queen Anne elevated him to the dignity of duke, and for the brilliant victory at Blenheim on August 13, 1704, in memory of which a medal was struck, she granted the Duke lands in the royal lands of Woodstock in Oxfordshire. On the site of an old castle from the time of Elizabeth Tudor, designed by John Vanbrough (1664-1726) in 1705-1719. a huge palace was built, externally reminiscent of Versailles. The family estate was named "Blenheim". Winston Churchill was born here on November 30, 1874.

For more than a hundred years, it belonged to the Duke family in London, Marlborough House. Built in 1709-1711. K. Renom (1632-1723) in the Palladian style, the palace was distinguished by the luxury of its interior decoration and the richness of its interiors. In 1817, the heirs sold it to the royal treasury. Over the years, members of the royal family of England and their Russian relatives lived in the palace: Emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II, Empress Maria Feodorovna.

In the mid-18th century, the title and possessions of the Dukes of Marlborough passed through the female line to Charles Spencer, Earl of Sunderland (3rd Duke of Marlborough). His grandson, Count George Pembroke, was married in 1808 by his own sister, Count. M.S. Vorontsova - Ekaterina.

The decoration of the office is complemented by views of medieval castles in England, the romantic interpretation of which is the architecture of the Vorontsov Palace (1820-1840s, architect E. Blore) and engraved portraits of representatives of the Spencer family, executed according to originals by D. Reynolds.

A separate showcase displays documentary photographs (copies) taken during the conference and books dedicated to W. Churchill.

Served as the main entrance to the palace. Of all the interiors, it most closely resembles the state rooms of English palaces of the 16th century, in which a hall-hall was built in the center of the building, from where doors led to all other state and living rooms. The lobby is very similar to an English hall.

Its entrance doors are located on the northern facade, the architecture of which is restrained and austere, typical of English buildings of the 16th century. This rigor and simplicity seems to be further developed in the interior decoration of the lobby. Its proportions are harmonious and majestic. Almost all the architectural treatment is given in wood: the massive oak ceiling is symmetrically divided by profiled decorative squares, imitating the ribs that once played a load-bearing role. Tall oak panels are decorated with stylized Gothic arches.

Fireplaces made of gray diabase fit perfectly into the austere and somewhat gloomy color of the lobby. The upper part of the fireplaces is made of one single piece in the form of a gentle Tudor arch, on which a Gothic cruciferous flower is expertly carved. The diabase here is polished so finely that it has a mirror shine.

The nature of the paintings in this hall corresponds to its pomp and monumentality. These features are more characteristic of ceremonial portraits, the purpose of which is to glorify and idealize the person being portrayed in every possible way, to emphasize his social superiority and high position in society. Such portraits, as a rule, are large in size; clothes, jewelry, orders, and ribbons are carefully depicted in them. The ceremonial portrait was not intended to reveal the inner world of a person.

The ceremonial coronation portrait of Catherine II was created by one of the best portrait painters of the 18th century, Fyodor Rokotov (1736-1809). In his best portraits, which embodied the image of an enlightened representative of Russian society of his era, Rokotov gives a poetic idea of ​​​​a person, spiritualizes him. But when creating ceremonial portraits, he had to follow certain traditions, which were mentioned above. In the portrait of Catherine, the artist strives to emphasize the power and greatness of the empress, carefully depicting the luxurious royal clothing and furnishings. Catherine’s face is impenetrable.

A striking example of ceremonial portraits can be the works of foreign artists who worked in Russia in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

In the portrait of the English artist Richard Brompton (1734-1783), depicting A.V. Branitskaya, a ceremonial dress made of rustling dense silk, jewelry made of precious stones, and an order ribbon indicating that Branitskaya is a court lady of Catherine II are carefully painted, not by chance therefore, a marble bust of the empress is also depicted here. We can note the remarkable technique of execution of the portrait: the texture of various materials is perfectly conveyed, the hands are well drawn, but the face with a slight smile on the lips is somewhat idealized.

A similar description can be given to the portrait of K.P. Branicki, the work of the Austrian artist Johann Baptist Lampi (1751-1830). By depicting Branicki in a pompous pose, in knightly armor, which was no longer worn during the life of the person being portrayed, the artist sought to create a heroic image and emphasize the antiquity of the family of the Polish magnate.

On the northern wall are portraits of M.S.’s parents. Vorontsov by L. Desseme: Count Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov, Russian envoy to England (copy from the original by R. Evans) and Ekaterina Alekseevna Vorontsova. It is based on a chest-to-chest image made by D. G. Levitsky (the original is in the Russian Museum). The rest of the production setting: a figure sitting in a chair, hanging curtain tails, a beloved Tibetan dog against the backdrop of a beautifully painted satin dress - was invented by Louise Dessemé and is compositionally tied to the portrait of her husband. The portrait impresses with its decorativeness.

Among the ceremonial portraits of the Vestibule is the image of His Serene Highness Prince G.A. Potemkin - Tauride (1739-1791). The portrait entered the museum relatively recently in 1989 - a gift from Baron E.A. Von Falz-Fein.

The figure of Potemkin rises as if on a pedestal against the backdrop of a mountainous Crimean slope and a stormy sky. The ceremonial general's uniform is white with gold embroidery and decorated with order ribbons and the highest awards. A saber hilt is visible at the belt. Despite the idealization of the image, his facial features have not lost their individuality; they reveal the direct and proud character, broad mind and fearlessness of the person being portrayed.

The attributes and hand gestures are symbolic in the portrait: a telescope, an open map entitled “Pont Euxine” (the old name of the Black Sea). The pointing finger of the right hand is turned towards Sevastopol - the future stronghold of the Black Sea Fleet, its whitening buildings and bays are visible in the distance.

The palace in the middle was lit with 19 candles, so there are a lot of candelabra and sconces. In the simple interior of the lobby, dark bronze candelabra in the form of majestic female figures in ancient Greek clothes, made by French masters of the early 19th century, look good. Lantern made in pseudo-Gothic style in the second half of the 19th century.

A small vestibule covered with Persian embroidery, representing an embroidered paired portrait of the Persian Shah of the late 18th century, Feth Ali, served as a kind of transition from this harsh, somewhat gloomy room to the bright southern side of the palace. The author of the embroideries is a Persian master from the city of Rasht, Agha Bozorkh. He made them at the beginning of the 19th century using the figured sewing technique. This is a unique piece of applied art of its time. The technique of their execution is a delicate, scrupulous work: connecting individual very small figured pieces of material using chain and stem stitches. The execution of such figured sewing has its own secret, which has now been lost, so that we have before us rare, unique things.

These elegant oriental decorations seem to prepare the viewer for the perception of new architectural forms associated with the east, in which the decoration of the central part of the southern facade is maintained.

It is very different in its decoration from all other rooms. She is bright and pretty. After the gloomy entrance hall, the abundance of light here is striking: most of the living room is south-facing, with light pouring in through huge ceiling-to-floor windows and a bay window on the north side. The light blue walls and ceiling are covered with white stucco decoration in the form of garlands of flowers and leaves. It seems that this vegetation penetrated through numerous windows from the park and intertwined into a kind of gazebo.

The modeling was done by hand without stamping by Vorontsov’s serf craftsmen. The name of the remarkable serf sculptor Roman Furtunov, a native of the village of Moshen, Kyiv province, is known. It was he who supervised all the stucco work in the palace. A fireplace made of white Italian Carrara marble, decorated with floral patterns, goes very well with the wall decoration.

Successfully presented here is a set of light living room furniture, made in the style of late Russian classicism in the 20-30s of the 19th century, also by Vorontsov’s serf craftsmen. The furniture is decorated with designs of vines and ears of wheat, indicating its manufacture in the south.

The decoration of the hall is perfectly complemented by porcelain decorative vases in the form of craters, works of the Imperial Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg (now the Lomonosov Factory). They were painted by master Shchetinin.

The blue drawing room could also serve as a theater. Protrusions in the wall divide it into two unequal parts: the smaller one was the stage, the larger one was the auditorium. A wooden retractable curtain is hidden in the ledges. The last time in his life the great actor Mikhail Semenovich Shchepkin (1788-1863), the founder of the Russian realistic theater, performed in the home theater.

In 1863 he came on tour to Crimea. His health was very bad, but he hoped to get treatment here. At the invitation of the Vorontsovs, Shchepkin came from Yalta to the palace to speak to their guests, among whom he hoped to find patronage for a meeting with the queen, with whom he wanted to talk about the difficult situation of the artistic youth of that time. During the performance, Shchepkin became ill. After some time, he died in Yalta, where he was buried, and then his remains were transported to Moscow.

In 1896, Chaliapin sang and Rachmaninov played in the palace. In the 80s, the scene “In the Tavern” from the opera “Boris Godunov” was staged by artists of the Mamontov Opera. Among the cultural figures of the past who visited the palace in the 80s of the 19th century, the Ukrainian poet-democrat Stepan Vasilievich Rudansky should be especially noted. He worked in Yalta as a district doctor. But neither medical practice nor literary activity provided Rudansky with the necessary living wage, and he was forced at one time to work as a personal doctor for the Vorontsovs. And, it can be assumed that the comparison of the luxurious life of nobles like Vorontsov with the life of the working people gave the poet rich material for creating satirical works on this topic.

The palace is surrounded by a beautiful park, which was also created in the 1st half of the 19th century under the leadership of the talented gardener Kebakh. But in order to maintain the character of a northern castle-palace, they decided to build a winter garden here.

IN winter garden Tender heat-loving plants grew that could not even tolerate the southern winter and had to grow under a roof. Currently, rare araucarias, tall with spreading branches and delicate needles, are represented here - the homeland of Norfolk Island near Australia. From these same edges is the recurved cycad. Climbing up the walls, the creeping ficus repens (native Japan, China) is a plant preserved from the 1st half. 19th century.

White marble sculpture is a traditional decoration of gardens and parks. It goes perfectly with the lush greenery of plants, the mirror-like surface of park ponds and the sparkle of fountains.

In the center, near the fountain, there are three copies made by Russian masters of the 1st floor. 19th century. “Apollo Belvedere” is a copy of Leochares (Greek sculptor of the 4th century BC). Notable for its fine plasticity is a copy of a work by a 3rd century Greek sculptor. BC Doydals "Aphrodite Bathing". Unknown author – “Urania” – the muse of astronomy. Here is also the work of the French sculptor L. Marchest “First steps”, depicting a mother and a child starting to walk, and “Girl” by the Italian sculptor 1st floor. 19th century Quintilian Corbellini.

Sculptural portraits along the southern wall are the work of Western European sculptors of the 18th and 19th centuries.

The portrait of Empress Catherine II (1729-1796) was faithfully executed by the author of the German school, Johann Oesterreich (1747-1801). He is distinguished by his exquisite craftsmanship in rendering openwork lace, ermine fur, curled hair and other details in marble.

French sculptor Denis Foitier (1793-1863), known in France for his works in the spirit of classicism, decorating the Tuileries Garden and the Church of St. Madeleine in Paris. He is also the author of numerous sculptural portraits. He painted portraits of the Vorontsovs in Paris in 1821. In the portrait of Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov (1744-1832), the observant artist was able to convey the individual traits and nobility of the Russian aristocrat. The portraits of Mikhail Semenovich and Elizaveta Ksaveryevna are executed in classical traditions, their faces are significantly idealized.

Perhaps the most expressive sculptural portrait of this small gallery is the “Portrait of William Pitt Jr.” (1757-1806), the English Prime Minister of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, by Joseph Nollekens (1737-1822). Nollekens is one of those English sculptors who in the 18th century they turned to realistic depictions of their contemporaries. In this work, the author realistically and convincingly showed a proud and arrogant English lord.

The most majestic room of the palace. The proportions in this room are perfectly found: the ratio of length, height and width. A ton of light pours in from the huge bay window and the window-doors located on both sides of it.

The interior decoration of the State Dining Room, as well as the Entrance Hall, is the most striking orientation towards English palace interiors of the 16th century. Carved wood is widely used in decoration. The ceiling decoration, reminiscent of medieval Gothic vaults, is more decorative than in the Entrance Hall and ends with carved padlocks. The railings of the balcony for musicians, connected by a bridge to the service building, are decorated with fine carvings.

The light brown tone of the wood harmonizes well with the olive color of the walls and gives the interior a strict, solemn sound.

Four panels by the French artist Hubert Robert (1733-1808), a great master of monumental architectural landscape, are an integral part of the decoration of the walls of the State Dining Room. During the construction of the palace, they were tightly fixed into carved frames. These decorative works, with their restrained brownish-greenish color, with the verticals of obelisks, poplars and cypresses, with the ruins of ancient architectural monuments, and romantic semi-fantastic nature, harmoniously fit into the interior. The best of them, “Basilica” and “Terrace,” dated 1802, are distinguished by their remarkable rendering of the air environment and perspective, and soft coloring.

Between two diabase fireplaces there is a fountain made of the same material, processed in the form of a fireplace. Here we once again encounter the remarkable work of stone carvers, who finely executed the turrets flanking the jagged cornice of the fountain and other decorations. The inside of the fountain is decorated with majolica slabs.

The furnishings of the formal dining room are consistent with the character of its decoration. The mahogany dining tables with massive, artistically crafted English bases of the 1st half of the 19th century sparkle ceremoniously and solemnly with a mirror-like shine of polishing.

A sideboard with legs in the form of powerful lion paws, with curls decorated with stylized palm and acanthus leaves along the edge of the tabletop is distinguished by the richness of decorative finishing. Integrated with the sideboard is an open lead-lined wine cellar for cooling wines.

Among the bronze decorating the dining room, the most interesting exhibits are candelabra decorated with Ural malachite, where one can note both the fine workmanship and the beautiful combination of bronze with the bright greenery of the stone.

The principles of decoration of this room are the same as in the lobby and dining room: orientation towards English palace interiors of the 16th century. The room was intended for games and entertainment. The billiard table was made of mahogany by the English company Barrow and Watt in the mid-19th century. A walnut set (sofa, table, chairs) with metal inlay and carvings - English work of the mid-19th century.

Palaces of the 18th and first half of the 19th centuries, as a rule, had collections of paintings. Sometimes special art galleries were set up for them, but more often the paintings were placed in the state rooms.

The walls of the billiard room were convenient for displaying paintings, so they are presented here in large quantities. These are works of Western European artists of different times and schools.

First of all, two large still lifes by the 18th century Flemish artist Peter Sneyers (1681-1752) attract attention. With their monumental size, dynamic composition and colorful decorativeness, they are very characteristic of the Flemish school of this time, as well as the work of the artist himself. The still lifes are painted with great love and skill, so vividly that in the “Vegetable Pantry” we seem to feel the juiciness of the cabbage, the silkiness of the onions, and note how skillfully the texture of various materials is conveyed: the ringing metal of a copper basin with a bright shine, next to it the dull, fragile ceramic jug. “The Fish Pantry” is interesting for its dynamic composition, sonorous color and sculptural depiction of fish.

In the center above the fireplace is the work of the Italian artist of the Venetian school of the 18th century Bernardo Belotto (1720-1730) “Pirna. Upper Gate." The artist worked a lot in Poland and Germany. Before us is one of his German architectural landscapes with a harsh and gloomy medieval castle and a modest street contrasting with it.

“The Politician” is a work by the English artist William Hoggart (1697-1764). This is a painting by an outstanding realist artist of his time. The author of satirical paintings, he castigated the morals of the bourgeoisie. "The Politics" satirizes the merchant Mr. Tibson, who seeks to become famous as an expert on politics. Reading the newspaper, he doesn’t want to notice anything around him, not even the burning hat on his head, which he accidentally set on fire with a candle. The canvas is written in a free manner, very lively.

“Portrait of a Man” by F. Pourbus the Elder (1545-1581) is one of the best works of painting in this room. It conveys the character of an intelligent, strong-willed person with realistic depth. The face is masterfully painted, executed in a subtle color scheme, and the serious, penetrating eyes are expressive.

Dutch painting reached its peak in the 17th century. She was distinguished by her democracy, truthfulness and high artistic skill. The “Portrait of a Woman in Black” presented in the exhibition was painted in 1664 in the best realistic traditions of this school.

The nature of Alupka is distinguished by contrasts. If its northern mountainous part is harsh and static, which affected the architecture of the palace facades facing it, then the southern part of the city (area) is of a completely different nature - its landscape is dynamic, bright in color. Here, vast expanses of sea open up, the waters of which sparkle in the sun and shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow. And above the sea, to the very horizon, there is boundless heavenly blue. The lush vegetation contains a lot of flowering exotics.

The entire landscape, full of a major key, suggests different forms of architecture than in the northwestern part of the palace. E. Blore finds a successful solution by turning to the elegant forms and light colors of Indo-Muslim architecture of the 16th-17th centuries, combining them with motifs of the English Tudor style. Moreover, such a combination in the history of the development of architecture is not accidental: in a number of forms and elements of Gothic one can discern similarities with the forms of oriental architecture. Europe became acquainted with Arab architecture even before the emergence of Gothic - during the Crusades - and borrowed arches and towers in the form of minarets from the Arabs.

Inspired by such superb works of Hindu-Muslim architecture as the famous Taj Mahal in Agra, Humayun's Mausoleum in Delhi or the fabulous Alhambra Palace in Grenada, the architect creates the South Facade. It is in the Alupka palace complex - another new aspect of architecture so characteristic of romantic architecture, giving an idea of ​​some kind of oriental palace, evoking associations with Indo-Muslim mosques of the 16-17 centuries.

A huge portal opens here, the top of which is flanked by turrets reminiscent of minarets. A deep semi-circular niche two stories high is framed by a carved horseshoe-shaped arch, its vaulted ceiling is decorated with alabaster carvings.

The oriental character of the central portal is emphasized by the inscription on the frieze of the niche in Arabic: “And there is no winner but Allah.”

A typical detail of oriental architecture is the verandas that encircle the entire southern facade along with the Shuvalovsky building, as well as the wide extension of the roof over the cornice, decorated with carved overhangs. These details play an important functional role in protecting rooms from heat and blinding sunlight.

The openwork grilles of the verandas and balustrades give this part of the palace a special elegance. A stylized Indian lotus flower is woven into the decor of thin metal columns, rhythmically repeating along the facade from the Chinese cabinet to the dining room. The presence of the forms of this flower in the architectural decoration of the southern facade strengthens its connection with the local exotic flora.

Thanks to its asymmetrical silhouette - details striving upward, the palace on the south side organically fits into the panorama of Alupka. And the horizontal placement of the buildings of the entire palace complex, its broken line, as if repeating the line of the mountain range, the local diabase stone from which all the buildings are built, surrounded by exotic vegetation, make the entire palace and park ensemble an integral part of the Crimean mountain landscape, harmoniously merging with it.

A diabase staircase leads from the palace towards the sea, decorated with marble sculptures of lions, made in the workshop of the Italian sculptor Bonanni. The best of them is “Sleeping Lion”. The sculptor superbly sculpted this mighty animal in a state of absolute peace, every feature in it breathes life, the muscles are relaxed, everything in it expresses the pleasure of a sweet sleep.

Nearby is an “awakened lion”, ready to roar. The next pair are the “Rising” and “Roaring Lions”, guarding the entrance to the palace.

Around the palace there is a vast park, which is a work of high landscape gardening art (it deserves separate consideration). The park is divided into two parts: upper and lower. The Upper Park is landscape. By laying it out, the gardeners wanted it to look like a forest. The southern part of the palace faces the lower park, which was built according to the principle of regular Italian parks. Here the skillful hand of the gardener is visible in everything: both in the arrangement of vegetation and in its curly haircut. Near the palace itself, the park is decorated with artistically made cascading fountains and decorative vases made of white marble.

The library building was built specifically for Vorontsov’s library, which was created over decades, passed down from generation to generation and numbered over 25 thousand books. The contents of the library are wide and multifaceted; it is encyclopedic in nature. In addition to books in Russian, there are a lot of books in foreign languages: English, French, Italian, etc.

The library characterizes Vorontsov as a practical figure who clearly understands the importance of deep theoretical knowledge for practice. The library contains books on various branches of science and production (medicine, sheep breeding, shipping, winemaking, legal proceedings). Memoirs, books on philosophy, history, natural science, politics, reference books, catalogues, reports, charters, codes of laws, archives are stored in this library. It quite fully reflects the state of not only Russian, but also European culture in the mid-19th century. There is no tour of the library; these are museum collections.

Why is it worth visiting the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka?

Alupka Palace is a complex and interesting phenomenon in architecture. Built from local materials by the hands of fortress stone-cutters, it became an integral part of the south coast landscape. Comparison with other estate complexes in Russia and Ukraine, as well as Western Europe in the first half of the 19th century, allows us to rightfully consider it an outstanding monument of palace and park architecture.

Palace M.S. Vorontsov in Alupka is one of the most famous attractions Crimean peninsula. It is at the foot of mountain range Ai-Petri. The beautiful park surrounding it, like the palace itself, has been a museum since 1956.

Photo of Vorontsov Palace:

Palace architecture

The style in which the building was built is a combination of English and neo-Moorish styles; they not only combine perfectly with each other, but also perfectly take into account the surrounding terrain. The author of the project, the English architect Edward Blore, managed to organically combine elements of the English style from the ancient period to the 16th century, which is observed in its western part. Oriental elements are presented on South entrance, where the arch, made in the form of a horseshoe, and the two-tier vault are richly decorated with carvings. There is even an Arabic text that says: “and there is no winner but Allah.” The chimneys in this part resemble the towers of minarets.

Historical reference

The Vorontsov Palace took 20 years to build, in 1828 - 48. for Count M.S. Vorontsov, who was at that time the governor of the Novorossiysk region. Architects F. Boro and T. Harrison began construction. The English architect E. Blore replaced them after the sudden death of Harrison. He never came, he only studied the area well, on the basis of which he created his masterpiece. The construction was supervised by U. Gunt, his student.

Interesting:
The palace was built by serfs from the Moscow and Vladimir provinces. When performing the most complex relief decoration, only manual labor and primitive tools were used.

The first was in 1830 - 34. a dining building was erected, construction was completed in 1840 - 46. library building. At the same time, in 1840 - 48 Large-scale work was carried out to build the park. Even sapper soldiers were involved in the construction of terraces at the southern facade.

The park was created by the German K.A. from 1824 to 1851. Kebakh, who was the main gardener of the entire South Coast. The park area is 40 hectares. More than 200 plant species are represented here.

Interesting:
20 bags of semi-precious stones were poured onto the bottom of Swan Lake, which adorns the park, to create an extraordinary play of light in sunny weather.

The final point in the creation of a magnificent garden and park ensemble was the installation of marble lions created by Italian masters on the central staircase at the main entrance.

A little about the customer and the first owner

Count Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov is best known to us from a not very flattering side. And this, thanks to the caustic epigrams of A.S. Pushkin, who was under his supervision during the southern exile. And really, how can you treat someone whose wife you are in love with without reciprocity. So our great poet took it out on Elizaveta Ksaveryevna’s husband with all his fervor. Every student is familiar with Pushkin's description of the general:

Half my lord, half merchant,
Half-sage, half-ignorant,
Semi-scoundrel, but there is hope
Which will be complete at last.

In reality, M.S. Vorontsov is an intelligent, respectable person and a real hero. It is no coincidence that his figure is presented on the monument to the 1000th anniversary of Russia. He was born into a famous family, Catherine II became his godmother. The young man received an education (brilliant!) in London, where his father served as an envoy.

Starting military service at the age of 21, he participated in many battles. Here are just a few of them:

• - 1804 - assault on the Ganja fortress in the Caucasus;
• - 1809 - storming of the Bazardzhik fortress in the Balkans;
• - 1812 - Borodino (bayonet wound in hand-to-hand combat);
• - 1813 - battle near Leipzig;
• - 1814 - capture of Paris.

M.S. Vorontsov led the occupying troops in Paris, and when they left France, he collected information about the debts of officers and soldiers to the local population and compensated everything from personal funds (almost 1,500,000 of those rubles), selling one of his estates for this.

He did a lot for the economic development of Bessarabia, Odessa, the Crimea, the Novorossiysk region, and all of southern Russia.

Military service M.S. Vorontsov continued in the Caucasus in 1844. For his successes he received the title of prince, then, his Serene Highness, the rank of field marshal general, the position of the Caucasian governor.

Personal qualities of M.S. Vorontsova.

He was a bibliophile and a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He had a unique library, which his father and his own aunt E.R. began to collect. Dashkova.

His awards for military and public services make up a huge list, among them

• St. George Cross of three degrees (for personal courage);
• - 2 golden swords (for bravery),
• — Order of St. Vladimir;
• — Alexander Nevsky;
• — Andrew the First-Called and many more Russian and foreign orders and awards.

He was loved by the soldiers, for whom he abolished physical punishment, was easy to handle and approachable with them, and was loved and respected by the officers. After his death, a sad saying was born among the military: “God is high, the Tsar is far away, but Vorontsov died.”

There are several monuments to the general, created with money collected by people grateful to him. He died in 1856 and was buried in Odessa. In 2005, with military honors, his ashes and the ashes of his wife were transferred to the Transfiguration Cathedral.
In general, the great poet was wrong.

Governor General's Palace

Today the Southern Coast of Crimea is a luxurious and popular resort destination, and in the first years of the 19th century. he was just gaining fame. Russian landowners developed fertile places, and M.S. was no exception. Vorontsov is one of the richest people of his time. His choice fell on the small Tatar village of Alupka.

What attracted the Novorossiysk Governor-General? Of course, the same thing that modern tourists highly value:

• - healing climate;
• — luxurious landscapes;
• - warm sea;
• - surrounding springs.

The architects paid tribute to the love of M.S. Vorontsov to everything English, but at the same time they emphasized the recent Turkish influence that remained in Crimea. All this is taken into account in the harmonious mixture of English and oriental styles, and the participation in the formation of the image of the palace of the Ai-Petri mountain range is not forgotten.

Interesting:
To increase seismic resistance, lead is poured into the foundation slabs.

Continuation of a story

After the death of the owner, the palace passed to his nephews, Pavel Andreevich Shuvalov, then Mikhail Andreevich. The last owner was the granddaughter of M.S. Vorontsova Elizaveta Andreevna Vorontsova-Dashkova.

During the Soviet period, the estate was nationalized. At first there was a NKVD dacha here, and in 1921 a museum began operating in the palace.

During the Great Patriotic War, the exhibits did not have time to be evacuated; 4,980,000 rubles worth of rarities were exported to Germany (in 1945 terms)

Interesting:
The museum was twice saved from destruction by S.G. Shchekoldin, a museum employee appointed by the Germans as its director. He prevented an explosion from dynamite planted by the NKVD. He managed to save the building from air bombs. He also provided a list of stolen items. BUT! He was sentenced “for collaboration with the occupiers” to 10 years. Rehabilitated only in 1991.

In February 1945, during the Yalta Conference, a British delegation led by W. Churchill lived in the palace. Until 1955 there was a state dacha here.

Since 1956 it has been a museum, and since 1990 a museum-reserve, including a park and a palace.

Palace interiors

The building has 150 rooms located in 5 buildings. It also combines elements of English style and oriental motifs.

The rooms are symmetrical, their doors are opposite each other. Each room has a fireplace, and there are portraits of famous people and landscapes on the walls. The sculptures in the greenhouse are depictions of family members of the first owner.

In 1914, electricity appeared in the palace.

Currently, 10 rooms on the ground floor are available to visitors. In them, the original interior was practically preserved. These are front rooms, where the owners received guests, and a greenhouse. Some of the furniture is original. The rest are chosen with such skill that they do not violate the overall picture.

Interesting:
The parquet of the palace is authentic - it is almost 200 years old.

Video review of the palace:

Tourist Information

In addition to the main exhibition, visitors are offered the following exhibitions:

• - butler's apartment;
• — Vorontsov’s kitchen;
• - Shuvalov's house;
• - park sculpture
• and a number of others.

Important:
You can buy tickets for each exhibition separately, but it is more profitable to buy a single ticket for 650 rubles. Children under 16 years old visit the palace for free. Students, pensioners and citizens 16-18 years old for 325 rubles.

You can ride around the park in an electric car. The cost of such an excursion is 800 rubles for the entire group (from 4 to 20 people.) Excursion service is also provided in the museum.

The main exhibition is open seven days a week from 8:00 to 20:00. The remaining exhibitions are closed on Monday and Wednesday.

Detailed and up-to-date information on the palace website: http://worontsovpalace.org (official site)

How to get to Vorontsov Palace

Buses go here from Yalta central bus station. Go to the Alupka Palace stop. Continue through the park on foot. By minibus you can get to the local bus station and, following the signs, walk 850 meters on foot. You can take a boat on the sea - this is an additional pleasure and experience. Then from the beach uphill. Address: Alupka, Dvortsovoye Highway, 18.

Vorontsov Palace on the map of Crimea

GPS Coordinates: N 44.419861, E 34.055972 Latitude/Longitude

In 1823, the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, Count Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov, became governor-general of the Novorossiysk region, which at that time included Crimea. The development of Crimea owes a lot to this strong-willed and energetic person. Under his leadership, a highway is being built on the southern coast of Crimea, the agricultural and especially wine industries are rapidly developing, and the number of industrial enterprises is rapidly growing. The history of the Black Sea shipping company began in 1828. During these same years, the count was actively buying land from the local Tatar population and dreaming of creating his own palace.

Construction of the palace lasted for 20 years.

After the death of Thomas Harisson in 1829 in 1831, Count Vorontsov suddenly ordered to stop the construction of the palace and radically change the neoclassical style of the palace. The Count invites one of the most talented architects of that time, Edward Blore. According to the architect's idea, the palace is being built in the English Gothic style. In the same year, construction of the main building begins. The building material for the construction of the walls was diabase, a rock of volcanic origin that is several times stronger than granite. Deposits of this stone are found in abundance nearby. Diabase is very difficult to process, but this does not stop Count Vorontsov, because he was the richest man in the country and more than 60,000 serfs worked under his leadership. Even a sapper battalion took part in the excavation work, whose soldiers worked on the construction of terraces on the southern side of the facade.

Interesting fact: the architect Blore never visited the construction site. He got his entire idea of ​​the terrain from numerous drawings and engravings.

In 1948, construction of the palace came to an end. The Vorontsov Palace consists of five buildings, decorated with towers, which are connected by various passages, stairs and courtyards. The architect managed to organically fit the buildings stretched from west to east into the mountainous landscape of the area. Externally, the palace very much resembles a family feudal castle in England.

Palace interiors

The interiors of the Vorontsov Palace are in no way inferior to the Livadia Palace in the luxury of its decoration. The decoration of the rooms has been almost completely preserved. Each room, and there are about 150 of them, is designed in a personal style. The materials that were used in the decoration are reflected in the names of the rooms. The Chinese cabinet is decorated with the finest rice straw, decorative elements are embroidered with beads and silk. The decoration of the Chintz room is skillfully made from this fabric. The brightest room of the Vorontsov Palace is the Blue Living Room, the highlight of which is the stucco ornament in the form of petals and leaves. There are about three thousand of them in total and each of them is different from the other. The fireplaces of the palace are a separate masterpiece of architectural art. In each room they are unique and made of different materials.

Alupka park

The Vorontsov Palace is located on the territory of Alupka Park, which is a pearl of landscape design. This masterpiece was created by the Head Gardener South Shore Crimea Karl Antonovich Kebakh for 25 years. The park spreads over an area of ​​40 hectares. More than two hundred species of plants grow here, which were brought from the regions of Northern and South America, Mediterranean. Geographically it is divided into Upper and Lower parks. The park is designed in such a way that it complements the local nature. Three reservoirs have been artificially created in the park.

Interesting fact: To decorate the bottom of Swan Lake, Count Vorontsov ordered 20 bags of semi-precious stones, which were delivered by ship. In sunny weather they created an indescribably beautiful play of light.

The attraction of the park is the piles of stones from solidified magma, thrown out by the volcano back in time immemorial, called “Great Chaos” and “Little Chaos”. There are also a large number of fountains built in the park.

clearing in the park

Interesting facts about Vorontsov Palace

The palace was owned by three generations of the Vorontsov family. The cost of laying out the park is twice as high as the construction of the palace itself. In 1910, up to 36,000 rubles were spent on maintaining the park, a huge amount at that time. The Vorontsov Palace is one of the first buildings in Russia where sewerage and water supply were built for comfortable living. Since 1921, a museum has been operating in the palace complex. Only after the Great Patriotic War, for about 10 years, the territory of the Vorontsov Palace was a secret object and there was a dacha for the party leadership here. During the Yalta Conference in February 1945, the British delegation led by William Churchill lived in the Vorontsov Palace. There is an interesting story connected with it that happened during a walk in Churchill and Stalin Park. The fact is that the staircase on the side of the facade, which faces the sea, is decorated with sculptures of guarding lions. Churchill, who really liked the sculpture of the sleeping lion, said that it looked like himself and offered Stalin to buy it. Stalin refused this proposal, but suggested to Churchill that if he answered his question correctly, Stalin would give him a sleeping lion. “Which finger on your hand is the main one?” - that was Stalin’s question. Churchill replied, “Of course the index finger.” “Wrong,” Stalin answered and twisted a figure from his fingers, which is popularly called a fig.

Rest in the Crimea can turn into an interesting adventure that will remain in your memory forever. The main thing is to plan your visit to the most interesting and exciting sights correctly. One of them is the noble Vorontsov Palace, which definitely deserves attention. The building is located in a picturesque location by the sea and the foot of Ai-Petri. It is surrounded by a magnificent park that harmoniously complements the amazing view. A visit to the palace will give truly unforgettable emotions and the opportunity to feel like a guest of an eminent prince.

Vorontsov Palace in Crimea: history

The exquisite Vorontsov Palace combines the severity of English architecture and the luxury of Indian palaces. The building is in harmony with the local landscape and mountain-sea panorama. It also has interesting story, which dates back to 1828.

The construction of the palace began on the order of Count Mikhail Vorontsov, known for his courage and participation in many military events. He personally chose perfect place for his estate and invited an Englishman, Edward Blore, as an architect. The architect supervised the process remotely and never came to the construction site. The process of constructing the palace itself was quite lengthy and took 20 long years - from 1828 to 1848.

The count's estate was built from a very strong stone that must be handled confidently and skillfully - diabase. It was he who magnificently decorated the exterior of the building. The stone was processed by hand by specialist stone cutters who were called from central Russia. The costs of building the palace reached a tidy sum - 9 million silver rubles.

Vorontsov himself did not live in the palace for a very long time, since he had to leave for an appointment in the Caucasus. However, his daughter and her children settled there. Then, after the count's death, the estate was inherited by his son. After the revolution and change of power, the palace and its lands were nationalized. In 1945, Vorontsov's estate became the residence of the British delegation for some time. The heads of allied states – Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt – met in the State Dining Room.

Later, the palace acted both as a state dacha for the NKVD and as a sanatorium. Only in 1956 did it become a museum. Nowadays, it is very popular among tourists who come even from abroad. Here you can see various works of painting, applied art, and sculpture. Also ancient documents, lithographs, drawings.

What else is interesting about the Vorontsov Palace in Yalta?

The overall impression of the grandeur and sophistication of the palace is complemented by the unique Vorontsov Park, which arouses the same interest of tourists as the estate itself. It allows you to enjoy unique plants that have been carefully selected taking into account the local climate and topography. They were brought to Crimea from different parts of the world; in total, there are about 200 different types of vegetation in the park.

The park was created by a German gardener, Karl Kebach, who happily set to work. He planned the area according to the principle of an amphitheater with a clear structure. The park itself had to maintain its connection with the palace and complement the chosen style of architecture. Karl Kebach managed to achieve his goal, because the park fits perfectly into the overall concept.

The park is conventionally divided into lower and upper. Its lower territory is decorated in the style of Renaissance gardens. There are elegant fountains, stone benches, Byzantine columns, beautiful vases, and marble sculptures here. There is also access to the beach.

The upper territory was created in the English romanticism style, which was characterized by naturalness and naturalness. Here you can find shady ponds, a well-thought-out system of lakes, picturesque meadows, sections of the Crimean forest, rocky debris, grottoes, and small waterfalls. This part of the park was conceived as an ideal place for contemplating the mountains and the sea.

The park almost always remains green, as pines, spruces, cypresses, cedars, and firs grow here. In the warm season, delicate magnolias, amazing cercis, and various exotic shrubs bloom here. The territory of the park is captivating with its beauty and elegance; many guests of the peninsula often visit only the park and enjoy the exterior of the palace. Photos of the Vorontsov Palace in Crimea and its original park will be an excellent souvenir that will remind you of an unforgettable vacation.

How to get to the Vorontsov Palace in Yalta?

The exact address where the Vorontsov Palace is located in Crimea: Alupka, Palace Highway 18. You can get there in several ways:

1. Take advantage public transport. If you get from the Yalta bus station, you should take buses No. 107 or No. 115. The stop where you will need to get off is called “Bus Station” and is located in Alupka. Then you need to go to the western gate and through it enter the palace territory. You can also get to the complex from the city center. To do this, you should use the minibus number 132, which will take you to the final stop called "Vorontsov Palace". Then you need to go to the northern main entrance of the building.
2. Get there by car. This travel option is the most comfortable and fastest. From Yalta, you should go to the Yalta-Sevastopol highway and move to the Alupka sign. Travel time may take 15-20 minutes.
3. Use taxi services. In Yalta, you can order a taxi directly to your hotel and from there get to the palace. Such a trip will be as comfortable as possible, but its cost is more expensive than other options.
4. Take a ride on a regular boat. The journey starts from the sea station in Yalta, from which a boat departs every 2 hours. Travel time will take about 35 minutes. A ticket costs 100 rubles, the price is quite affordable. You will need to get off the boat in Alupka and go up a little towards Vorontsovsky Park.

The ticket price to visit the Vorontsov Palace in Crimea is 350 rubles for adults and 200 for children. This price includes a sightseeing tour. Visiting thematic exhibitions in the palace is paid separately if you want to see them. A tour of the complex's park is also paid separately. There is a souvenir shop in the palace where you can buy small souvenirs.

Where to relax after visiting the sights of Yalta?

The best choice for a perfect holiday will be the unique Villa Elena Hotel & Residences. Here guests can enjoy an atmosphere of luxury that gives incredible home comfort. You can stay in a magnificent historical building, which has its own unusual history since 1912. A modern building is also available, which will delight you with rooms with a refined interior. On the territory of Villa Elena you can visit the restaurant, relax near the pool, and spend time in the spa center.