Vorontsov Palace in Crimea history description. Vorontsov Palace in Alupka. State dining room of the Vorontsov Palace

According to statistics, most tourists visiting Alupka on excursions come here with a very specific purpose - to look at the famous Vorontsov Palace. Among the tourists walking around the territory of this magnificent palace, there are a variety of people. Some came here “for show,” others for the wonderful mountain and sea views that open from the observation deck of the palace. But a fairly significant percentage of tourists purposefully come here in order to touch history...

And this story began back in 1828, when the Novorossiysk and Bessarabian governor-general, Count Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov, decided to build himself a summer residence in Alupka, having bought many plots of land in Alupka for these purposes.

The venerable English court architect Edward Blore (1787-1879) was entrusted with making Count Vorontsov’s dream come true, with whom M.S. Vorontsov knew him personally. Among the most famous objects to which Blore had a hand are Buckingham Palace in London and Salisbury Tower at Windsor Castle.

The palace was built in several stages: first, the dining building was erected (1830-1834). Then the central building appeared (1831-1837). In 1841-1842, a billiard room was added to the dining room; in 1838-1844, the guest building, eastern wings and towers of the palace, and utility buildings were completed. And finally, last but not least, the library building was erected.

In total, the construction of the palace lasted 20 long years and was completed in 1848, costing Vorontsov 9 million silver rubles.

The diabase stone (modern name is dolerite), from which the main part of the palace is made, is one of the strongest natural building materials. The structure of this volcanic mineral is extremely strong, which creates additional difficulties when processing it. The building material for the palace was mined in the mountains, not far from Alupka. As for the workers, the bulk of them were represented by serfs from the Moscow and Vladimir provinces, and qualified stonemasons who already had experience in building stone cathedrals were specially selected from among them.

Interesting fact: Red Square in Moscow is also paved with Crimean diabase

During the construction of the Vorontsov Palace, mainly heavy manual labor was used.

The architectural style in which the palace was built deserves a separate story.

The main architectural motif prevailing in the buildings of the palace is the English style, which is not surprising, given the nationality of the architect and Count Vorontsov’s passion for English culture, which was very close to him. Father M.S. Vorontsova - Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov was the Russian ambassador in London for many years, and Mikhail himself spent his entire childhood, youth and youth in England, absorbing the spirit and mentality of Foggy Albion.

According to the architect's idea, the Vorontsov Palace accommodated the styles of a variety of English eras, which succeed each other in chronological order, starting from the western gate.

A very unexpected architectural turn awaits tourists who wish to explore the Vorontsov Palace from its southern side. According to the architect's original idea, the side of the palace facing the sea was made in the neo-Moorish style and resembles the palaces of eastern rulers. Against the backdrop of the strict English features of the northern side of the palace, the lush southern facade looks very contrasting and unexpected. All doubts regarding the “eastern” origin of the southern façade of the palace are dispelled by the Arabic inscription on the frieze “And there is no God but Allah,” repeated several times.

The entrance and stairs on this side of the palace are guarded white marble lions, which were made in the workshop of the Italian sculptor Giovanni Bonnani.

The interior decoration of the Vorontsov Palace was luxurious, but at the same time, tastefully done. In total, the palace consisted of more than 100 rooms, of which the most famous are the Blue Living Room, the Calico Room, the Winter Garden, the Chinese Study, the Billiard Room, the State Dining Room and the Vestibule. In the interior of the palace, a large number of things and objects dating back to the time of the very first owner have been preserved to this day.

If you look at the Vorontsov Palace from the sea, you will notice that its features repeat the topography of the mountain range rising above Alupka from the north. And this is not an accident at all, but an original architectural idea.

In parallel with the construction of the palace, next to it, the magnificent Vorontsov Park was created over the course of 25 years, which, without exaggeration, is one of the most outstanding works of landscape art in Crimea. Today the area of ​​this park is 40 hectares.

The palace in Alupka belonged to the Vorontsov family until the revolution, after which it was nationalized and a museum was opened in it. The palace remains in this status to this day, receiving thousands of tourists every year.

During the years of German occupation, the Vorontsov Palace itself was not damaged, which cannot be said about its exhibits, which were stolen and taken away in the amount of several hundred.

After the war, the palace was used for 10 years as a state dacha for party bosses, and from 1956 it began to operate as a museum, which is still active today.

If you choose Alupka for a holiday in Crimea in 2020, you will definitely see the Vorontsov Palace on photographs, postcards, paintings, and signs throughout the city. The most majestic in Crimea, it has become a real decoration of this seaside town and one of the main attractions of the South Coast, which millions of tourists come to see every year. The magnificent architecture of the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka, a luxurious park, stunning views of the slopes of the Crimean Mountains and the Black Sea will not leave anyone indifferent.

Where is located: Alupka, Dvortsovoye Highway, 10.

What is the most convenient way to get there?: The easiest way to come to Alupka is from Yalta: minibuses No. 102, 115, 107 go here. From Simferopol and Sevastopol you can get to the Vorontsov Palace from the bus station.

What time of year is best to visit?: at any time of the year in good weather.

The Vorontsov Palace in Alupka was built as the residence of the Governor-General of the Novorossiysk Territory, Count M.S. Vorontsov. It must be said that the very choice of Crimea for the construction of this majestic structure should have flattered our peninsula: in those days, Novorossiya included a huge territory from Odessa to the Don.

The palace was built according to the design of the English architect Edward Blore, who had a hand in the construction of Buckingham Palace in London and Walter Scott's castle in Scotland. There is still debate as to whether the architect was personally in Crimea or created his masterpiece, guided solely by stories about the surrounding landscapes. The first is more credible, because the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka fits perfectly into the landscape: its sharp turrets seem to repeat the peaks of the Crimean Mountains, and the combination of several architectural styles, including oriental ones, perfectly reflects the fate of Crimea.

The palace was built in 1828-1848 under the leadership of another English architect, William Gunt. In parallel with the building, work was carried out on the creation of a park: Karl Kebach, a gardener, to whom Crimea owes the appearance of the magnificent gardens and parks of Foros, Gaspra, Oreanda, Massandra, Miskhor, was responsible for them.

Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov did not have to own the palace for long: he died in Odessa in 1856. After him, the estate passed to his son, and then to his relatives, the rich noblemen Vorontsov-Dashkov. In 1917, the Vorontsov Palace was nationalized. It was much luckier than other cultural sites in Crimea: since 1921, a historical and everyday life museum has been built here, and since 1956, an art museum. In 1990, the Vorontsov Palace became the Alupka Palace and Park Museum-Reserve.

Architectural masterpiece

The first thing you notice when you see a photo of the Vorontsov Palace is the unusual color of the stone from which it was built. All other estates of Russian aristocrats in Crimea delight with light, white facades, while the residence of Count Vorontsov looks like a gray block, lost in dense greenery. The building was constructed from diorite, a grayish-greenish stone of volcanic origin. It was mined here, in Alupka, and each block was processed by hand.

The Vorontsov Palace welcomes tourists on Shuvalovsky Proezd. Walking along the cobblestone street, surrounded by high walls, it seems that you are now in a real medieval castle. However, one glance at the frivolous turrets is enough to understand: the Vorontsov Palace is not so simple.

Blore combined neo-Gothic and neo-Moorish styles in the palace project. In England, such a mixture would be called romanticism, but in Russia - eclecticism. The northern facade of the Vorontsov Palace with its strict lines is reminiscent of the residences of English aristocrats. But the southern one, facing the sea, is decorated in an oriental style: experts say that Blore was inspired by the Alhambra Palace, the residence of the Arab rulers of Spain in Grenada. The Lion Terrace leads to the park - a staircase decorated with marble figures of lions - analogues of sculptures from the tomb of Pope Clement XII in Rome.

The interior decoration, as can be easily understood from the photo of the Vorontsov Palace in Crimea, has remained virtually unchanged since the 19th century. Each room has its own individual design - for example, the Chinese Cabinet, the Winter Garden, the Blue Living Room, the Chintz Room. The formal dining room at the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka is decorated in a very original way: it resembles the hall of a medieval palace. The halls are decorated with sculptures and works of famous painters - Italian, French, English and, of course, Russian masters. In total, the Vorontsov Palace has about 150 rooms, including utility rooms, but, of course, only a part is open to the public.

Vorontsov Palace - movie star

If, when looking at a photo of the Vorontsov Palace, you get the feeling that it is familiar to you, this means you are a connoisseur of the classics of Soviet cinema. It’s unlikely that there is another one who would “shine up” in so many films! The Vorontsov Palace in Crimea depicted the royal residence in “An Ordinary Miracle” and “Hamlet”, “The Three Musketeers” and “Sky Swallows”. “Scarlet Sails”, “Crazy Day, or The Marriage of Figaro” and “Sappho” were filmed here. There is a high probability of encountering a film crew in the summer of 2020: the halls and landscapes of the palace museum are constantly used when filming feature films and documentaries.

Expositions of the Vorontsov Palace in Crimea

In 2020, at the Vorontsov Palace you will be able to visit the following exhibitions:

• "The State Halls of the Main Building of the Vorontsov Palace."
• Southern terraces.
• "Butler's Apartment" in the Utility Building.
• "The House of Count Shuvalov."
• "Vorontsov Kitchen"
• Interior exhibitions “Cabinet of Count I.I. Vorontsov-Dashkov" and "Office of the Commandant of the State. Dachas."
• “Paris Archives” (paintings and photographic materials - a gift from the Comstadius family).
• “Gift of Professor V.N. Golubev" (paintings by artists of the 20th century).

Ticket price to Vorontsov Palace

Most of the Vorontsov Palace exhibitions are open seven days a week. You can come and enjoy the luxurious park any day of the week. Please note that one-day excursions, which can be purchased in almost any resort town in Crimea, usually do not include visiting the halls, so if you want to enjoy the interior of the Vorontsov Palace, you will have to think about this point in advance. However, examining the exterior of this stunning building and the huge park (its area is more than 40 hectares!) will leave an unforgettable impression! In general, it is worth allocating at least 3-4 hours to visit this attraction, as well as the Nikitsky Botanical Garden in Crimea, and if you want to listen to the excursion and walk through all the exhibitions, and then also swim on the Alupka beach, then plan a trip for the whole day!

On the first Tuesday of every month, free excursions are organized for schoolchildren and students. You can take a photo in the Vorontsov Palace by paying an additional 30 rubles. By the way, the museum has its own price list for on-site registration and professional photography, so if you wish, you can arrange a real photo shoot against the backdrop of the magnificent palace!

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 Chief Gardener of the Southern Coast of Crimea, Karl Antonovich Kebakh, over the course of 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 North and South America and the 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.