In the spring of 1731, Sheremetev ordered the old wooden structure to be dismantled
The greenhouse in the depths of the ground floor was to be replaced by a new one made of stone.
The greenhouse became the swan song of Fyodor Argunov, who invested everything in the project
knowledge and all the talent of the outstanding Russian Baroque architect. In the middle of the new
Greenhouses Fyodor Argunov placed an octagonal voxal in two tiers
a pavilion crowned, as if by a crown, with a balustrade: decorative vases. TO
In the early 60s, fashions changed. Now the ladies' fags took up so much
places where, for example, in a Dutch house you could
squeeze through only sideways. Therefore, they led to the central pavilion of the Greenhouse
huge glazed doors. Extensive arched windows above the doors served
"second light" Contrary to the name, they were needed not so much for lighting,
how much to emphasize the height, solemnity and splendor
front rooms. Between the tier of doors and the tier of windows, Argunov hung
powerful consoles, a circular balcony for the Sheremetyevo orchestra members. From here
sounded not only dance, but also symphonic music Sheremetevsky
orchestra and choral singing. Adjoining the voxal, like wings, are inclined
glass walls. The rectangular network of their bindings contrasts with
curvilinear forms of the central pavilion and small single-tier
pavilions at the ends. The contrast of massive and airy, direct and
curved, so characteristic of Baroque architecture, gave the building even more
more similar to theatrical decoration than the previous one had
wooden greenhouse. The premises on the sides of the central pavilion, which gave
Greenhouses, its name, were not greenhouses at all, but sidelines at
dance hall. While the youth danced, in glass wings
Kuskov's greenhouses, on the paths between tubs with tropical plants,
Conversations strolled among the laurel, orange, and lemon trees.
The greenhouse was not only a vauxhall, but also special, characteristic of the era
the embodiment of the “noble paradise” - the winter garden. Winter gardens were mandatory
part of the 18th century estate, and the one who keeps heat-loving plants in
conditions of the Russian climate were beyond his means, he painted in his house
blooming magnolias and orange groves on the walls of the room adjacent to
hall When in April 1755, in his famous speech delivered in
Petersburg on the occasion of the opening of Moscow University, Lomonosov pointed out
natural science as the basis of all sciences, winter garden in Kuskovo became
collection of exotic plants, one of the richest in Russia.
The central volume of the Greenhouse, emphasizing the main axis of everything
complex, - the most tall building regular park. Two-tiered, he
pushed onto the ground by its three sides. Low porch, fan-shaped
diverging to the sides, inviting you to enter. There are three large ones for the entrance,
Almost the entire wall, glazed opening. This one spread out along the facade
the octagon was intended for concert hall. Tall, two-light, with
huge windows, he rushed upward. An internal area is reserved for musicians.
a balcony protruding only to the depth of the brackets supporting it. From
concert hall, the same large openings lead to galleries with glass
walls.
The opposite, northern facade of the Orangery was designed completely differently.
Facing the ditch enclosing the regular park, it looks like
one-story building with a raised roof. The projections of the side pavilions are steel
smooth, two rows of small windows appeared in them, and the domes became smooth,
two rows of side windows appeared in them, and the domes disappeared completely. Although
the northern façade retains the three-part composition, but its
scale and plasticity. If for the parterre space, a third in length
kilometer, it was necessary to enlarge the scale of buildings as much as possible, then by
there was no such need on the opposite (northern) side.
10.Construction of the church.
A tribute to the memory of his father and grandfather, a symbolic gesture on his part, was
foundation in 1737 new church in Kuskovo. Now intricate and patterned
The churches of pre-Petrine Rus' finally went out of fashion. Churches, like
civil buildings were erected taking into account Western European architectural
traditions - with obligatory pediments, pilasters protruding from the walls,
deep niches and other decorative elements of a magnificent, solemn
Baroque style.
IN ancient Rus' both priests and laity alike wore beards, and
The vestments of the clergy were similar to the long-skirted fairies of the boyars. After
the nobles were forced to shave, dressed in European caftans and put on them
the wigs, beards and braids of the priests looked like a kind of makeup, and
church vestments - like a theatrical costume, which led to complication and
"scenery". The decoration of the church becomes more and more magnificent. Beginnings
church choral music also changed, which was now influenced by Italian
singing school. The old wooden church in Kuskovo, built in the 17th century,
was ordered to be dismantled: the new stone building was to be distinguished
a new style that was coming into fashion. We don't know if the unknown person offered us
architect to decorate the church with sculpture or was it Peter's desire
Borisovich. The sculpture attracted, in addition to its novelty, its ability
make the viewer not only see, but also feel internally,
“experience” the position and movement of the sculptured figure. Corporeal,
spatial volumes were the direct opposite of ethereal ones,
planar images of ancient Russian icon painting. Peter 1 saw in circulation
sculptures are the victory of the secular principle in art over the ecclesiastical. Therefore he
planted the sculpture with his characteristic obsession and purchased it in Europe for
the new capital has more than three hundred statues. However, in Moscow and the Moscow region
sculpture remained a rare and expensive novelty even in the 30s of the 18th century. IN
Kuskovo sculptures were placed on the cornices of the first cubic tier
church and in the niches of the octagon that made up the second tier, so that
the shaded recesses of the niches emphasized their silhouettes. The largest sculpture
crowned the dome and slightly resembled buildings. With her unusual appearance she
exceeded the height of the mansion, and the passengers of the carriages approaching from the side
Moscow, it seemed that the participants of some kind of performance before the performance
climbed the festive structure to greet from afar
spectators.
The history of the now famous Kuskovo Estate begins at the end of the 16th century, when the Sheremetevs owned one small plot of this land, a “piece,” as Count Boris Petrovich Sheremetev called it. All other lands in the district belonged to Count Alexei Mikhailovich Cherkassky. Everything changed after the union of Boris Sheremetyev’s son and only daughter Alexey Cherkassky. Since then, the Sheremetevs have become the full owners of all this land. But the name remained - Kuskovo. To receive guests, by order of the count, a palace and a manor complex with an adjacent architectural composition, which even now any visitor to the Kuskovo estate museum can admire. The estate belonged to the Sheremetev family for more than three hundred years, until 1917. In 1918, Kuskovo received the status of a museum-estate.
You can only enter the estate through the ticket office. In 2015, for a walk in the park you need to pay a symbolic amount of 40 rubles. The price for entering each building ranges from 50 to 150 rubles. For the first visit, we decided to limit ourselves to a general ticket for 350 rubles, which included the park, the Palace, the American Greenhouse and the Grotto, and paid 100 rubles separately. for photography. Also entrance tickets can be purchased in each of the buildings without returning to the ticket office at the entrance.
Park in Kuskovo Estate
We enter a French park with many alleys, ponds and paths. Neatly trimmed trees and shrubs of regular geometric shapes lure you into their green labyrinths. It’s still unclear which way to go, but the guard at the entrance assured us that there are signs all around, so it’s impossible to get lost.
Alley of trees in front of the Italian House.
And here is the Italian house itself.
There are beautiful white statues everywhere.
Another alley, but this one leading to the Grotto.
A series of tunnels made of intertwined branches next to the Palace.
Obviously, Kuskovo is one of the favorite places for wedding ceremonies and photo sessions, where every bride feels like a real princess. During our short walk we managed to see several weddings and just photo sessions.
Ponds are an integral part of the entire park composition. The largest one is located right in front of the Palace. If the weather permits, you can sit on the lawn, read a book or chat with friends.
From the same place there is a wonderful view of the Grotto, the Italian House and the ice cream stand. 🙂
WITH back side The grotto also has a pond. Despite its small size, colorful fish swim in the pond, and the banks allow you to go straight down to the water. There is also a third pond on the territory of the estate, opposite the Dutch House, but, unfortunately, we did not have time to visit it.
Walking through the park, we unexpectedly came across a bird aviary in which a family of peacocks lived with their chicks.
The walk among the tall bushes turned out to be somewhat chaotic, every turn was terribly intriguing, my eyes ran wild, I wanted to visit everywhere at the same time, but time was running out, and I had to go to the Palace.
Palace in the Kuskov Estate
The Big House - that’s what the Palace used to be called - was where Count Sheremetev received guests. The carriages drove past a large pond and up gentle ramps straight up to the front door.
White and red marble walls in the lobby of the Palace.
To our surprise, one of the rooms turned out to be a billiard room. It turns out that in the second half of the 18th century. billiards was very popular. The room is decorated with a carved fireplace above which is a slightly gloomy panel “Landscape with ruins by the water.” On every wall hang paintings by unknown Russian artists of the 18th century.
The ceiling has five symmetrically arranged panels depicting “Spring”, “Summer”, “Autumn” and “Winter”.
The dining room is spacious and bright. Silk fabrics were not used in its decoration, as they absorb odors.
On the left side of the dining room there is a semicircular niche with a marble bust of Alexander the Great. Adjacent to the dining room is a pantry, which was used for storing dishes.
Typically, all rich houses of that era were heated with tiled stoves, but here there are also marble fireplaces that came to Russia from Western Europe. Probably, with double heating it became twice as warm. 🙂
There is a stove in one corner of the room and a fireplace in the other.
Another marble fireplace with marble busts of the owners of the estate: Count Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev and his wife Varvara Alekseevna.
The brightest room of the Kuskovo estate is the crimson living room with gilded picture frames and the Falling Leaves chandelier. On the sides of the mirror are marble busts of Field Marshal Boris Petrovich Sheremetev and his wife Countess Anna Petrovna.
In the paintings - the front door (in full height) portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna and Count Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev.
The front bedroom is also a fashion borrowed from Europe. The interior includes portraits of the owners of the estate.
It is not clear what purposes such a small bed was intended for, decorative, or really for relaxation?
The office-office is much more modest than the formal living rooms. Initially, the walls were enlivened by a variety of paintings symmetrically inserted into oak panels in size and subject matter. In the 80s XVIII century the paintings were removed, but traces of their presence can still be seen on the walls.
Of particular value is a table depicting a panorama of Kuskovsky Park. On the tabletop there is not a drawing, but a mosaic made of various types of wood.
A personal restroom, distant from the ceremonial interiors, was intended for putting dresses, wigs and makeup in order. The room is upholstered in English chintz. The room was heated by the only example in the palace of connecting a stove with a fireplace. The restroom perfectly combines an authentic Chinese cabinet, a Russian office cabinet stylized as “China” with a hinged lid, English chairs and a German flower rack. Dressing table draped in heavy burgundy fabric with lace in the style of the 18th century.
A secret door disguised as wallpaper. I'd like to know where it leads.
The sofa is a tribute to the fashion that came to Russia from the East in the second half of the 18th century. A room with a large wall-mounted sofa is intended for relaxation. Small hanging on the wall female portraits in oval frames, the so-called “women’s heads”, especially fashionable in Russia at that time.
Behind the Divan you can see the Library, which mostly served for storing various scientific objects in display cases: a globe, a star sphere, a camera obscura, a spyglass, glass, bone, mother-of-pearl, etc. These items were supposed to indicate enlightenment and exquisite taste owner of the estate. The carved gilded chair was made to order in the famous Moscow workshop of P. Spol especially for the arrival of Catherine II in Kuskovo in 1787.
The daily bedchamber was intended for rest during the day. The blue color scheme of walls and furniture creates an atmosphere of peace and comfort. The fireplace is decorated with French marble inserts with paintings “in the Pompeian style.”
The painting of the Everyday Bedchamber is represented by intimate (up to half the body) portraits of the children of Count Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev.
The art room is a small home gallery. On the walls of the Picture Room there were works of painting from various Western European schools of the 16th-18th centuries: German, Italian, French, Flemish, Dutch. The paintings almost completely covered the walls and the independent value of the paintings was partly lost, since they were selected according to size and subject matter, maintaining a similar color scheme.
The Dance Hall or Mirror Gallery is the largest and most formal hall of the palace, intended for ceremonial dinners and dances. Large quantity mirrors visually expand the room. The walls are decorated with gilded wreaths and medallions with profiles of ancient warriors.
This is where the excursion “trail” around the Palace ends, everyone goes out into the courtyard - into a French park, decorated with symmetrical flower beds and various sculptures.
We immediately saw another photo shoot. 🙂 This photo shows especially clearly that the Palace is made of wood!
We walk towards the Great Stone Orangery, look back at the Palace...
Another view of the Palace from the very “heart” of the park.
View from the same place of the Large Stone Greenhouse.
Built in the 1770s. The large stone greenhouse was originally intended to house topiary (figured) plants; now it houses various exhibitions.
American greenhouse in the Kuskovo estate
Our goal was to the right of the Big Stone Greenhouse - this is the American Greenhouse. Previously - greenhouses for tropical plants, now - also exhibition hall. During our visit, there was an exhibition of Russian porcelain from the 18th – early 20th centuries.
For the first time in the history of the museum, the most complete collection of Russian porcelain in the country is presented. The exhibition is structured according to a chronological principle, starting from the mid-18th century. and ending with the beginning of the 20th century. Products from the best porcelain factories in Russia are demonstrated: the Imperial Porcelain Factory, private enterprises of Gardner, Popov, Batenin, Yusupov, Safronov and other factories of Gzhel, Sipyagin, Kudinov, Kornilov, Kuznetsov. We were strictly forbidden to photograph the exhibition.
Pavilion "Grotto" in the Kuskovo Estate
The Grotto Pavilion is the most unusual structure of the entire Estate and another tribute to European fashion! It is the Kuskovsky Grotto that is the only one in Russia that has preserved its original interior decoration to this day.
The first grottoes began to be built in the 16th century. in Italy (translated from Italian as “cave”), inside which either baths or a fountain were installed. At the Kuskovo Estate, the Grotto also played the role of a saving place on a hot summer day. The dome of the pavilion is crowned with a gushing fountain.
“Grottos are made in secluded areas of the garden, or in forests. Their appearance from the outside should represent savagery; but the interior requires decoration with various shells, mirrors, crystallizations and other shiny stones. The entrance to them, to increase the cold, is located on the north side. However, frequent repairs of grottoes entail difficulties.”. (Levshin V.A. “Necessary and complete housekeeping”, 1795)
The grotto consists of three halls: central, northern and southern. The central hall is painted in green and pink marble.
Several paintings made entirely of shells are also exhibited here.
We were told that in the Grotto there is a table that grants wishes. You need to find your zodiac sign on it and make a wish, and it will certainly come true! 🙂
We go to the northern hall, made in cold colors.
There are entire paintings of shells on the ceiling and walls! And every visitor to the pavilion must find dragons on the ceiling. There is also a baby dragon sitting in the photo below! It's brick-colored with a curled tail and a toothy, gaping mouth - on the right in the photo!
And here in the center of the photo a yellow dragon is fighting a green snake.
We move to the southern hall; its color scheme is warm, in contrast to the northern hall. It’s a pity that the photo doesn’t show how the walls sparkle and shimmer when sunlight hits them!
And there's a dragon living on the ceiling too! In the photo below he is at the very top, eating grapes. The photo is not the best, the dragon’s tail has been cut off, but you can see the wings lowered down and the mouth open. 
At the other end of the hall (between the windows) sits a beautiful bird of paradise. It’s not very clear what she’s doing, maybe drinking water from the fountain?
The interior design took about 10 years. (1761 – 1775) This work was carried out by the German master Johann Vocht. The decoration used tuff (a porous rock used as a finishing material), glass, pieces of mirrors, gypsum stucco and thousands of shells of 24 types. The dolls installed in the niches of both halls were purchased by Count P.B. Sheremetev in 1775 especially for the Grotto.
Returning home, we were surprised to discover that we hadn’t even visited half of the entire estate! So the visit will have to be repeated. 🙂
One of the largest botanical gardens in Europe was founded in April 1945. The garden collections include flora almost all continents and climatic zones of the planet. On an area of about 30 hectares, six botanical and geographical exhibitions dedicated to the nature of the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, Siberia, Central Asia, Far East. The new greenhouse deserves special attention botanical garden- a unique structure, the construction of which was completed in 2016. The flora of humid forests, subtropics and tropics is presented here, a complex system of pools and waterfalls is organized, an artificial landscape with rocks, grottoes and walking trails is created. There is fog in the greenhouse, and there are real tropical rains. This is an absolutely amazing place that all wildlife lovers should visit.
st. Botanicheskaya, 4The first greenhouses appeared in Tsaritsino back in the 1740s. Grown here exotic fruits, berries and ornamental plants, including for sale. However, by end of the 19th century centuries, the greenhouses fell into disrepair - their maintenance was too expensive and the economy did not pay for itself. In the twentieth century, many buildings were demolished, the rest turned into ruins. Only in 2008, according to the surviving drawings, the complex was rebuilt. Today three greenhouses are open to the public, in which all year round Flowers and fragrant herbs bloom, exotic trees bear fruit. It also hosts environmental workshops and other events for children and adults.
Apothecary garden 0+
A real flower paradise in the center of the capital. In any season there is something to see and be surprised by. Every year more and more unusual plants are brought into the greenhouse. Here you will see double hyacinth, mackerel, daffodils, different varieties tulips and orchids. Turtles live in tropical greenhouses, so when walking between the thickets, watch your step. The name of the garden was not chosen by chance. Medicinal plants are presented in abundance here: from fennel to dream grass. The greenhouse regularly hosts exhibitions, for example, an exhibition and sale of carnivorous plants or an orchid festival. The trees in the “garden” are also special - here huge collection palm trees collected from all over the world.
ave. Mira, 26, building 1Neskuchny Garden 0+
The garden is named after the estate of Prince Trubetskoy “Neskuchnoye”, although the creator of the greenhouse was Prokopiy Demidov. In the 18th century, he built greenhouses where fruits and berries grew. Demidov brought various specimens of exotic plants from his travels. Today, in a greenhouse with an area of about 1000 m², flowers are grown to decorate Gorky Park. In other pavilions of Neskuchny Garden there are cafes, sports clubs, coworking and children's center "Shardam".
Leninsky Prospekt, 32aMoscow Zoo 0+
Since 2014, the zoo has been offering tours of the greenhouse. Square tropical forest is about 140 m². Various types of palm trees were brought here from South Asia. You will see the tallest palm tree, Washingtonia, whose leaves reach two meters in diameter. The lowest palm, the soft caryota, has leaves that look like a fish's tail. Several types of ficus grow in the greenhouse - Benjamin, lyre-shaped, Bengal. Children will be interested in seeing how cocoa beans grow on chocolate tree or bananas ripening on a branch. Special attention The guide focuses on African herbs and bromeliads. Water accumulates in the leaves of these plants, in which tiny poison dart frog amphibians grow.
st. Bolshaya Gruzinskaya, 1
A small greenhouse complex of the future has been built in Zaryadye Park - all plants are grown here without soil, using the aeroponics method. The nutrient solution is supplied to the roots in the form of a fine suspension, which makes it possible to obtain high yields in a relatively small area. Cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, strawberries, herbs, and ornamental plants are grown here. The beds are arranged in a spiral in the shape of a funnel, which gives the complex a futuristic outline and its own special flavor. There is a larger greenhouse in Zaryadye - this is a plant complex under the “Glass Bark” of the concert hall. Thanks to special engineering solutions, a stable microclimate is maintained here all year round, which allows subtropical plants to feel at home.
Several noble estates have been preserved in Moscow, and, of course, one of the most beautiful and interesting to visit is the Kuskovo estate, which belonged to the ancient Sheremetev family for almost 300 years. They owned houses in Moscow and St. Petersburg, the Ostankino, Ostafyevo estates and many other estates, but it was Kuskovo that was created for entertainment: balls and luxurious receptions, so every corner of the estate was designed to please the eye.
Kuskovo estate. Castle
History of the Kuskovo estate
Already in the 16th century, the village of Kuskovo was mentioned as the property of the Sheremetevs; there was a manor house, premises for serfs and a wooden temple. In the era of Peter the Great, Boris Petrovich Sheremetev distinguished himself as a prominent military leader and statesman; he was the first in Russia to receive the title of count. Later he became related to Peter the Great by marrying his uncle's widow. It is known that the emperor himself was present at the magnificent wedding. However, at that time, Count Sheremetyev called his possessions east of Moscow a “piece”, since they were very small, hence the name Kuskovo. And the neighboring lands belonged to an important statesman, Prince A.M. Cherkassky. The son of Count Sheremetev, Pyotr Borisovich, married his only daughter and heir to his entire enormous fortune, thereby increasing his possessions several times. In the 18th century, the Kuskovo estate spread over an area of 230 hectares (for comparison, it now occupies approximately 32 hectares).
Under Pyotr Borisovich, an architectural and park ensemble of the estate was formed, which was divided into three parts: behind the pond there was a menagerie and a kennel, in the center there was a regular French park with a Grand Palace for receptions, and there was also an English park. Hundreds of serfs dug the Great Pond, in which fish were bred and served at ceremonial dinners. This pond was also used for boating. It is the central part of the estate with the palace and a beautiful park copied from Versailles that has been best preserved to this day.
Plan of the Kuskovo estate. Source: http://kuskovo.ru/
A linden alley leads from the gate to the Big House, and the crowns of the trees in the park have been given the shape of a ball. This is what distinguishes a French park from an English one: it is believed that in a French park everything should demonstrate the subordination of nature to man, while the English park looks more natural, and man only adapts to the natural landscape. Along the way we see the oldest building of the estate - the Church of the All-Merciful Savior with a bell tower, built in 1737 on the site of an old wooden church.
Church of the All-Merciful Savior
Then comes Grand Palace, built specifically for ceremonial summer receptions. In appearance it appears to be made of stone, although it is made of wood. The best architects were invited to design the manor house, but ultimately they chose the design of K.I. Blanca.
Palace in Kuskovo
Now a soft pink palace with a front porch is reflected in the surface of the water of the Big Pond. There are ramps leading to the main entrance, which were created to allow guests to drive directly to the entrance of the house. These ramps are crowned with figures of sphinxes.
Palace in Kuskovo
We began our tour of the Kuskovo estate with a visit to the Big House. In those days when the Sheremetevs held balls here, only the most distinguished public were allowed into the palace. Usually there were no more than a hundred guests. While the entire estate could accommodate up to 30 thousand people.
Palace in Kuskovo
First, guests found themselves in an entrance hall-living room, the walls of which were decorated with Flemish tapestries made at the end of the 18th century. They depict fragments of a park very similar to the one that existed in the Kuskovo estate. In addition, here you can see a trellis with a portrait of Empress Catherine the Great, made in St. Petersburg. It is known that Catherine II attended receptions in Kuskovo six times, and many European kings and aristocrats attended balls at the estate with her.
Hallway-living room
We move into the crimson living room, where you can see busts of B.P. Sheremetev and his wife, portraits of Empress Catherine the Great, her son Pavel Petrovich and his wife, as well as ceremonial portrait Peter Borisovich Sheremetev, who created this grandiose estate in the form that we see now.
Portrait of Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev
Raspberry living room
When guests entered the crimson living room, they heard music coming from the organ. Unfortunately, the clocks with moving figures that decorated this instrument have not survived to this day. The fact is that Napoleon’s troops stayed in the estate in 1812 and many valuables disappeared without a trace after their visit.
Front bedroom
Then there is an office-office where you can see a unique table for storing sheet music. On its tabletop, the author created a panorama of Kuskovo from different types of wood. The work was very difficult and painstaking; they say that at the end the master lost his sight and finished the table, no longer seeing the result. The office and the adjacent restroom, sofa and library belong to the count's personal chambers.
Office desk
Sofa
In addition, for the daytime rest of the owners and guests, a daily bedchamber was created.
Daily bedchamber
Here you can see “Portrait of the Kalmyk girl Annushka” by the Sheremetev serf artist I. Argunov. In those days, it was fashionable in Russia to keep Kalmyk children with you. They were kidnapped by Cossacks during internecine wars between the Kalmyk khans, and then brought the children to the capital and presented them to representatives of the nobility. Children were given Russian names, and Varvara Alekseevna Sheremeteva got herself such a pupil.
Portrait of a Kalmyk girl Annushka
In addition, in this room there are portraits of P.B.’s children. Sheremetev: heir Nikolai Petrovich and two daughters Anna and Varvara. Nikolai subsequently fell in love with his serf Praskovya Kovaleva-Zhemchugova, hired her the best teachers and enrolled her in the troupe of his serf theater. Stage names he gave his serf actors in honor precious stones: Almazovs, Khrustalevs, Izumrudovs, Granatovs, Zhemchugovs, etc. This is how Praskovya Kovaleva received her new surname.
Due to its high position in society, the count could not immediately marry his beloved. For a long time he tried to get permission to unequal marriage. As a result, only in 1800 they got married. However, soon after the birth of her son Dmitry, Countess Sheremeteva died. Six years later, the count also died, and their heir was raised by Praskovya Zhemchugova’s friend, former serf actress T.V. Shlykova-Granatova. But let's return to the palace.
Behind the daily bedchamber is the painting room, where the works are collected Western European masters XVI-XVIII centuries
Picturesque
And immediately after the painting room is the largest room of the Big House - the Hall of Mirrors, where balls and dance evenings were held. The floor of this room was decorated with parquet made in St. Petersburg. Along one wall there is a series of windows facing the park, and on the other side there are mirrors that visually expand the space. During our visit to the palace, the Ballroom was being prepared for a concert, so the entire room was filled with chairs for spectators.
Hall of Mirrors
Generally in big house in Kuskovo they often organize musical evenings, concerts. At one time they even gave theater award"Crystal Turandot". In addition, they filmed on the territory of the Kuskovo estate huge amount films: “Vivat Midshipmen”, “Secrets palace coups", "Property of the Republic", "Hello, I am your auntie!", "Admiral" and many others.
In another wing of the Big House there is a State Dining Room, a Billiard Room, the Count's Bedroom and a Music Room. We go out into the manor park with a regular layout.
Kuskovo Estate Park
All elements of the park are subject to certain rules; it is distinguished by its geometric layout, symmetry of all objects, and use for decoration marble statues and giving shrubs and trees various forms. In the 18th century, it was the largest French park in Russia, which housed several pavilions.
Kuskovo Estate Park
Kuskovo Estate Park
Dutch house
The very first one was built in 1749, a Dutch house in memory of the era of Peter the Great. This pavilion was also intended for guests to relax.
Dutch house
There was a kitchen on the ground floor, and a guest room on the second floor. The walls of this room are lined with Rotterdam tiles from floor to ceiling and decorated with objects from the most different corners peace. The owner of the estate selected them so that they illustrated the life of the Dutch as Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev imagined it.
In the Dutch house
In the Dutch house
The walls of the Dutch house were decorated with about 120 paintings Flemish artists. On the other side of the park, a Grotto was built symmetrically to the Dutch house.
Grotto in Kuskovo
Unlike the wooden palace, it was built of stone, so on a hot day there was a pleasant coolness inside. In Italy, baths were located in similar grottoes, but in Kuskovo this pavilion was also created for relaxation and a pleasant pastime.
Grotto Kuskovo
It is known that Catherine II dined in this Grotto during one of her visits. Despite the fact that it was built quite quickly, its interior decoration took about twenty years. Shells brought from all over the world were used to decorate the walls: from distant oceans to reservoirs near Moscow. In addition, marble chips and colored glass were used in the decoration.
Inside the grotto
Italian house
In the 18th century there were 17 ponds in Kuskovo, full of fish, which the Sheremetev guests could feed.
Hermitage Pavilion
The Hermitage pavilion, in which the guests closest to Count Sheremetev rested, has also been preserved in the park. A similar house with the same name exists in Peterhof.
Hermitage Pavilion
Just like in Petrodvorets, the Hermitage in Kuskovo has two floors. Downstairs there was a servant who prepared food and set the table. Guests were accommodated on the second floor, to which they were lifted by a special elevator mechanism. When it was time for lunch, the table was lowered down, also with the help of a special device, and raised with a wide variety of dishes. This allowed noble visitors to avoid having to deal with service personnel. In the 19th century, the lifting mechanism of the Hermitage broke down and now we will no longer be able to see it in action. Unfortunately, many interior items of this pavilion were lost. Now it is mainly used as an exhibition hall.
Greenhouse in Kuskovo
Exotic plants were once grown in the Great Stone Gallery, and on the day of our visit to the estate there was an exhibition of glass products. The nearby American Greenhouse houses exhibits of a unique museum of ceramics in Russia, containing more than 40 thousand objects from all over the world from ancient times to the present day. This museum was created after the revolution on the basis of the porcelain collection of a representative of the old merchant family A. Morozov.
Greenhouse
Fortunately, the Kuskovo estate has survived to this day in excellent condition, including thanks to careful restoration work. The palace and park ensemble of the 18th century estate, which has no analogues in our country, is very well preserved here. It’s pleasant to stroll through the park in Kuskovo at any time of the year, and the interiors of the palace and pavilions amaze with their elegance and impeccable design. Years have passed, but the masterpieces of architecture and garden art created at the expense of Count Sheremetev still delight guests of the estate.
How to get to the Kuskovo estate:
Address: 111402, Moscow, Yunosti street, building 2
Official website of Kuskovo
Opening hours: Grotto, Palace, Italian House, Dutch House, American Greenhouse, Hermitage, Large Stone Greenhouse are open from 10.00 to 18.00 (Monday, Tuesday, and the last Wednesday of the month the museum is closed).
- m. "Novogireevo"(from the metro - trolleybus 64, bus 615, 247, stop "Ulitsa Yunosti").
- m. "Ryazansky Prospekt"(from the metro bus 133 and 208, stop "Museum Kuskovo")
- m. "Vykhino", then by bus 620, minibus 9M, stop "Kuskovo Museum").
The Kuskovo Estate Museum is a unique museum where the palace and park ensemble of the 18th century has been amazingly preserved. For several centuries, this is “ noble nest"belonged to representatives of the Sheremetev count family. The Kuskovo estate reached its heyday in the middle of the 18th century, when Count Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev took possession of the estate. The sophistication of the architecture, magnificent parks - landscape and regular, the mirror surface of the ponds - all this served as a backdrop, surrounded by grandiose theatrical celebrations. They were especially magnificent on the occasion of the arrival of royalty - Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, Polish King Stanislav Poniatowski and Austrian Emperor Joseph II were there. Catherine the Great visited the estate six times! To entertain the guests, the owner of Kuskov, Count P.B. Sheremetev, builds pavilions in the regular park dedicated to various European countries: Italian and Dutch houses and the French pavilion of the Hermitage, which still delight museum visitors today. The real “pearl” of the palace and park ensemble of the estate is the wooden Palace, built in the mid-18th century and has preserved its interiors to this day. Among the unique and one-of-a-kind buildings is the Grotto park pavilion, which symbolizes the cave of the underwater kingdom. The Kuskovsky Grotto is the only one that has preserved its “grottoic” decoration, in the creation of which numerous sea and river shells were used. Among Moscow estate parks, the Kuskovo estate park also occupies a special place. This is the only park of its kind in Moscow that has preserved its layout and is decorated with 18th-century sculpture. In 1919, the estate became a museum. In 1932, the Museum of Ceramics was transferred to Kuskovo, created on the basis of what was nationalized after the revolution art collection A.V. Morozova. In 1937, the two museums were legally united. Today the museum is the owner of one of the world's largest collections of ceramics and glass from various countries from antiquity to modern times. Every year the museum organizes exhibitions, holds classical music concerts, and revives ancient traditions of estate celebrations, receptions and festivities. Directions: metro station "Ryazansky Prospekt", then bus. 133 and 208 to the stop. "Museum of Kuskovo"; metro station "Vykhino", then bus. 620, route. taxi 9M to the stop. "Museum of Kuskovo"; metro station "Novogireevo", then trol. 64, auto. 615, 247 to the stop. "Street of Youth".