Vorontsov Palace in Crimea history of creation. Medieval castle in Crimea: Vorontsov Palace - everything you need to know before visiting. Here are the main ones

The resort peninsula is famous not only for its natural wealth, throughout coastline housed the most beautiful estates of the imperial elite. On the southern coast of Crimea, immersed in green forever green trees not just a palace, but a real medieval castle.

The building was erected from a stone of volcanic rock, the color of which is green-gray, it is called "diabase". The construction can be called unique and unprecedented, because the workers, using the most primitive tools, carved a real masterpiece of architecture from the strongest rock. This masterpiece - Vorontsov Palace. Alupka for the implementation of the plan was chosen by Count Vorontsov not by chance. It was in the possession of three whole generations of one dynasty.

The palace glorified Alupka. The town is so small that it simply would not be noticeable among other urban-type settlements that Big Yalta included. And the grandiose estate makes the settlement desirable and recognizable in terms of tourism.

The architect managed to build a composition that organically fit into the landscape of the mountains and the riot of subtropical greenery of the southern coast. With its spiers, the palace seems to repeat the shape of the most beautiful mountain of Crimea - Ai-Petri. The end of the grand construction fell on 1848.

Being in Alupka, be sure to visit the palace of the same name. All expositions of the museum are imbued with the refined taste and luxury of those times. The castle stands like an impregnable bastion, strong, reliable, high with narrow windows "loopholes".

A bold statement can be made by suggesting that the Vorontsov ensemble had a colossal influence on Romantic architecture in the following century. Neighboring Yalta began to quickly replenish with all kinds of palaces, which to this day surprise travelers.

Nationalization and occupation

After the bloody revolution, already in 1920, all the "remnants of the empire" were nationalized. Now the family estate has become the property of the people. This did not last long. During the hostilities, the German invaders caused almost irreparable damage to the museum complex, taking priceless art objects from the peninsula. And in those days, everything was such items, from cutlery to paintings and furniture.

What a blessing that the Nazis did not have time to raze the palace to the ground, but such a plan had a place to be. Apparently, the estate is guarded by the lucky star of the Vorontsovs, and to this day the museum complex is flourishing. A large number of researchers, curators and restorers are doing painstaking work, at the moment, time seems to be frozen in the exhibition halls, the exhibits are kept in perfect condition.

And in the museum "funds", hidden from the inquisitive eyes of the tourist crowd, there is a globe of Mikhail Semyonovich. This globe is not simple, on it is Alaska - Russian!

Amazing rooms

There is a certain azure room in the palace, it is called the “Blue Drawing Room”. The room is simply of unprecedented beauty, it seems that such rooms simply cannot exist on earth. Snow-white flowers are hand-sculpted on the sky-colored walls. It is noteworthy that not a single pattern is repeated throughout the sufficiently voluminous cubic capacity of the room. The alliance is harmoniously complemented by a snow-white grand piano and a luxurious white set with gilded inserts.

Video: Palace from a bird's eye view

The count had an office in chinese style, a very entertaining object on a tour. So you won’t immediately understand whether the owner ordered craftsmen from China or whether it was our craftsmen who worked in the style of the land of the rising sun.

Yes, there are many other interesting things in the palace: the “chintz room”, wonderful paintings, fireplaces and luxury, a lot of luxury. And how many films were filmed in the local royal chambers!

And in the large dining room, the ceilings are made of wood, there is still an unusual smell of wood here, for sure, it smelled like that in those days when eminent owners still lived in their palace.

Magnificent sculptures

Sculptures made by the Italian master D. Bonanni and his apprentices from Carrara marble can be called almost a wonder of the world. The approach to the palace from the sea is protected by the kings of animals - huge snow-white lions. The “sleeping” lion is especially admired, words cannot express how beautiful he is, how nobility, strength, wisdom are embodied in him, and how vulnerable he seems when he sleeps.

This same lion is not accidentally depicted on guidebooks, calendars, postcards, emblems, websites, coats of arms, and so on, it is calling card Crimea, along with the castle "Swallow's Nest".

There are other sculptures on the "South Terraces" of the palace, all of them attract tourists like a magnet. These ideal stone sculptures are alluring, it is simply impossible to pass by and not capture them in a photo. Someone now and then tries to saddle one of the lions, but strict rangers immediately stop these impulses.

Winter Garden

The wonders of skilled craftsmen of the past centuries never cease to amaze, one of the exhibition halls is the winter garden. This same garden, like a dessert, the guides leave at the very end of the "lecture". A special microclimate reigns here, water splashes from a miniature fountain, in summer you can hide from the scorching heat.

Although the residence was conceived as a summer residence, paying tribute to fashion, the earl ordered to organize a "green corner" in the manner of those that were broken in the castles of England. There is a lot of greenery, palm trees, but snow-white, as if antique statues pay attention to themselves in all this emerald foliage.

The most stormy applause breaks the sculpture "girl". The statue was made of Carrara marble by the sculptor Corbellini. It is unlikely that you have seen something like this before. The work is so delicate that even the pores on the skin are visible on the girl! And when you look into her eyes, it seems that she is alive, the sculptors of that time have never carved pupils. And what lace the girl has on her dress! This is marble, it doesn’t fit in my head, as the master also showed the lines on the clothes and even a slight wrinkle of the fabric!

Alhambra - a tribute to the Turkish Khan

If from the north side the palace looks like a castle, then the south side, the one that faces Turkey, is made in oriental style. The portal of the southern entrance is like a Moorish palace - the Alhambra. Count Mikhail Vorontsov ordered to write a secret message to the Muslims in the form of the inscription repeated six times "There is no winner but Allah."

Prices for excursions

The ticket price in the Alupka Palace is quite acceptable. A visit to the ceremonial halls for an adult will cost 300 rubles, for a student 150, and for a child only 70 rubles.

Photography, as well as video, is made on a paid basis, if you want to make a report - welcome to the cashier for payment.

Shuvalovsky wing

Additionally, you can visit a very original outbuilding, where the Shuvalovs lived. There are many personal belongings and decorations of eminent residents. The relatively modest area of ​​the premises is even slightly surprising.

The most touching room can be called Personal Area Sophia Mikhailovna, daughter of the count. From all sorts of little things, it becomes clear that she was a true secular lady who takes care of herself. It is very interesting to look into the Countess's boudoir. Sophia loved Alupka very much, she was infinitely attached to her.

And in the portrait room there is a series of paintings depicting members of the Vorontsov dynasty. Gloss, chic of uniforms, brilliance of orders, dignity in the look, here is a characteristic feature that can be seen in all portraits.

Vorontsovsky park

If palace excursions do not appeal to you at all, then you should not deny yourself the pleasure and visit the local park. Here, mighty trees remember the walks of the count's family. Mighty plane trees protected from the sun with their spreading branches and wide leaves. To this day, trees hide excited tourists from the hot southern sun.

If you want to learn about the history of creation, the difficulties and victories in laying out the park, then you can go for a walk with organized group. Excursion support costs only 100 rubles, for children and students of universities - 70.

If you do not want to walk through the park on foot, you can drive through it in an electric car. This service began to be provided relatively recently, but is in demand. There are no other vehicles on the territory, so the park can be classified as an "eco-park".

Incidentally, the area green spaces, simply, unthinkable in size, the park cannot be bypassed in a day.

The best photo shoots are here!

For the agreed fee, you can arrange the most romantic outdoor wedding ceremony. Connect with family ties in one of the most beautiful places in Crimea - the dream of many.

And what a masterpiece photo shoots are obtained here! Definitely the best in Alupka, but in Alupka, in the whole Crimea! Places imbued with the spirit of exceptional taste and elegance - that's what makes the pictures special.

Be sure to come to the Crimea to the Vorontsov Palace, it must certainly be on the list of attractions scheduled for inspection.

On the Black Sea coast there is a majestic architectural monument of the 19th century - the Vorontsov Palace. Its construction took 20 years and was completed in 1848 under the guidance of the eminent British court architect Edward Blore. A masterpiece of the era of romanticism was conceived as the residence of Count Mikhail Vorontsov, Governor-General of the Novorossiysk Territory.

The count himself chose the place for the construction of the palace - on a beautiful cape near Mount Ai-Petri in the Crimea. The author skillfully combined English and neo-Moorish styles with Gothic and brilliantly entered the building into the existing landscape. Blore had never been there before, but according to the sketches, he “unwrapped” the building so that its outline coincides with the outline of the mountains.

In the construction of the building, diabase was used - a stone of a greenish-gray color. It was mined in local areas. The drawings in the design of the building were very complex, the stone could crack during processing, so the best craftsmen who built temples in Central Russia were called to carry out stonework.

So in the unremarkable and little-known until that moment, the Tatar village of Alupka appeared a castle of five buildings with numerous passages, stairs and courtyards. At the main staircase is the Lion's Terrace. Six lions "sit" on either side of a magnificent white marble staircase - one "sleeps", the other "wakes up", the rest are "awake" and "roar".

The Vorontsov Palace was the first in Russia to have a hot water supply system and a sewerage system built.

The construction of the palace complex took a huge sum for those times - about 9 million rubles in silver. But she was on the shoulder of Count Vorontsov, the richest landowner of the Russian Empire.

History of creation

The history of the Vorontsov Palace is closely connected with the events in the country. Shortly after settling in, the count had to leave his new home in connection with his assignment to the Caucasus. The palace changed its owners - in different years the count's daughter Sofya Mikhailovna, son Semyon Mikhailovich, widow Maria Vasilievna lived in it. In the 1880s the building was empty and abandoned.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the relatives of the Vorontsovs, the Dashkovs, set up sanatoriums and boarding houses there. After the revolution, the lands were nationalized. In the 1920s, as in some other large noble estates on the southern coast of Crimea, a museum was created there, called Alupkinsky. The museum's collection was badly damaged during the Great Patriotic War. The Nazis took out more than 500 works of painting and graphics, but later they managed to return not much.

After the war, the state dacha of the NKVD was located in the palace. And finally, in 1956, the Crimean state museum fine arts, which later became part of the Alupka Palace and Park Museum-Reserve. Today there are collections of paintings, sculptures and applied arts, ancient documents telling about the construction of the palace.

Exhibitions and expositions

Exhibitions and expositions are located in many rooms of the Vorontsov Palace - in the halls, the Shuvalovsky wing, the Guest building, the Economic building, the conference room.

So, guests can see the expositions “Ceremonial Halls of the Main Building”, “The House of Count A.P. Shuvalov”, “Dvoretsky's Apartment”, “Sculpture of the Southern Terraces”, “Vorontsov's Kitchen”, exhibitions “Under the Plane Tree”, “Porcelain Pantry” and others.

Reasonable prices are available to all categories of visitors. The ticket price for adults is from 50 to 300 rubles, for students, pensioners and children from 16 to 18 years old - from 25 to 150 rubles. "Single ticket" costs 650 and 325 rubles, respectively.

For example, the exposition "Ceremonial Halls of the Main Building of the Vorontsov Palace" is open in the museum on a permanent basis. These premises have not changed much since ancient times. Finishing, furniture, even the portraits on the walls have retained their original appearance in a traditional English manner. During the tour, guests will see the main halls of the main building, Chinese Cabinet, vestibule, Blue living room, Winter garden, Grand dining room, billiard room.

In the kitchen building of the Economic Yard there is an exposition "Vorontsov's Kitchen". In this part of the palace, the servants not only worked, but also lived. Three rooms of this building are open to visitors, where you can get acquainted with the interior of the palace kitchen. The first room is spacious, spread over an area of ​​60 square meters and two stories high. In the center is a cast-iron plate, decorated with a cast ornament. Antique crockery, a sink, samovars, cookbooks, pantry interior create a vivid and unforgettable impression.

The exhibition "Reserved Taurida" is open in the conference hall of the palace. It will run until March 31, 2018. Visitors will be able to see 60 works of art from the museum's funds, their authors are domestic and foreign artists. The paintings depict the unreal beauty of the nature of the Crimea and palaces, parks, city streets, archeological monuments. The works were created in the first half of the 19th century, at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, in Soviet times. All of them represent the heritage of the Crimeans, which is preserved for future generations.

The Vorontsov Palace in Alupka (Crimea) is rightfully considered one of the pearls of the peninsula. An elegant and, at the same time, majestic building is located at the foot of Mount Ai-Petri. It is surrounded by a unique park complex, and from the main staircase opens amazing view to the Black Sea.

The palace complex organically fits into the surrounding landscape due to the fact that its location corresponds to mountainous terrain. That is why the palace has such an original image. The Vorontsov Palace in Crimea and the park adjacent to it often became a film set. At least 17 films received recognition from the general public.

Ticket prices at the Vorontsov Palace in 2020

Ticket prices are listed on the official website of the complex. They depend on the selected expositions and excursions.

  • Separate expositions and exhibitions: adults - from 50 to 350 rubles, students, pensioners and teenagers 16-18 years old - from 25 to 200 rubles.
  • Walking tours of the park: adults - 100 rubles, students, pensioners and teenagers 16-18 years old - 70 rubles.
  • Excursions in the park on an electric car: 800 rubles. from a group of 4-20 people.
  • For preferential and free categories of visitors, as well as for children from 7 to 16 years old: a fee of 70 rubles is charged. for the use of audio guides.
  • "Single ticket" (all expositions and exhibitions): adults - 900 rubles, students, pensioners and teenagers 16-18 years old - 500 rubles.

Opening hours of the Vorontsov Palace

You can visit expositions, temporary and permanent exhibitions daily from 09:00 to 17:00. At the same time, the State Halls and the South Terraces are open until 20:00 on Saturdays. There are guided tours around the palace park, but only if there is a group of 15 to 20 people. There are hiking and electric vehicle options. "Single ticket" can be purchased on any day except Monday and Wednesday.

History of the Vorontsov Palace

The first owner of the palace was His Serene Highness Prince Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov, a descendant of an ancient family known since the 14th century, a hero-order bearer who participated in many military campaigns and retired with the rank of field marshal general, Governor-General of Novorossiysk and Bessarabia, an honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences . After his death in 1856, close relatives of the prince alternately owned the palace. After the revolution, the object was nationalized.

The period of construction of the Vorontsov Palace in the Crimea refers to the period 1828-1848. The quitrent serfs were involved in the hard work, and the relief decoration was carried out by hereditary masons, and by hand. At first, the Dining Building was erected, then the Central Building. Already in the forties of the 19th century, a billiard room, outbuildings, towers, guest and utility buildings, as well as a library appeared. Sappers worked diligently over the ledges of the South Terrace. Thanks to them, the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka acquired a chic front staircase, on the pedestals of which in 1948 lions were erected, made by the Italian master Giovanni Bonnani. This was the final chord in the design of the overall ensemble of the palace complex.

Already in 1921, the Vorontsov Palace in the Crimea, which had not changed its common name, turned into a museum. During the Second World War, the exhibits did not have time to hide, so many of them were taken away by the occupiers. The amounts stolen were enormous. During the Yalta Conference (February 1945), the palace temporarily turned into the residence of W. Churchill and his retinue. Until 1956, a government dacha was located here. Subsequently, a decision was made to reopen the museum, which is still functioning, but in a new status. In the 90s of the last century, the complex began to be called the palace and park museum-reserve.

Architecture

In the appearance of the building, elements of various eras and a successful combination of architectural styles are visible - strict English, with a direction towards neo-Gothic, and magnificent oriental, neo-Moorish. An interesting fact is that the palace began to be built according to one project (Italian Francesco Boffo and Englishman Thomas Harrison), and ended according to another (the famous British eclectic architect Edward Blore). By the way, the latter, while working on the project, did not visit Alupka, as he was too busy with orders from the royal family in his homeland.

The main material for the construction of the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka is diabase, which is superior in strength to granite stones. The museum-reserve includes five separate buildings, courtyards, a terrace, a front and additional stairs, as well as a park area.

palace inside

The official website of the Vorontsov Palace offers several interesting expositions to visit. The main exposition of the complex is the Ceremonial Halls located in the Main Building of the complex. Their decoration has been preserved almost in its original form. The design and decoration of the Front Office are made in accordance with all the rules of the English style. There are portraits of the first owner, as well as his associates who participated in the battle of Borodino. The Chinese cabinet is able to surprise visitors with elaborately decorated furniture and rice straw mats that occupy most of the wall surface. The vestibule with wooden profiled ceilings, austere furniture and fireplaces decorated with diabase portals is adjacent to the vestibule, which has an embroidered image of the Persian Shah. The blue living room impresses with its sophistication and amazing stucco decoration, once made by a serf craftsman.

In the Winter Garden, you can see climbing ficus, preserved since 1838, and rare exotic plants. There are interesting sculptures and a fountain here. The main dining room of the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka (Crimea) resembles a knight's castle. It attracts the attention of the original balcony for musicians and a fountain, shaped like a fireplace. The Ceremonial Halls are completed by a billiard room with artistic canvases placed on the walls.

The next exposition includes the one-story Shuvalov wing, which was accessible only to people close to the family of the daughter of M. S. Vorontsov. The cozy house has several rooms, each of which is interesting in its own way. Then you can go to the butler's apartment, located in the Economic Building, and see how the prince's attendants lived, receiving full board, and even a salary. Here you can look into Vorontsov's kitchen. And, finally, another exposition of the "South Terraces" includes the main staircase itself, sculptures of lions, flowering flower beds and cascading fountains.

In addition to the main objects of the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka, temporary and permanent exhibitions are located on its territory. Among them are Russian and Western European porcelain-faias, paintings by artists of different periods, including the second half of the 20th century, sculptures, graphics, etc.

Vorontsov Palace Park

The lower part of the park is characterized by the Italian regular style. Mostly coniferous trees grow around the palace complex - spruces, firs, cedars, pines and cypresses, so the territory always remains green. In spring and summer, magnolias, exotic shrubs and amazing cercis bloom in the park, the trunks of which in April are densely covered with violet-purple flowers resembling moths. The park of the Vorontsov Palace is incredibly beautiful, and walking along it is an incredible pleasure.

Vorontsov Palace - how to get there

There are several options for visiting the palace and park complex in Alupka. Two routes pass through the city - upper and lower, so you can get here from different settlements peninsulas interconnected by the South Coast and Sevastopol highways.

From Yalta

On the route Yalta - Vorontsov Palace, two buses regularly run - No. 132 from the center. It stops within walking distance of the attraction - just a 10-minute walk. The stop of fixed-route taxis running between Yalta and Alupka (No. 107 and 115) is located a little further from the complex - a 15-minute walk.

From Sevastopol

You can get to the Vorontsov Palace by direct bus "Sevastopol - Alupka" to the stop "Pitomnik" and walk.

From Alushta

The path Alushta - Vorontsov Palace consists of two stages. First you need to get on the Crimean trolley bus number 52 to Yalta, and then transfer to a bus or fixed-route taxi (description above).

From Simferopol

From Simferopol to the trolleybus station of Yalta, located near the "Bus Station" can be reached from the stop "Lenin Square" on fixed-route taxi No. 54 or 63 to the station "Ploshchad Kuibysheva" and transfer to trolleybus No. 52 to Yalta. Then the way to the Vorontsov Palace - how to get there is described above. Faster to Yalta can be reached by intercity transport.

Crimean taxi drivers and private cab drivers know very well where the Vorontsov Palace is located, so they deliver passengers not only from Yalta, but also from Foros, Gurzuf, Alushta and even Simferopol. At independent trip by car, you will have to take care of the navigator in advance.

Important information Until October 2017, it was possible to get to the Vorontsov Palace by sea. Alupka pier is currently closed due to its destruction

The Vorontsov Palace in Alupka is one of the most visited Yalta palaces and the only one that I visited, and even then by accident. It’s not that I didn’t want to see it, but I really didn’t want to do it in the summer, it’s too crowded at this time.
The palace was built in the English style, and the building contains elements of various eras, from early forms to the 16th century. The farther from the western gate, the more recent style of construction. The English style is combined with the neo-Moorish style. For example, Gothic chimneys resemble the minarets of a mosque. The palace was built from 1828 to 1848 as the summer residence of the Governor-General of the Novorossiysk Territory Count Vorontsov. Interestingly, the Vorontsov Palace is one of the first buildings in Russia, where sewerage and water supply were built for the comfort of living.

The main facade of the Vorontsov Palace


The palace was owned by three generations of the Vorontsov family. Since 1921, a museum has functioned in the palace complex. 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. Now it is a museum again.

The Vorontsov Palace is located on the territory of Alupka Park, which was created by the famous botanist and gardener Karl Antonovich Kebach for 25 years. He designed clearings, placed trees according to their size. This was a matter of principle, because, according to Karl's plan, the trees should not have blocked the gorgeous view of the top of Mount Ai-Petri.

The park is spread over an area of ​​40 hectares. Geographically divided into Upper and Lower parks. The park is designed in such a way that it complements the local nature. More than two hundred species of plants grow here, which were imported from the regions of the North and South America, Mediterranean. The cost of laying out the park is twice as high as the construction of the palace itself. Up to 36,000 rubles were spent on the maintenance of the park in 1910 - a huge amount at that time.


Map of Vorontsovsky park

The attraction of the park are piles of stones from solidified magma, ejected by the volcano since time immemorial, called "Big Chaos" and "Small Chaos". These chaoses were carefully inscribed in the layout of the park, a dozen paths were laid through the piles of stones, forming almost a labyrinth, benches were placed, viewing platforms were arranged. Separate blocks are entwined with ivy and wild grapes. Sometimes it is very difficult to believe that you are in a park, and not abandoned.

A large number of fountains have been built in the park. Most of them were built according to the designs of V. Gunt.
In general, in Crimea, there has long been a tradition of respect for water. The construction of a fountain, both in the Muslim Crimea and in Russia, was considered a worthy deed, and even charitable. Where at least some trickle flowed, they put a fountain, decorated it with a saying from the Koran or the emblem of an engineering department, sometimes they beat out the date. Along the old roads, in the old Crimean settlements, a lot of these ancient fountains have been preserved, many are still functioning.

Three ponds are also artificially created on the territory of the park: Upper, Mirror and Lebediny. Around the ponds grow maples, ash and dogwood.

To decorate the bottom 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 owner chases the ducks out of his property

A couple more interesting facts about the park, according to the guides. Vorontsovsky Park literally grew on blood, because the soil under the trees was abundantly fertilized with the blood of freshly killed animals. A separate gardener was assigned to each tree, who did not sleep, did not eat, but watched his ward, cherished and cherished.

The Chilean Araucaria owes its name to the Araucans - Indians living in Chile, for whom the fruits of this tree form the basis of the diet. This copy is over 130 years old. It does not develop well in our conditions. In its homeland, it grows up to 50 meters in height, has a trunk up to one meter in diameter. There are only 5 such trees in Crimea. Araucaria branches are covered with sharp thorns, so neither monkeys nor birds sit on them.


Chilean araucaria


Crimean pine


pistachio


lower park

The fountain "Maria" is made based on the famous Bakhchisarai fountain, sung by Pushkin. The fountain is made of white and colored marble and decorated with shells and rosettes. Water falls in small drops from one bowl to another, forming a quiet, even rhythm of drops - “tears”.


Mary Fountain (Fountain of Tears)

From the sea is the famous lion terrace.

The southern entrance is decorated with oriental splendor. The Arabic inscription translates as: "And there is no winner but Allah."


coral tree


Fountain of Bakhchisarai

I didn’t go inside the palace, I really don’t like a slender run in the crowd. Maybe some other time I'll visit.


Winter Garden of the Palace

During the Yalta Conference in February 1945, the British delegation headed by W. Churchill lived in the Vorontsov Palace. A curious story is connected with him, which happened during a walk in the park of Churchill and Stalin. Churchill, who really liked the sleeping lion sculpture, said that he looked like himself and suggested that Stalin ransom him. Stalin refused this offer, but suggested to Churchill that if he answered his question correctly, then Stalin would present a sleeping lion. "Which finger on the hand is the main one?" - such was Stalin's question. Churchill replied: "Of course, index." “Wrong,” Stalin replied and twisted the figure from his fingers, which is popularly called the figurine.


sleeping lion


Fountain "Sink"


Fountain "Sink"


The southern facade of the Vorontsov Palace and the Lion's Terrace

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

Photo of the Vorontsov Palace:



Palace architecture

The style in which the building was built is a combination of English and neo-Moorish trends, they not only blend 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 at the South Entrance, where the horseshoe-shaped arch and the two-tier vault are richly carved. There is even an Arabic text, it says: "and there is no winner but Allah." The chimneys in this part resemble the towers of minarets.


History reference

The Vorontsov Palace was erected for 20 years, in 1828 - 48. for Count M.S. Vorontsov, who at that time was the governor of the Novorossiysk Territory. The construction was started by architects F. Boro and T. Harrison. 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. U. Gunt, his student, supervised the construction.

Interesting:
The palace was built by the serfs of 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 canteen building was erected, construction was completed in 1840 - 46. library building. At the same time in 1840 - 48 years. large-scale work was carried out on the arrangement of the park. Even sappers were involved in the construction of terraces near the southern facade.

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

Interesting:
20 bags of semi-precious stones were poured onto the bottom of the 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 revenge on the husband of Elizabeth Ksaveryevna with all the ardor. Every student is familiar with Pushkin's description of the general:

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

In reality, M.S. Vorontsov is an intelligent, respectable person and a true 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 - assault on the fortress of Bazardzhik in the Balkans;
  • - 1812 - Borodino (bayonet wound in hand-to-hand combat);
  • - 1813 - battle near Leipzig;
  • - 1814 - the capture of Paris.

M.S. Vorontsov led the occupation 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 lordship, the rank of field marshal general, the post of Caucasian governor.

Personal qualities of M.S. Vorontsov.

He was a bibliophile and was a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He had a unique library, which his father and aunt E.R. Dashkov.

His awards for military and state merit make up a huge list, among them

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

He was loved by the soldiers, for whom he abolished physical punishment, he was easy to handle and accessible with them, loved and respected by the officers. After his death, a sad saying was born among the military: “God is high, far from the tsar, and 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. With military honors in 2005, his ashes and the ashes of the wife were transferred to the Transfiguration Cathedral.
In general, the great poet was wrong.

Governor General's Palace

It is today South coast Crimea is luxurious and popular resort place and in the early years of the 19th century he was just gaining fame. Russian landowners mastered 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 appreciate:

  • - healing climate;
  • - luxurious landscapes;
  • - warm sea;
  • - nearby springs.

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

Interesting:
To increase seismic stability, 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 dacha of the NKVD here, and in 1921 a museum began to work in the palace.

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

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

In February 1945, during the Yalta Conference, a British delegation headed 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 it has been 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 the English style and oriental motifs.

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

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:

Information for tourists

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

  • - 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 visit the palace for free. Students, pensioners and citizens aged 16-18 for 325 rubles.

You can ride an electric car in the park. The cost of such an excursion is 800 rubles for the whole group (from 4 to 20 people). Guided tours are also provided in the museum.

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

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

How to get to the Vorontsov Palace

Buses from the central bus station go here from Yalta. Go to the stop "Alupka Palace". Continue walking through the park. 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 uphill from the beach. Address: Alupka, Palace highway, 18.

Vorontsov Palace on the map of Crimea

GPS Coordinates: N 44.419861, E 34.055972 Latitude/Longitude