Alexandria Park (Peterhof): witness several milestones of Russian history

In June 2010, after a long restoration, the museum and the park Alexandria (Peterhof) opened their doors to visitors. This estate, named after the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, the wife of Nicholas I, was known from the beginning of the XVIII century, that is, long before she became "Her Own Majesty's Cottage." Until now, in the palace and park complex, you can see the ruins of Alexander Menshikov's estate. It was this favorite of Peter I who first bought a large territory that once belonged to four owners, and began to build on it his residence, which he called "Mon Courage".

After the disgrace of Menshikov, the land passed to the Dolgoruky family, who had little interest in it. So, as a result, the estate "Mon Courage" acquired another name - "Dolgorukov empty places". Then the territory went to the imperial family. In the 1730s there was the hunting estate of Anna Ioanovna, but later the attention of the monarchs turned to Tsarskoe Selo, and Peterhof again came to desolation. And only in 1825 Nicholas I gave this "place where the ruins of Menshikov stands" under the dacha to his wife. At the same time, the monarch's order is given to smash a regular Alexandria park around the dacha. Peterhof again became a popular place for the Russian nobility.

Already in 1829 architect A. Menelas erected a "cottage" - a summer palace in the style of English romanticism, a "farm" with outbuildings (like the Versailles, where she liked to present herself as the shepherdess Marie Antoinette). In parallel to these construction works, the famous garden master P. Erler broke the park Alexandria (Peterhof). Later, the imperial residence was replenished with new buildings: the family chapel, executed in the Gothic style, and the Lower Dacha, which Nikolay II chose as his summer palace. It was in the last building that the emperor signed the manifesto, according to which Russia entered the First World War.

But this structure is now in ruins. After the revolution, the estate was declared a museum, but it did not last long for the temple of science. Already in 1933 the recreation center of the NKVD was located here, and the museum was closed. During the Great Patriotic War both the palaces and the park of Alexandria (Peterhof) suffered greatly. Especially went to the Lower Dacha, which in the early 1960s was recognized as an emergency and exploded. Only in 1978 the restoration work of the palace "Cottage" was completed. But now the administration of the manor-museum has far-reaching plans. Plans are underway to restore the Lower Dacha. Completely rebuilt Gothic Chapel and Ruined Bridge.

In addition, this homestead is trying to regain its very purpose. For a long time it served as a place for leisure activities for children from the royal family. It is in the rest area of small visitors that the Alexandria Park (Peterhof) is now turned . How to get to this palace on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, any resident of St. Petersburg will tell you. From the Baltic station there goes an electric train, and from metro stations Leninsky Prospekt, Baltiyskaya and Avtovo - minibus and bus number 200.

But as the cost of maintaining the estate has increased in order, and there are also attractions (in particular, a children's train), tourists can no longer visit the park Alexandria (Peterhof) for free. The cost of admission is nonetheless symbolic: 30 rubles for adults and 10 for schoolchildren, pensioners and students. And young guests under 6 years old are still accepted for free.